TOP OF THE SOUTH FILM FESTIVAL 2024
ENTRY GUIDE, RULES AND REGULATIONS - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
We are thrilled you’re interested in entering the Top of the South Film Festival.
We accept short films up to 15 minutes long produced in the Top of the South Island region of New Zealand or by Kiwi filmmakers worldwide. Films are accepted in the following categories: narrative (fictional), animation, music video, documentary, secondary student-made cinema, and movies made for the NZ-based “48Hours” film competition.
All films must be entered on FilmFreeway at: www.filmfreeway.com/TopoftheSouthFilmFestival
We have two entry sections: the Gold/Silver Screenings and the Aotearoa Screening. Please be sure you enter the correct Screening section. Your film can only enter ONE section.
The Gold/Silver Screenings are for locally produced films from the Top of the South Island, New Zealand only: Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough districts.
The Aotearoa Screening is for films produced within New Zealand and by NZ citizens/permanent residents internationally.
Here are the rules and regulations to ensure your entry is accepted.
THE GOLD/SILVER SCREENINGS
Celebrating our origins of showcasing short films created by Top of the South Island filmmakers, the Gold/Silver Screenings are exclusively reserved for local film productions. These screenings take place in Nelson, Blenheim and Motueka theatres.
Eligibility
The Gold/Silver Screenings are open to short films from the Top of the South, New Zealand - Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough. Films produced and shot in the adjoining regions of Buller and Kaikoura may also be submitted for gold/silver screenings.
If a film is NOT 100% locally written, produced, directed and crewed by Top of the South residents, then it must meet the following criteria:
• at least ONE individual among the positions of writer, director, or producer permanently resides in the Top of the South region, AND,
• the film has TWO MORE individuals fulfilling the functions of writer, director, producer, director of photography, editor, or lead actors who also permanently reside in the Top of the South region, AND
• 60% of production and post-production days must be done in the Top of the South region
Any films not meeting these criteria will automatically be submitted to the Aotearoa Screening competition. (Additional entry fees may apply.) The Film Festival Director will determine the eligibility of borderline cases.
THE AOTEAROA SCREENING
The Aotearoa Screening showcases some of the best short films from around New Zealand and by Kiwi filmmakers worldwide. It invites them to join us in an exclusive screening and awards ceremony at the Suter Theatre in Nelson. The Aotearoa Screening allows local Top of the South filmmakers to connect with those from beyond our region.
Eligibility
The Aotearoa Screening showcases NZ films produced nationwide, outside the Top of the South region. Films produced internationally by New Zealand citizens or permanent residents will be considered. The movie can be of any genre and a maximum of 15 minutes. Borderline cases will be admitted at the Film Festival Director’s sole discretion.
ENTRY GUIDE
SUBMISSION FEES
1. Submission to the Gold/Silver Screenings is $35. If you are a full Top of the South Filmmakers member, your first entry is free using the specific discount code emailed to members. Each subsequent entry to the Gold/Silver Screenings is $35. (If you did not receive your membership discount code, please get in touch with director@tsfilmmakers.org.nz)
2. Submission to the Aotearoa Screening is $50.
3. Registered Students (yr 9 -13) submission fee: $15
4. Submission fees are non-refundable
5. After you submit your film via FilmFreeway, you must pay the festival submission fee via the FilmFreeway payment service (credit card, debit card, or PayPal). If none of the available payment methods work for you, please contact us using the contact info above.
HOW TO ENTER
1. All submissions are accepted only via Film Freeway.
2. If you don't already have an account, you will be asked to sign up to create a free FilmFreeway account.
3. Once you have an account, you must create a project with your film in FilmFreeway. Go to My Projects, then Add a Project, and follow the instructions.
4. Please create a new FilmFreeway project for each film submission.
5. Once you've created a project in FilmFreeway, you will see an option box. Click on Add Project File.
6. Upload all the press kit materials outlined below in your project file. These materials are all required, and your submission may be disqualified if any are missing.
7. In the Project File, you must either upload your film directly to FilmFreeway (only viewable by our judges), or you can provide a link to your film on YouTube or Vimeo, with a password, if required. You must let us know the password somewhere in your submission documents.
8. Under the Privacy menu button, please check these boxes: Visibility: Festivals Only and Download Permissions: Festivals that I submit to may download my video.
9. Once you’ve completed creating your Project, click on Browse Festivals and search for Top of the South Film Festival 2024. Then click on Submit Now.
