2021-22 Young Filmmakers Competition

The Challenge is to produce a film of up to five minutes duration based upon the annual theme of "The Environment".

Mobile phones may be used in addition to cameras. To accompany the film, each entrant must provide a brief sentence describing the relationship to the theme. 

Age groups: Junior 7 to 10; Intermediate 11 to 13; Senior 14 to 17 years Age as at 31 August 2021 

Closing Date - 14th February 2022 

PLEASE NOTE: Films which incorporate images of people under 18 years old must be accompanied by written permission from the parent, guardian, or carer. 

Aims and Objectives
The competition aims to encourage young people to:
• experiment with filmmaking • use digital and/or traditional methods of filmmaking
• demonstrate interpretation of the topic
• express ideas through filmmaking 

Judging Criteria
1. How well the film fits the annual theme
2. Story line, has it a start, middle and end?
3. Imagination and entertainment value; viewer engagement
4. Editing/how the film is assembled
5. Cinematography (thoughtful camera angles and shot composition)
6. Use and delivery of sound 

How to deliver your films and technical information (the do’s)
1. Delivery format: 1920 by 1080 pixels at 25 or 50 frames per second. Note: mobile phones default to 30 or 60 frames per second, to get control over the features of your phone camera, download the Filmic Pro App (both Android and Apple IOS – approx.. £15) or Adobe Rush (free).
2. Delivery format 1920 by 1080, 25 or 50 frames per second, Codec: MP4, Variable Bit rate average 10Mbits/sec 15Mbits/sec maximum.
3. Please send finished submission files via WeTransfer to your local Rotary Club coordinator along with the entry form.
4. Films should start with 1 second of black and silence and finish the same way.
5. Films should be shot landscape (mobile devices and tablets held horizontally)
6. Films should be made up from all original material, generated by you the entrant.
7. The mix of sound and voice should be such that any narration or dialogue can be clearly heard over any bed music.
8. The sound level and shooting style should be consistent throughout the film. (The viewer should not need to adjust the volume control whilst watching the film) Sound level should peak -3dB off maximum, to avoid distortion. 

The don’ts
1. Do not include in your film, material found on the internet; a) copyright music b) video clips c) images or pictures unless a license fee is paid to the originator or their agent and they are credited at the end. Royalty free music or out of copyright music is suitable to include, but it needs stating that you have verified, along with the name of the song, the artist and songwriter.
2. Do not include videos of local bands playing music without their written permission, and if they are playing cover songs from well-known artists, it contravenes rule 1 (a) above. If you have filmed a band playing their own music and the band members are under 18, they also need parental permission to appear in the film. 

Entries & entry form email to Robert North (Youth Services Convenor – Rotary Club Of West Fife) 

For full details please read the Information Pack

To arrange submission of entries contact Robert North below the image