Submissions are now Closed
Thank you for the record number of submissions -- more than 640 films from 30 countries!
Just so you know what will happens next....
Films are removed from all packaging and placed into blank tyvek envelopes with a code number for identification. Team of judges, comprised of local filmmakers, industry professionals, film enthusiasts and film critics, watch each film in its entirety. Films are scored by each judge for strength of plot, originality, technical proficiency, acting, editing, sound and other values. In addition, judges may leave a comment if they wish. At the end of the preliminary judging cycle, scores are generated, and the top 150 films, plus any selections the festival director has added to the list, are sent to a second team of judges. This group watches each film in its entirety and makes programming notes (but no additional scores.) At the end of the second round, volunteers from the preliminary judges, the secondary judges and the festival director choose a final lineup based on scores, the time constraints of showcases (each showcase runs for approximately two hours, with an average of eight short films featured in each showcase), and how films will play in a show with each other. We will also select no less than 10% of films from filmmakers from the greater DC region.
For scripts, a similar process is explained in detail at dcshorts.com
ALL FILMS AND SCRIPTS receive feedback from the judges -- which is why DC Shorts was just named by MovieMaker Magazine as one of 25 festivals worth paying an entry fee!
All acceptance and rejection notices and accompanying feedback are sent via email to the address receiving this letter. Please make sure that emails from dcshorts.com are clear through your spam filters. Decisions will be emailed by June 30, 2008. We ask that you do not call the office until after that date if you have not heard.
Again, thank you for choosing DC Shorts. And good luck!
- Jon Gann
Festival Director