The Department of Mass Communication at Sam Houston State University invites you to submit a short film or creative media work to the Heatwave Media and Film Festival.

This call is open to any currently enrolled SHSU student and to any independent Texas filmmaker.

A jury composed of SHSU faculty and/or professionals in the field will choose three finalists for each category. One of the three finalists will be selected per category as the winner.

All filmmakers submitting to the Heatwave Media and Film Festival accept and agree to comply with the following Terms and Conditions:

1. Films that have been submitted to previous SHSU festivals are NOT eligible.

2. Upon your submission, you MUST make your film downloadable. Submit directly via FilmFreeway and NOT through YouTube or Vimeo links.

3. Narrative, documentary, animated, experimental films, and other creative media work are accepted.

4. All entries must be submitted by the deadline.

5. We accept films in any language. However, films not made in English must have English subtitles.

6. The person submitting the film agrees that it may be screened at the festival if selected.

7. You own the copyright to your film as its author and represent and warrant that you have (and will continue to have during the duration of the Festival and thereafter) all necessary licenses, rights, consents, and permissions we need to use your film and you will provide evidence of such on our reasonable request.

8. You agree that your film may be used for promotional reasons by SHSU, including but not limited to screening at Channel 7 KSHU, streamed through our website, and posted on social media.

9. — SUBMISSION CATEGORIES —

(SHSU STUDENTS) - The film must be under 15 minutes and must have been produced by a Sam Houston State University students. You may receive help from non-SHSU students for your film production, however, a SHSU student must act as director, cinematographer, writer, sound designer, or editor of the film. Actors do not need to be associated with Sam Houston State University.

(TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS) - The film must be under 15 minutes. This category is open to ANY high school student based in Texas. High school students submitting in this category should serve as director, editor, or camera person.

(TEXAS COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY STUDENTS) - The film must be under 15 minutes. This category is open to films produced by ANY non-Sam Houston State University college/university-level student based in Texas (graduate or undergraduate). You may receive help from a Sam Houston State University students for your film production, however, SHSU students must not act as director or editor of the film. College or university students submitting in this category should serve as director, editor, or camera person.

(INDEPENDENT TEXAS FILMMAKERS) - The film must be under 15 minutes and must have been produced by an independent Texas filmmaker (BASED IN TEXAS). International films are not accepted in this category. Filmmakers should serve as director of the film.

(BEYOND TEXAS FILMMAKERS) - The film must be under 15 minutes and must have been produced by an independent filmmaker (BASED OUTSIDE OF TEXAS). INTERNATIONAL FILMS ARE ACCEPTED IN THIS CATEGORY. Filmmakers should serve as director of the film.

10. You MUST list all of the people involved in this project, on your cast and crew page.

11. You MUST write a short summary (50 words max) for your film, which will be used in the program in case your film is selected.

12. The film you submit in this form is the one that will be screened at the festival. Make sure to test the file and make sure that everything is working properly before submitting it.

13. It is at the sole discretion of the pre-selection committee which films will be screened. Not every film submitted will be screened.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Charles Henson

    Great fest and speaker. Enjoyed seeing student work on campus.

    May 2024
  • A wonderful festival put on by the Department of Mass Communication students and faculty/staff at Sam Houston State University. The communication was consistent and helpful, and I felt very welcomed back. The quality of the student work I saw was great, and I genuinely enjoyed participating in the experience overall. Thanks for having me!

    May 2024
  • The awards announcements were communicated well, I just wish there was some foresight on how the conditions might be on the day of. I was really looking forward to going here in person but it was cancelled from the rain.

    May 2024
  • Benjamin Jefferson

    It was actually really quality programming like almost all the films were genuinely entertaining and the whole screening was just long enough I didn't get bored just waiting for my films to play I was genuinely interested in the other films. Really well curated.

    May 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you for your feedback! We hope to see you again!