Screen It FAQ
Find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Screen It:
Background
Registration and entries
Content questions
Technical questions - animation
Technical questions - live action
Technical questions - games
Submission of entries
What is Screen It?
Screen It is Australia's national film, animation and game making competition for school-aged students. Designed to encourage imagination and inventiveness in primary and secondary school students, Screen It fosters a new generation of young media makers.
Unlike other student film competitions, Screen It is designed to provide rich education outcomes for participants with comprehensive education packs provided to assist in the production process.
What is ACMI?
World leading and state-of-the-art, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) celebrates, champions and explores the moving image in all its forms - film, television, games, new media and art.
Through a diverse and engaging annual calendar of award-winning major exhibitions, film programs, live events, creative workshops, education programs, community activities and lending services, ACMI brings the best of moving image culture from across the globe to Australian audiences.
Read more about our story
What are the deadlines?
Screen It has a number of key dates that entrants must be aware of:
. Screen It opens - Thursday 1 April 2010
. Entries close - Friday 17 September 2010
. Awards Ceremony - Friday 3 December 2010
Can I have extra time beyond the entry deadline?
No. Entries must be submitted by COB Friday 17 September 2010. Entries received after this will be ineligible for judging.
How are entries judged?
Screen It entries are judged in a two stage process by ACMI internal staff and Industry/Education professionals.
In Preselection, the best entries in each of the categories are shortlisted and put forward to the finalist panel. In Judging, the finalist panel judges assess the shortlisted entries to decide the overall winners.
The judging process is extremely rigorous. The decisions of the panel are final and no correspondence concerning the winners will be entered into.
Can I enter if I do not attend a conventional secondary school?
You are welcome to enter Screen It either as an individual or through your educational institution. The competition is for primary and secondary age students (18 years and younger).
Why do I have to register?
Registration provides us with the information we need to communicate with you during the competition - perhaps with the exciting words "You are a winner!" Registration also gives us one key contact person - which becomes very important if a school is submitting numerous entries.
By registering, you'll gain access to a range of resources that will assist you in the creation of your entry. These include:
. The Education Kit
. Sample worksheets
. Entry Forms
. Teaching and Learning Resources
. Updates of prizes
How many entries can I submit?
While you only register once, you can have multiple entries (as many as you like). Each individual submission requires its own entry form. Your registration number helps us to keep track of all the entries throughout the submission and judging processes.
Is there an entry fee?
No. Screen It is free to enter.
What is the difference between Individual and School entries?
The vast majority of entries received for Screen It come from schools - although we have an increasing number of entries from individuals. We recognise that today many students will create animations, live action film and games in their own time and not in class: Screen It wants support the inventiveness of Australian students both in and out of school.
What are the prize categories?
Screen It awards prizes in the following areas:
Primary School Students
. Winner Animation
. Winner Live Action
. Winner Games
Secondary School Students
. Winner Animation
. Winner Live Action
. Winner Games
Do I need to observe copyright?
Yes. Screen It requires entrants adhere to Australian Copyright Law. This means that any content used as part of the entry must be wholly created by the entrants (i.e. new and original work) or have written permission from the copyright holder agreeing for their work to be included as part of the entry. It is important that all contact with copyright holders makes it clear that the work will be screened in public and will form part of the ACMI student collection (available both onsite and online).
For detailed resources and up to date information on Australian copyright, please visit the Copyright Council
If I use music I've purchased do I still need copyright clearance?
Though you may have bought the CD or paid for the music from an online provider, you still need to obtain written clearance from the owner of the copyright. With music, this may require authorisation from both the record label and the performer/writer as in some cases the rights are held jointly.
What if our school has an APRA|AMCOS licence?
You still need to obtain written clearance from the owner of the copyright. APRA|AMCOS state that for use of synchronised music and sound recording in film that:
"These films may only be shown on school premises to members of the school community. Films made for film festivals or to be screened elsewhere require separate licensing or permissions. Note: this does NOT cover the use of Production Music in films or audiovisual recordings. APRA|AMCOS offers special Production Music licence rates to warranted educational institutions." Contact details are available here
Source APRA|AMCOS accessed March 29, 2010, 5:25pm
Will I be allowed to show my work elsewhere?
Yes. As the creator of the work you maintain the rights to your work. By entering Screen It you agree to allow ACMI to use your work, as outlined in the entry form (Terms and Conditions). This is a non-exclusive licence which means you have the right to enter any other competition or showcase/exhibit the work in any other format/location.
ACMI uses non-exclusive agreement to enable you to maintain the utmost freedom in the display and promotion of your work.
Are there specific technical formats required for entries?
Yes. With the large number of affordable editing software and possible formats, selecting the right combinations can be tricky. We want you to send in the highest possible format to ensure we can showcase your work in the best light. Things you will need to consider when you output your finished film are:
Video Resolution
The resolution refers to how many pixels are displayed on screen. It is the number of pixels high by the number across and is usually represented like this: 1280x720 or 720x576. Resolution can vary from camera to camera. Please keep the original resolution (i.e. the resolution the camera shot it in). So if your camera shoots 1280x720 you want to edit it as that, and then send it to Screen It with that resolution. Keeping the file in this format ensures that the best possible quality is maintained and there is no problem with tricky things like aspect ratios.
