Home

About Us

Student Film Festival

48Hours of Madness

Scriptwriting Competition

Photo Gallery

Contact Us

Mentoring Outreach

Seminars/Workshops

www.BestFestAmerica.com

 

“BestFest America programs are functions of The Visual Arts Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the next generation of filmmakers by mentoring, training and inspiring filmmakers and providing a forum for their work to be seen and help foster their storytelling craft.”

Like us!     Follow us!   Subscribe!

Click Here for
Talent Release Student Film Festival Entry Form 2012.pdf Student Film Festival

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

 

WHAT:  Student Film Festival showcasing the work of high school and college filmmakers in six categories:

Live Action Narrative, Animated Narrative, Public Service Announcement/Advertisement, Documentary, Music Video, Experimental.

 

 

FORMAT:  All completed films must be burned onto a playable DVD (NTSC format, Zone 0 or 1).

.

 

GUIDELINES:  Films must follow these guidelines or they will receive lower scores.

Some important things to remember are:

Click Here for
Entry Form

JUDGING:  Two rounds of judging are most often used to determine Official Selections and final order of award placement. ROUND ONE: A panel of judges views all entries and nominates 5 films in each division (high school and college) to advance to Round Two judging. Judges focus on four major criteria for each entry:  Each team will receive Judges' (who are industry professionals) comments and scores on their entry based on:

 

QUESTIONS?

Claudia Title at claudia@bestfestamerica.com, 858-334-8884

 

 

WHEN:  

Winning films will be shown on the big screen in February 4, 2012!

Entry Deadline: Mailed DVD must be postmarked by: December 16, 2011

 

WHERE:  UltraStar Mission Valley Cinemas at Hazard Center,

San Diego CA

 

ENTRY FEE: $30 per submission. Cash, check or money order, U.S. funds

Scriptwriting (25%): How engaging, compelling, believable are the characters, story/plot and dialogue/narration?

 

Creative Excellence (25%): How well do production elements utilize imaginative and creative ways to support the story in direction, sound/music, art direction, graphics, and editing?

 

Technical Excellence (25%): How did technical aspects of the production enhance the story through lighting, sound (sound design, balance/levels, ambient, foley, looping), camera movement and editing?

 

Overall (25%): How strongly did this entry affect the viewer and elicit an emotional or intellectual response (NOT how well did the viewer like the content or subject matter)?

ROUND TWO: Using the same criteria, assuming the quality of entries allows, a new panel of judges reviews entries and determines final nominations and order of finish within each category.

 

Official Selection Notification

All selected entries will be shown in their entirety at BestFest America with the filmmaker(s) introducing their entry and receiving awards. Official selections to BestFest America 2012 will be posted on our web site. Emails will be sent to all.

 

Festival Screenings

Students whose entries are Officially Selected to BestFest receive complimentary passes to the film festival screening in San Diego, CA on February 4, 2012. Transportation and lodging not included.

Length:  30 minutes or less.

Rating:  High School: PG-13 rated (think prime-time TV, not cable, for language, violence, drugs and sex depiction).  Implied/suggested violence may be used but no guns, knives, or other weapons (to reduce danger to filmmakers and actors).  No fights, car chases, or other activities that should/would require stunt work. College: not rated.

MAIL TO: Send completed entry form, entry fee and copy of your DVD to:

 

BestFest America 2011 Student Film Festival

P.O. Box 656, La Jolla, CA 92038