Official Terms & Conditions

Conditions of Entry

  1. All Terms and Conditions will be referenced from this page only. Entry into and participation in this Competition is deemed acceptance of these Terms and Conditions
  2. Summary
    1. Complete a short film up to 15 minutes long and submit with the required conditions as listed on this page and by the required deadlines
    2. Complete a 1 – 3 minute behind the scenes (BTS) video that captures the spirit and culture of film in Dallas to the best of your ability. This video will be submitted with the required conditions as listed in this page and by the required deadline.
  3. Registration
    1. Registration must be done by the Point of Contact (POC.) and register the Team. POC and other members of the Team are considered “Participants” of the competition. A Team can be made up of one or more Participants. Only one Film Submission is allowed per team, but participants may join or be a part of as many Teams as they choose to.
    2. By registering to the Competition, Participant(s) acknowledge, agree and declare that they are aware that their participation is entirely at their own risk and that they hereby waive, surrender and relinquish in favor of Dallas Filmmakers Alliance all claims of any nature and howsoever arising (including as a result of negligence) which but for this waiver, surrender and relinquishment they may or otherwise have against Dallas Filmmakers Alliance either directly or indirectly arising out of their participation in the Competition.
    3. By registering to the Competition, Participants hereby warrant that all information submitted is true, current and complete. Any Participants who have supplied incomplete, inaccurate or fraudulent information may be automatically disqualified. Dallas Filmmakers Alliance reserves the right to disqualify any Participant if Dallas Filmmakers Alliance has reasonable grounds to believe that a Participant has breached any of these terms and conditions or has tampered with the Competition process. Failure by Dallas Filmmakers Alliance to enforce any of its rights at any stage of the Competition does not constitute a waiver of those rights.
    4. Register your Team into the competition using our online form on the Register Page. A Team can be made up of one or more Participants.
    5. Registration is before Filming starts (at least 2 weeks prior to your first day of Filming): Filming can happen 2 weeks after Registration so long as the shooting schedule is submitted.
      1. Registration Fees
        1. Early Bird – $70 – Ends September 18th
        2. Regular – $100 – Ends October 9th
        3. Late – $130 – Ends November 16th
      2. DFA Member Registration Fees (Member MUST be the Producer, Director, DP/Cinematographer, and/or Writer)
        1. DFA sustaining members will receive a 50% discount on registration.
        2. You must be a yearly DFA sustaining member or a member for a minimum of 3 months.
    6. Notify Dallas Filmmakers Alliance of withdrawal during the Early Bird or Regular registration period and receive a full refund minus a $15 administrative fee unless your registration was free, at which point no fee will be charged; No Refund will be available for Late Registrations that are withdrawn.
  4. Film
    1. The Dallas Filmmakers Alliance accepts Films up to 15 minutes max and not over by any measurement. This is including credits
    2. Film and BTS video must include a 10 second required intro that includes the official “Filmed In Dallas” title card that will become available on December 4th to be submitted with the Final Cut.
    3. Films can be any genre.
    4. Films can be flagged with ‘Mature Content’ on submission for viewer discretion.
    5. There are no strict content guidelines for your Film, but Dallas filmmakers Alliance, in their sole discretion, can disqualify Entries deemed to be too graphic or contain content that is considered inappropriate. Mature Films may be shown towards the end of the Screening as needed.
    6. Animal safety, like cast and crew safety, is an important part of the competition. Films that result in the death or mutilation of an animal may be disqualified.
    7. All Films must be in English or with English subtitles. Non-English language films without subtitles will not be considered.
    8. The Film and the BTS Video must be the original work of the Participant, and the Participant must own the whole of the copyright in the Film. In circumstances where the Film parts thereof are derived from or contain images or material from an existing work, Participants must ensure that they have received copyright clearance from the owner of that existing work. The Participant shall indemnify Dallas Filmmakers Alliance in respect of any and all liability arising from any infringement of copyright that may arise in respect of the Film and the BTS Video. Each team must be responsible in securing releases for talent, crew, music and locations (and any other applicable releases).
    9. All Participants retain all submission and intellectual property rights but the Participant shall grant to Dallas Filmmakers Alliance a non-exclusive, irrevocable license to Dallas Filmmakers Alliance to publish Film and BTS Video in full in the Dallas Filmmakers Alliance website and communicate their Film and BTS Video to the public territory of the world, and in full or in part in any other promotional material of Dallas Filmmakers Alliance for the purposes of the Competition.
  5. Participants
    1. Director, Writer, Director of Photography/Cinematographer, and producer must be residents of the state of Texas for a minimum of 2 months and the majority of the Film must be filmed within one or more of the following counties: Denton, Tarrant, Dallas, Collin, Wise, Rockwall, Kaufman, Ellis, Johnson, Hood, Parker counties.
    2. All Participants should adhere to state and federal guidelines as well as industry best practices regarding use of all available tools to reduce transmission of pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 including, but not limited to, physical distancing, masks, gloves, crew numbers, physical interactions by performers. Filmmakers should empower their crews to raise concerns and have the capacity to address them.
    3. It is the Participants responsibility to assign a Point of Contact for the production to participate in communications with the Dallas Filmmakers Alliance Representatives. All decisions, questions, or concerns will be communicated to this Point of Contact only. From there, the Point of Contact may disseminate any pertinent information to the production. While in production, contact with the Point of Contact may be made at any time by Dallas Filmmakers Alliance Representatives.
    4. Minors are allowed to enter the Competition, provided they have the consent of a parent or guardian to enter and participate in the Competition, and provide that parent or guardian’s details upon entry to the Competition for verification by the Dallas Filmmakers Alliance. Participants shall be considered as Minors for the purpose of the Competition if they are over the age of 13 years old and under the age of 18 years old.
