2023-24 Young Filmmakers Competition

We know there are many talented young filmmakers out there, all keen to showcase and develop their talents.

Participants will take their ideas from concept to reality by producing a five-minute short film based on their interpretation of the annual brief.

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

The ‘Rebuilding’ Theme can be interpreted as broadly as the Young Filmmaker wishes and does not need to conform to the dictionary definition of the word.   

Rebuilding Lives and Rebuilding Communities is one of three unifying themes Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland (Rotary GB&I) is using to link all the service projects Rotary clubs undertake in and with their and the people in them, locally, nationally and internationally.   

The Theme for the Young Filmmaker competitions is simply ‘Rebuilding’ so it gives young people the widest opportunity to share their creative talents in showing us what it means to them. 

Age groups: Junior under 10; Intermediate 11 to 13; Senior 14 to 17 years Age as at 31 August 2023 

Closing Date - 14th February 2024   

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
Judges will consider: 
• how well the film fits the annual theme
•  if the story line has a start middle and end 
• the imagination and entertainment value, including viewer engagement
• the editing and assembly of the film
• cinematography used including thoughtful camera angles and shot composition 
• the use and delivery of sound.  

The judges will not enter any discussion or correspondence regarding their decision; the decision of the judges will be final and not subject to any appeal. 

How to deliver your films and technical information (the do’s)
1.   Delivery format Part 1: 1920 by 1080 pixels at 25 or 50 frames per second. 50fps preferred, 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) using Filmic Pro the iPhone is limited to 25FPS in 4K. To film in higher frame rates on the iPhone use the MoviePro app which will support 4K at 50p, but MoviePro is for iPhone only. For Filmic Pro supported Android devices go here https://www.filmicpro.com/support/.  

2. Delivery format Part 2: Codec MP4, .mov or .mp4, variable bit rate, settings - average 10Mbits/sec maximum 20Mbits/sec. Please send finished submission files via WeTransfer to the Rotary Club of West Fife co-ordinator along with the entry form.
3. Films should start with 1 second of black and silence and finish the same way.
4. Films should be shot landscape (mobile devices and tablets held horizontally)
5. Films should be made up from all original material, generated by you the entrant.
6. The mix of sound and voice should be such that any narration or dialogue can be clearly heard over any bed music.
7. 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. 

ENTRY FORM - 2023-24-Young-Filmmaker-Entry-Form.pdf

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

For full details please read the Information Pack

2023-24_YOUNG_FILMMAKER_INFO_PACK.pdf

To arrange submission of entries contact Robert North below the image