FDUK 2026 - Film Submission Guide
Hello Fulldome fans! The following guidelines are for submitting your fulldome film to FDUK 2026. For those new to our festival, please note:
We are first and foremost a FULLDOME FESTIVAL! This means we only accept FULLDOME submissions. These are films designed to be experienced in a dome or on a VR headset. We do not accapt any standard flat-screen films.
With that in mind, we define fulldome films as pre-rendered or linear fulldome works. For our 2026 festival, we are using FilmFreeway for all film submissions.
In addition to fulldome films, we are also accepting submissions for live performances and presentations. We have created dedicated submission forms for each of these. If you would like to submit a live performance (real-time or interactive fulldome works) or a presentation (talks, demos or workshops) then please apply using the appropriate form. You can find links to the forms and more information here:
https://www.fulldome.org.uk/submissions
Please note: you are welcome to make more than one submission! And you can make more than one type of submission. So for example, you could submit two films, or a film plus a presentation about your work. Please remember that we are only accepting film submissions via FilmFreeway and all other submissions via our website. This Film Submission Guide is divided into the following sections:
Submission Deadlines
Submission Procedure
Submission Technical Specifications
Submission Terms and Conditions
SUBMISSION DEADLINES
The submission deadlines for FDUK 2026 are listed below. Please note that FDUK 2026 is taking place on the 9th and 10th of October 2024 in Cardiff, Wales at CULTVR Lab.
9th March 2026 Online Submissions Open
4th May 2026 Online Submissions Close
1st July 2026 Notifications sent to creators of selected films
13th July 2026 FDUK 2026 film line-up publically announced
1st August 2026 Delivery of final full-resolution video files for selected films
9th October 2026 FDUK 2026 begins!
SUBMISSION PROCEDURE
1. All films must be submitted by 4th May 2026 in order to be considered for screening at the festival. This requires two actions: You must fill in the online submission form and then upload a preview version of your film. The online submission form is available on the FilmFreeway website here:
https://filmfreeway.com/FulldomeUK
In the Download Permissions settings, please select the following option:
Festivals that I submit to may download my video.
Alternatively, please allow us to download your video upon request. Why do we ask this? Because by default, FilmFreeway only allows festival organisers to preview films via their website. But we are a fulldome festival and we need to watch the film submissions as they were meant to be seen - not on a little flat screen, but on a big beautiful dome!
2. All of the submitted films will be reviewed by the curation team of FULLDOME UK. This team will decide which films will be selected to be shown as part of the FDUK 2026 screening programme.
3. The FULLDOME UK curation team will inform all film producers whether their film has been shortlisted for screening, before the FDUK 2026 line-up is publicly announced on 13th July 2026.
4. If your film is selected for screening at FDUK 2026, then you will need to deliver the finished full-resolution version of your film before the final delivery deadline of 1st August 2026.
SUBMISSION TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Frame Format
All films submitted to FDUK 2026 must have been especially created for display on a dome. We define this as a hemispherical curved screen. This is a fulldome festival after all! Films that were originally created for a flat screen of any kind cannot be accepted.
Option 1: Domemaster
The preferred frame format for all submitted videos is Domemaster, also known as a circular fisheye. The video appears as a circular image on a square background. This is the standard frame format for fulldome films.
The field of view should be either 180-degrees or 210-degrees. The first option is most common for fulldome films intended to be played in planetariums, as they commonly have a 180-degree screen located above the audience.
Some fulldome venues have a 210-degree screen, where the video image reaches all the way down to the floor.
Option 2: VR Equirectangular
While our preferred frame format is Domemaster, we can accept some alternatives. If your film was created for VR in equirectangular format and you would like to submit it to FDUK 2026, then please let us know via the FilmFreeway submission form.
Video Format
Please upload a preview copy of your film to FilmFreeway. This should be in Domemaster or VR Equirectangular frame format (see above). Recommended file format specifications are listed below:
Resolution: Dome: 2k (2048 x 2048 pixels)
VR/EQ: 4k2k (4096 x 2048 pixels)
Frame Rate: 30fps or 60fps
Video Format: MPEG-4
Video Codec: h.264 (AVC) or h.265 (HEVC)
Video Bitrate: 10 Mbit/s (minimum)
Audio Format: Stereo or 5.1 channels, embedded in the MPEG-4 file
If your film is selected for screening at FDUK 2026, then we will send you details of the file format specifications of the Final Delivery audio and video files nearer the time.
SUBMISSION TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The following terms and conditions apply to all submissions to the festival:
1. All entries must have been completed or released after 4th May 2024.
2. You must own the rights for the distribution and use of the work (both video and audio) and ensure that no copyrights or third-party rights are infringed. If you are not the copyright holder, you must be authorised to approve exhibition of the work on behalf of the copyright owner. The participating content provider indemnifies FULLDOME UK against action by law in regard to the breach of any national or international copyright law(s) as the result of the exhibition of the work(s) through FULLDOME UK.
3. If your work is selected you hereby give FULLDOME UK non-exclusive, royalty-free rights to screen your work at the festival and to advertise that fact on our website and in publicity materials. Each content provider will remain the copyright holder of the provided media. Each production will be properly credited during screening at FULLDOME UK.
4. You are welcome to submit more than one film for consideration. Please complete a separate Film Submission application on FilmFreeway for each work submitted.
5. FULLDOME UK requests permission to keep an archive copy of your submitted film. Following previous festivals, we have been approached with commercial and non-commercial opportunities which we have been able to pass on to the film makers. Keeping an archive of the work makes the whole process a lot easier, should this opportunity arise. We will never share your work, pass it on to any third-party, or allow it to be viewed outside of FULLDOME UK events without your express prior permission.
6. FULLDOME UK is not responsible for any late or missing materials pertaining to the festival.
7. The submission deadline for the Final Delivery full-resolution media for all films that have been selected for screening is 1st August 2026. Any films received after this date may not be screened at the festival.
8. By submitting work(s) to FULLDOME UK and signing the Entry Form, you agree to all of the above Terms and Conditions.