10. You must indicate your submission fee by clicking on either Standard or Student (if you qualify). You must click on one of these payment options even if you have a free discount code. If you have a TSF member or Student discount code, you will enter the code when you’re checking out.
11. Top of the South regional filmmakers must designate their submission as one of the following genres: Narrative (fictional), Documentary, Animation, Music Video, 48-hour, or Secondary Student Film.
12. Films produced OUTSIDE the Top of the South region MUST enter the Aotearoa category ONLY. If you fall in this category, do NOT designate a genre category. All Aotearoa category films are judged against each other, no matter what genre they might be.
13. Once you’ve selected the film category/genre or Aotearoa and checked the Standard or Student fee, you must add your film’s logline and additional cast/crew info (if you're submitting a narrative film) in the box(es) at the bottom before you can “add to cart” and checkout. Any cast or crew you want to be considered for an award (e.g. Best Actor, Director, Cinematographer, etc.) MUST be entered here.
14. You may also add a cover letter and background on your film on the Cart Summary page when you check out.
15. If you want your film to be considered for any of the following awards - SOUND, ORIGINAL SCORE, VFX, PRODUCTION DESIGN - you MUST submit a letter outlining how the work was done, by whom and at what points in the film. For example, if you want your film to be considered for Best VFX, please explain where the VFX took place and how it was created. Or if you want to be considered for Best Original Music, please submit a Cue Sheet.
ENTRY RULES
1. Entry deadline is midnight 5th August 2024. Films entered after this deadline will not be accepted.
2. Films must be submitted in one of the following categories: Narrative film (fictional), Documentary, Animation, Music Video, 48Hour Film Festival film, Secondary School Student film (yr 9 -13), or Aotearoa film (NZ short films created outside of the Top of the South region and/or by New Zealand citizens/permanent residents).
3. In addition to your film, you must submit a press kit. Details below.
4. Films must have been completed after January 1, 2022. Some exceptions may be granted at the discretion of the TSFF Director.
5. Films must be 15 minutes or less, including credits. At the sole discretion of the festival director, films of longer duration may be accepted if they are significant to filmmakers based in the Top of the South.
6. Black screen credits must be no longer than 30 seconds.
7. Films are preferred to be submitted as MP4 files.
8. Films must be shot in 24 or 25fps and are preferred to be rendered in 16:9 aspect ratio either as in 2560×1440 (2K) or 1920×1080 (1080p Full-HD) (H264 codec). Frame rates of 30fps will not be accepted.
9. Films not submitted in the above formats will be rejected.
10. Films accepted by other festivals or have previously been screened online are eligible.
11. Films must not contain copyright-infringing content, including music, video, or photos. Any film identified as containing obvious copyright content without the appropriate license or written release will not be accepted.
12. By submitting your film, you grant the Top of the South Film Festival the following rights to your film, film excerpts and associated material (e.g. production stills) at no cost to the Top of the South Film Festival:
• to publicly screen your film in association with TSFF events
• to extract and edit excerpts from your film for current and future TSFF promotional purposes
• to include or not your film in the TSFF public screenings
• to use your film’s excerpts and associated materials both online and offline for promotional purposes, both current and future.
13. Submitting your film does not guarantee that it will be screened. All films are subject to quality control measures and will be viewed by a panel of judges made up of independent film industry professionals. To avoid conflict of interest, judges must be independent of the films on which they make decisions. The curation team must declare if they are connected significantly to the films entered.
14. Judges will rank-order films, and the curation team will fill the Screenings until the Screening run times reach capacity (105 to 120 minutes).
15. The FVLB will rate films and must achieve a rating of “G,” “PG,” or “M” (see below). At the curators' and director's discretion, films that curators consider inappropriate for a mixed-age audience may not be screened.
PRESS KIT DETAILS
You must submit the following Press Kit elements along with your film. Failure to submit these materials may make your film ineligible for screening and awards, and your submission fee will not be refunded.
1. Logline: 30 words or less
2. Film Synopsis: 100 words or less
3. A full list of actor and production crew credits
4. Production Stills: up to 5 Screenshots or on-set photographs which best depict your film
5. Background story for your film: up to 250 words—who produced the film, how did the idea come about, who was on your team, interesting behind-the-scenes stories, obstacles you overcame.
