Cinematografo Originals Contest

QUALIFICATIONS

• The competition is open to all U.S. legal residents, 18 years or older. Void where prohibited by law.
• Regular employees and the immediate family of ABS-CBN International and its affiliates are disqualified from joining the competition. Independent contractors must have had no involvement with ABS-CBN International and its affiliates for a period of 2 years.
• Relatives of employees with 4th-degree consanguinity are allowed to join.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTRIES

By entering the CINEMATOGRAFO Originals contest, you represent that your entry is your original work, and does not infringe on the copyright or other rights of other people and that you have not granted any rights in your entry, in whole or in part, to any other party. No entrant will be eligible to receive a prize unless ABS-CBN determines in its sole and absolute discretion that such entrant’s entry has been or can be sufficiently cleared for legal purposes.
• If the entry is based on true events, it is the entrant’s responsibility to get consent from all parties involved.
• Submissions can be full-length narrative scripts OR sequence treatments for full-length documentaries
• All scripts must be formatted in English, including scene descriptions (dialogue can vary, providing translation is included)
• Entrants to the CINEMATOGRAFO Originals Contest retain all rights to their screenplays, subject to the ABS-CBN license for winning entries, as set forth below.
• Entries will not be returned. Be sure to retain a copy of all material submitted.
• Once a script has been entered into the competition, we will not accept substitutions or revised drafts. If you wish to submit a revised draft of your script, you must enter it as a new submission.
• The CINEMATOGRAFO Originals Contest will not share your screenplay with anyone except the official judges of the competition.
• Regardless of the length of the script or sequence treatment, the final film output must have a total running time of no longer than 50 minutes.

Entrants who are shortlisted will be notified via email and will undergo a pitching round, either in person or virtual, at the entrant’s expense. Location and schedule of pitching will be determined by ABS-CBN.

SUBMISSION

• Scripts written by multiple people may be entered in the contest. Only one entry fee is required for such entries. All writers' names should be listed on the online entry. All writers must authorize submission of the entry, through their representative, who is solely responsible for coordinating with ABS-CBN. By submitting online to the CINEMATOGRAFO Originals contest, all writers authorize the submission.
• You may submit your entry and payment online through FilmFreeway.
• We accept entries only via FilmFreeway. For digital entries, we prefer PDF format. Make sure files are under 10 megabytes (MB).
• Scripts submitted by post will not be accepted.
• Entries must be received by the applicable Entry Deadline specified below.
• Entry fees are non-refundable and for operational costs.
 
TIMELINE

• Early deadline: postmarked by December 31, 2018
• Regular deadline: postmarked by January 30, 2019
• Late deadline: postmarked by February 28, 2019

AWARDING

• The decisions of the judges are final and not appealable.
• Notification of winners will be sent by email and posted on our website no later than March 31, 2019.
• Applicants will be responsible for providing current contact information and mailing addresses for prize redemption purposes.

CRITERIA / JUDGING / WINNING ENTRIES

The selection committee evaluates and scores each script, using the following evaluation criteria:

• 40% Story and Premise
The general concept of the story.

• 20% Presentation
The professionalism and presentation with regards to industry standards and proper usage of language.

• 20% Plot and Pacing
The series of events and timing of how the story unfolds.

• 10% Theme
The message and subtext of the story.

• 10% Commercial Potential
The overall appeal and viability of the story in the marketplace.

• Members of the selection committee can be barred from evaluating a script if any conflicts of interest are apparent.

• The highest-scoring scripts will then be further reviewed and evaluated by the selection committee. Using the above Criteria, the selection committee will determine 3 or 4 potential finalists.

• Potential finalists will be notified of their selection via email on or about September 15, 2018 and may be required to sign and return additional documentation as may be required by ABS-CBN, including but not limited to any documentation as may be required to confirm clearance of any third party elements as may be contained in the entry (“Releases”). If a potential finalist cannot be reached or fails to properly execute and return any necessary Releases within the time period noted, or if a potential finalist is found not to be eligible or not in compliance with these official rules, the potential finalist will be disqualified. In addition, each entrant acknowledges and agrees that ABS-CBN reserves the right to disqualify any potential finalist at any time, in its sole discretion, on the basis of anything contained in or learned or obtained as a result of any submitted Release or any other documentation requested by ABS-CBN, that, in their sole opinion, would constitute a breach of these official rules.

• After submitting any required Releases, and unless a potential finalist is disqualified pursuant to the previous paragraph, potential finalists will be designated as “finalists” and will be asked to pitch their respective screenplays, either virtually or in person, to ABS-CBN on a date to be determined by ABS-CBN. Each finalist’s pitch will be used by the selection committee as an additional criterion to determine the grand prize winners. Finalists who are unable or unwilling to participate in the pitch round on the designated date are subject to disqualification at the discretion of ABS-CBN.

• Decisions of the selection committee are final.

• Entry constitutes permission to use winners’ names an likeness for publicity purposes without further compensation (except where prohibited by law).

PRIZE

One or more grand prize winners (each, a “Winner”) will receive a $100,000 seed fund (the “Grant”) in order to produce a short film (the “Project”).
For the avoidance of doubt, each Winner will be required to formally engage with, and enter into a production agreement (“Production Agreement”) with, ABS-CBN to produce the Winner’s Project, and may utilize the Grant solely for such purpose. ABS-CBN may pay the Grant in increments, subject to Winner’s completion of pre-determined phases of the Project, as further detailed in the Production Agreement.

RIGHTS TO WINNER’S PROJECT

Each Winner will retain ownership of the submitted screenplay and completed Project, subject to the terms below.

During the Exclusive Period, ABS-CBN will be entitled to: (a) display, commercially exploit and otherwise utilize the Project for any purpose on platforms owned and/or operated by ABS-CBN International and its affiliates (“Display Rights”); and (b) license the Display Rights to third-party distributors in any territory worldwide for use on third-party platforms. ABS-CBN will retain one hundred percent (100%) of advertising or other revenues in connection with its exploitation of the Display Rights during the Exclusive Period. Revenues from the license of Display Rights to third-party distributors shall be subject to provisions stated on the Production Agreement. Following such Exclusive Period, ABS-CBN and Winner may each exploit the Project on a non-exclusive, worldwide basis, subject to the mutual agreement of ABS-CBN and Winner in each instance, not to be unreasonably withheld. All net revenues from the exploitation of the Project after the Exclusive Period will be divided between Winner and ABS-CBN as further detailed in the Production Agreement.

SUBSEQUENT PRODUCTIONS

Neither ABS-CBN or Winner (nor any assignee, licensee or successor in title thereof) may make any sequel, prequel, remake, television spin-off, changed format production or series based on the Project without the other party’s prior written consent.

AMENDMENTS TO OFFICIAL RULES

Any amendments to these Official Rules will become binding upon all entrants at the time they are posted. Entrants are advised to regularly check FilmFreeway for updates, notices, and revisions to these Official Rules.

ABS-CBN SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY AND SHALL BE RELEASED AND HELD HARMLESS BY ENTRANTS FOR ANY DAMAGE, LOSS OR LIABILITY TO PERSON OR PROPERTY, DUE IN WHOLE OR PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, BY REASON OF THE ACCEPTANCE OF A PRIZE OR PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTEST.
IN THE EVENT OF A DISPUTE REGARDING ANY ASPECT OF THE CONTEST, ABS-CBN WILL MAKE THE FINAL RULING IN ITS SOLE DISCRETION.

SPONSOR

ABS-CBN International
2001 Junipero Serra Blvd. Suite 200, Daly City, California, 94014