How It Works
The purpose of the Public Domain Film Festival is to celebrate works that have recently lost their copyright protection by challenging student filmmaking teams to create five-minute films in 14 days.
Here’s a rundown of how the film festival experience plays out:
Step 1: Register
Each team is required to fill four roles at registration: producer, director, writer, composer. It is likely that more people will be involved in creating your film entry, such as editors, gaffers, actors, musicians, etc, but we need these four roles identified at the beginning for logistical purposes and to ensure teams are giving proper thought to each of these four crucial aspects of their film entry.
Step 2: Get Familiar with the Public Domain Works
Hundreds, if not thousands, of creative works enter the public domain every January. For the purposes of the festival, the Copyright Licensing Office has curated three lists of works entering the public domain: a literary works list, a musical composition list, and a film list. Teams will need to incorporate aspects from works on these lists as part of their film entries.
Step 3: Take the Student Filmmaker Copyright Training
At least one member of each team must complete the Student Filmmaker Copyright Training prior to submitting your film. All team members are encouraged to complete the training.
Step 4: The Launch Event
On Wednesday, February 3rd, we will hold the festival’s Launch Event. At the Launch Event, our team will explain the rules, answer questions, and conduct a draft of the public domain works. Each registered team will leave with one literary work, one musical work, and one film assigned to it. As is the case in any draft, it is likely your team will not get its first choice in all three or any of the categories, which is why we encourage you to familiarize yourself with the public domain works lists beforehand. You will want to identify a second, third, and fourth choice in each category.
Step 5: Produce Your Films
Immediately following the Launch Event, the 14-day production window begins. Only media produced during the production window or media from your public domain works may be used in your film entry. Your films will be submitted via a unique upload link for each team. They are due on Wednesday, February 17th, at 5 PM Mountain Time. Be sure to submit your film on time, as your link will automatically expire at the deadline, preventing you from entering your film if you are late.
Step 6: Judging
A pool of judges will screen all film submissions and score them according to our judging rubric. Our office then uses the judges' scores and feedback to select ten finalists for the public screening and awards ceremony.
Step 7: Attend the Public Screening Award Show and the Closing Celebration
Invite your friends and family to join you for the film screening and awards ceremony on Thursday, March 25th! At the screening, we will announce the winners of each category and hand out prizes. This includes LIVE voting for the Audience Choice Award.
All teams in the festival will receive priority registration for the Public Screening. The finalist teams will each receive seven reserved seats in the finalists' section of the audience. Ticket reservations will open at a later date.
Immediately following the awards ceremony, all participants are invited to attend the Closing Celebration in the Garden Court in the Wilkinson Center. Come network with other teams and industry professionals while you enjoy free food and drinks, live music, a 1930s costume contest, a raffle, photo ops, and dancing.