FESTIVAL RULES & TERMS
By submitting your project to Albuquerque Film + Music Experience, submitter agrees to adhere and implies unconditional acceptance to the Festival Rules and Terms which is required to participate in the festival.
FILM RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
It's important that your film is legally sound before you submit it to AFMX. Here's what you need to know:
- Your film must be entirely your own creation. This means:
- You have permission to use everything in your film. This includes the music, images, story, and any other content. You also have releases from anyone appearing in the film.
- You've paid any required fees. If you used any copyrighted material (like music or images), you've already paid the copyright holders.
- Your film doesn't break any laws. It doesn't infringe on anyone's rights, including copyright, privacy, and defamation laws.
- There are no legal issues with your film. This means there are no lawsuits or disputes about it.
Important note: We don't check these rights ourselves, so it's up to you to make sure everything is legally sound before you submit.
AFMX's USE OF YOUR FILM
We might archive your film. We might keep a copy of your film for our records, but we'll only use it for historical and research purposes.
We won't screen it publicly without your permission. We won't show your film to the public without asking you first.
CLEARANCES
You have all the necessary clearances for public exhibition. This means you have all the required permissions and licenses to show your film publicly.
FILM ACCEPTANCE
- No Special Obligations: Just because AFMX chooses my film, it doesn't mean they have to do anything else for me, like represent me or act in my best interests.
- No Endorsement: AFMX choosing my film doesn't mean they agree with everything in it or endorse any of the views expressed in the film.
- Protecting AFMX: I agree to protect AFMX and everyone involved with the festival from any legal trouble that might come up because of my film or the festival showing it. This means I'll be responsible for any losses, expenses (like lawyer fees), or problems caused if I break any of the promises I've made in this agreement.
- No Confidential Relationship: We both agree that this doesn't create any special relationship where we have to keep secrets or where the festival has to act in my best interests.
PROMOTIONAL USE: I give AFMX permission to:
- Use clips, pictures, and info from my film to promote the festival.
- Promote my film and the filmmakers, including using our names and pictures.
- Share contact info for the director and producer(s) with film industry organizations if they choose to.
- We want to make sure that all films submitted to AFMX are legally sound, so please make sure you meet these requirements before submitting.
FILM CATEGORIES
- AFMX accepts films in the following categories: Narrative, Documentary, Student, Animation, BIPOC, and New Mexico, both feature and short film.
- Student entries must provide a photocopy of a current and valid student ID or a letter from his/her school verifying enrollment.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
- Production Date: Your film must have been completed between September 2023 and May 2025.
- Submission Deadline: May 17, 2025 - Make sure to submit your film by this date! If it's late, you might need to pay a late fee, or your film might not be considered.
- Acceptance Notification: We'll let you know if your film has been selected by Monday, June 30, 2024.
- Submission Fees: Each film you submit has a separate entry fee. You can pay these fees securely through FilmFreeway.
- No Refunds: All submission fees are non-refundable.
- Final Version/"Picture Locked" Only: When you submit your film, make sure it's the final version. Submit the final version of your film. We won't accept any updates or changes after you've submitted.
- Subtitles: If your film has dialogue in a language other than English, please include English subtitles.
- Re-Submitting Your Film: You can re-submit a film if you've made significant changes. Include a short letter explaining the updates.
- Premiere Status: Your film doesn't have to be a premiere to be in our festival. We welcome films that have been shown in other film festivals.. The only requirement is that your film can't be currently available on any streaming service (like Netflix or Hulu), broadcast channel, or video-on-demand platform.
SUBMISSION FORMAT
- Submit through FilmFreeway.
- Provide a downloadable link to your film (from FilmFreeway, Vimeo, Dropbox, or WeTransfer).
- File size is 10GB max, 1080p resolution in .mp4 format.
H.264 codec, 24 fps, variable bit rate 8-10 Mbps.
Audio: 320 kbps 5.1 Surround, 2.0 Stereo.
- Screenings: We can screen .mov and DCP files. If we screen your film in DCP, you'll need to provide a backup file or BluRay. Please label your film as PAL or NTSC. We do NOT support 35mm, Super 16mm, or double-head formats.
- Projection: We aim to provide the best quality projection possible, but we're not responsible for any technical issues with the projection.
IMPORTANT NOTES
- Commitment to Screening: Once we've accepted your film and you've sent us a digital copy, you can't withdraw it from the festival program. You can't withdraw your film after it's been selected.
