Stories & Tales Festival

Rules & Guidelines / Terms
1. By entering you are admitting to reading and agreeing to follow the General Festival Rules and the Stories & Tales Festival Terms and Conditions.
2. As a GREEN competition and to reduce waste, only electronic submissions are accepted. Physical submissions are NOT accepted. The festival does not download submissions nor accept Dropbox submissions. To that end, STF is only using FilmFreeway’s services for submissions.
3. Entrant must be 18 years of age or older. (Entrants between the ages of 13 to 18 may enter with a written letter of consent from a legal guardian.)
4. The film / video must be no more than 15 minutes in length to qualify.
5. This is a non-exclusive festival, meaning there is no conflict for your project(s) to have screened or to screen in the future at other festivals.
6. Stories & Tales Festival accepts only independent productions.
7. All submissions must be original work. Multiple authorship is allowed.
8. By submitting your project, you confirm that:
a. You own 100% of the rights to the work.
b. If the work's copyright is held by more than one person, the submitter must have the written consent of all other owners prior to submitting.
c. The submission does not contravene the rights of any person or entity
d. The submission is not subject to nor threatened by any litigation
9. You SHOULD include a cover letter with your entry detailing why you made this film / video and any noteworthy details we should know before previewing it.
10. Submissions may originate from anywhere in the world. However, if the submission has dialogue which is required to understand the narrative in any language other than English, then English subtitles must be included.
11. No revisions or updated versions will be accepted after the initial submission.
12. Stories & Tales Festival, its members, directors, employees, and volunteers are not responsible for broken or incorrectly submitted URLs.
13. Submissions may not be withdrawn from the Festival once they have been entered, except at the sole discretion of the Stories & Tales Festival.
14. There are no refunds for entries with incomplete entry forms or incorrectly formatted preview materials.
15. Entry fees must be paid in US Dollars.
16. Stories & Tales Festival will contact the submitter directly as notification to the production if selected. The submitter will have sole responsibility to contact & notify the writer, director, cast, producing parties, joint rights holders, and any other stakeholders.
17. In the event your project is selected as a finalist, you may be asked to provide additional items such as: trailer; high-res poster artwork; still images from the film / video; revised synopsis; short bios of writer, director, and lead cast member; and, possibly social media handles & hashtags.
18. Multiple entries are allowed for each producer.
19. Each entry may be entered in multiple categories.
20. Decisions made from the judging must be considered final and cannot be disputed.
21. Stories & Tales Festival shall not be liable for any typographical errors.
22. Submitters are not employees; any cash winner is responsible for paying all applicable taxes.
23. Entry must be received by 11:59 PM Pacific Time on the date of the deadline specified.
24. Stories & Tales Festival is not liable for emails delayed by spam filters, server rejections, or outdated email addresses or any other technical or human error.
25. Changes of submitter's email address can be sent to info@stf.world.
26. Stories & Tales Festival staff can be reached by email at info@stf.world.
27. Notification: Each submission received will be confirmed by FilmFreeway and/or Stories & Tales Festival staff.
28. All rights to the submitted material will remain with the entrant. Stories & Tales Festival DOES NOT claim any rights to the material.
29. All prizes are subject to change, and updates to the prize package will be posted online at FilmFreeway.com and STF.World.
30. STF will provide selected productions with invitations to all parties, events, and passes for all film screenings.
31. Stories & Tales Festival encourages all producers to attend the festival. To this end, we will provide a festival pass and a ticket to its own screening(s) at no cost.
32. All producers in attendance, at no cost to them, can participate in a special producer-only event.
33. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.
34. Failure to comply with guidelines, rules, regulations, & eligibility is cause for disqualification.
35. By entering the Stories & Tales Festival, all entrants release and hold the Stories & Tales Festival, its Board of Directors, Officers, Staff and Volunteers from all losses, damages, rights, claims, and actions of any kind arising in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from participation with the festival or in any competition related event.
36. Stories & Tales Festival reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any project submitted.
37. Unacceptable Material: The submission should have a strong storyline; however, we are strictly not accepting any films nor vidoes that contain pornographic material, propagate “hate” messages, or are about animal cruelty or actual depiction of human death.
