Step into the future of filmmaking with Dome Fest West, the premier event for immersive dome cinema and beyond. Love the Sphere in Las Vegas? Then this festival is for you!

Our extraordinary film festival and conference is designed to bridge the gap between Hollywood's innovative content creators and the burgeoning Immersive Dome Community. Imagine your work being showcased in a truly unique way, enveloping audiences in an all-encompassing cinematic experience under the dome!

Over four exhilarating days, Dome Fest West will be a hotbed of immersive creativity, a meeting point for pioneers pushing the boundaries of traditional filmmaking. Expect insightful technology presentations, engaging industry panels, exclusive networking parties, and hands-on workshops aimed at enlightening you about the endless possibilities of dome media.

BACK FOR 2025: Dome Fest West is returning with it's Best Interactive Fulldome Experience and Pitch Competition categories. The Best Interactive Fulldome Experience category celebrates the combination of immersive storytelling, technology, and audience participation in fulldome. Entries should show how interactivity from the audience directly can enhance the immersive qualities of dome content and create a unique experience for viewers.

The Pitch Competition category provides filmmakers with a unique opportunity to showcase their innovative ideas and projects. We are seeking captivating pitches for fulldome films that engage audiences and demonstrate a strong vision. Selected submissions will have the chance to pitch their immersive project idea for a chance to win a $8,000 grand prize distribution deal with Hubblo. Whether it's a fulldome film experience, an interactive dome installation, or a groundbreaking narrative concept, we welcome all immersive projects that can captivate and inspire our festival audience.

Dome content is no longer confined to planetariums and science centers. As we move into 2025 and beyond, more and more Dome venues are emerging, offering audiences the chance to immerse themselves in incredible content without the need for a VR headset. It's time to embrace this exciting new format and be part of the movement bringing fresh narratives to life.

If you're a visionary producer or an adventurous filmmaker, Dome Fest West is your platform to experiment, learn, and redefine the cinematic landscape. We invite you to seize this opportunity and submit your work. Let's shape the future of cinema together.

The Dome Fest West Film Festival recognizes filmmaking achievement through the presentation of juried and balloted awards, including:

• Best Artistic Feature Film
• Best Artistic Short Film
• Best Musical Feature Film
• Best Musical Short Film
• Best Educational Film
• Best Science Film
• Best Environmental Film
• Best Live Experience
• Best Interactive Experience
• Best Children's Film
• Best Narrative Film
• Juror's Choice Award
• Audience Choice Award
• Sphere of Light Award

I. Submission Formats
A. Submit your film in Fisheye/Fulldome format via FilmFreeway. For Live Experiences and Pitch Competition entries, HD video and PDF formats are accepted through FilmFreeway. We do not accept DVDs or physical hard drives.

II. Complete Entry Requirements
A. Your entry packet must include:
i. A complete online screener in fulldome 1:1 fisheye format embedded in your FilmFreeway submission.
ii. For Live Experiences: A screener formatted to best represent your performance. This may include 16:9 video, close-ups, wide-angle shots, and fulldome or equirectangular formats.
iii. For Pitch Competition: Submit a ninety (90) second video pitching your original fulldome film idea. The pitch must not exceed ninety (90) seconds. Additionally, provide an up to fifteen (15) page sample deck that includes art, writing examples, and a budget, ensuring all elements match the pitch concept.
B. Required Information in FilmFreeway Submission:
i. Film title and synopsis
ii. Complete credits (producer, director, cast, and artists)
iii. Headshot and bio of the director or producer
iv. Submission fee (paid through FilmFreeway)
v. Digital Press Kit including:
- 5 high-resolution JPEG stills from the film
- 5 behind-the-scenes stills
C. Important: Dome Fest West is not responsible for any incorrect information provided in your submission. Ensure all details are accurate.

III. Separate Submissions for Multiple Categories
A. Each film must be submitted separately. If you select more than one category for your film, you must pay the full entry fee for each category.

IV. Student Films
A. Include a copy of a current student ID or proof of current enrollment. Upload this to FilmFreeway or email it to students@DomeFestWest.com.

V. Submission Deadlines
A. Submit your complete entry by the following deadlines:
i. Early Deadline: October 4, 2024
ii. Regular Deadline: November 22, 2024
iii. Late Deadline: December 20, 2024
iv. Last Call Deadline: January 17, 2025

VI. Works in Progress
A. We do not encourage submissions of works in progress. Your submission will be juried as received.

VII. Film Completion Date
A. To qualify for the 2025 Dome Fest West, films in all categories must have been completed after January 1, 2023.

VIII. Previous Screenings
A. Films that have screened at previous Dome Fest West events are ineligible for re-entry, including projects completed after the January 1, 2023 deadline.

