Questions About Submitting a Film
Please read through these questions and answers carefully before submitting a film:
1. What are the deadlines and fees?
Early Deadline:
Postmarked on or before June 15, 2010.
Entry Fees:
Features, Faith-Based, Green, and Extreme Sports $35 / Shorts $25
Standard Deadline:
Postmarked on or before August 15, 2010.
Entry Fees:
Features, Faith-Based, Green, and Extreme Sports $50 / Shorts $35
Late Deadline:
Postmarked on or before September 15, 2010.
Entry Fees:
Features, Faith-Based, Green, and Extreme Sports $75 / Shorts $50
2. Is my film eligible?
In general, we accept independent shorts and feature-length films which have not been commercially exhibited, and do not have any distribution deals in place. (In the Screening Series category, we accept any film, regardless of prior distribution, etc., however the Screening Series is non-competitive. See #6 below.) Please read the eligibility requirements.
3. Films that have had prior commercial screenings are ineligible for competition. What does that mean?
A commercial screening is a ticketed screening (you charged for admission), or a screening that was open to the general public. Festival screenings are excluded (see #5 below).
4. What if I had a private screening? Is that OK?
Generally, yes. If you screened your film for cast & crew, or friends & family, and it was by invitation only, your film is still eligible.
5. What if my film screened at another film festival?
If your film was selected and screened at another film festival, that’s fine. As long as it meets the other requirements, you may submit it.
6. What if my film is not eligible for competition? Can it still be screened at the festival?
Maybe. We have one non-competitive submission category, the Screening Series, which is designed to give filmmakers an opportunity to still submit a film to the festival even if the film doesn’t meet the requirements for any of the other categories. Mammoth Film Festival also has a limited number of opportunities for special screenings and film premieres. Please contact us for details.
7. May I submit more than one film?
You may submit as many films as you like! Each film will be treated as a separate submission, and must be sent as a separate entry with all required materials, including payment, for each entry.
8. How do I submit my film?
You may submit a film using Withoutabox.
or
You may submit a film using the PDF entry form. Please include:
- A completed entry form.
- Two copies of your film on DVD.
- Payment of the required fee, in US$, by check or money order.
9. In what format should I submit my film?
Each film submission must include two (2) copies of the film, each on a separate DVD. The DVDs must be encoded as Region 1 (or Region 0), and must be in NTSC format. While we will make every effort to view your submission, Mammoth Film Festival is not responsible for DVDs which are improperly encoded, defective, or otherwise unplayable.
10. How do I know if you’ve received my entry?
Filmmakers who use Withoutabox will be notified when their materials are received by the Festival. If you choose not to use Withoutabox, you may include a self-addressed, stamped postcard which we will mail back to you. Return of this postcard does not indicate that your film has been viewed or accepted, only that your submission package was received.
11. Will you let me know if there’s a problem with my submission or DVDs?
If we can, we may attempt to contact you to resolve any problems. However, we can’t guarantee this, and ultimate responsibility for proper submissions and working DVDs is yours. We strongly encourage you to read all submission instructions carefully, and test your DVDs or have them professionally recorded.
12. What types of films are you looking for?
The main Feature Film Tournament is broken down into four categories: Documentary, Foreign, Drama, and Comedy/Musical. Filmmakers select the category for their submission on the entry form, although the final category determination is made by Festival officials.
The Short Film Competition accepts a broad range of shorts including animation, music videos, documentaries, and traditional narrative shorts.
We also feature several specialty competitions: Green Films, Extreme Sports Films, and Faith-Based Films.
13. My feature film is horror/action/scifi, etc. I don’t see that category.
Pick the most appropriate feature film category. A horror film like Halloween might belong in Drama, while Scary Movie would be more appropriate in Comedy. Star Wars would be a Drama. The Grudge is arguably Foreign, and Ju-on certainly is. You get the idea.
All short films, in any genre, should be submitted in the Short Film category.
14. What is the Green Film Competition? What is a Green Film?
The addition of the Green Film Competition is intended to give filmmakers with environmentally relevant subjects a platform to exhibit their work, and win a specific award in this field (Best Green Film).
A Green film could be about alternative energy, solar power, electric cars, cures for disease in the rapidly disappearing Amazon rainforest, etc. Surprise us. Teach us something. As long as the topic adheres to the basic Green theme, the film is eligible for consideration in this category.
Additionally, to encourage and highlight progress in environmentally friendly filmmaking, this competition also accepts films in any genre which have been made in an environmentally conscious way. This doesn’t mean that you just printed the script on recycled paper. You must have adapted your filmmaking process in such a way as to significantly reduce the eco-footprint of producing a film, especially in ways that would be potentially applicable across the broad landscape of studio filmmaking.
15. Warren Miller is my hero. Is that what you mean by Extreme Sports films?
Basically, yes. Mammoth is a mecca for both summer and winter extreme sports, from skiing to snowboarding to mountain biking, and beyond. This makes it the perfect backdrop for a competition in this specialty genre.
In addition to the Warren Miller adventure-style films, this competition also accepts films covering other aspects of extreme sports, such as the history of a sport, the technological advances of equipment, the culture/lifestyle of a sport, biographical profiles of athletes, etc.
16. I made a Green/Extreme Sports short. Should I enter it in the Short Film Competition, or in the Green/Extreme Sports competition?
It’s really up to you. You can even enter twice if you like. Or maybe three times if you somehow made a short film about the extreme sport of polar bear wrestling on the dwindling Arctic ice shelf. (That’s a joke. We assume no liability if you actually go out and try that.)
Seriously, because the Short Film Competition is restricted to only short films, the entry fees are lower. However, entering your short in the Green or Extreme Sports specialty competitions gives you a chance to win a specific award (Best Green/Best Extreme Sports Film), which you might find more desirable.
And hey, if you can make a 10-minute short about solar power that’s better than a 70-minute film about electric cars, then you win!
17. My film was included in the Mammoth Film Festival last year, but didn’t win. Can I submit it again?
No.
18. My film was submitted and rejected last year. Can I submit it again?
Yes. You will receive the same consideration as all other entries, but please let us know if your film is a resubmission, and how it has changed.
19. How old can my film be?
We do not have a specific restriction, but you must disclose the year the film was completed on the entry form.
20. Do I have to obtain clearances (music, likeness, etc.) for my film?
Obtaining clearances for copyrights, likeness, and other protected elements is the sole responsibility of the filmmaker. Mammoth Film Festival will not be held responsible for the inclusion of any uncleared materials in a film. If you are trying to obtain clearances for your film, note that rights holders will often offer discounted rates for festival use.
21. Why wasn’t my film selected?
Even if your film meets all the requirements, space is limited, and we regretfully cannot include every film in the Festival. All selection decisions are made by Mammoth Film Festival officials, at their sole discretion. Unfortunately, we cannot give a reason for why a film was not selected.
22. My film wasn’t selected or wasn’t eligible. Can I have my submission fees and/or DVDs returned to me?
All fees are non-refundable. And submitted materials will not be returned.
23. I submitted my film, but haven’t heard anything yet.
Final film selections will be announced approximately one month prior to the festival. The selections will be posted on the Mammoth Film Festival website, and filmmakers will also be contacted individually (please make sure the contact information you provide with your submission will still be valid in November!). Unfortunately, we are not able to contact anyone whose film was not selected.
24. Will you waive the entry fee for my film?
While we would very much like to consider your film(s) for inclusion in the festival, we are not currently able to grant fee waivers.
25. What is a unicorn?
Glad you asked.
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