The University of Advancing Technology Digital Video Festival seeks to encourage middle school, high school, and undergraduate students who embrace our philosophy of "Learn, Experience, Innovate" in the use of digital technology to create compelling short films and animations. Our mission is to cultivate creative digital filmmakers from around the globe and bring their work to new audiences through screenings on our Tempe, Arizona, campus which will also be live-streamed simultaneously to the Internet. Each year one young filmmaker will be awarded a full scholarship to attend the award-winning Bachelor of Arts, Digital Video Program at the University of Advancing Technology.

The UAT Digital Video Festival was founded by the faculty of the Digital Video Program at the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Arizona, out of a desire to foster creative dialogue and competition among student digital filmmakers at UAT and at schools and institutions worldwide. With a focus on innovation in the use of digital technologies to tell stories, the UAT DV Festival seeks short film submissions (15 minutes and under) from middle school, high school, and undergraduate college students working in the following genres: Science Fiction and Fantasy; Fan Film; Science and Technology; Animation; and Visual Effects. Professional filmmakers who are working on the cutting-edge of digital filmmaking will also be encouraged to submit their works under our "Innovator" category.

Awards & Prizes

First Prize for Student Filmmakers: UAT Digital Video Scholarship
A full-tuition scholarship to attend the University of Advancing Technology Digital Video Program will be awarded to one deserving student filmmaker each year, or may be split equally by up to four members of the winning team.

Sponsor: UAT Foundation
Value of Goods/Services: $77,800 U.S.
(Current UAT students are ineligible for this award.)

Rules & Terms

Selected films will be screened on our campus in Tempe, Arizona, during our annual Tech Forum event in November. Screenings and Q&A's will also be streamed live - so filmmakers and film lovers from every corner of the globe may participate even if unable to travel to Arizona. Participating filmmakers will be web-conferenced into the event for Q&A with our audience.

In an effort to "go green" and embrace the use of technology, the UAT DV Festival only accepts online screeners of submitted films. No DVDs or BluRays ever need to be mailed. If accepted, we will request a high-quality Quicktime of your film to be sent to us via the Internet.

Submission fees for the UAT DV Festival go to support the UAT Foundation, a philanthropic, 501(c)3 charitable organization based in Tempe, Arizona. Established in 2008, the Foundation awards grants in support of education and scholarships in advancing technology. (http://www.uatfoundation.org/)