  6. Filming/Shooting
    1. Submit your Shooting Schedule on the “Submit Shooting Schedule” Page on our website at least 2 weeks prior to Filming. We reserve the right to visit your set at any time.
    2. It is your responsibility to prove that Filming took place when and where your Shooting Schedule says it does. We may visit your set to confirm your Shooting is occurring as submitted, but you must make sure you can gather enough proof if for any reason, we need to confirm the validity of your shoot.
    3. It is your responsibility to let us know if any changes happen with the Shooting Schedule. Drastic changes such as, but not limited to location, shooting days, shooting hours, permits and other logistics may require you to push back your Filming days or disqualify you. Always ask us first!
    4. Filming can only begin 2 weeks after you have been officially registered and stop by the day of the Rough Cut Deadline.
    5. Any pickup shots or other post production work can occur after the Rough Cut Deadline, but must be completed by the final cut Deadline. No other changes will be allowed after December 31st.
  7. Submission
    1. You must have your Rough Cut turned in online by December 4th before 10:00PM CST using the Rough Cut Submission page on our website to qualify as a Finalist. A Rough Cut can be as complete or rough as you want it to be. We recommend you follow the submission guidelines set below this page.
    2. Final Cut submission opens on December 4th with a deadline of December 31st by 10:00PM CST. You must have your Final Cut and BTS Video turned in online by December 31st before 10:00PM CST using the Final Cut Submission page on our website to qualify as a Finalist. All Final Cuts are final and no changes can be made after this submission.
    3. All issues submitting your Film must be reported no later than 1 week prior to each submission Deadline. We are not responsible for technical errors that prohibit the Participant from submitting the entry if it is later than 1 week prior to the Deadline. If you encounter problems with submission, it is your responsibility to contact us immediately.
    4. All Films and BTS videos must be submitted via the Submission Page, as an online downloadable screener (Vimeo, Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.) please also include a password protected link and the materials listed in the Submission Requirements. You must make your Film downloadable. Please test your media prior to submission to make sure they run properly and are not damaged.
    5. The BTS video must also be submitted with a direct link to a public upload on a Facebook OR Instagram page.
  8. Premiere
    1. All Films that are accepted as the finalists must premiere their Films as a part of the official Screening(s). This excludes trailers, clips, and like promotional efforts which may begin at any point after the commencement of the filming period each year. You may not have any screenings, public or private, prior to the Premiere outside of DFA-approved test screenings with a limited audience. You must contact us to tell us if you are showing the Film for testing purposes. Breaking this rule may lead to disqualification. Please email us for any questions.
  9. Judges and Critics for Critics Best Film and Category Awards
    1. A third party Critic and judges panel will be appointed by the Dallas Filmmakers Alliance at their sole discretion.
    2. The winner of the “Critics Best Film” shall be determined as follows:
      1. After the Final Cut Deadline, Dallas Filmmakers Alliance selection of judges shall determine the Finalists of the best Films;
      2. By Noon CST on February 1st, 2021, the Judging panel shall determine the Finalists of the competition in the judging panel’s sole discretion;
      3. The Critic panel shall view the Films on the Finalists determined by the Judges which will be announced at the Awards Ceremony in Late March or Early April of 2021;
      4. The Critics decision shall be based only on the subjective personal opinions of the Critics panel and shall be final;
      5. Dallas Filmmakers Alliance accepts no liability for the decisions made by the judging or Critic panel, and no correspondence will be entered into in this regard;
      6. The winner of Critics Best Film shall be entitled to receive the Grand Prize for the Filmed In Dallas Competition.
      7. Category Awards are at minimum a certificate of award but may include, although not required, more prizes.
    3. The winner of the Audience Award shall be determined as follows:
      1. Audience members of a Screening at the Filmed In Dallas Premiere will receive a voting ballot when picking up their admission ticket, each Audience member gets only 1 ticket. It is the Audience’s responsibility to insure they are given the ballot at ticket pickup. No ballots will be given for lost, stolen, or misplaced ballots.
      2. Audience members must be present during the entire Screening for which they are voting for and submit their vote at the end of the Screening in order for their vote to count, no early voting is allowed for anyone needing to leave early. Audience members may only vote once.
      3. Anyone in the Audience can vote for their favorite Film.
      4. The winner of this category shall be the entry with the most votes as at Voting End Time;
      5. No correspondence will be entered into regarding the Voting Process;
      6. The winner shall be entitled to receive the Audience Award prize at the Awards Ceremony.
  10. The terms and conditions of a related third-party supplier or suppliers of prizes may apply and shall be accepted by the winner or winners.
  11. Except for any liability that cannot be excluded by law, Dallas Filmmakers Alliance (including its officers, employees and agents) excludes all liability (including negligence), for any personal injury; or any loss or damage (including loss of opportunity); whether direct, indirect, special or consequential, arising in any way out of this Competition, including, but not limited to, where arising out of the following: (a) any technical difficulties or equipment malfunction (whether or not under Dallas Filmmakers Alliance’s control); (b) any theft, unauthorized access or third party interference; (c) any entry that is late, lost, altered, damaged or misdirected (whether or not after their receipt by Dallas Filmmakers Alliance) due to any reason beyond the reasonable control of Dallas Filmmakers Alliance; (d) any variation in the type and specifications of the prizes to that stated in these Terms and Conditions; (e) any prize that has not been received by the claimant after dispatch by Dallas Filmmakers Alliance; (f) any prize that has been damaged in transit; (g) any tax liability incurred by a Participant; or (h) use of the prizes.

