SHORT ZOMBIE MOVIE CHALLENGE - Possible Contest

[Mister Chrome]

Guys, I like the idea of a HPOTD Short Movie Challenge. However, I see some flaws with some of your initial rules. Let me review: The Movie will be a short film: No Longer than 5-10 minutes with credits. This time limit is very arbitrary. Most festivals have just a limit (15 minutes maximum), rather than a window of time like you have suggested. Also, 15 minutes tends to be the maximum for many national festivals for the short film category, so if you follow that rule then the people who make a good short for the HPOTD Challenge could also consider submitting to other festivals, which creates even more incentive. All music must be legally cleared, meaning licensed or 100% original. All audio must be original Footage/Audio from any Zombie film already released will be prohibited, this includes Night of the Living Dead. I have no problem with any of the above rules. Original material is pretty much standard for festivals anyway. Films made previous to the contest are prohibited. No problem with that. Films must be in the English language, or at least contain english subtitles if in a foreign language. This rule is totally disciminatory. If the zombie movie is awesome, who cares what language it is in? I would seriously drop this rule, as it is totally biased for English speakers, and Homepage of the Dead has lots of users from other countries whose native language isn't English. Your budget should not exceed $250.00 USD Bad bad idea to set a budget limit without more specific rules attached. Why? Let me tell you. What does budget mean? Does it mean you can only use a total of $250 worth of equipment? Does it mean only $250 for make-up, wardrobe, or props? Does it mean only the cost of tapes? I have access to a television production truck with 4 HD cameras and 2 jibs. I also own dolly track and a dolly and a Steadicam rig. I have 3 Apple Final Cut Studio suites, fully loaded. So, could I spend my $250 on food for the crew? If so, I'd still be using better equipment than anyone else here, without exceeding my budget of $250. See my point? Films must be framed in one of the two cinema aspect ratios (1.85:1 or 2.35:1) Meaning, no 4:3 films. Again, why? Is this requirement just so that the submissions seem more film-like? What if I actually shoot on 16 mm film and it is formatted 4:3? Technically, my film would be more of a real film than your video that is formatted for widescreen. Now then, who am I to offer all of this advice and criticism? To some of you I'm just some douchebag with a low post count. To others, I'm an old friend who's been on HPOTD since 2001 and comes here to read things and only posts when he has something to say. To others, I'm a guy who has helped you make your zombie films. I've provided equipment, locations, actors, budget, supplies, and post-production facilities. So, that's me. Those are my thoughts on your contest. I'd love to see this happen, but I think you need to really consider those rules before you launch this thing. MC

[DjfunkmasterG]

Guys, I like the idea of a HPOTD Short Movie Challenge. However, I see some flaws with some of your initial rules. Let me review: The Movie will be a short film: No Longer than 5-10 minutes with credits. This time limit is very arbitrary. Most festivals have just a limit (15 minutes maximum), rather than a window of time like you have suggested. Also, 15 minutes tends to be the maximum for many national festivals for the short film category, so if you follow that rule then the people who make a good short for the HPOTD Challenge could also consider submitting to other festivals, which creates even more incentive. All music must be legally cleared, meaning licensed or 100% original. All audio must be original Footage/Audio from any Zombie film already released will be prohibited, this includes Night of the Living Dead. I have no problem with any of the above rules. Original material is pretty much standard for festivals anyway. Films made previous to the contest are prohibited. No problem with that. Films must be in the English language, or at least contain english subtitles if in a foreign language. This rule is totally disciminatory. If the zombie movie is awesome, who cares what language it is in? I would seriously drop this rule, as it is totally biased for English speakers, and Homepage of the Dead has lots of users from other countries whose native language isn't English. Your budget should not exceed $250.00 USD Bad bad idea to set a budget limit without more specific rules attached. Why? Let me tell you. What does budget mean? Does it mean you can only use a total of $250 worth of equipment? Does it mean only $250 for make-up, wardrobe, or props? Does it mean only the cost of tapes? I have access to a television production truck with 4 HD cameras and 2 jibs. I also own dolly track and a dolly and a Steadicam rig. I have 3 Apple Final Cut Studio suites, fully loaded. So, could I spend my $250 on food for the crew? If so, I'd still be using better equipment than anyone else here, without exceeding my budget of $250. See my point? Films must be framed in one of the two cinema aspect ratios (1.85:1 or 2.35:1) Meaning, no 4:3 films. Again, why? Is this requirement just so that the submissions seem more film-like? What if I actually shoot on 16 mm film and it is formatted 4:3? Technically, my film would be more of a real film than your video that is formatted for widescreen. Now then, who am I to offer all of this advice and criticism? To some of you I'm just some douchebag with a low post count. To others, I'm an old friend who's been on HPOTD since 2001 and comes here to read things and only posts when he has something to say. To others, I'm a guy who has helped you make your zombie films. I've provided equipment, locations, actors, budget, supplies, and post-production facilities. So, that's me. Those are my thoughts on your contest. I'd love to see this happen, but I think you need to really consider those rules before you launch this thing. MC Well those are just initial rules. I am working on the final rules now. One of which I dropped was the budget clause. Because it is unforceable. That retty much came up because another member claimed they could do Deadlands 1 on a $500 budget, so I was trying to see how creative people could get on low budgets, however, because I really don't want to be nitpicking over every line item in a budget I am dropping the clause, and again it was a personal thing, which again wasn't fair to everyone. Running time will not exceed 10 minutes total (this is so the movie doesn't have to be split up on You Tube. Aspect ratio will stay, simply because most stuff today should be 16:9 or WIDESCREEN. This is something I am sticking with because even the academy rules are now 1.85:1 at a minimum. Originally I was going to require 2.35:1 only, because that is my preferred ratio, but I didn't want my personal preferences to overshadow everything. The language thing, is not that bad of a rule, I am just asking that foreign films contain english subtitles, so if the story is something we need to follow people understand it. A lot of film festivals require this in foreign films. I am trying to stick to film festival and some academy rules. If people want to be filmmakers, they have to understand that as you progress there are certain aspects you will need to run with, and follow. it is nothing personal, just trying to make sure everyone is all on the same page. Thanks for your input Chrome, its good to know you still haunt the boards. Cheers, Dj

