The Escapist Presents: Third Annual The Escapist Film Festival - updated 12/11/09

[Spinwhiz]

Is there a file size limit. Currently the size for my video is over a gigabyte, as it has a lot of effects, coloring, and is at full quality.

It just can't be over 5 minutes in length. The actual size of the file does matter.

What if there are four people working on the video, how would that work with the contract? Everybody must sign it, I suppose, but does everybody get paid differently or does one get paid and we have to split it (I'm such a goddamned kapitalist )?

If you are offered a contract that will all be laid out prior to your signing. We'll make sure to go over it with the group.

 

[SharPhoe]

How exactly does one go about filling out and sending that consent form? I and my entry-mates are kinda baffled on that subject...

 

[Spinwhiz]

People have been asking "what does The Escapist own if I don't win the contract", so I wanted to post an answer.

If you do not win the contract this year, your submission stays with us but your creativity does not. So, if you wanted to use your ideas and characters elsewhere, you would be able to but the video you submitted with The Escapist for the Film Festival must remain solely at The Escapist and nowhere else. Even if someplace else picks your video up, the entry you submitted to us stays here.

How exactly does one go about filling out and sending that consent form? I and my entry-mates are kinda baffled on that subject...

As for the consent form, you need to make sure it's filled out properly and completely in case we ask for it. There is no need to send it to us until then.

 

[SharPhoe]

If you do not win the contract this year, your submission stays with us but your creativity does not. So, if you wanted to use your ideas and characters elsewhere, you would be able to but the video you submitted with The Escapist for the Film Festival must remain solely at The Escapist and nowhere else. Even if someplace else picks your video up, the entry you submitted to us stays here.

Thanks for looking into that for me. Losing my right to use the characters involved in the film was my biggest fear, the the thing most likely to keep me from submitting. Now it's all good, though.

 

[SharPhoe]

It just can't be over 5 minutes in length. The actual size of the file does matter.

How concrete is that time limit, exactly? Does it absolutely have to be 5 minutes on the dot? My submission goes for about 20 seconds past that mark (11 seconds of which is credits I could most likely trim down). Would that small bit of surplus time disqualify me?

 

[Spinwhiz]

It just can't be over 5 minutes in length. The actual size of the file does matter.

How concrete is that time limit, exactly? Does it absolutely have to be 5 minutes on the dot? My submission goes for about 20 seconds past that mark (11 seconds of which is credits I could most likely trim down). Would that small bit of surplus time disqualify me?

Submissions cannot be more than 5 minutes total.

 

[Doctormeatus3000]

mmmmm i do love short films. anyway you guys could turn them all into somekind of wariorware quickfire mini festival =P

 

[SharPhoe]

Submissions cannot be more than 5 minutes total.

OK, my submission has been trimmed down to 298 seconds, just shy of the 5-minute mark.

One last question: Sine it's a Flash animation, can it be submitted in .swf format? or do I have to convert it to something else?

 

[Swishdude]

Hey Guys, is there a way to make sure your video was submitted properly?
I got a message saying it was, but I was worried the format it was in might not be acceptable...

Anyway, any help would be great I can submit it again on any format needed.

(First post. Har Har Har)

 

[Spinwhiz]

Submissions cannot be more than 5 minutes total.

OK, my submission has been trimmed down to 298 seconds, just shy of the 5-minute mark.

One last question: Sine it's a Flash animation, can it be submitted in .swf format? or do I have to convert it to something else?

If you could convert is to a .mov, .wmv or MP4, that would be extremely helpful.

Hey Guys, is there a way to make sure your video was submitted properly?
I got a message saying it was, but I was worried the format it was in might not be acceptable...

Anyway, any help would be great I can submit it again on any format needed.

(First post. Har Har Har)

If you received verification, it's in there.

 

[Swishdude]

Ah, that is great to hear. Thanks for the response.

 

[Howlin]

Hi Guys,

I'm looking at submitting my video in an hour or two and I have no problem submitting it as .MOV file but was wondering whether NTSC or PAL standards matter. In Australia we use PAL so I'm ready to export under this format. Does it matter either way?

 

[Danji]

Uploaded my video. Who else uploaded theirs?

 

[Swishdude]

Well I have, how many people have uploaded to this thing anyway?

How did everyone's video turn out?

The video I submitted went well, but our green screen didn't quite work out. So provided we get 'the prize' we will have to build a better quality set.

 

[d100Productions]

Ive shot all my scenes and am currently in the final editing process. No green screen, no elaborate costumes, no experienced actors; just a couple of guys (and a girl), a camera, and a nerd's house. Course that would change if it's the winner.

 

[Virgil]

I'm looking at submitting my video in an hour or two and I have no problem submitting it as .MOV file but was wondering whether NTSC or PAL standards matter. In Australia we use PAL so I'm ready to export under this format. Does it matter either way?

It shouldn't matter. All the submissions (like the videos our creators send us) get re-encoded by an automated system anyway to our preset specifications. It will pretty much take care of the format differences.

It just can't be over 5 minutes in length. The actual size of the file does matter.

As part of the above, while the size of the file doesn't necessarily matter, it's primarily irrelevant. The judges won't be watching the actual files submitted, they'll be watching them in a web-suitable format. Here's some examples of what some of our current series weigh in at when they're sent to us.

Zero Punctuation - 640x480, 15-25MB
ENN - 856x480, 100-150MB
Doomsday Arcade - 856x480, 150-200MB

So sending us a full 1080p uncompressed video weighing in at a gigabyte isn't really going to do anything other than take a lot longer to upload (and increase the chance that the upload will fail). Even if the video is created at that quality, it's better to re-encode it at a smaller file size before sending it up. Anyone that wins won't be sending us files larger than 300MB without having a really good reason.

Well I have, how many people have uploaded to this thing anyway?

Looks like more than last year, though we won't know for sure until we get a chance to remove duplicates and failed uploads.

 

[Swishdude]

Very cool!

Me and my co-creator friend are really excited for the chance to see other entries. We also really want others to see what we have done as well. Since I sent in the video, I understand that the Escapist owns the content and all that. But is it okay if I post our logo for the show? We worked a long time on it, we would like to share it before the video goes up if that is alright.

 

[d100Productions]

Uploading... But with the deadline about 7 hours away (I seriously just finished this a few hours ago) and not being able to upload it at another computer after next to an hour... I would be very disappointed if I am unable to get this submitted as I spent alot of time on it. Is there no other way to get it to you guys? If the uploading doesn't complete...

 

[KValentine]

Trying to submit a video now... A very low budget, barely stop-motion animation, but has potential for a story. Now if the damned thing will upload.

 

[Swishdude]

Since we are entering the final hours and no one could possibly copy our ideas now. What were your video ideas and concepts? Me and my friend did a video game debate style show.