Film Competition Rules 2024
RULES & REGULATIONS
-Sending an entry to the Trapped Film Festival implies complete acknowledgement and acceptance of the Rules and Regulations.
-Trapped Film Festival 2024 will select and screen trailers and short length films within the horror genre.
-Film formats can be narrative, story, animated, or experimental, but must fall within the specified horror genre. Professional and amateur films are eligible for entry. Foreign language films must be accompanied with English dubbed audio, or have English subtitles already embedded in the file.
-All music rights must be cleared before films are submitted. Consent of performers and/or persons appearing in the film must be obtained before films are submitted. The festival, its organizers, and any of its contractors are not responsible for any clearances or releases not obtained by the Submitted Films/Productions, Production Company, or its attached filmmakers.
-Films may have been previously entered in other film festivals, but must not have been previously selected and screened with the Trapped Film Festival. Films that have been submitted to Trapped Film Festival but not selected are eligible for resubmission.
-Entrants grant the festival organizers, and any hired festival contractors, permission to use excerpts, not exceeding 30 continuous seconds, for promotional purposes in various media, trade shows, and retail stores.
-Selected entries will be asked to supply promotional materials, such as still images, for the purpose of promotion of the film and the Trapped Film Festival.
-Entrants grant the festival organizers the right to copy the entry in part or in its entirety in any media format to facilitate the operation and promotion of the festival. All digital copies submitted to the festival will be deleted one week after the completion of the Trapped Film Festival. Any clips or excerpts used in festival trailers and promotional material, will be retained in the original promotional format used by the festival.
-The entrant acknowledges and agrees that all matters not covered by these Rules and Regulations, and questions arising from them, will be decided at the sole discretion of the festival organizers.
SUBMISSION TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
-Provide a link to an online version of the film. For private/unlisted films, please provide any passwords needed to view the film.
-If the film is selected into the festival, a minimum resolution of 1080p is required; H.264 format with a .MOV wrapper is preferred or H.265 if submitted in 4K or UHD. MP4s may also be considered. Submission specifications are subject to change, if you have any questions email trappedfilmfest@gmail.com.
-Audio Format must be a 2 Channel Stereo Mix. Due to being a live stream, any 5.1 or higher mix will be disqualified.
-If selected, you are encouraged to also submit any promotional graphics for the film.
-If possible, please also indicate the frame rate and the aspect ratio of the film for intended viewing.
-If applicable, you may also submit closed caption files as well. Required format for closed captioning; .srt or .scc file.
SELECTION PROCESS
-The Trapped Film Festival committee will narrow the submissions down to a limited list of films to be screened live online on November 2,2024. The films will be up for an additional 72 hours after their initial live-streaming.
-A panel of preselected qualified film industry judges will score and rank the selected films to determine the top three winners within each category, if applicable. Amount of winner places may vary based on the amount of submissions received and at the discretion of the festival.
-Recognition certificates, along with a digital copy of the festival laurel, will be awarded for the top three films in each category selected by an impartial judging panel. An Audience Choice award will also be selected based on film festival audience anonymous polls conducted using an impartial third party site during the duration of the festival.
How to Submit a Film
-Please review the Rules and Regulations prior to completing the entry form.
Submit the film using the official Trapped Film Festival FilmFreeway site or submit the film manually via email.
-To submit manually, complete the entry form provided on the website, as well as provide an online screener link to the film with any associated passwords, and submit to submissions@trappedfilmfestival.com.
-Film Submission Format: Online screener link to film. Please provide any passwords needed to view.
GENERAL ELIGIBILITY
1. Submissions must be accompanied by the completed entry form. There is no fee to submit an entry to the film festival prior to the Late Deadline. Any films submitted after August 31, 2024 will require a non-refundable $15 submission fee. No submissions will be accepted after September 30th, 2024.
2. All films must be in English, or have English subtitles at the time submitted.
3. The following time limits are in place for the specific categories:
A. Trailers: Maximum 2 minutes.
B. Short Films: Maximum 30 minutes.
4.Films submitted not meeting the time limit requirements will be automatically disqualified.