- Unexpected Changes: We might need to change how screenings or events happen due to unforeseen circumstances (like public health concerns or government regulations). Submission fees cannot be refunded in these cases.
- Scheduling: Screenings are scheduled at AFMX's discretion. We may make changes to the schedule at any time.
- Representing Your Film: We encourage all filmmakers to attend the festival and represent their films.
- Troubleshooting: If you have any problems with your submission or need to re-submit, please contact us.
SCREENING PROCESS
- Private Screenings: Our screening team will watch all the submitted films in private sessions.
- Easy Access: Please upload your film directly to FilmFreeway so our entire screening committee can easily access it.
- To keep our selection process fair, we keep the following confidential:
1. Feedback on films.
2. Identities of judges and screeners
3. Details about our review process
PROMOTIONAL USE AND RIGHTS
- Promotional Use: AFMX can use images from your film for marketing.
- Digital Press Kit: Please include a digital press kit with your submission:
1. Primary contact for the film (name, email, and phone).
2. Production stills (960x380px, up to 2 stills).
3. Poster link (960x380px).
- Social Media Handles: We highly recommend submitters provide social media handles so we may better promote your film or submission status.
- Promotional Materials: You agree to let us use your name, stills from your film, and a short clip or trailer for promotional purposes. Please provide at least one high-quality image of your film upon request.
- Approval for Other Use: We will ask for your permission before using your film for anything beyond our internal screening process and general festival promotion (like press screenings).
RETURNING YOUR MATERIALS
- You're responsible for shipping costs: You'll need to pay to ship your film to us, whether it's coming from inside the US or another country.
- Want your stuff back? If you want us to return your film after the festival, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your submission.
- Physical copies: If you send us a physical copy (like a thumb drive or hard drive), we won't return it unless you specifically ask us to and include a prepaid, self-addressed envelope or package with your submission.
TRAVEL SUPPORT
While AFMX doesn't provide travel stipends to help with travel costs, we do offer discount codes for lodging to help make your trip to Albuquerque more affordable. More information about venues and locations can be found on our website, www.afmxnm.com.
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION (SHORT SCRIPT)
1. Your script must be entirely your own creation. This means:
2. You have permission to use everything in your script.
3. You've paid any required fees. If you used any copyrighted material (like music or images), you've already paid the copyright holders.
4. Your script doesn't break any laws. It doesn't infringe on anyone's rights, including copyright, privacy, and defamation laws.
5. There are no legal issues with your film. This means there are no lawsuits or disputes about it.
6. Important note: We don't check these rights ourselves, so it's up to you to make sure everything is legally sound before you submit.
SCREENPLAY SUBMISSION RULES
1. There are two categories: NM submissions & out of state submissions.
2. All submissions are to be sent digitally via FilmFreeway in PDF format only.
3. Maximum page count is 15 pages.
4. All entries must be in English but can be in Spanish with translation.
5. There is no limit to the number of screenplays you may submit.
6. Contact details or names are allowed to be on the title page, but not recommended.
7. All screenplays should be written in industry standard format (Courier 12 pt font).
8. Short scripts and TV scripts can be any genre.
9. Submitted scripts must be original work and the sole property of the applicant(s).
10. Screenplays submitted must not have been previously sold or produced. Adapted or based on screenplays are also accepted.
11. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to register their screenplay and secure clearance from the copyright holders of any copyrighted materials included within the submitted screenplay.
12. All entrants, including the semi-finalists and winners, retain complete and exclusive rights to their work.
13. All ages are eligible.
14. Original works that have not started film production are eligible.
SCREENPLAY ACCEPTANCE
- No Special Obligations: Just because AFMX chooses my script, it doesn't mean they have to do anything else for me, like represent me or act in my best interests.
- No Endorsement: AFMX choosing my script doesn't mean they agree with everything in it or endorse any of the views expressed in the story.
- Protecting AFMX: I agree to protect AFMX and everyone involved with the festival from any legal trouble that might come up because of my script or the festival presenting it. This means I'll be responsible for any losses, expenses (like lawyer fees), or problems caused if I break any of the promises I've made in this agreement.
- No Confidential Relationship: We both agree that this doesn't create any special relationship where we have to keep secrets or where the festival has to act in my best interests.
PROMOTIONAL USE
I give AFMX permission to:
- Use loglines from my script to promote the festival.
- Promote my script and the filmmakers, including using our names and pictures.
