Submitting Your Film

Film submissions for the 2012 Film Festival open September 25, 2011.

Who can submit a film?
We welcome submissions from independent and student filmmakers. We do not accept industrial or advertising films. The festival is especially interested in works that incorporate themes of art and science, but all submitted films will be considered for selection. Submission fees are set according to category:

• Standard: non-students
• Student: college or film school
• Student: middle/high school

How do I submit a film?
Our submission process goes through Withoutabox. Filmmakers are then required to mail two copies of their film to the da Vinci Days office for the review and selection process.

Do you offer fee waivers?
We have a limited number of waivers available. Please contact us.

What film genres do you accept?
We accept films in almost all genres and subject matter in these categories:

Animation shorts (30 minutes or less)
Narrative shorts (30 minutes or less)
Experimental shorts (30 minutes or less)
Documentary (90 minutes or less)
Young Filmmaker (10 minutes or less, any genre)

Can I submit a film someone else made?
Filmmakers must have complete production control over their films or be authorized to act on behalf of the film's owners. Cast members or other production support personnel may not submit a film on their own behalf.

Films submitted in the Young Filmmakers category must be the work of the students alone. Parents and mentors should be restricted to an advisory role only.

If I submit a film, will it be screened?
Not necessarily. As a juried event, we view all entries and select the best for the festival screening. For 2011, we received 104 submissions and we selected 33 films to screen.

How are films selected for the festival?
Submitted films are screened by volunteer teams of between four to six reviewers. The review teams rate the films according to several criteria. Most films will be reviewed twice to find consensus and to give filmmakers as much consideration as possible. The da Vinci Film Festival Programming Coordinator makes the final screening decision.

What are the selection criteria?

• Script/Storyboard: story, suitability, sequencing, and shots
• Technical: camera controls & movement, composition, sound, and editing
• Direction: blocking and casting choice
• Programming mix to provide a range of films for our audience