The 54 Film Fest Rules & Elements
CONTEST RULES
The 54-production team gives participating teams 54 hours (from the end of the Inception Meeting until online movie submission) to write, shoot, and edit their short films (2 to 5 minutes in duration). Teams may add an additional thirty seconds of credits for a maximum length of 5 minutes and 30 seconds. Alternatively, teams may choose the 5+4 time option, which gives movie makers 9 days (5 weekdays and 4 on weekends) to submit their films. All other rules will be the same. The 54 hour and 5+4 teams will compete for separate awards.
All content for a team’s film must be created during the 54 hours (or 5+4 Days) of the competition (from the end of the Inception Meeting until online movie submission). Stock footage may only be used with copyright permission for festival screening. Visual and audio representation of brands, logos, and other art forms is not permissible without permission from the copyright holder.
All content must be suitable for a PG-13 rating. No nudity, excessive vulgarity, or excessive gore is permissible. If you have a question concerning specific content, please contact a 54 Film Fest representative.
No talent or crew member may be paid.
DAY 1:
THE INCEPTION MEETING
(5 PM Friday Evening)
At the Inception Meeting, 54 Film Fest representatives will give each team a genre and three elements (traditionally: a prop, an action, and a line of dialogue). The elements must be used in the team’s short film. Failure to do so will lead to disqualification from awards.
One representative from each team needs to be at the Inception Meeting on time, although more are welcome to attend. Team leader agreements must be signed and submitted prior to participating in the competition.
The Elements
(given at the Inception Meeting)
(Reach out to a 54 Film Fest Producer if you are concerned about the eligibility of your use of an element.)
Prop
The assigned prop is an object that significantly influences the story, which is usually used by a character. If a team uses the required prop only as a set dressing that does not influence the story, the team risks an avoidable disqualification.
Line of Dialogue
The required line must be spoken or readable on screen. It must be exactly as presented by the 54 Film Fest (city producer and/or Social Media page official posting). The following pronouns may be used or substituted (‘it’, ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘they’). The line may also be spoken in a foreign language, but English subtitles should be provided if used in this manner.
Action
The required action must be clearly visible on camera and is flexible within reason.
12 hours into the competition
Curveball
12 hours into the competition, teams should check the 54 Film Fest Middle Tennessee Social Media pages for the Curve Ball Challenge. Teams must also incorporate this element into their films in order to be eligible for Best Picture consideration. Failure to add this element will disqualify the team from the Curve Ball Award and the Best Film (Private Audience) Award.
54 HOURS or 5+4 DAYS
SUBMISSION
(11:59 PM CST on the 1st SUNDAY is the DEADLINE for the 54 Hours)
(5:59 PM CST on the 2nd SUNDAY is the DEADLINE for the 5+4 Days)
Teams should obtain a file checksum and complete the Checksum Form prior to midnight CST on Sunday of the competition weekend for 54 Hour teams and prior to 6pm CST on the 2nd Sunday for the 5+4 participants. Teams must also save their completed films in the team’s assigned Google Drive folder. The Submission Procedure for obtaining and submitting the checksum is listed below under “Submission.”
Films should be turned in as digital files. The films will be screened in the resolution that the teams submit.
h.264 preferred, but all files compatible with Compressor are accepted.
Teams must export films at a 23.976 or 24fps framerate.
Teams must also answer questions and submit timestamps for each element in their film upon final submission on the Film Submission Form. Teams must also complete the Award Consideration Form.
All releases must also be added to the team’s assigned Google Drive folder by the applicable deadlines.
PRODUCTION MATERIALS & LEGAL
The Team Leader Agreement must be completed and submitted by the Inception Meeting.
All release forms must be added to the team’s assigned Google Drive folder prior to midnight CST on the Sunday of the competition weekend for the 54 Hour teams or prior to 6pm CST on the 2nd Sunday for the 5+4 participants.
Only use original material or material you have permission to use. If the copyright is in question, a 54 Film Fest representative will contact you concerning the issue. Please abide by the adage, “When in doubt, leave it out.”
Use of copyrighted material without permission is grounds for disqualification from the screening and awards. Please be a good citizen, and respect copyright holders.
The 54 Film Fest asks that you not share your film via social media or with non-participants prior to the screening.
SUBMISSION
54 Film Fest Electronic Film Submission Procedures
To verify that film files are not changed after links have been shared, teams must provide a checksum number on the Checksum Form PRIOR to midnight (by 11:59 PM) CST on the 1st Sunday following the Inception for the 54-hour participants and PRIOR to 6pm (by 5:59PM) CST on the 2nd Sunday for the 5+4 teams. We have updated the instructions for how to obtain and submit the checksum, and the instructions are provided below. All times listed in the Submission Procedure document are Central Standard Time (CST).