[Eyebiter]

If your going to make it a short, instead of five to ten minutes film how about two minutes max? Something that can be put together easily in a single day of filming.

[Danny]

If your going to make it a short, instead of five to ten minutes film how about two minutes max? Something that can be put together easily in a single day of filming. give someone 2 minutes and pretty much everyone will say "mines 3 or 4 is that okay?"

[DjfunkmasterG]

If your going to make it a short, instead of five to ten minutes film how about two minutes max? Something that can be put together easily in a single day of filming. Hence again why I am changing the rules so that running time cannot exceed 10 minutes. if they want to turn in a two minute short thats fine as long as they do not run longer than 10 minutes.

[EvilNed]

I think it's very silly that the running time-rule is directly linked to how many minutes fits on Youtube. The film we're making fits all the rules except this one (by 1 or 2 minutes!), and It's just idiotic that I can't participate because of YouTube's limits... I'm with Chrome all the way on all his points. My film will not be in English, but english subtitles aren't that hard to write. Oh, and as for the aspect ratio rule, that's equally silly. While my film will be in 16x9, I don't even see the point of this rule. Why is it even there? Some filmmakers prefer 4x3, and that's just how it goes. This is a contest for short zombiefilms, not a contest about aspect ratios. For example, what if someone is trying to emulate video-cam feel? Sorry, not in this contest... Widescreen only. Kinda silly, right?

[kchertu]

I would assume that the time limit is directly related to You Tube time limits so that the contest can be hosted on You Tube. It's free, easy, accessible, that doesn't seem so silly to me. Aspect Ratio, I can see the argument there. But rules are rules and they are there for different reasons. One reason for rules for a contest is so you can't just grab any movie you have laying around and upload it to the contest and didn't do the work for the contest. As far as your film EvilNed, it's 1-2 minutes more than the rules? So, cut a version just for the contest. I had a 9 minute movie that I had to cut down to 3 minutes for an After Dark contest and I ended up winning! It was VERY VERY VERY difficult to cut it down to 3 minutes and still have a semblance of a story, but I did it and it paid off. I'm sure you can find 100 seconds of fat to trim.

[Danny]

I think it's very silly that the running time-rule is directly linked to how many minutes fits on Youtube. The film we're making fits all the rules except this one (by 1 or 2 minutes!), and It's just idiotic that I can't participate because of YouTube's limits... I'm with Chrome all the way on all his points. My film will not be in English, but english subtitles aren't that hard to write. i dont mind alternate languages, but prefer english subs with them, as for youtube, F-it, i'll stick with vimeo anyday.

