GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
We strongly encourage you to review the following carefully. By submitting your project, you acknowledge that you have read and agreed to all of the following rules and terms. All projects that have been submitted by our final deadline and that adhere to the following terms will be considered for inclusion in the 2023 Playhouse West Film Festival.
1. We only screen films where at least one Playhouse West member, current of alumni, is involved in the production of the film (actor, writer, director, producer, D.P., editor, etc.). Students from the Playhouse West - Los Angeles and Playhouse West - Philly, and Playhouse West - Waco, are eligible to submit
2. ALL ENTRIES MUST SUBMIT A COVER LETTER. In the cover letter YOU MUST LIST THE FULL NAMES OF THE PLAYHOUSE WEST MEMBERS, current or alumni, involved in the production, i.e., actor, director, writer, producer. Acting roles should list the character names played, and if the member was a leading or supporting role.
Any entry without a cover letter will not be in consideration for the film festival.
3. Each submission must be accompanied by a submission fee paid in full and a working screener in order to be considered. Once we have all necessary materials, the submission will be marked “In Consideration”. It is the submitter’s responsibility to make sure that all submission requirements are met. If your submission is marked “Incomplete” and you’re unsure why, please email pwfilmfestival@gmail.com.
Press kits and cover letters are not required but are appreciated. If you wish to submit either, please attach it to your submission. DO NOT send hard copies to the school; they will be recycled.
OTHER IMPORTANT ITEMS:
1. For Submissions: We only accept Secure Online Submissions or Vimeo link via the FilmFreeway website. We DO NOT accept DVD or Blu-Ray screeners. In addition, we cannot accept screener links via email, they MUST be attached to your submission.
Our committee will pre-screen rough cuts of films, but only if they are picture-locked with the precise run time, including all end credits. When submitting a rough cut please include in the cover letter precisely what is unfinished and when your final edit will be completed. The committee may require an updated version before making final selections. We do not screen un-completed films at our festival.
The submitter may update their screener up until the final deadline, as long as the link and password for the submission remains the same. However, PWFF is only responsible for considering the project as it exists at the time of review. We are under no obligation to revisit updated cuts once a screener has been seen. Therefore, you should not submit your project if it is not complete enough to adequately represent the final product.
Updated cuts must be accessible via your FilmFreeway account. We cannot accept updated cuts via email.
No updated cuts will be accepted after the final submission deadline.
2. For Accepted Films: Exhibition copies must be delivered as an MP4 digital video files, exported H.264, 1920x1080, highest quality settings and codecs. The exact specs will be emailed out upon acceptance. Final screening copies must be received via our Dropbox account two weeks prior to festival dates. A link to this account will be supplied upon acceptance.
3. Entries must be in English, or be subtitled in English.
4. Our festival accepts/screens narrative, live-action films (any genre), documentaries, animated films, web series episodes, experimental films and music videos. However, only live-action films are eligible for awards.
5. We only accept films which have been produced and completed within three (5) years of our festival date.
6. Films that have been submitted to previous Playhouse West - Los Angeles festivals, whether they were accepted or not, are not eligible.
7. Our festival has no distribution restrictions.
8. All entrants agree, if accepted, to permit the Playhouse West Film Festival - Los Angeles, sponsored by the Playhouse West Arts Foundation, Inc., to exhibit their film entry at our 2023 Film Festival event, August 18-20.