IX. Screening Fees
A. Films selected as official entries for the 2025 festival will not be eligible for screening fees.

X. Promotional Use Authorization
A. By submitting your film, you authorize Dome Fest West to use, distribute, and share film segments, the film poster, trailer, synopsis, and stills in our social media and promotional events directly tied to the festival and authorized partner festivals.

XI. Official Selection Requirements
A. Official selection filmmakers must provide a digital file of their film or live dome experience for festival screenings. Required file format:
i. Resolution: 4k x 4k
ii. Format: H.264 or H.265 with fisheye/fulldome mapping (detailed encoding instructions will be provided upon selection).

XII. Live Fulldome Performance Submissions
A. Submit a recording of your live performance, between 15 and 120 minutes in length, including credits and titles.
B. Technical Requirements:
i. Resolution: Minimum 1920x1080 for HD video, 2048x2048 for fulldome format. Higher resolutions are welcome.
ii. Audio: Stereo or 5.1 surround sound audio formats accepted.

XIII. Live Interactive Experience Submissions
A. Entries must allow audiences to directly influence the dome display. Any genre or type is accepted.
B. Technical Requirements:
i. Output: Capable of HDMI output with the fulldome image centered in the frame, resolution of 3840x2160, and a frame rate of 30fps.
ii. Audio: Not required but encouraged.
C. If you have specific compatibility questions, contact our team at Submissions@DomeFestWest.com.

XIV. Pitch Competition Submissions
A. Pitch Competition Submissions must include the following three parts:
i. Submit a 90-second video pitching your original fulldome film idea. The pitch must not exceed 90 seconds.
ii. Provide a sample deck of up to 15 pages that includes art, writing examples, and a budget, ensuring all elements match the pitch concept.
B. If you have specific questions or need further assistance, contact our team at Pitch@DomeFestWest.com.

XV. Costs for Digital Transfer
A. If your film is selected, you must cover the cost of transferring digital copies of festival screeners to the Festival. Live experience entrants may be invited to perform at Dome Fest West by special invitation.

XVI. Legal Authority and Permissions
A. By submitting, you confirm you have the legal authority to submit the film and use all music, images, and content included. You allow usage of clips from your film for promotional purposes on television, radio, print, and at live Festival events.

XVII. Third-Party Consent
A. By submitting, you confirm you have obtained all necessary permissions from any third parties involved. If additional consent is required, all parties must agree to this submission.

XVIII. Best of Earth Awards
A. All submissions will be included in the Best of Earth awards competition. Partner festivals may include Fulldome Festival (Jena, Germany), Dome Under Festival (Melbourne, Australia), Fulldome UK (Plymouth, UK), SAT Fest (Montréal, Canada), and others. Films screened at these events will not be eligible for screening fees.

XIX. Copyright and Liability
A. By submitting, you confirm that your film does not violate any copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights. All necessary releases for music, images, content, and talent must be obtained by the filmmaker. Dome Fest West is not liable for any copyright infringement or unauthorized use.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Pat Clark

    This was my second year attending Dome Fest West. It's an fantastic festival run by amazing people. It's an event like none other. World-class films, incredible panels and passionate attendees. Highly recommend!

    May 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much for your continued support and kind words! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the films, panels, and passionate community—can’t wait to welcome you back next year!

  • Ocean Groan Music

    Dome Fest West is a gem for the community of fulldome creators! The panels were excellent, the discussions were very relevant, and the content was top notch. We are thankful for the DFW team putting this festival together, and we look forward to going again next year!

    -Ocean Groan Music

    August 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much, Ocean Groan Music! We're delighted you found the content so valuable—our community makes it all possible. We can't wait to welcome you back soon!

  • Simon Haiduk

    This was my first year at the festival, in 2024. It was well organized on all levels, with lots of networking opportunities. The venue and staff of Fiske Planetarium also contributed to making this a great event, including being located in beautiful Boulder, CO. There was a decent range of content, and I hope to see more at each subsequent event. I also liked how people could get tickets to each section rather than a full event pass, making it even more accessible. I would go again and recommend it.

    May 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you, Simon, for your wonderful feedback and for gracing us with your creativity! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the festival and found it well-organized and accessible. We look forward to welcoming you back next year with even more exciting content and networking opportunities!

  • A wonderful festival! I am glad that I took part in it!

    May 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much Snark! We loved your film!

  • My third year at this festival and it gets better and better. What a wonderful, welcoming community of filmmakers, Dome and Planetarium folks and local audiences. A great time with great networking.

    May 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you, Michael, for your continued support and kind words! We're delighted to hear each year gets better, and we can't wait to keep growing and creating memorable experiences together.