ABOUT STORY MACHINE

Presented by Raindance Film Festival and Moonmax, the 2025 Story Machine Summit is focused on pushing creative boundaries in the heart of London. Over one packed day, the AI Day at Raindance Film Festival, delegates will immerse themselves in hands-on workshops and fascinating panels, where they can learn how to harness technologies like AI in their creative work. This will culminate in an awards ceremony for the winning films.

Today, you have the opportunity to submit your films for our awards ceremony at the summit. Selected films will be screened at the summit, offering a unique platform to showcase your work to an audience of delegates, industry professionals, and innovators in attendance. So, what are you waiting for? Submit your film and join us in London!

Awards & Prizes

AWARDS

Story Machine in London honours excellence and innovation in AI filmmaking across multiple categories, including:

Best AI-Generated Short Film
Best AI-Generated Commercial

PRIZES

Winners will receive:

Grants for Raindance Film School courses from a total prize pool of £10,000.
A trophy to honour your excellence in AI filmmaking.
Exclusive access to industry events, courses at Moonmax and Raindance Film School, and features in Moonmax events around the world.

Rules & Terms

RULES AND TERMS

Submission Format:

All entries must be submitted as a high-resolution digital file or a secure online screener via the FilmFreeway platform.
Files should be formatted in MP4 or MOV with a minimum resolution of 1080p HD (higher resolutions preferred).
The festival does not accept links that require downloads or expiration-based links (e.g., WeTransfer).

Eligibility & Content Guidelines:

Submissions must be created using AI video generation tools such as Runway, Kling, Hailuo Minimax, Luma, and others.
Films that have been submitted to other festivals are eligible.
Films of all genres are welcome, including narrative, documentary, animation, and experimental works.
Entrants must ensure that their submission does not infringe on copyright, trademarks, or third-party rights.
Films containing excessive hate speech, explicit violence, or unlawful material may be disqualified at the festival’s discretion.

Submission Length:

AI-Generated Short Film Category: Under 30 minutes
AI-Generated Commercial Category: Under 10 minutes
AI-Enhanced Feature Film: Under 180 minutes

Ownership & Rights:

Filmmakers retain full ownership of their films.
Entrants grant the festival non-exclusive rights to screen the film during the event.
The festival reserves the right to use stills, trailers, excerpts, and the films themselves from selected films for promotional and marketing purposes, including online, social media, press, and festival materials.

Selection & Notification:

All submissions will be reviewed by the festival’s selection committee.
Filmmakers of selected entries will be notified via email within the announced notification period.
The festival reserves the right to place selected films in appropriate program categories at its discretion.

Disqualification:

If the festival discovers any misrepresentation, violation of submission rules, or fraudulent activity, the film may be disqualified.
Refunds are not available for withdrawn or disqualified entries.

Liability & Indemnification:

The festival is not responsible for any unauthorised third-party use of submitted content.
By submitting, entrants agree to indemnify and hold the festival harmless from any claims, damages, or legal disputes related to copyright, licensing, or intellectual property issues.

Agreement & Acceptance:

By submitting a film, the entrant acknowledges that they have read and agreed to all festival rules and terms.
The festival reserves the right to amend or update these terms at any time as needed.