The Petaluma Virtual Film Festival aims to enhance film culture and education in Sonoma County and beyond by showcasing independent films, shorts and animation on local televisions in homes and showcasing in selected restaurants, sports bars, clubs, etc, with a projected audience of 60,000 -- and streaming simultaneously on the internet, highlighting the achievements of filmmakers while promoting the importance of non-profit community access television.
Eligibility:
The Petaluma Virtual Film Festival welcomes films from professionals, non-professionals and youth. Some categories require specific criteria to be met in order for an entry to be eligible. Be sure to read the category descriptions carefully so that your entry will not be disqualified.
All winning entries will be listed on the The Petaluma Virtual Film Festival web site. Selected entries may be included in sampler reels and other materials used by Petaluma Community Access to promote The Petaluma Virtual Film Festival.
Entry Format:
Online through FilmFreeway, Vimeo, online links or standard DVD or BluRay DVD.
Online or DVD, BluRay must be in English or subtitled in English.
DVD/BluRay must have Region 1 for USA and Canada.
Entries must be submitted on a single DVD, BluRay. We recommend DVD-R format for standard DVD's..
Make sure your DVD/BluRay is properly finalized! Chapters and program menus are NOT permitted. DVD's/BluRay's must be set to "First Play".
DVD's/ BluRay MUST play on a dvd player and not just a computer.
No videotape, quicktime, Flash, MOV, etc. of any kind will be accepted.
We will not reformat your DVD.
Label Your Entry:
Please send your DVD/BluRay in a plastic jewel case. Discs can be damaged when shipped in a paper sleeve. The DVD/Blu Ray disc and case must be labeled as follows:
FilmFreeway Entry Number - this is generated when you complete the on-line entry process.
Film Title
Total Running Time (TRT)
Category:
Dramatic Short - under 60 minutes
Comedy Short - under 60 minutes
Documentary Short - under 60 minutes
Animated Short - under 60 minutes
College/Tech/Film School Short - under 60 minutes
**Produced/Directed/Shot/Edited by College/Tech/Film School students. Will need to be verified if short is selected and accepted** .
Student Short - under 60 minutes
**Produced/Directed/Shot/Edited by high school students or younger. Must be verified by School Principal if short is selected and accepted .**
Sonoma County Short
**Filmed in Sonoma County. Must provide Sonoma County locations if short is selected and accepted.**
Short, Short - Under 10 minutes.
**Any genre**
Dramatic Feature - over 60 minutes
Comedy Feature - over 60 minutes
Documentary Feature - over 60 minutes
Animated Feature - over 60 minutes
College/Tech/Film School Feature - over 60 minutes.
**Produced/Directed/Shot/Edited by College/Tech/Film School students. Will need to be verified if feature is selected and accepted** .
Student Feature - over 60 minutes
**Produced/Directed/Shot/Edited by high school students or younger. Must be verified by School Principal if feature is selected and accepted .**
Sonoma County Feature - over 60 minutes
**Filmed in Sonoma County. Must provide Sonoma County locations if feature is selected and accepted.**
If drug use, adult humor/language, sexual situations and violence are on the dvd, the dvd MUST be marked as Mature Audience (MA) and will air AFTER 11:00 PM and BEFORE 5:00 AM
Producer/Director name and contact phone number/email.
Student films and shorts must have a school principal contact: name, number and website for future verification.
Entry Length:
Features must be over 60 minutes.
Shorts must be under 60 minutes.
Short, Shorts are under 10 minutes.
Selection:
If your entry is selected and accepted to the Petaluma Virtual Film Festival, the entire entry MUST be submitted on a single DVD/BluRay. Be sure to record at the best possible compression rate for the length of program submitted. Multiple DVDs for long entries will NOT be accepted.
Judging:
We will air over 100 works throughout the two months of qualifiers, and the finalists over a 10-day period. All categories are competitive. Some categories are juried.
Audience awards given in all categories.
Each category is judged separately.
Disqualification:
Entries will be disqualified if:
The DVD/BluRay is not viewable: audio is inaudible, video is unstable, DVD, BluRay is not finalized.
Quicktime, Flash, MOV, etc., are submitted.
Any other technical reasons.
Judges will attempt to view on at least 2 machines before disqualifying.
Online or DVD, BluRay is not in English or subtitled in English.
If your entry has been disqualified for any of the reasons above, you may resubmit your entry.
No “Works In Progress”. All works are final and Works in Progress (WIP) or incomplete entries will be disqualified. If your entry has been disqualified for any of the reasons above, you may resubmit your entry.
A decision by the judging panel to disqualify an entry is final.
Competitions:
Shorts:
Best Dramatic Short
Best Comedy Short
Best Documentary Short
Best Animated Short
Best Student Short
Best Sonoma County Short
Best Short, Short
Best Audience Favorite Short
Features:
Best Dramatic Feature
Best Comedy Feature
Best Documentary Feature
Best Animated Feature
Best Student Feature
Best Sonoma County Feature
Best Audience Favorite Feature
“Best of Fest” Award - From either category and selected by online audience votes and a panel of judges.
“Emerging Filmmaker” Award - Selected by a panel of judges.
Awards:
TBD