Frame rate
This relates to how many frames (pictures) are displayed per second of film, e.g. 25. Frame rates lower than 24 affect the 'smoothness' of the motion in your film. The frame rate of the original video should be maintained.
Video Codec
The codec relates to how the computer reduces (encodes) the overall digital file size of your film. Some codecs are better at keeping close to the original quality of the film whilst reducing the file size - so it can be downloaded or copied easier/quicker. Screen It prefers H.264, Mpeg-2 or WMV codecs. Adobe Flash has its own proprietary codec (SWF) which should be used if you have created an animation with Flash.
Audio Codec
MP3 or AAC with a sampling rate of 44.1kHz or 48kHz.
Why is there a time limit on the length of my animation?
Animations may be submitted with a length of between 30-120 seconds. While this might seem short, animation is a time consuming process that demands attention to detail. Students need to create a storyline that fits within the allocated time and then create the animation to this duration. Often the best works in the Animation category of Screen It are the shorter works.
Technical questions - live action
Are there specific technical formats required for entries?
Yes. With the large number of affordable editing software and possible formats, selecting the right combinations can be tricky. We want you to send in the highest possible format to ensure we can showcase your work in the best light. Things you will need to consider when you output your finished film are:
Video Resolution
The resolution refers to how many pixels are displayed on screen. It is the number of pixels high by the number across and is usually represented like this: 1280x720 or 720x576. Resolution can vary from camera to camera. Please keep the original resolution (i.e. the resolution the camera shot it in). So if your camera shoots 1280x720 you want to edit it as that, and then send it to Screen It with that resolution. Keeping the file in this format ensures that the best possible quality is maintained and there is no problem with tricky things like aspect ratios.
Frame rate
This relates to how many frames (pictures) are displayed per second of film, e.g. 25. Frame rates lower than 24 affect the 'smoothness' of the motion in your film. The frame rate of the original video should be maintained.
Video Codec
The codec relates to how the computer reduces (encodes) the overall digital file size of your film. Some codecs are better at keeping close to the original quality of the film whilst reducing the file size - so it can be downloaded or copied easier/quicker. Screen It prefers H.264, Mpeg-2 or WMV codecs. Adobe Flash has its own proprietary codec (SWF) which should be used if you have created an animation with Flash.
Audio Codec
MP3 or AAC with a sampling rate of 44.1kHz or 48kHz.
Why is there a time limit on the length of my live action film?
For primary students, a maximum length of 5 minutes applies to live action works, while for secondary students a maximum length of 10 minutes applies. These time limits may seem incredibly short, but the time required to create quality moving image works of these lengths cannot be underestimated. The works should concentrate on the quality and engagement of the story and be timed accordingly. Do not try to stretch a 3 minute work to 5 minutes (it never works), however a longer work can often be shortened with improvement to the viewer experience.
What programs/software can I use to create my game in?
There is a large range of software available for making video games. Some popular free software includes Yoyo Game Maker, Adobe Flash and 3D Game Maker. Refer to the Screen It Education Kit for more information.
Both primary and secondary game entries have the following submission requirements:
. Video game must be playable on a Windows computer (XP or later) or Macintosh computer (OS 10.4 or later).
. No third-party software should be required to play the game except for commonly available free plugins (e.g. Flash, DirectX, Java).
What do I need to supply with my game?
. Details of the software you used to create the game.
. Details of the software required to play the game (e.g. Windows XP with DirectX10 plugin, or Macintosh computer with Flash 10 plugin).
. You must indicate on the entry form that you own or are licensed for all the copyright of your game.
Why is there a file size limitation on the game?
The file size of the game itself must not exceed 50mb. No external files can be used or referenced by the game. This means you cannot link to a music or image file outside of the game file to get around the 50mb limit. This limitation is to both cut load/download times and to create a level playing field. The complexity of the game and its fun value is forced to be relative to game mechanics and flow rather than high quality graphics and music.
What are the judges looking for?
Screen It guidelines state that entries are judged on creative merit, technical difficulty, theme, back up documentation and stylistic elements. For games we are also looking for clever, simple and original works. Though the requirements of both simplicity and technical difficulty may seem contradictory, what we are looking for is a game that is simple in its playability and ease in learning, while also difficult or challenging in the way it has been created, e.g. in technical aspects such as its coding.
Ok, I've finished my work, now what do I do?
You've slaved away day and night to make you masterpiece and now it's finished, so what are the next steps?
1. Firstly you need to save and make a back-up of your file.
2. You need to render a copy of your entry using the criteria outlined in Technical questions (above).
3. Fill in the checklist to make sure you are sending all the material ACMI requires for both screening and judging purposes.
4. Complete an entry form for each individual entry. ACMI will not judge a submission if the entry form is not submitted or is incomplete.
5. Send your entry to ACMI before the competition deadline. Entries received after the deadline will be ineligible for judging.
6. Sit back and wait to hear the exciting news, or book your travel to get to ACMI in Melbourne for the Awards Ceremony on 3 December 2010!
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