38. Rough Cut: Rough cut is OK within the following context: complete the story with good sound. Submit with the best quality you can provided within the festival time frame. We’ll look at a submission only once (accepting only one version). If not a final version, put a slate at the beginning of the submission to say what state it is in.
39. Stories & Tales Festival submissions are NOT guaranteed to be promoted, honored, or screened at any Stories & Tales Festival event.
40. As a Green festival, Stories & Tales Festival doesn’t accept any “hard” form of a submission. If materials are submitted, know that they will never be returned. DO NOT SEND ORIGINALS.
41. Stories & Tales Festival cannot accept or assume responsibility in the event of loss or damage to submission or exhibition or press materials.
42. SCREENING / JUDGING PROCESS
a. All submissions are viewed in their entirety by pre-screeners.
b. Recommended submissions then go to the Judging Panel for recommended selections.
c. Those are given to the Board of Directors and Festival Programmer for final selection.
43. FESTIVAL PROGRAMMING
a. Stories & Tales Festival Program and its final festival submission determinations will be decided no later than September 14, 2019. Please check our website on that date to see if, when, and where your submission is screening.
b. Screening times and venues are subject to delay or change.
c. Please note festival dates are always subject to change.
d. By submitting to the festival, you grant Stories & Tales Festival the right to screen your film / video if it becomes chosen to be accepted to the festival.
e. By entering you agree to all of the Stories & Tales Festival Terms & Conditions.
44. Failure to comply with the guidelines, rules, regulations, terms and conditions, and/or eligibility may be cause for disqualification and having your submission pulled from screening or competition.
45. By submitting you acknowledge that you
a. Are not entitled to any refund or damage claims of any kind if your production is unable to screen due to technical or operational difficulties or if your film needs to be rescheduled or delayed for any reason.
b. Are not entitled to any refund or damage claims of any kind in regard to the promotion or advertising of your submission.
46. By submitting you are acknowledging, agreeing, reading, and understanding the following:
a. Stories & Tales Festival is not responsible for productions that are missing, damaged, unreadable, lost in transit, or stolen.
b. Stories & Tales Festival reserves the right to refuse service to anyone.
c. Stories & Tales Festival has the right to copy any submitted material and screen your production at least one time in the next 18 months at its festival.
d. Stories & Tales Festival has the right to use of images and clips from your production for the next 48 months on any Stories & Tales Festival website and in any Stories & Tales Festival press materials used to promote Stories & Tales Festival and its events, but NOT for any additional commercial use reproductions.
47. By entering this competition, entrants agree & acknowledge the following:
a. Their use of the website, attendance at Stories & Tales Festival events, or entering into any Stories & Tales Festival event, contest, festival or competition is at their sole risk.
b. Stories & Tales Festival does not make any representation or warranty as to the accuracy, correctness, completeness, or usefulness of any content appearing on its website and is not responsible for any errors or omissions in any content appearing on the website, or generally for the accuracy, reliability or quality of any content appearing on the website or any other materials published, unpublished, or distributed by Stores & Tales Festival or its Affiliates.
c. Stories & Tales Festival is not responsible for any failures, delays, or interruptions of the website.
d. The website is provided to you “as is” and the Stories & Tales Festival makes no representation or warranty of any kind to you, either express or implied.
e. Specifically, Stories & Tales Festival disclaims any implied warranties or title, non-infringement, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose.
f. You acknowledge and agree that under no circumstances will Stories & Tales Festival be reliable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on content obtained through the website or caused by your conduct.
g. Stories & Tales Festival does not guarantee continuous, uninterrupted, or secure access to the website, and the operation of the website may be interfered with by numerous factors outside Stories & Tales Festival control.
h. In no event shall Stories & Tales Festival be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or in connection with use of the website / attendance at any event / entering any competition / submitting any work for its review or screening, including without limitation for lost profits or business, or anticipated lost profits or business, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
i. Stories & Tales Festival and its Affiliates aggregate liability to you or any third party in any circumstance arising out of or related to the website or this Agreement is limited to $500.
48. Entrants acknowledge that no fiduciary or confidential relationship now exists between the Festival and entrants, and entrants further acknowledge that no such relationship is established by these guidelines, the submission itself, or by Stories & Tales Festival acceptance, review, or retention of the submission.