5. There is a 1 film submission limit per production team, per category.
6. Films must be submitted as an online streaming video via an accessible video platform, or a password-protected streaming URL. Please test the link and any applicable passwords before sending.
7. In the event of a password change or link change after submitting, you must email the Festival at trappedfilmfest@gmail.com immediately with that change so we may update your entry. If the festival is not notified of the change and the link is found to be inactive, or the password to be incorrect, the submission will be deemed ineligible.
8. Trapped Film Festival screens films as a comprehensive streaming digital file during the festival. If you are unable or unwilling to provide us your film as a digital file for exhibition, DO NOT SUBMIT your film.
9. Films must be available for screening during the Trapped Film Festival event November 2, 2024, as well as the 72-hours following the festival.
10. Films with US distribution (obtained prior to being selected for the festival screening) or films produced, financed or initiated by a major film studio or television network are ineligible for competition.
11. Selection for screening will be determined no later than October 7, 2024. Films that have screened on US network or cable television or distributed to theaters prior to the festival dates are also ineligible for competition.
12. Films that are publicly available online prior to the festival, may be requested to be made temporarily private until the completion of the festival. Online, private screenings through a festival’s online program do not count as publicly available online.
13. Private invite-only screenings (for instance for cast and crew or donors) do not affect a film’s eligibility.
14. Trapped Film Festival reserves the right in its sole discretion to reject or disqualify any ineligible entries.
15. Films that are selected to screen at the festival may not necessarily be selected to be “in competition” for awards purposes.
16. Judges that served as above the line functions on a film are ineligible to submit film entries.
ORIGINALITY AND PERMISSIONS; INDEMNITY
1. Films must be the original work of the applicants. If a film is based upon another person’s life or upon a book or other underlying work, applicant(s) must secure any necessary rights to make such adaptations. However, it is not necessary to submit the adaptation rights agreements to the festival. Neither the festival, nor its jurists, investigates or attests to the authenticity of an applicant’s statement of authorship or rights secured. By entering the competition, you represent that you have secured all necessary rights.
2. Applicants are solely responsible for obtaining all necessary rights and permissions for third-party materials included in their films, including but not limited to music, trademarks, logos, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights. The festival expressly disclaims all liability or responsibility for any violations of the foregoing.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
1. Films that have not received a full color edit, or sound edit are eligible for submission. Films must be picture-locked submissions for the consideration process. Should the film be accepted to play during the festival, the filmmaker will have the opportunity to supply the Festival with their most updated and recent version.
2. Please include your physical address on your entry submission.
3. In addition, Trapped Film Festival takes extensive precautions to protect any intellectual property submitted to us; however, security breaches and/or cyberattacks are not the responsibility of the festival and Trapped Film Festival will not be deemed responsible for any losses incurred by such actions.
SELECTED FILMS AND WINNERS
1. The Trapped Film Festival has no obligation (other than as stated in these rules or on our website) to disclose any of the following information: i) identities of screeners or judges; ii) notes, feedback, or information relating to the submitted project; and/or iii) details regarding the submission review or selection process.
2. The Trapped Film Festival explicitly disclaims any liability or responsibility for any comments, notes, or opinions expressed about a submission, whether by the Trapped Film Festival, or by its volunteers.
3. By submitting your film, you are giving Trapped Film Festival a license to show the film if selected, in its entirety during the complete run of the festival, as well as the right to use publicity shots, names of cast & crew, scenes from the film (of no more than 30 continuous seconds), and likenesses of those involved in the creation of the film for the use of pre & post publicity and promotional purposes.
4. Trapped Film Festival reserves the right to use the film’s logo, cover art, and any synopsis/information on the Trapped Film Festival website and social media pages, as well as program and other promotional uses where deemed necessary.
5. Selected films will need to submit film files and any associated promotional content to the Trapped Film Festival by October 20, 2024. Any films not received by this point will be removed from the festival.
6. Winners will be announced on November 11, 2024. The judges’ decision is final.
COMPETITION IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.