[Eyebiter]

Films must be framed in one of the two cinema aspect ratios (1.85:1 or 2.35:1) Meaning, no 4:3 films. I'm not going to buy a $600+ lens for a zombie short contest where the prize pack is a couple of DVDs.

[EvilNed]

I would assume that the time limit is directly related to You Tube time limits so that the contest can be hosted on You Tube. It's free, easy, accessible, that doesn't seem so silly to me. It's easier to split em' up and show the film in it's entirety. 10 minutes just isn't a reasonable time to me, especially not since it's sole purpose is "It fits on Youtube". 15 minutes, like Chrome pointed out, is usually the festival standard and cutting a film is work enough not having to cut it down to below 10 minutes when you hit 12 or so.

[MinionZombie]

Films must be framed in one of the two cinema aspect ratios (1.85:1 or 2.35:1) Meaning, no 4:3 films. I'm not going to buy a $600+ lens for a zombie short contest where the prize pack is a couple of DVDs. You don't have to buy a lens Eyebiter, you just crop the image in your editing software/use "widescreen mode" on your camera. But personally, I'm not fussed about aspect ratio at all. I prefer 2.35:1 for indie flicks (and flicks in general), but that's just my personal preference and nothing more. With language - all the judges speak English, therefore English subtitles are a must if it's a foreign language film, if English speaking isn't possible. Film length - not only does it fit on YouTube (thus making the contest easier to organise - something that everyone is organising for FREE, I might add), but it also helps contain the time. Also, it helps provide certain parameters in which to work, otherwise someone could run off and make a 45 minute long drawn out thing, while someone else makes a really snappy 10 minutes or less film. Again, we're organising and/or judging for free in our own time, so you've gotta have a time limit at some point - besides, countless fests have time limits for a whole wide array of reasons, so what's the big deal? If you're doing another film around this time, and it's only a smidge longer, just trim it down for this competition. It's amazing how something can be trimmed without affecting the film. It certainly wouldn't be the first time, nor the last time that someone's trimmed their flick for a fest/competition. I myself have done it. Anyway, just chipping in some thoughts which came tumbling out of my brain...

[EvilNed]

You don't have to buy a lens Eyebiter, you just crop the image in your editing software/use "widescreen mode" on your camera. But personally, I'm not fussed about aspect ratio at all. I prefer 2.35:1 for indie flicks (and flicks in general), but that's just my personal preference and nothing more. Films filmed in video-cam mode (such as Blair Witch) look best in 4x3 if you ask me. Otherwise, the ratio you use is always a personal preference. Werner Herzon filmed many of his films in 4x3. Again, I won't film my film in 4x3, so this rule makes no to me. It's just fun with diversity. With language - all the judges speak English, therefore English subtitles are a must if it's a foreign language film, if English speaking isn't possible. I guess I have to agree. As long as English subtitles are provided, there shouldn't be any problem really. But I'll be damned if I'll have my film dubbed! :P Again, we're organising and/or judging for free in our own time, so you've gotta have a time limit at some point - besides, countless fests have time limits for a whole wide array of reasons, so what's the big deal? This is indeed true, but as Chrome pointed out, that time-limit is in most cases 15 minutes. This is not a huge deal, but it's sad when films are not allowed to be viewed in their entirety.

[DjfunkmasterG]

Some online film contests are 8 minutes or less. The 48 hour film project, a worldwide film fest sets th elength to no longer than 8 minutes, with credits. This is done to see how creative people can get within strict parameters. In regards to Eye Biter, every single deadllands film was shot open Matte, and framed in Post Production. A similar process is used when shooting Super 35.

[MinionZombie]

I entered competitions and festivals with a variety of lengths as the target, there's been things for films that are 1 minute, 90 seconds, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes ... there's no standard law about film entry length. But if everyone did a 15 minute film, instead of a 10 minute film, and you had five entries to look at (for example), that's a whole extra 25 minutes the judges have to spend of their free time they're giving up for free so this fun little competition can happen. My point being, it all adds up - factor in the YouTube limit (which is part of how the competition works), and just finding a nice balance between "not too long and not too short", and there we are - 10 minutes. This said, if folks wanna make a 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 5 minutes or whatever long film, then by all means. We just have to cap the ceiling somewhere, and 10 minutes makes a lot of sense for a variety of reasons, which I think is fair.

[EvilNed]

Well, aw shucks. What's so special about YouTube anyway... Anyway, looking forward to seeing entries but this sadly rules out mine.