Create From Home Film Festival

While the world is stuck inside, social distancing and sheltering-in-place, a lot of people are dealing with adapting to work from home and create from home life. In the interest of creativity and positivity, Creators Offline is happy to team up our sponsors to host the Create From Home Film Festival to challenge you and offer a valuable list of prizes.

Tell the BEST story you can within the constraints of your home and the equipment you already have.

GUEST JUDGES:
⭐️ Lizzie Peirce
⭐️ Iz Harris
⭐️ Dani Chaparro
⭐️ Darious Britt

🥇First Place:
1-year subscription to RedGiant Complete
A Full copy of Final Draft 11
1-year MZed Pro membership
1-year Subscription, to Storyblocks Unlimited All-Access Plan
1-year TubeBuddy Legend Plan
1-year Musicbed subscription (up to 1M subscribers)
Brevite Jumper backpack

🥈Second Place:
1-year MZed Pro membership
A Full copy of Final Draft 11
6-month Subscription, to Storyblocks Unlimited All-Access Plan
1-year TubeBuddy Star Plan
1-year Musicbed subscription (up to 1M subscribers)
Brevite Jumper backpack

🥉 Third Place:
1-year MZed Pro membership
A Full copy of Final Draft 11
3-month Subscription, to Storyblocks Unlimited All-Access Plan
1-year TubeBuddy Pro Plan
1-year Musicbed subscription (up to 1M subscribers)
Brevite Jumper backpack

Create a short film that tells a strong story, without leaving your home. Keep it positive.
It can be fictional, nonfiction, stop motion, puppets, or a documentary, the only constraint is that it’s made 100% at home with the tools you already have. Any people who appear in the film or help produce the film should also already be at home with you, and no outside help (except remote help), because, #socialDistancing #selfQuarantine.

It can be made on your phone, or your cinema camera that’s lying around. What matters most is the story it tells and films will be judged heavily on the story it tells and less about the technical execution or cinematography.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
• Films must be between 3 - 5 minutes in length
• Films may be in any aspect ratio you prefer
• Films may be in any language
• Non-English films require English subtitles
• Films must be submitted through FilmFreeway
• All footage shot must be shot within the location/property you are staying in.
• Outdoor footage is acceptable if shot on the same property

COLLABORATION

We encourage you to collaborate remotely! whether that's in writing, editing, VFX, composition, etc.

JUDGING CRITERIA

75% storytelling
This is the most important thing about your film. How well can you set up a story, a problem, or a question and resolve it in the time given? And at home?

15% Technical Execution
It doesn’t matter what you use to make the film, but quality, editing, post-production, sound design, are important in the film. Do your best to control your environment and produce the best film you can!

10% visual artistry/cinematography.
You might be stuck at home, but there are plenty of ways you can push your creativity to enhance the look and feel of your film.

MUSIC
Only videos with royalty-free music will be considered for finalists and prizes. You can sign up for a 30-day free trial of a Musicbed personal subscription to get unlimited access to their library, for your submission: https://mscbd.fm/crtsfl

STOCK FOOTAGE & PREVIOUSLY SHOT FOOTAGE
You MAY use stock footage for establishing shots/exterior shots or any other kind of shot that supports the story. May we suggest footage from our sponsor, StoryBlocks. Similarly, any footage that you own that was previously shot may be used in the same way–as supporting or establishing footage for your story.

Overall Rating

Quality

Value

Communication

Hospitality

Networking

Rachel Sarah

It was lovely to have something so specific to being at home, with so many of actually stuck in our own homes with one walk a day (or not, for those who had stricter lockdowns). I also really enjoyed the international element (though perhaps more heavily North American) to this festival - being able to watch films from all around the world of people experiencing the same thing, and seeing what their take is, was really interesting and unique.

I wonder whether in the future more of a community feel and build up to the festival could be achieved online (if this is done again in a different way) - perhaps with creators given a space to network before and after the screening? And for the judges to make an appearance in the screening video, even just with a few words.

Really great idea though, and accessible to everyone.

May 2020

Helpful
Alejandro Mallea

This was a great first edition of this online festival. An interesting challenge in an unlikely time, so it was also different to other festivals in that the timing was very short and the rules about recording at home make it unique in that way.

I found out after the results came out that my short had been voted as Best Sound Design. While I was glad to receive the news and I was even provided laurels, it would've been nice to have the category listed in the description of the festival, as well as any other categories that might have been discussed by the judges. Was there anything for other technical achievements? In that way, more work could've been put by myself and other filmmakers in trying to compete for those specific categories, whether an award was provided or not.

We'll see if this is repeated soon!

May 2020

Helpful

Create From Home Film Festival