Big Syn International Film Festival, London

The following is an explanation of rules and regulations (“Rules and Regulations”) governing the submission of films or videos (hereafter referred to as “the Project”) to the Big Syn Institute, an initiative of the Centre of Big Synergy, a not for profit company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales (11529720), whose registered office is at 35-37 Ludgate Hill, London, England, EC4M 7JN (hereafter referred to as “Institute”), to be considered for the 2020 Big Syn International Film Festival, London (hereafter referred to as “Festival”).

By agreeing to these Terms And Conditions, the individual or organisation submitting the Project (hereafter called the “Applicant”) acknowledges that s/he or it has obtained consent from any and all owners, creators, writers, Producers and/or other authorised representatives of the Project (hereafter called the “Project’s Owners”) whose consent is required to submit the Project to the Institute, and has read and understood the submission rules and regulations set forth below.

In submitting a Project for the Festival, the Applicant is agreeing to abide by the Rules and Regulations below.

Submission Deadlines

Projects must be submitted no later than specified below.

- Final deadline: 30th September 2021.

Submission procedure and format

2.1 Projects  must be submitted in any 2 ways below, both via www.filmfreeway.com.

a) Upload an online screener of the Project/s on FillmFreeway.com
b) Submit link/s of the Project/s as on YouTube or Vimeo. Please include password, if the video is password protected.

The Institute reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees paid by the Applicant, any Project that is not submitted via one of these formats. Note, this registered office address is not to be used as a postal address. 

2.2 Please note if the Project is selected as an 'Official Selection' and the Applicant decides to screen it online during the Festival, the video should be viewable on YouTube or Vimeo without a password. The Applicant should inform the Institute if they DO NOT want to screen their Project/s after being selected by the Selection Committee.

2.3 The Institute does not accept films sent over by DVD, Blu Ray, SD card or Hard Drives. Please submit only the final version of the Projects - changing or updating the originally submitted link is not accepted.

Submission eligibility

- All submissions must have been completed within the last three years.

- Multiple entries are allowed. You can submit more than one Project to the same category. Separate fees must be paid for each one.

- The Institute does not require any national premiere for any feature film in its country of origin.

- There is no premiere policy for any entry category.

- Entries in foreign languages must come with on-screen English subtitles or will be disqualified from the completion. The Institute is able to disqualify, without refund of all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant, any Project that contains significant non-English spoken dialogue that does not include on-screen English subtitles.

- At the discretion of the Institute, a Project may be transferred to the correct category, but only if the appropriate level of submission fee has been paid.

- Projects should be based on the topics below

3.1 Subject matters of Projects can cover anything and everything (not limited to the ones below) that bring to perspective the need to address the issues below or the solutions that should be adopted to achieve the ultimate goal of creating a better future for all - as far as the society, economy and the environment is concerned.

- No Poverty;  Zero Hunger;  Good Health and Well-being; Quality Education; Gender Equality; Clean Water and Sanitation;  Affordable and Clean Energy; Decent Work and Economic Growth; responsible industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; Reduced Inequality amongst individuals and nations; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Responsible Consumption and Production; Climate Action; Protecting Life Below Water; Conserving Life on Land; Championing Peace and Justice and strong Institutions; Partnerships and global synergy of ideas and actions.

Submission Fee

As specified on submission page.

Selection of Projects

5.1 Submissions are reviewed and selected under the following criteria:

- Quality of narrative and production values.

- Potential of positively changing or impacting the viewers' ideas and actions.

5.2 BSIFF, London, will review Projects in their entirety. Projects will be watched and reviewed by members of the Selection Committee; a professional group of filmmakers, film enthusiasts and critics. Projects will be scored accordingly. Except for the awards determined by public voting, the Grand Jury finally selects the Festival winners.

5.3 The Institute may choose to transfer a film to the correct category, but only if the appropriate level of submission fee has been paid.

5.4 After a film has been an Official Selection, the Applicant will be notified.

Scheduling and Screening

6.1 Screenings are scheduled at the discretion of the Institute. Whilst every effort will be made to adhere to the published schedule, the Institute reserves the right to make changes at any time for any reason. the Institute will not be liable for any costs claimed as a result of a change in scheduling. No Projects may be withdrawn from the Festival programme after its selection.

6.2 All Official Selections will be notified by the final notification date as on Filmfreeway.com

6.3 In order to keep the overall carbon footprint of the Festival to its minimum while maximising the size of the audience, Official Selections and Winning films will be screened virtually via YouTube and Vimeo during the festival.

IMPORTANT: If you have submitted the film to other Festivals that require it to be unpublished on the web, please let us know by contacting us directly at https://bigsyn.org/contact-us. These films will NOT be virtually screened.

Categories and Awards

Following are the entry categories and awards for EACH entry category.

