Snakebite 5-Day Film Challenge
OSIF has partnered with the Snakebite Film Festival to bring you an exciting film contest with $3000 total cash prizes to be awarded! Between January 9th-14th 2025, you will have 5 days to write, shoot and edit a short film. Much like a traditional 48 hour film festival, your team will be given a line of dialogue, a prop, a choice of genre/theme, and a character to come up with a unique and creative story to produce within 5 days. This extra time should allow enough time to properly plan and shoot your project, and add an extra polish in the edit. The top projects will play on the big screen, in front of a live audience, at the Snakebite Film Festival in Penticton on Saturday, February 1st, where one team's film will be announced as the Grand prize winner! The audience will also vote on the winner of the People's Choice Award, awarding an additional cash prize to the recipient! |
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Rules & Eligibility
- All Team Leaders must reside within the Okanagan.
- Must Be Original Footage shot within the 5 allotted days - No Editing clips of pre-existing films & No Stock Footage.
- Finished short film must be be at least 5 minutes long, but should not exceed 12 minutes, including credits.
- Films should not contain any copyrighted material - visual or audio without proper clearances.
- All films must be suitable for publication (Nothing obscene, indecent, contain pornography, or violate any applicable laws or regulations).
- Required Elements - the following elements must be implemented into the film:
- Prop - The required Prop must be seen on-screen. A picture of the required prop is also allowed. The prop must be on screen for at least 5 seconds.
- Line of Dialogue - The required Line of Dialogue must be used verbatim. It may be spoken, sung and/or written. It may be in any language, though if it is unclear that it is the required Line, there must be a translation.
- Genre or Theme - Each team will choose a genre and a theme from a pre-approved pool, chosen by the organizers. Teams must declare their genre and theme in the submission form.
- Character - This could be a character name, or a provided character given to you. The character must appear on screen and it must be clear--either directly shown or by context--who the required character is. The Character name does not have to be said out loud or written on-screen. - Opening Credits - The opening of the film must start with;
- A 3 second slate that states: Film Title, Chosen Genre/Theme, Team Name.
- Followed by a 3 second slate that says: "This film was made for the OSIF/Snakebite 5-Day Film Contest 2025.
Required Elements
- Prop - Paper Crown
- Line of Dialogue - "The key was never meant to be found."
- Character - A photographer
- Genre / Theme - Please pick 1 Genre from 'Column A', and 1 Theme from 'Column B' below.
Your film must be both of these (example; a Western/Chosen One, or a Romance/Contact with Aliens film, etc.)
'Column A' - Genre - Drama - Comedy - Horror/Thriller - Action - Romance - Science Fiction - Western | 'Column B' - Theme - Monster Within - Fish Out of Water - Time is Running Out - Fake It 'Til You Make It - Contact with Aliens - The Chosen One - Breaking Point |
Dates
Competition Dates: January 9th - 14th
Competition Starts - January 9, 5pm - OSIF will email out the Required Elements to all registered Teams
Submissions due - January 14 - 5pm Submit Here
Winner Announced - Live at Snakebite Film Festival - February 1st, 2025
Judging
Each film will be watched and scored by a group of independent, industry professional judges. The judges will review each film and judge them based on the cinematography, direction, story, acting, sound design, production value, editing, and overall enjoyability.
Strong consideration will also be given to how well the Required Elements are used within the film.
The judges scores will reveal the Top 10 films that will go onto play at The Snakebite Film Festival in Penticton on February 1st.
Judging may take up to a week to complete, we will let our filmmakers know with as much time in advance if their projects are moving onto the screening phase at Snakebite Film Festival.
Prizes
1st Place Winner will be crowned the "Greatest Filmmaker Ever", and given the OSIF championship belt and bragging rights.
Cash prizes will be awarded as follows:
1st place - $1250
2nd Place - $750
3rd Place - $250
People’s Choice - $750
Additional Category Winner Awards for: Best Cinematography, Best Story, Best Director, Best Audio Mix, Best Acting, Best Hair/Makeup, Best Production Design, & Best Editing will also be handed out. As well as Best Use of the Secret Prop, Line of Dialogue, and Character.
The People's Choice Award, voted on by the live theatre audience at the screening on Feb 1st!
How to Submit your Completed Film
**ALL FILMS MUST BE SUBMITTED by 5pm on Jan 14th, 2025**
Late submissions *may* be considered to screen at Snakebite Film Festival, but will be ineligible for prizes.
First Step - Upload your completed video file to Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud, OneDrive, WeTransfer, etc.
We recommend exporting using the codecs H.264, H.265/HVEC or ProRes 422. 2160p/4k preferred.
* DO NOT submit just a screener link to us (YouTube), we need an original downloadable copy to screen at the event, at high quality.
Second Step - Fill out the submission form (button below), before 5pm on Jan 14, 2025. Include the video link for us to download your project.
*** Teams should not distribute their entry / film in anyway prior to it receiving its official Snakebite Film Festival premiere screening. This includes uploading the video to any website or screening the film for groups of anyone other than the team. The Entrant is encouraged to make a trailer of their film and distribute that instead. This trailer should be no longer than 48 seconds.
A Poster for your film is also a requirement upon submission for marketing and promotional purposes.