Rules & Terms
Film General Rules & Terms
You may have multiple entries and submit them to multiple categories.
Each entry and submission category must have its own submission fee.
Submissions that are not in English must have subtitles.
Works in progress are accepted.
Press kits are not required for submission but are highly recommended.
Entry fees are non-refundable.
Entry Fees are $USD.
The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations.
The Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival organizers reserve the right to refuse entries.
The undersigned shall indemnify and hold harmless Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival from and against any, and all, claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.
We accept submissions exclusively on FilmFreeway.
The Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival is hereby granted the right to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Competition for promotional purposes.
Screenwriting Rules and Terms
Writers who reside in countries other than the United States are welcome to enter the contest; however, all scripts must be submitted in English, and entry fees must be paid in U.S. dollars. Entry in the Competition is void where prohibited by law.
Writers of any age may enter, provided that contest entry by minors is not prohibited by law in your local jurisdiction.
Scripts must be the original work of the author(s) and may not be encumbered by any third party. Scripts that have been sold, produced, or are currently under option are not eligible, nor are scripts that have previously won a prize in the Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival.
Entries must be original screenplays or teleplays, short stories, and stage plays.
Adaptations of books, plays, or other source material written by another author are eligible for submission. We accept no liability for scripts that have been adapted from third-party authors' work that may infringe on intellectual property rights. It is the responsibility of the writer(s) to acquire rights to any adapted work prior to any commercial exploitation or public dissemination. Scripts adapted from your own books, plays, or other source material are also eligible.
Once a script has been entered into the Competition, under no circumstances will we accept substitutions of new drafts or corrected pages. Therefore, if you wish to submit a revised draft of your script, you must enter it as a new submission and pay the appropriate entry fee.
The decisions of the judges are final and may not be disputed. The Judges will adhere to our contest instructions and will evaluate scripts based on our standard judging procedure; however, the contest and its administrators may not be held responsible for any errors or omissions on the part of the judges.
It is the responsibility of the submitting party to make sure that we have your accurate and current contact information.
Screenplay Guidelines:
Before you submit your script, please make sure you review the following guidelines:
All scripts must be submitted in English. Therefore, judges cannot evaluate screenplays written in foreign languages.
Scripts should be written in standard spec screenplay or teleplay format. If you are not familiar with standard screenplay format, we recommend using one of the popular software programs specifically designed to help you format your script. We recommend Movie Magic Screenwriter or Final Draft. A PDF file of your screenplay is the preferred submission format.
Feature Scripts must be between 80-150 pages.
TV Drama Pilot (Original – 1-hour) – Must be under 65 pages.
TV Sitcom Pilot (Original ½ hour) – Must be between 23 and 34 pages.
TV Drama Spec (Based on existing 1-hour show) – Must be under 65 pages.
TV Sitcom Pilot (Based on existing ½ hour show) – Must be between 23 and 40 pages.
Shorts – All genres – Must be under 40 pages.
Pages must be numbered. Before you submit your script, please check to ensure there are no missing or duplicated pages.
Include a standard title page listing the title of your script, the name of the author(s), mailing address, telephone number, and email address. This is for our administrative purposes only.
Judging will be anonymous so we will assign your script a tracking number, and we will delete or blackout your name and contact information before we give your script to the Judges.
The Judges will identify your screenplay solely by its title and script tracking number.
Please do not include your name or contact information within the body of your script.
If you're submitting your script by mail, it is recommended that you include card stock covers (front and back) to protect your script during handling by our staff. Standard card stock covers are available online at The Writers Store. You may print the title of your script on the front cover, or you may leave it blank, but please do not print your name or contact information on the cover of your script.
Please do not enclose synopses, casting suggestions, letters, resumes, or photos with your submission. They will not be forwarded to the Judges. However, if you're submitting a TV Pilot, you may include standard supplementary materials, such as lists of recurring characters and future episodes.
While it is not a requirement, we recommend that you register your script before submitting it to any company or individual you do not know personally. You can register your script with the U.S. Copyright Office, with ProtectRite, and/or with the WGA. These services establish the completion date of your registered material and offer the security of long-term storage if your original is lost or destroyed.