Entry categories

As specified on submission page.

Awards and honours (for each entry category)

- Winner - Grand Jury Award

- Special Mention awards

- All films submitted will be considered for nominations of 'People's Choice Awards' and the nominations will be open to public voting until the notification date. Winners will be determined from public votes received for these nominations.

Applicants will be entitled to the following.

Global recognition

- Get recognised by a world-class Grand Jury; BAFTA award-winning filmmakers, and notable British and US film and media professionals from streaming platform/s, film schools, media, government policy and sustainability

Laurels and Crest of Honour

- Award winners and official selections will receive the official laurels and the Big Syn International Film Festival's distinguishing Crest of Honour.

Certificate of excellence

- Only the award winners will receive an official certificate of excellence (soft copy).

Potential for collaboration and funding

- Worldwide exposure of the filmmaker and the work to aid collaboration and funding of future projects via a news release circulated amongst the large international network of the members of Centre for Big Synergy, ranging from investors, entrepreneurs, CEOs, to scientists, authors, politicians and artists.

Interviews

- Winning filmmakers will be interviewed and the interviews will be published on the Big Syn Institute's website and publicised via social media.

Permanent web profile

- A permanent profile of winning works, by category, will be published on the Big Syn Institute's website, post Festival.

Publicity

- Winners and official selections will receive social media shout-outs and publicity before and during the Festival screenings.

Liability and indemnity

8.1 It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to secure authorisation and permission from the copyright owner(s) of any and all copyrighted content or materials included within the submitted Project. The Institute does not accept any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any unauthorised inclusion of any copyrighted content or materials within or relating to the submitted Project, including any content or materials that are or may become the basis for any third party claims for copyright infringement. The Institute can disqualify, without refund the submission fees paid by the Applicant, any Project with any unauthorised inclusion of copyrighted content or materials. If a claim, dispute, action or proceeding is brought by any person or organisation that alleges that the Project makes unauthorised or unlawful use of any copyrighted content or material, the Applicant agrees to fully indemnify and defend the Institute, the Festival, and each of their representatives and affiliates from any liability in connection therewith and from any fees and expenses, including but not limited to all legal fees or compensation, incurred in connection therewith.

8.2 It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to secure authorisation and permission from the owner(s) of any and all trademarked content or materials included in submitted Project. The Institute does not take any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any unauthorised inclusion of any trademarked content or materials within or relating to the submitted Project. This may include any content or materials that are or may become the basis for any third party claims for trademark infringement, trademark dilution or unfair competition. The Institute reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of submission fees paid by the Applicant, any Project with any unauthorised inclusion of trademarked content or materials. In the event that any claim, dispute, action or proceeding shall be brought or asserted by any person or organisation that alleges that the Project makes unauthorised or unlawful use of any trademarked content or material, the Applicant agrees to indemnify and defend the Institute, the Festival, and each of their representatives and affiliates from any liability in connection therewith and from any fees and expenses, including but not limited to all legal fees or compensation, incurred in connection therewith.

8.3 It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to ensure that the content of the Project is free from any actual or potential legal claims and issues, including, without limitation, claims based upon theories of libel, defamation, invasion of privacy, violation of rights of publicity, theft of trade secrets, breach of confidence, breach of confidential relationship, and breach of express or implied contract (“Third Party Claim(s)”). The Institute does not take any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any inclusion of any content or materials within or relating to the submitted Project that are or may be the basis for any Third Party Claims based upon any of the foregoing legal theories or others. The Institute reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of the submission fees paid the Applicant, any Project that is or may become the subject of any Third Party Claims. If any Third Party Claim(s) shall be brought on by any person or organisation, the Applicant agrees to fully indemnify and defend the Institute, the Festival, and each of their representatives and affiliates from any liability in connection therewith and from any fees and expenses, including but not limited to all legal fees or compensation, incurred in connection therewith.

License

9.1 In submitting a Project for the Festival, an Applicant grants to the Institute from the date of submission of the Project a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to reproduce the content of the Project or a part of it on the website of the Institute and its partners, on print and other publicity materials, as well as associated media and social media including but not limited to YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for press and publicity purposes to promote the Project, support initiatives of the Institute and its partners or sponsors, and for future events and Festivals organised by them.

9.2 In submitting a Project for the Festival, the Applicant also agrees to waive all "moral rights" to the content. This is to allow the Institute and its partners to use the excerpts of the Project alongside other media and text, as well as excerpts of Projects from other Applicants for promotions of the Festival at a later date.

9.3 An Applicant has the right to revoke the licenses above with a written notice of one month to the Institute when the content from a Project has not been published. Such content will be removed within 6 months from receipt of a request to revoke a licence if such content has already been published for the purposes above.

Complaints and concerns

Please contact the Institute directly at https://bigsyn.org/contact-us for any complaints or concerns.