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GUIDELINES
GUIDELINES
The SanMa Short Film Festival (SSFF25) is an initiative to promote creativity in filmmaking!
Along with the Adults (18 years and above) category, this year, we are excited to extend our submissions to include a new kids category for filmmakers aged between 10 and 18 years. Short films will be evaluated by prominent judges from the field. All the submitted short films will be screened at a local auditorium/theater in front of an audience of filmmakers, friends and families followed by an award function.
1. Eligibility
All participants should be a member of San Diego Malayalees Organization.
Age of directors should be 18 years or above for the Adults Category
Age of directors should be between 10 and 18 for the Kids Category.
There are no SanMa teams based restrictions, a SanMa member can join any short film team.
2. Guidelines
Registration, submission, and all communications with SanMa arts committee are to be done by the directors of the short film teams.
Directors should register their entry by Dec15th, 2024 by filling out the google form.
Directors can make their own team of writers ,editors, cinematographers and actors.
Directors are not allowed to create a team with people outside SanMa members.
Two directors can collaborate to generate one short film.
Directors can choose any genre from the list provided in the Genres section.
Technical Staff like cinematographer, editor, writer etc. are allowed to participate in maximum of 2 short films.
Actors are allowed to participate in maximum of one short film.
Dialogue or narration must be substantially in Malayalam. Intermittent usage of other languages is acceptable with subtitles.
The story for the short film can be based on an entirely new concept or inspired by a real life or another literature work as long as you don't copy anything directly from it and your story reflects your own voice and perspective.
Duration
Max Duration without Credits
Max Duration with Credits
Adults
15mins
17mins
Kids
5mins
7mins
Google drive location would be provided on due date to upload short films.
Upload one version of short film without credit on/before March 1st, 2025, and another version with credit on/before March 15th, 2025.
Copy of the short film with credit should be the same (no major or minor edits) as that without credits.
Minor non-compliances of rules may not disqualify (subject to Arts Committee's decision) a short film. Directors following all the rules will be provided with an additional +20 bonus points for the Best Director Award.
3. Official Filmmaking Period
Short film creation (shooting and editing) should occur between Dec 15th, 2024 - March 1st, 2025.
All creative work including following ones, but is not limited to, should take place during this period.
Writing the script
Rehearsing
Costume/Set Design
Shooting
Editing
Sound Design
Rendering
Uploading to Google Drive
4. Footage
Animation and special effects are permitted, but must be created during the Official Filmmaking Period.
Stock footage filmed/created at another time cannot be unless the footage is part of a post-production effect or on a background monitor, i.e., a television, as long as the team has rights to the stock footage and it is used along with content filmed during Official Filmmaking Period.
5. Music
Teams are encouraged to work with a composer and/or musicians to write and record music for the short films. Pre-recorded music or sound effects can be used.
6. Required Media
Video Codec: H.264
Media: Online Submission
File Type: MPEG 4 (.mp4) (preferred), MPEG 4 (.m4v)
Resolution: HD 1080 (1920x1080) (preferred)
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (16:9) (preferred)
Pixel Ratio: Square (1:1) (preferred)
Frame Rate: 24 FPS (preferred), 24 FPS (23.976), 25 FPS, 30 FPS (29.97)
Interlacing: Progressive / NON-Interlaced
Audio Codec: AAC (.aac), WAV (.wav), MPEG4 (.mp4)
7. Production Cost
Teams can look for external business or sponsors for production cost . They can thank these sponsors as part of the short film credits.
The Directors can choose any Genre from the list below.
Drama
Fantasy
Romance
Thriller/Suspense
Action/Adventure
Horror
Comedy
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