Each year, the UCT Film Society runs an ever-growing exciting short film competition known as ‘Shotties’. This year will be no exception – we will be running the competition again, with a few slight changes to the competition rules, picking up on what we’ve learnt in the past.

Important Information and Dates

Please note the following important information summarizing what was announced at the information meeting on Wednesday 22/02:

  1. Films must be under 2:30 in length and closing credits may contribute a further minute to that time to bring the maximum duration to 3:30. Any part of your story that extends beyond 2:30 will be ignored by the judges.
  2. Films must be narrative, i.e. tell a story with a story arc: conflict and resolution. NO: music videos, documentaries, etc.
  3. Find out more about writing the kind of story we’re looking for at the SCREENWRITING workshop being held by Andrew Giliam in Arts 100 Saturday 25/02 from 9am to 12pm.
  4. Themes will be announced at the end of the aforementioned workshop, and subsequently posted to the production vula tab and online at www.filmsoc.co.za/shotties
  5. There will be two themes this year. Contestants may base their story upon one or both, but at least one MUST feature in some way.
  6. Scripts are to be submitted in pdf by email to production@filmsoc.co.za AND in hard copy at the reception of the Centre for Film and Media Studies in the Arts block by no later than the 9th of MARCH.
  7. Approximately 12-15 scripts will be selected by the Shotties 2012 Committee, and the writers of these stories will be awarded with the use of UCT filming equipment. Contestants are free to decide whether they wish to use all or only some of the equipment on offer to them, for example they may wish to shoot on their own camera but use a UCT lighting kit, which is perfectly acceptable.
  8. Contestants intending to use their own camera to shoot their film are asked to please indicate that this is so on their script submission.
  9. While submitting a script is not mandatory for taking part, it is highly advisable as you can only benefit by being in line to win free use of UCT equipment.
  10. Successful scripts will be announced at a meeting (venue TBA) in meridian on the 14th of March. At this meeting one representative of EVERY film being entered, whether the group/individual is using UCT equipment or shooting with their own gear, will be required to officially ‘sign up’. Groups using gear will be allocated a 3rd year tutor.
  11. We will assist in establishing 4-person groups around each successful script: Producer, Director, Editor and Cinematographer.
  12. Participants may not work on more than ONE Shotties submission.
  13. The cinematographer from each group using UCT equipment is REQUIRED to attend the CINEMATOGRAPHY workshop to be held Saturday 17th of March from 1pm to 5pm at UCT TV studio. Directors may also attend.
  14. Groups have until the 22nd to book equipment through their tutor for a maximum of two days and to get their shooting done. Those working independently have until the day of submission.
  15. An EDITING workshop will be held around the 14th of April, date to be confirmed. Editors are required to attend if they wish to make use of UCT editing facilities.
  16. 26 APRIL: All films to be submitted by this date in widescreen 16:9 format on a data DVD as MOV, AVI or MP4. DVDs formatted for playback will not be accepted.
  17. Venue and prizes for final screening night of short-listed films (up to a maximum of 20) still to be confirmed.

Please note their are useful resources to help you make better films on the vula production tab.

 

Good luck! May the best film win!

 

Address any Shotties-related queries to production [at] filmsoc.co.za.


Previous Winners