Makona Fraternity Short Film Festival

Makona Film Festival Rules & Terms

Eligibility
• Open to filmmakers worldwide; preference is given to submissions originating from McMurry University and the Abilene community.
• Submissions must have been made public after February 26th, 2024, and no films previously submitted will be eligible either.
• Submissions must be original works, free of copyrighted works that the filmmaker does not have a license to use including scripts, music, footage, sound effects, images, and AI-generated content.
• All submissions must be submitted through FilmFreeway.
• Submissions must be congruent with a PG-13 rating to be eligible.
• Runtime Range: 3 minutes to 15 minutes per submission including credits.
• Submissions that have reached distribution are not eligible.
• Submissions involving three or more Men of Makona as cast or crew may participate but are not eligible for the following Zappies:
o Thunder Zappies (Top 3 Awards)
o Best Organizational Submission Zappy
o Ladybug’s Choice Zappy
o Makona’s Choice Zappy
o Best Trailer Zappy

Submission Categories
• Organizational Submissions: Films submitted by university groups, Greek organizations, youth groups, high school classes, or other similar organizations. Zappies will be distributed to the president, treasurer, or similar officer.
• Individual Submissions: Films submitted by independent filmmakers or non-organizational student teams. Zappies will be distributed to the Director.

Submission Guidelines
• Submissions must be in English or have English subtitles.
• Up to three submissions per individual or organization are permitted, but each will be evaluated independently.
• In submissions please include:
o A downloadable short film in MOV or MP4 format with the highest resolution and frame rate possible.
o A 10–60 second trailer.
o An up to 300-word synopsis.
o A list of all cast and crew involved in making the submission.
• Submissions may also include (Optional):
o Behind-the-scenes footage or photos from filmmaking.
o Professional photos of the director, cast, and crew.
o Screenplay used for filmmaking (Required for Best Script Zappy).

Judging Process
• Submissions will be evaluated on multiple axes by a faculty and staff committee from McMurry University and Abilene Community Members.
• Makona, Theta Chi Lambda, and the Audience will evaluate Choice Awards.

Deadlines & Fees
• Submission fees vary by deadline, submission category, and student & gold status. Submission fees will be used to fund the expanded prize pool. Check “Categories & Fees” for more information.
o Lightning-Quick Deadline: December 31, 2024
o Regular Deadline: February 28, 2025

Selection & Notifications
• Selected submissions will be notified by March 4th, 2025
• Selected submissions will be screened during the festival.
• Selected submissions cast, crew, and director are strongly encouraged to attend the festival.

Zappies & Prizes
• Submissions will compete for the Makona Film Festival Zappies, including trophies, certificates, monetary prizes, and gift cards.
• Submissions are eligible to win multiple Zappies if they fit the criteria.
• See the full Zappies list for details on all Zappies and prizes.

Terms & Conditions
• By submitting, filmmakers confirm all necessary rights for exhibition, including music, images, and performances.
• By submitting, filmmakers grant the festival permission to all submitted materials for promotional and marketing purposes.
• The festival reserves the right to disqualify submissions that do not adhere to guidelines or contain inappropriate content.
• Submission fees are non-refundable.

Contact Information
For inquiries, contact:
Email: makonafilmfest@outlook.com
Phone: 806-939-5110