Calling All Berks County, PA Student Filmmakers!

Unlock your creative potential, showcase your storytelling ability, and enter the Five Minute FilmFEST, an exclusive regional film competition tailored just for you! If you're a high school student in Berks County, Pennsylvania, this is your chance to shine.

COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS
Submission Criteria: Craft an original short film or video project with a runtime of no more than 5 minutes.

Categories: Explore various genres, from documentary and action sports to comedy and animation. For those passionate about making a positive impact, we present a special "Influencers Category" just for you. There's truly a category for every creative inclination!

Attention influencers, we're counting on your influence to inspire and motivate our community towards positive choices and to speak up against pressing issues such as opioid abuse and violence. Imagine if you had the power to convince someone to live their best life by steering clear of opioid abuse or violence. What would you do? What would you say to them? If you've experienced the loss of someone due to opioid overdose or violence, what words would you have wanted to share to reach them?

Harness your creative voices to craft a five-minute film that is impactful and meaningful. Use this opportunity to create a narrative that inspires change and resonates with our community.

Eligibility Requirements:

1. You must be a current student of a Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA school to submit.
2. Your film must be 3-5 minutes in length.
3. Submission Deadline: Regular Deadline: April 15, 2024 | Late Entry Deadline: May 06, 2024
4. Acceptance Notifications: May 15, 2024

Join the Cinematic Movement:
Be a catalyst for change through the art of filmmaking. Your voice matters, and your story can make a difference. Don't miss this chance to contribute to our community's conversation.

Awards
-Best in Show
-Best Influencer(s)
-Second Place Winner
-Third Place Winner
-Honorable Mention(s)
Prizes include cash/visa gift cards, awards, and passes to the 10th annual ReadingFilmFEST October 10-13, 2024

1. Submission must be an original short film/video project no more than 5 minutes long. 3-5 minute total run time (TRT) video. Title slate, opening, and closing credits are part of the TRT.

2. Film/video project may be part of a school assignment or an independent project.

3. Educators/teachers are encouraged to mentor/guide students through the film development process but must not create the script or develop film content in any way.

4. Educators/teachers may submit a project(s) on behalf of student(s), group or class.

5. All genres will be accepted, including animation, narrative/fiction, documentary/non-fiction, music videos, etc.. All videos must utilize original or copyright-cleared music and images.

6. Students must reside in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and be currently enrolled in high school.

7. Registration: Students and teachers must complete the registration form by April 2024 at https://readingfilm.org/five-minute-filmfest-entries-now-being-accepted/. Your registration lets us know how many students and schools are participating this year, which enables us to plan better and provide the best experience for you. In addition, registering lets us keep in touch with you about film-related opportunities and announcements

8. Submissions: The submission deadline is May 15, 2024

Categories to consider:

• Special Influencer Category: Influencers, create a film that raises awareness about the issues of opioid abuse and violence within our community. Harness your creative voices to craft an impactful and meaningful five-minute film. Use this opportunity to create a narrative that inspires change and resonates with our community.

• Comedy: It is entertaining and often makes us laugh, but it also can tell a story that moves us to want more. Comedy can be full of surprises that we don’t expect; it can make us smile, and it can make us cringe. We encourage all types of comedic genres.

• Animation: Films that use computer graphics, can be computer animation, Flash, Stop-Motion

• Short Narrative: Think beginning, middle, end, conflict, rising action, climax, and resolution. Bring on the characters and conflicts.

• Horror/Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Danger? Fights? Evil forces? We accept all genres, from sci-fi, thriller and horror.

• Music Video: Find a song and share its story. Original music or songs which you have permission to use will be accepted. ALL copyrighted music MUST have explicit permission. Credits must recognize the musician or band.

• Documentary Short: The boundaries of documentary film are expanding more than ever. Find your subject matter and document it.

• Action Sports: Share your action-packed, adrenaline-fueled sports adventures. No sport is off-limits; you can submit it as long as it has action! Skiing, Skateboarding, Cheerleading, Ski diving, Cliff Jumping, Paintball!

• Commercial: This category is for advertisement or promotional pieces. Commercials can include school-related activities or commercial products.

• News Stories: Interested in broadcast journalism? This is the category for you. Produce an in-depth story about a compelling, newsworthy topic that highlights creativity and makes an emotional connection with the audience.

• Sports News: Develop profile pieces or real-time reporting about athletes in action. Are they making a difference on the field, off the field, or both?