Memphis. The South’s capital of cultural innovation, influence and activism, known worldwide as the birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll, has forever been an authentic and iconic place of grassroots beginnings. StoryBoard Shorts continues that tradition with a program that invites filmmakers of all experience levels - teens to retirees - to share their short stories of local activism, arts, culture, history and community.
Not quite ready for Cannes, Sundance, or Indie Memphis? This festival is for you. There are first times for every filmmaker. The first time picking up a camera. The first time focusing on a subject. The first time conducting that interview. Every filmmaker was once an unknown. StoryBoard Shorts provides a platform for those unknown filmmakers to take those first steps.
And whether you’re an unknown filmmaker or arrive here with years of experience, this ‘mini’ festival is your platform to show your short nonfiction works. And in a region - Memphis, the Delta and the Mid-South - economically challenged and yet known worldwide for discovering and cultivating raw, unknown talents, StoryBoard Shorts Doc Fest invites filmmakers from the immediate region as well as around the world whose talents have yet to be discovered to submit their short-short* documentaries - polished, rough, or part of a work-in-progress - for a festival and competition to showcase their storytelling talents for industry insiders and on the big screen for live audiences.
(*10 minutes or less)
Submissions open in January of 2023 with deadlines at the end of February, March and April, and finalists will be screened at a 2-day festival held June 2-3, 2023 at Playhouse on the Square in Midtown, Memphis, Tennessee.
SUPPORTING LOCAL FESTIVALS: StoryBoard's Doc Fest also aims to support local regional festivals like the Hot Springs Documentary Festival, the Oxford Film Festival, and of course our very own Indie Memphis. Our goal is to support these festivals by finding raw and unknown talent, provide budding filmmakers with an entry-level platform to submit their polished or rough works, and help them develop the confidence, practice and advice to submit their completed works to these larger festivals, as well as enroll in their supporting programs.
BUILDING CONNECTIONS: Here filmmakers can connect with industry insiders and other local influencers to forge pathways to see their films reach their fullest potential, whether they be completed works or aspire to full feature-length documentaries.
Categories include films created LOCALLY in Memphis and Shelby County; REGIONALLY outside county lines in the Mid-South (Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana); NATIONALLY and INTERNATIONALLY outside the Mid-South. Additional categories for 901TEEN filmmakers in partnership with local libraries, for local COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY filmmakers within Shelby County, and for rough cuts and works-in-progress.**
(** see Rules & Terms)
ABOUT STORYBOARD MEMPHIS: Multimedia publisher StoryBoard Memphis was built on the mission to support local arts and culture, and to encourage local unknown talent to submit their stories, receive professional feedback, and to be published for the first time. StoryBoard Short Doc Fest extends this platform of support to invite new filmmakers to submit their short, nonfiction films.
Up to $5000 in awards and cash prizes will be handed out to the top jury and audience vote-getters. Juries made up of industry professionals and insiders and local professional filmmakers. Awards trophies made by artisans and metalsmiths of the Metal Museum, in Memphis, Tennessee.
Prizes awarded in the following categories: Grand Prize (Jury prize for films in the LOCAL and REGIONAL category); Audience prize for films in ALL categories; Prizes for Editing, Cinematography, Writing, best 901Teen documentary, best College documentary, best National/International documentary
Grand Jury Prize: $1000
Audience Prize: $1000
Downtowner Award: $250
Best Editing: $250
Best Cinematography: $250
Best Writing: $250
Best National/International Doc: $250
Best 901Teen Doc: $250
Best (College/University) Student Doc: $250
Others to be announced