HOW IT WORKS

Pitches on the theme Tell Us Your Local Secret need to be submitted by teachers (not students) for the deadline Monday 13 December, 2010.

The Dungog Film Festival and Oovie will then choose three of the most original and exciting ideas to be accepted into our mentorship program, beginning in the new school term in 2011.

This opportunity will connect three selected schools with some of the most exciting filmmaking talent in Australia, who will help guide students through the making of their own short film, based on the students’ ideas and characters.

That means a screenwriter will help turn your idea into a script. A director will help you plan and shoot the script. Then a post-production expert will guide you through the editing and delivery stages.

This incredible opportunity allows schools to work with top quality professionals and digital filmmaking equipment. At the end of the project, your school will be invited to attend the Dungog Film Festival, (May 26-29, 2011) to see your film premiere on the big screen.

Check out our Guidelines for a breakdown of how this all works.

Come see your name up in lights at Dungog.

Rules & Guidelines

OOVIE Student FIlm Project Rules & Guidelines (333 KB)

1. The ‘pitch’ is the idea that students put forward for a short film idea
2. Please submit your pitch to DFF by the deadline of midnight Monday
   December 13,2010 (E.D.S.T.).
3. The theme for the pitch is Tell Us Your Local Secret and the idea is for a fictional
   (not documentary) film.
4. Each pitch must be no longer than one page (500 words approx) and include
   a short description of your story idea, and a short description of your main
   characters (approx 250 words each).
5. Each school may submit 3 pitches maximum – NB: each pitch needs its own
   entry form filled out, but you’re welcome to only submit 1 or 2
6. All completed entry forms must be emailed to students@dungogfilmfestival.org
7. Each school that submits a pitch will receive passes to the Dungog Film Festival
   (one student, one adult), which runs 26-29 May, 2011 – to collect these, you
   need to confirm names via email.
8. The pitch/idea should be achievable in 5 minutes, the maximum length of the
   film, and classified G (General) or PG (Parental Guidance).
9. The three schools chosen to participate in the Student Screen Program will be
   alerted the week of Monday January 18, 2011.
10. Selected schools must provide contact details for one person to be
    contactable out of school term.
11. The film must be in English, or have English subtitles.
12. Students who enter must be between 12 and 18 years old.
13. When you send in a pitch you are accepting these Terms + Conditions, which
    will bind the school.
14. The three selected schools will be officially announced on Monday 31 January
    2011.
15. Dungog Film Festival will work with the participating schools to confirm the production schedule (2011), but as a guide:
    
    • FEBRUARY – Scriptwriting mentors assigned to selected schools to help turn their pitch into a screenplay;
    • MARCH – Directing mentors assigned for pre-production and production stages;
    • APRIL – Each school shoots for 2 days;
    • APRIL/MAY – Post-production mentors assigned to guide schools through editing and delivery;
    • MAY 26-29 – Final films premiere at the Dungog Film Festival and are then launched on the official website.
16. The short film must be delivered to Dungog Film Festival on two formats, (DVD and a Quick Time file – Dungog Film Festival will assist, by Friday May 20, 2011. All films should be in aspect ratio 16:9 (widescreen).
17. When selected, the three schools must obtain clearance for any music or footage used in the film. All participants in the film must sign standard release forms provided by Dungog Film Festival. Copyright in all films to be owned by Dungog Film Festival.
18. Please take photographs to document the experience and send us your best photographs with your final film.