Short Film Contest & Viewing

Books, Nature, Community: Do any of those give you an idea for a short film? Want the entire community to see it? Join us as we watch a selection of your submitted films and vote for a winner!

Members of our community will submit films for viewing consideration. The top films will be selected for viewing by the community inside the library. Anyone is welcome to come watch! Chairs will be set up, though you are welcome to bring blankets to sit on as well. BYOP (Bring Your Own Popcorn (or any other snacks you may like)).

Upon entry to the viewing, everyone will receive a ticket. That ticket will then be used at the end of the event to vote for the winner! That’s right! YOU select the winner! So, submit a short film for a chance to win a prize! A winner from each category will win a trophy and a movie pass for the Lexington Exchange theater. The overall winner will receive an Amazon gift card! However, feel free to just come on out and watch some great local cinema! We hope to see you there!

If you’re interested in submitting a short film:

• Films must be based around one of the following themes (this can be done as loosely as you would like):
  
  • Books
  • Nature
  • Community
• Must be of your own creation. If a film is based upon another person's life or upon a book or another work, applicant must secure any necessary rights to make an adaptation unless based in the public domain. By entering the competition, you acknowledge that you have secured any and all necessary rights.
  
  • Applicants are responsible for obtaining all necessary rights and permissions for third-party materials included in their films, including but not limited to music, trademarks, logos, etc. The St. Mary's County Library expressly disclaims all liability or responsibility for any violations of the foregoing.
• Filmmakers must be residents of Southern Maryland (Calvert, Charles, or St. Mary’s County).
• Films must be in English and/or have English subtitles.
• Duration must be longer than 1 minute, but must not exceed 10 minutes.
• Film must not contain any inappropriate, graphic, explicit, or obscene language and/or imagery.
  • The library maintains the right to disqualify any films containing this subject matter or content. If you have questions about this, please email bthorne@stmalib.org.
• Films should be saved and submitted as a .MP4, .MOV, .AVI, .MKV, or .MPEG (must be playable via VLC)
• There is a limit of one (1) entry per person or group. Any additional entries will be void.
• Submit your film by emailing it to bthorne@stmalib.org by 11:59 p.m., Saturday, January 21st.
• If your film is selected, you will be sent an agreement form by Friday, February 3rd by 5pm. This form must be signed and sent back by Friday, February 10th to be eligible for the Short Film Viewing the following day.
• A maximum of 20 films will be selected for viewing pending submission lengths.
   

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