OPEN CALL FOR ENTRIES

The D.C. Office of Motion Picture and Television Development and SnagFilms present the first ever Washington's Best Film competition. We're looking forward to celebrating the latest creations from the District's talented filmmakers.

The goal of Washington’s Best Film competition is to celebrate D.C. filmmakers. We are looking for original, diverse storytellers who display the spirit, creativity and passion SnagFilms seeks in all films it showcases. Above all, we are looking for dynamic stories focused on characters improving the world around them.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Sunday, July 31, 2011 

This is the date copies of the films must arrive at the SnagFilms Washington, D.C. office, not the postmark deadlines. We encourage you to submit as early as possible. There is a $35 entry fee, payable through our online application.

TYPES OF FILMS WE ARE SEEKING

The Washington’s Best Film competition’s goal is to celebrate D.C. filmmakers. We are looking for original, diverse storytellers who display the spirit SnagFilms seeks in all films it showcases. Above all, we are looking for dynamic stories focused on improving the world around them.

COMPETITION STRUCTURE

We will host competitions in two categories:

• Feature-length documentaries - 5 documentary features will be selected to compete for the “Washington’s Best Documentary” Award.
• Feature-length narratives - 5 narrative features will be selected to compete for our “Washington’s Best Feature” Award

To be considered for competition, documentary and narrative films must be over 50 minutes in length, including title and credits. Films that are 50 minutes or less may be submitted but will not be eligible for competition. They will instead be considered for screening along with other non-competition films selected from among submitted features and shorts.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

- Submitting filmmakers must be a legal resident of Washington, DC or have a production company based within the city.

- Films that are selected to compete in any of the Washington’s Best Film competition programs are NOT disqualified if they have been released in other festivals, ticketed events on television and/or online prior to the competition screening.

- We ask that you please submit only finished films. Films featuring temporary sound, temporary soundtrack or unfinished titles will be interpreted as finished films and any incomplete features could count against the film’s acceptance to the competition.

- Films submitted to the 2011 Washington’s Best Film competition must have been completed between 2006 and 2011. Films with final cuts completed prior to 2006 are not eligible for submission.

- Selected finalists must agree to enter into SF standard form license agreement, a non-exclusive agreement which will make your film available to the public for free on SnagFilms.com. Further information about this agreement is available here.

- Please note, it is up to you as the filmmaker to clear all copyrighted material included in your film before you publicly screening it. The Washington’s Best Film competition will not check to make sure you have cleared these materials, nor will we be held responsible for any inclusion of uncleared materials in your film. It is the sole responsibility of the entity submitting the project to secure permission from the copyright holder of the material in question.

- You may submit as many films as you’d like. Each submission must be accompanied by an individual application

COMPETITION TIMELINE

July 31 - Film submissions due
August 15 - Jury-chosen finalists announced on the website and through press release
September 1 - Selected finalists return signed SnagFilms licensing agreement
January 30, 2012 - Winner announced at press conference with D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray and SnagFilms Founder Ted Leonsis

PREFERRED SUBMISSION FORMAT

Digital
Initial submissions will be made online through our online application process. Selected films will need to be submitted to us on a single DVD‐R or DVD+R disc formatted as NTSC, Region 1 or Region 0 (not PAL).