Submission fee and deadlines:
All 2023 submissions MUST include a processing fee. Submit through FilmFreeway.
Any filmmaker may submit a short film which was completed AFTER Jan.1, 2021 and has a runtime of less than 25 minutes in the following genres:
Action/Drama/Suspense
Animation
Comedy
Documentary
Horror
Music Videos
Science Fiction
Shot On Mobile
The MIFF is primarily a short film festival that may include several features if time permits. Productions longer than 25 minutes may be submitted through special arrangement only. Contact us for details.
Productions that would be rated more restrictively than “R” will not be selected by the MIFF.
If selected:
You will be notified of your selection and receive one All Access Pass upon check-in at the theater. You will be asked to provide a high-quality copy of your program either as a theater-ready DCP or high-quality format that we will convert into a DCP for theater screening. Adhering to high standards for this copy of your movie will help us maintain the high standards possible at the Premiere Theaters/Oaks 10 MIFF location. Specific image and audio guidelines are below.
2023 MIFF Delivery Guidelines for Accepted Productions
Goal: Provide us the highest quality practical of your production.
If your submission is accepted review the guidelines below and send us a copy of your production ASAP.
Audio levels dialog normal (average dialog level) should be -20 dBFS(1).
Audio encoding should be 48KHz 24-bit samples with no compression(2). Mono to 7.1 is accepted.
Non-English submissions must have English subtitles burned in (included in the video).
Resolution and Frame-rate should be the same pixel dimensions and frame-rate used in production(3).
Delivery format preferred formats include ProRes 422, DNxHD, DNxHR, or another high-quality commonly available low compression CODEC(4). DCPs* are accepted(5). Mp4 video is accepted; if used, it should use low compression (high bit rate).
Delivery medium preferred is via electronic transfer (FTP server, DropBox, WeTransfer, FileZilla, or other file transfer service); other delivery media are acceptable by special arrangement.
All material will be presented using a digital cinema projector from a 2K or 4K Digital Cinema Package (DCP), the standard encoding format used in theaters.
NOTES:
Dialog normal will be adjusted to our best estimate of -20 dBFS if not provided that way.
16-bit audio and compressed audio is accepted, but limits audio quality.
Do not pillar box or letter box the video. Standard pixel dimensions are HD 1920×1080 or 1280×720, UHD 3840×2160, 2K Flat 1998×1080, 4K Flat 3996×2160, 2K CinemaScope 2048×858, 4K CinemaScope 4096×1716, and a CinemaScope image encoded from HD video is 1920×804 pixels. The standard frame-rate is 24 Fps (25, 29.97, and 30 Fps are acceptable).
All submissions are encoded to a DCP* for presentation at a very high quality (100 Mbps or higher, 10 bits per sample video and 24 bits per sample audio). DNxHR HQX and ProRes 422 HQ are the preferred CODECs when providing 10-bit video; providing highly compressed video is discouraged.
All features length movies will be shown in the flat or CinemaScope format. Shorts will be encoded to fit the frame size of the majority of submissions in the presentation grouping at the MIFF, which is CinemaScope or Flat (we will pillar box or letterbox as needed for presentation).
* DCP: Digital Cinema Package (the standard delivery format for encoding movies for display in theaters)
Send file links or technical questions to MIFF@ACutAboveVideo.com.
If shipping or delivering material, send it to:
A Cut Above Video
Attn: MIFF
4450 W. Eau Gallie Blvd., Suite 220
Melbourne, FL 32934-7214 USA
Phone number for shipping and technical questions: 321-253-5677
All other festival related questions should be sent to Contact@MelbourneFilmFest.com
Notice of release:
By submitting a production to the MIFF, I hereby irrevocably grant the Melbourne Independent Filmmakers Festival hereafter referred to as MIFF, their licensees, agents, successors, and assignees the right in perpetuity throughout the world in all media now or hereafter known to promote and advertise the MIFF utilizing my name, fictitious name, the promotional and collateral material submitted, and short segment(s) of the motion picture I submitted to the MIFF.
The MIFF may publicly exhibit my complete submitted motion picture during the MIFF. The MIFF may include a virtual component that includes any selected production and may be made publicly available on the internet by the MIFF from December 4 thru December 31, 2022; permission to include any selected production in the virtual presentation may be revoked by the submitter by email and receipt acknowledged by the MIFF at MIFF@ACutAboveVideo.com. Other than for review for acceptance to the MIFF, promotion of the MIFF using short excerpts from the submission, and display at the MIFF and its virtual component, the MIFF has no rights to reproduce, display or distribute the submitted motion picture.
I am at least 18 years of age, have all licenses and rights necessary for promotion and exhibition of the submitted motion picture, and am authorized to submit it for public exhibition in a movie theater and online during the MIFF; I affirm that proper license(s) of intellectual property (music, images, etc.) used within this production have been obtained and display of my submission by the MIFF does not violate any laws or copyright restrictions within the United States.
I understand that I am not entitled to any financial compensation from the MIFF for this release.
On my behalf, my heirs, successors, and assignees, I indemnify and hold harmless the MIFF and its agents from any and all claims, actions, and judgments, including all costs of defense and attorney’s fees incurred in defending against same, arising from and related to the display and use of materials provided by me under this agreement.