Please read and understand the above Rules and Regulations.
Failure to adhere to the Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival guidelines could result in disqualifying and forfeiting an entry fee and/or eligible prize.
Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Conditions and Release for Films and Screenplays include the following:
AnnWar Productions is a Nevada-based LLC and the parent company of the Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival.
Materials submitted to AnnWar Productions, LLC, and specifically to the Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival for purposes of this Competition at this or any future time are accepted by AnnWar Productions, LLC, and Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival only on your acceptance of the following conditions:
Applicant (s) testify to be at least 18 years or older and warrant as the author of submitted material that they are the sole and exclusive owner(s) of all legal and equitable rights thereto with the full and exclusive rights to submit material to the Competition.
An exception to the 18 years or older is made for submissions to our Young Story Teller program, which has a separate submission process through FilmFreeway.
Applicant (s) has retained at least one copy of the submitted material as AnnWar Productions, LLC, and Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival will not be responsible for any loss or destruction of the materials submitted to it. Applicant understands that it is their sole responsibility to copyright and protect their own submitted material.
All entrants understand and agree that there are a diverse amount of story contexts, plots, themes, and formats and in no way is AnnWar Productions, LLC, and Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival, its officers, employees, representatives, sponsors, judges, and affiliates responsible not now or in the future of borrowing or stealing from an idea, copy written concept, or storyline from a submitted entry.
The Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival exists for the purpose of a competition. Through various phases of the judging process, submitted material will be exposed to a network of influential third parties, including, but not limited to, those companies and individuals listed on the AnnWar Productions, LLC, and Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival website. All such third-party participation in the judging process is not guaranteed. AnnWar Productions, LLC, and Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival will provide, though not obligated, applicant's contact information to interested parties. However, AnnWar Productions, LLC, and Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival do not attest to or guarantee the validity of any subsequent agreements between the applicant (s) and said parties.
Applicant (s) indemnify and hold harmless AnnWar Productions, LLC, and Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival, its judges, sponsors, and partners, individually and collectively, from and against all claims, demands, losses, damages, costs, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising out of or in connection with any and all claims, or third party claims based on stories submitted to AnnWar Productions, LLC, and Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival.
AnnWar Productions, LLC entrants, will permit AnnWar Productions, LLC, and Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival to use their name and/or likeness, the title of the work submitted, its logline, and their results in pre & post-competition advertising for publicity & promotional purposes. Applicants hereby agree that their submitted contact information may be released to interested parties hereunder.
Providing false or misleading information on this application or failing in any other way to comply with the rules of the Competition is subject to disqualification, forfeiture of prize money, and/or other penalties.
AnnWar Productions, LLC, and Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival reserve the right to remove submitted material from the Competition, with or without cause. Applicant (s) will be notified by AnnWar Productions, LLC, and Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival. If without cause, the entry fee alone will be reimbursed and the submitted material destroyed.
All decisions of the judges are final and cannot be contested.
By signing this form, I/we have read, understand, and agree to, and will abide by all the terms and conditions of submission of materials to this Competition, which is listed in this release form and the following guidelines and rules.
Dispute Resolution; Governing Law; Forum: That contestants expressly acknowledge and agrees that AnnWar Productions, LLC, and Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival shall be entitled to injunctive or other equitable relief (an "Injunction") to restrain, prevent or enjoin any breach by a contestant under this screenwriting contest. The contestant hereby waives any right to notice of any action or proceeding for an Injunction and consents to and accepts entry of an Injunction in any court which may have jurisdiction in connection therewith. The prevailing party in any legal proceeding brought pursuant hereto shall be entitled to recover all of its attorneys' fees and all other costs related to such a legal process.
Unless otherwise stated herein, this Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted following the laws of the State of Nevada (without regard to the conflicts of law provisions thereof). The contestant hereby submits to the jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Clark County, Nevada.
FESTIVAL INFORMATION - ALL OFFICIAL SELECTIONS (FILM AND SCREENWRITING)
Submissions will close on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.