49. Submitter (You) agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold Stories & Tales Festival harmless from any claim, expense or demand, including without limitation reasonable attorney’s fees, made by any third party due to or arising out of your breach of this Agreement, or your violation of any law or the rights of a third party.
a. You acknowledge and agree that this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of California, excluding conflict of law provisions thereof that would indicate the application of the laws of any other jurisdiction and you hereby submit to exclusive jurisdiction in the federal and state courts of California.
b. You acknowledge and agree that the use of Mediation Services is the mandatory first route of resolution.
c. You acknowledge and agree that in the event Medication does not result in resolution, binding arbitration is the ultimate route to resolution.
d. You agree to receive service of process through certified mail or by other means sanctioned by law, and you expressly waive any claim of improper venue and any claim that such courts, mediation, and arbitration locations are an inconvenient forum.
e. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision shall be struck and the remaining provisions shall be enforced.
f. You agree that this Agreement may be automatically assigned by Stories & Tales Festival, in its sole discretion, to a third party.
g. Section headings are for reference purposes only and in no way define, limit, construe, or describe the scope or extent of such section.
h. Our failure to act with respect to a breach by you or others does not waive our right to act with respect to subsequent or similar breaches.
i. This Agreement, along with any other terms and conditions regulating use of the website, sets forth the entire understanding and agreement between us with respect to the subject matter hereof.
j. The provisions of this Agreement and any ancillary terms and conditions will survive termination or expiration to the extent necessary to carry out the intentions of the parties.
k. All content contained on Stories & Tales Festival website, including but not limited to video, clips, photographs, text, graphics, logos, icons, images and software (collectively, “Content”), is the property of Stories & Tales Festival and is protected by United States and/or international copyright laws.
i. Any reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, display or performance of the content contained is strictly prohibited.
ii. If you use material appearing on the website contrary as set forth in the Agreement, you may be liable for infringement, misappropriation, or other causes of action to the fullest extent of the law.
iii. Unless otherwise indicated, all names, graphics, designs, logos, page headers, button icons, scripts, commercial markings, trade dress, and service names included in the website are trademarks of Stories & Tales Festival and are protected by the trademark laws of the United States and other jurisdictions.
iv. You may not use, copy, reproduce, republish, distribute, modify, or post any Trademarks in any way, including in advertising or publicity pertaining to or distribution of materials on the website, without our prior written consent.
v. The Trademarks may not be used in any manner that is likely to cause confusion, or in any manner that disparages or discredits us. You acknowledge and agree that your only remedy for failures, delays or interruptions with respect to the ordering of and delivery of passes ordered by you through the website or submissions sent through the website or any partner or affiliate is limited to a refund for such passes, issued at the discretion of Stories & Tales Festival.

PRIZE DETAILS:
Prizes
1. In-Kind Prize: $1,500 Studio Award
a. RYP Productions, an official production company of Stories & Tales Festival and in association with Jewel of the Nile Productions, is generously providing a production shoot opportunity in-kind valued at up to $1,500 to the winner of Best in Show.
b. The lucky winner will receive one 12-hour session.
c. The shoot to be within a 20-mile radius of Hollywood, CA. The winner must travel to Hollywood at his/her own expense to utilize the prize.
d. The prize must be redeemed within two (2) years.
e. This is not a cash prize, rather it is for production services by RYP Productions and Jewel of the Nile Productions.
2. Free Video Blocks account for a year! The Best in Show winner will have a free VideoBlocks account for one year! This great service allows the filmmaker to have access to thousands of high quality images, video footage and royalty-free music. "VideoBlocks is a members-only site offering a one-stop shop for stock video. Our members enjoy access to our Unlimited Library and our Global Marketplace.”
3. Writer Mentorship: The recipient of the Best Script Award will receive 12 weeks of mentorship by an award-winning writer, producer, director with deep connections and relationships throughout Studio producers & casting directors. Location is in Los Angeles County, CA.
4. Best Submissions: All winning submissions will be promoted to our Hollywood contacts and insiders seeking new talent and feature film adaptation deals, as well as distributors; such as, iTunes & Amazon.
5. Exposure: Winning entries are also announced through social media and press releases to filmmakers & industry contacts.
6. Free digital downloads of Stores & Tales Festival laurels will be made available to all winners.