Film and Video Submission Specifications

  1. Rough cut submission is not required to have the following video specifications, although we recommend you follow it as close as possible.
  2. Before the finished Final Cut Film begins, the media should have…
    1. 1 second of black
    2. 4 seconds of a black background title card with: team name & title ONLY centered in the screen
    3. 4 seconds of the official 2020 “Filmed In Dallas” title card.
    4. 1 second of black
    5. This intro should be exactly 10 seconds and no more, no less.
  1. Video Render Specifications required for the Final Cut of the film.
    1. MOV, H.264/MP4, (No AVI please) – Do not add a leader or tail to your Film.
    2. 24FPS, no other frame rates will be accepted. Although this does not disqualify you, we are not responsible for any errors, glitches, or anomalies due to an incorrect frame rate.
    3. Aspect Ratios are flexible
    4. Balance all Audio Levels, Dialogue should be mixed at -18db.
    5. No proprietary codecs (that is, no Avid or Final Cut Pro codecs)
    6. Maximum 15 minutes runtime. No more, not even a second. (Does not included 10 Seconds of required Intro)
    7. No Files over 40GB. If your Film must be over 40GB, please contact us.
  1. BTS Video Submission details
    1. 1 minute to 3 minute behind the scenes “making of” Video that showcases the talent, culture, and spirit of film in Dallas. (No shorter than 1 minute, no longer than 3 minutes, required Intro included)
    2. At least a 2560 x 1356 screen grab or photo from your BTS, whichever can meet the resolution. Larger resolutions are also acceptable, you do not need to scale or crop down.
    3. Must include the official 2020 “Filmed In Dallas” title card. Must be 3 seconds exact.
    4. Behind the scenes should highlight DFWs culture, environment, and filmmakers
    5. MOV, H.264/MP4, (No AVI please) – 24FPS, no other frame rates will be accepted. Although this does not disqualify you, we are not responsible for any errors, glitches, or anomalies due to an incorrect frame rate.
    6. Aspect Ratios are flexible
    7. Balance all Audio Levels, Dialogue should be mixed at -18db.
    8. No proprietary codecs (that is, no Avid or Final Cut Pro codecs)

Document Submission Details

  1. Due by Final Cut Deadline
    1. Film Logline, 20 words or less
    2. Main production credits (director, writer, producer, composer, and main cast)
    3. Short write up on how the Film helped grow / highlight DFWs culture, environment, and filmmakers with name and email of writer. 150 to 300 words
    4. Director’s headshot (JPEG, 5×7 portrait 300 dpi or 1500×2100 pixels)
    5. Movie poster. 27”x40” 300dpi or 8100×12000 pixels. Must be PDF, JPEG, or TIF formats.
    6. Five (5) stills from the Film (JPEG or TIFF format. No watermarks, full resolution).
    7. (1) W9 Tax form for the winner should be provided. All cash prizes will be made out in check to this person or entity.
    8. Proof of residency may be required for (each) producer, director, writer, and director of producer, director, writer, and director of photography/cinematographer.
      1. Documents accepted for proof of residency are: Copy of water bill, copy of power bill, copy of driver’s license or state issued I.D. Other documents may accepted with approval from Dallas Filmmakers Alliance.