Official Selections will be announced on Sunday, September 15, 2024.
Finalists will be announced on Monday, September 30, 2024.
OFFICIAL FINALISTS
In the Feature Film and Feature Script genres (Please see our FilmFreeway site for the specific genres), we will name a minimum of three (3) Official Finalists (We could name more, but no less than three (3) will be named.
In the teleplay or web-based category, we name a minimum of five (5) Official Finalists.
In the short film category, we will name a minimum of ten (10) Official Finalists.
Cast and Crew Members whose films have been named "Official Finalists" in ANY FILM category are eligible to be nominated for the following awards:
Best Film
Best Director
Best Cinematography
Best Film Editing
Best Musical Score
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Best Costume Design
There will be three (3) to five (5) nominations for each of these awards.
OFFICIAL FINALISTS – DOCUMENTARIES, MUSIC VIDEOS & MUSICAL SCORES
In the Documentary (feature and short) Film category, we will name a minimum of three (3) Official Finalists per category.
In the Music Video and Musical Score categories, we will name a minimum of five (5) Official Finalists per category.
Duplicate awards are available. If you would like a duplicate award, please check with the Festival Director (lvisc@outlook.com) for pricing and associated shipping fees.
Winners, finalists, and official selections will receive electronic certificates via FilmFreeway.
Plaques are available to the winners at cost and mailing fees.
SO, WHAT FILMS WILL GET SCREENED?
BEING NAMED AN OFFICIAL SELECTION OR A FINALIST DOES NOT MEAN YOUR FILM WILL SCREEN. Screening at the Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival will be extremely competitive.
THERE ARE ALSO TIMES WHERE AN OFFICIAL SELECTION THAT IS NOT CHOSEN AS A FINALIST WILL BE INVITED TO SCREEN. This happens when a project receives a "Golden Ticket" from one of our judges… We all know that tastes in films vary and while our films undergo a review by three judges there are times when 1 judge ranks a film very high, while the other two do not – There are times when those films do not progress to the next round. Therefore, we provide each judge with one "Golden Ticket" that they can use to invite one of the films that they love and feel strongly about ensuring that film gets viewed.
To determine which films will screen at the 2023 Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival, the Festival Screening Committee will develop a Priority Screening List based on the following criteria:
Quality of the film;
Quality of the sound;
Quality of the talent;
Must be an "official selection" or "finalist" in the competition.
Screening at the Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival will be extremely competitive.
DUE TO THE HIGH NUMBER OF QUALITY SUBMISSIONS, NOT ALL FINALISTS WILL BE EXTENDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEIR FILM SCREENED.
Filmmakers whose SHORT FILMS, WEB-SERIES, STUDENT FILMS, MUSIC VIDEOS, or DOCUMENTARY SHORTS that have been selected as category finalists, or in some cases - Official Selections are eligible for screening. NOT ALL FINALISTS WILL BE EXTENDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEIR FILM SCREENED.
Film festivals, even virtual festivals, are a great way for filmmakers to network themselves. As you have probably seen by all our social media activity, one of our goals is to market our filmmakers and writers. So having you at your film screening in our festival could open a door for you into the world of film-making.
Our festival is viewed by dozens of industry professionals who could be your key to a great film career.
The LVIFSF provides select projects with a brief Q and A with the audience after showing their project – and again – You never know who will be asking you questions; it could be an agent, a manager, or a distributor.
While the LVIFSF is doing everything it can to market your project, the bottom line is no one will market your project better than you and your team.
If screening slots are available after our finalists have been extended the opportunity to meet the above criteria, using the same criteria, the Festival Screening Committee will begin to consider "official selections" for any remaining screening slots in the programming.
DATES AND CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR THE FESTIVAL:
The festival will run from Tuesday, October 29, 2024, through Saturday, November 2, 2022. We will screen films from Tuesday, October 29, 2024, through Friday, November 1, 2024.
Our Screenwriting Awards will be on Friday, November 1, 2024.
Our Webinars and our Filmmaker Awards will be on Saturday, November 2, 2024.