6. Trailer(s) – if you have one. Up to 1:45 in length.
7. If a Narrative film (fictional), please include:
a. Names of the actor(s)/actress(es) you submit for consideration as Best Actor/Actress and Best Supporting Actor/Actress.
b. Name(s) of the crew member(s) responsible for your Cinematography, Editing, Sound, Original Score, Visual FX and Production Design.
c. Details and descriptions of what parts (in and out timecode points) of your film have original music and VFX. Without these notes, your film cannot be judged in these categories.
FILM RATING
TSFF will submit the selected films for each Screening for classification by the NZ Film and Video Labelling Body (FVLB). (All films viewed by the public must have a FVLB rating.) For more information about NZ ratings, please see: https://www.classificationoffice.govt.nz/classification-info/classification-labels/
1. Films can be “G,” “PG,” or “M” rated. An “M” rating means “more suitable for mature audiences 16 years and over.” Failure to obtain one of these ratings means your film is NOT eligible for TSFF public screening. Minimising content in the following areas will increase your chances of obtaining an “M” rating: Offensive Language, Gore and Violence, Explicit Nudity, and Strong Themes.
2. If a film is rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body (FVLB) as harder than an “M”, a three-day extension to edit and resubmit may be granted. If you choose not to resubmit or miss the three-day deadline, your film will be removed from the festival. If you choose not to re-submit your film, you must immediately let the Festival Director know your intention to withdraw your film.
3. If a film is rejected for any reason, submission fees will not be refunded, except in hardship cases.
JUDGING AND AWARDS
1. Top of the South regional filmmakers must designate their submission as a Narrative (fictional), Documentary, Animation, Music Video, 48Hour, or Secondary Student Film.
2. Films produced OUTSIDE the Top of the South region MUST enter the Aotearoa category ONLY. If you fall in this category, do NOT designate a genre category. All Aotearoa category films are judged against each other, no matter what genre they might be.
3. For both the Gold/Silver and Aotearoa Screenings, independent judges with industry experience will assess all films objectively and give a one-to-ten score using the Film Freeway rating system. Judge profiles can be found at www.tsfilmfest.org/judges when festival entries close.
4. Narrative films will be judged in the following categories: directing, story/screenplay, ensemble cast/character engagement, cinematography, and editing. The cumulative score compiled from all the judges will be averaged to determine an overall average score out of ten for each category.
5. The average cumulative score of these Narrative categories will determine the BEST NARRATIVE FILM.
6. The Best Films in the following genres will be determined by compiling and then averaging judges' scores on a one-to-ten basis: documentary, animation, music video, 48-hour films, and student film.
7. The judge(s) whose expertise is in that field will select the awards for the following categories.
a. Best Sound
b. Best Original Score
c. Best Visual FX
d. Best Production Design
8. Aotearoa awards will be determined by a separate judging panel assembled by the TSFF Director.
9. If your entry is a narrative (fictional) film, please indicate:
a. The names of Lead Actor and Actress, Supporting Actor and Actress, along with Director, Screenwriter, Cinematographer
b. The name of the composer if the music has an Original Music Score
c. The name(s) of the person(s) responsible for Production Design
d. If the film has Visual FX, the name(s) of the VFX artist(s)
JUDGING CRITERIA FOR FILMS
Screenplay
Story is original, creative, fresh, interesting and masterfully woven. Characters are compelling and distinctive. Dialogue is real and engaging. Has artistic merit. The story has a beginning, middle and end, a story arc, and a clear goal. The story resolves itself and pays off the premise it sets up.
Direction
Story is told in a cohesive, clear, distinctive style and tone. Acting is natural and believable. Combined elements of story, acting, visuals and music make for a rewarding experience.
Cinematography
Visually excellent, with appropriate use of camera movement, lighting, composition, and shot selection serving the story, and colour grading enhancing the overall look and feel.
Editing
The organisation, pacing, structure, and continuity of pictures and sound are rhythmic, moving, engaging, and clear.
Acting
Acting performances are authentic, compelling, interesting and personify the story. Relational dynamics are strong and have an emotional impact.
Sound
There is consistently clear dialogue recording, believable and creative use of sound effects, and quality transitions between words and music. The music complements and enhances the story, tone and overall message.
Original Score
The originally scored music is creative, unique and suited to the film and helps tell the story as a character of its own.
Production Design
The look and feel of the locations and settings transports us to the world of the characters. Lighting, sets, scenery, wardrobe and props are used effectively and appropriately.
Visual Effects
The visual effects are so realistic that the viewer accepts what they see, momentarily suspending disbelief. Alternatively, the effects illustrate the vision and artistry of the Visual effects artist. In either case, the VFX support the narrative and capture the viewer.
