2. Entry Requirements
(1) The work must be an animation using stopmotion animation techniques.
(2) The length of the work must be less than 30 minutes (including end credits).
(3) The work must be completed on or after January 1, 2020.
(4) Works that use languages other than English or Japanese must have English subtitles at the time of entry.
Films in Japanese that are selected for the Competition must be provided with English subtitles.
(5) The director/producer or entrant must be the rightsholder of the screening rights for the work, and there must be no interference with the screening of the work at the Festival.
3. Rights to the Work
All rights must be cleared in advance of entry, including rights for the music, original story, and preexisting characters. The Festival will not be liable for any infringement of rights or lawsuit claims for damages by copyright holders.
4. How to Enter
Please enter your work using one of the following two methods.
We recommend that you enter your film through FilmFreeway.
(1a) FilmFreeway
(1b) Entry Form
Please fill out the Entry Form (URL below) and upload the required materials such as still images of the work and a photo of the director.
Two still images of the work, 1920 x 1080 (300dpi or higher) jpeg
One photo of the director, 1500 x 1500 (300dpi or higher) jpeg
Entry Form https//www.morcoma.jp
(2) Screener for the first-round selection
Please submit your screener as a streaming link on YouTube or Vimeo. We recommend using a file format that is easy to play back, such as MP4.
(3) Subtitles and dialog list
For works that include dialogue (narration, dialogue, or other language used in the work), please submit the following two files.
(a) Video with English subtitles, required for the first-round selection process.
(b) English dialogue list with time code (Word or Excel file)
- If you submit your work through FilmFreeway, click on Project File > Files & Attachments > File data, and upload your file.
- If you use the Entry Form, please upload your file in the "Dialogue List” section.
(4) File for Competition and Festival screening
The festival office will contact entrants who pass the first-round selection stage.
Video format requirements (for Festival Competition)
Video format: MOV
Audio codec: AAC
Video codec: Apple ProRes 422 HQ
Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (or lower if the aspect ratio is other than 16:9)
File name: Use alphanumeric characters only, with the extension .mov
Following are the recommended technical specifications.
Video bit rate: 10Mbps to 20Mbps
Audio bit rate: 320 Kbps
Audio sample rate: 48 kHz
Please note that entries that do not meet the above entry requirements will be automatically disqualified.
5. Selection and Screening Method
The Festival will have two stages of screening: the first-round selection, which will take place prior to the Festival, and the final screening, which will take place during the Festival.
(1) Selection and evaluation process
1. The First-Round Selection Committee will select the nominated films for the Festival Competition from among all entries.
2. The Festival Office will email entrants if their film has been nominated. After that, the nominated films will be announced on the official festival website.
3. The final selection will be conducted by the jury during the Festival, and the films will be screened for the general public at the Festival.
4. Selection committee members and jury members will be individuals who are not directly involved in the production or distribution of the submitted films.
5. Please note that we will not accept cancellation after the entry has been submitted or inquiries regarding the jury outcomes or selection reasons.
6. Screening of nominated and award-winning films
(1) Screening at film festivals
1. Nominated films that pass the first-round selection will be screened as part of the competition program at the Festival. There will be an admission fee for the screenings.
2. The screening schedule of the nominated films will be determined by the organizer and management based on the various programs and screening time slots of the Festival.
(2) Screening fee
No screening fees will be paid for the competition program and screening of award-winning films within the Festival. Please understand this in advance.
(3) Award-winning films will be screened as a Special Program" at MORC Asagaya and/or associated movie theaters after the Festival’s completion.
(4) In addition to the screenings described in (3) above, MORC Asagaya, the festival organizer, plans to support the theatrical release of the winning films in Japan, including distribution and publicity.
7. Invitation
The directors of the nominated films will be invited to the Festival under the following conditions:
Directors residing outside Japan
●Accommodation in Japan for one director
(4 nights maximum between November 30 and December 5, 2023, in a single room at a hotel designated by the Festival)
●In addition, subsidies are provided during the stay. Direct payment in Japanese yen upon arrival in Japan. No advance payment will be made.
Directors residing in Japan
●Accommodation for one director (Only for directors who reside outside of the Tokyo metropolitan commuting area).
(4 nights maximum between November 30 and December 5, 2023, in a single room at a hotel designated by the Festival)
●A separate subsidy will be provided for the duration of the stay. (Provided directly at the festival venue. No advance payment will be made.)
Please note that the Festival will not cover any expenses for travel to Japan, transportation within Japan, various services at hotels such as telephone calls, room service, cleaning, etc., additional nights, and accommodation for accompanying staff.
8. Other
•Handling of video files of screened films
•The images to be screened at the festival are basically digital data only.
•The Entrant is responsible for the master of the work.
•Please note that we are not responsible for video files that do not comply with the technical specifications, or for technical trouble during the screening.
•The Festival reserves the right to reformat or copy the screening materials for the purpose of screening and selection.
Please note that the screening materials will not be returned.
(2) Promotion and archiving
Promotion
1. Competition nominated films may be shown, screened, posted, and published on the festival website, social networking services, and other media (theaters, broadcasts, online media, etc.) for the purpose of promotion of the Festival. The Festival reserves the right to edit, screen, post, and publish the director’s photograph and other materials on websites and social networking sites related to the Festival.
2. Competition nominees may be asked to participate in an online interview or provide a video message for the purpose of promoting the Festival.
Archives.
The Festival may keep the materials of the nominated films (up two 30 seconds of the film, trailers, images, metadata, etc.) for a certain period of time as a material archive and post them on the official website.
(3) Handling of personal information
Entrant’s personal information will be used solely for the operation of the Festival and will not be used for any other purpose.
(4) Registration and Agreements
By submitting this entry form, you agree to the above items and consent to the screening of your film at the Festival.
9. Contact for inquiries
MORC Stopmotion Animation Festival Office
Address: 2-12-19-1F Asagayakita, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 166-0001
Mail: school@laputa-jp.com
URL: https://www.morcoma.jp
Contact Form
https://www.morcoma.jp/contact
Inquiries are accepted in Japanese or English only.
