The High School Film Festival celebrates the artistic talents of youth across the world. THE HS Film Festival is open to high school aged filmmakers that have produced, directed, filmed, edited, composed, or acted in a film with their peers. Participating filmmakers are typically between 14 and 18 years old at the time of making the film.
The HS Film Festival delivers a reputation that will draw attention to your film. Every submission is evaluated by a worldwide panel of industry experts. The winner in each category will receive a beautifully engraved trophy.
We're always at your disposal. If you need additional assistance or have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please feel free to contact us at the Workman Productions offices anytime.
Refund Policy: We do not offer refunds once the project has been submitted to the festival.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the 2018 competition, entries must have been completed between January 31, 2015 and the deadline.
Projects from all over the world are eligible. The film must be make by high school age filmmakers.
Q: Can current seniors in High School submit even though they will have graduated by the time the festival takes place in October?
A: Yes! We welcome submissions from current seniors and usually see a lot of college freshman come to see their work in October.
Q: Can Middle School students submit to the High School Film Festival?
A: Yes, Middle School students can submit. If your film is over 5 minutes in length you are welcome to submit it to one of of our categories, but please keep in mind you will be competing against high school students.
Q: Can I submit more than one film?
A: Yes! Filmmakers can submit multiple entries.
Q: Can films be submitted to more than one category?
A: Yes. If there are multiple categories your film should be considered for, feel free to enter in each category.
Q: Are group projects accepted?
A: Yes! Be sure to indicate all directors on the main project page.
Q: Does the HSFF accept submissions from outside the United States?
A: Yes! We encourage all young filmmakers to submit their films.
Q: Can I use copyrighted music, video and/or images in my film?
A: NO! You must use free music, video and/or images in your submission or acquire the proper rights to from the legal owner of the content.
Q: Are there any restrictions on content submitted to the festival?
A: We respect that every young filmmaker wants to share their own unique voice. However, we do not accept any submissions containing nudity or gratuitous violence or language.
Gratuitous - uncalled for; lacking good reason; unwarranted.
Synonyms: unjustified, uncalled for, unwarratned, unprovoked, undue
Categories
Select the category that most closely relates to your submission's type of program. You may enter the same production or program in multiple categories, including cast and crew categories. There is an entry fee for each category you enter. Individual entries are evaluated for their intrinsic merits – without comparing them with others.
Each entry is, in effect, in competition with itself, and is measured by our international award-winning jury of experts using an industry-accepted standard of excellence. We reserve the right to expand and reduce the number of finalist in each category including, but not limited to, cancelling categories if there are no submissions that meet our standards of excellence.
A performer/on-air personality may enter multiple achievements in a performing category if the achievements are for different programs.
We reserve the right to change or modify each category as the committee deems appropriate.
Shorts/Series
The short film category includes one episode of a series.
See Categories listing for definitions and additional explanations.
Fees for Screening Films
We do not pay screening fees on submitted films. By submitting you waive any screening fees during the run of the festival to a live theater audience.
Award Announcements & Promotion
Finalists will be announced an the notification date and the winners will be notified at the closing award ceremony.
Press releases will be sent to international wire services and to the trades. A laureate will be sent to winning contacts following the awards presentation. Winners may refer in advertising and publicity to the fact that they are a High School Film Festival ® winner and, for one year after the award was bestowed, may use a replica of the High School Film Festival Award ® award or the High School Film Festival Award ® logo in such advertising. A ® registration mark must accompany the use of the award.
Background Summary (Required)
In order to better assist the jury, we ask for a synopsis of each entry. This should not exceed 200 words and will be seen by the judges to evaluate your submission.
All submissions also are required to submit the following on FilmFreeway.com
Project link
Password (if applicable)
Email
Phone number
One Promotion Graphic (min)
Credits - Specify in the FilmFreeway credits who is being evaluated with their real name (not character name). Example John Doe - Lead Actor, Jane Doe - Composer, Mike Doe - Editor, Awesome Company - Visual Effects. (Key Cast & Crew are not accepted)
Translation (Required if not in English)
Productions not produced in the English language must have either subtitles or overdubbing in English (preferred), or a detailed synopsis and translation of the first and last ten minutes of the entry in English submitted during the online entry process.
The translation must be submitted digitally either in the translation box provided on the online entry form or as a word document or a pdf. We will not accept translations in any other format.
Credits
When submitting your credits, be aware that if your entry is a winner, the name of the category, and title of the entry will appear on the award which is given to each winning entry. We also include the year of the competition. Finalists, when notified, will be given the opportunity to update and correct credits. However, if no corrections are made, credits listed during the entry process will be considered the credits of record.
Disposition of Entry / Errors & Omissions
Promotional materials submitted may be displayed or shown, for educational and/or promotional purposes as Workman Productions® deems appropriate. By entering, the entrant agrees to hold Workman Productions ® and any of its affiliated companies exempt from any costs or expenses of any claim arising out of any such use. Workman Productions ® will never sell entries nor make entries available for public viewing.
Workman Productions ® assumes no responsibility for the acts or omissions of those individuals or entities submitting entries pursuant to this notice. All submitting entities and/or individuals are advised to review submissions with respect to correct name credits and other information.
