Escape Velocity is a futuristic world’s fair to promote STEAM education within the context of science fiction using the fun of comic cons and fascination of science and engineering festivals. Escape Velocity seeks to make a measurable positive impact to boost informal learning on the more conceptually challenging academic areas.
Guests at past Escape Velocity events included Rod Roddenberry (son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry), Adam Nimoy (son of Leonard Nimoy, director of For the Love of Spock), Gigi Edgley (Farscape), Luvia Petersen (Continuum), Cas Anvar (The Expanse), writer Morgan Gendel (Star Trek: TNG "The Inner Light"), and director Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead).
Submission Guidelines:
• NO ENTRY FEE WAIVERS.
• Works in progress will NOT be considered for competition or screened at Escape Velocity 2017.
• All work must be completed and submitted no later than the deadline date.
• All films must be in English or subtitled in English.
• The filmmaker(s) must secure all rights, licenses, clearances and releases necessary for exhibition. A completed entry through FilmFreeway will be accepted as acknowledgment of the entrant having done so.
• All entry materials become the property of the Escape Velocity and will not be returned. No refunds. By submitting this material you acknowledge the Jubilee's right to copy any submitted material for Escape Velocity’s non-commercial use only.
Agreements: If your film or video is accepted for screening by Escape Velocity, you agree to and understand the following:
• FORMAT: You agree to provide the festival a digital upload for exhibition, or copy of the entry in DVD or Bluray. It must be received no later than July 1, 2017 so we can build the program reels.
• SHIPPING: If you are mailing an exhibition copy, you are responsible for the arrangements and cost of shipping the exhibition copy to Escape Velocity.
• PUBLICITY: Upon acceptance, you must supply Escape Velocity with digital stills and other digital and printed press materials. You should be available for interviews prior to and during Escape Velocity 2017.
• LOSS & DAMAGE: Every precaution will be taken to safeguard films, videos and publicity materials while they are in the possession of Escape Velocity. However, if loss or damage occurs, Escape Velocity cannot accept or assume responsibility.
Winners will receive the Museum of Science Fiction Maria Award for Excellence in each category!
The Maria Awards
The line-up of competing films in the 2018 Escape Velocity Film Festival offered unique views into worlds ranging from the microscopic to the philanthropic. The Maria for BEST SHORT went to Adam Azmy’s Murmurs of a Macrocosm – an exploration of microscopic environments via drone footage of the Snowdonia National Park in Wales and NASA Apollo mission audio recordings. BEST DIRECTOR went to Joseph Sapienza and his documentary Centralia– a film which chronicles the trials and tribulations of Pennsylvania residents dealing with an ongoing underground coal fire that cost many of them their homes and their health. Sapienza has since donated a portion of theater screening ticket sales to the surviving residents of Centralia, PA. BEST FEATURE and BEST ACTING went to the visually-stunning and superbly-acted Flora – a science fiction thriller following a group of young scientists and professionals that learn they have more to fear from plant-life than just a little hay fever. Each year, new types of films are added to the mix of entries. When will your film be part of our legacy?
The festival will present the following awards:
Best Feature Film
Best Short Film
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Cinematography
Best Soundtrack (Sound Design or Film Score)