**UPDATE as of 4/23/20**
As a festival, Other Worlds has always prided ourselves on absolute transparency. It’s what’s right. And several of us make films ourselves so we want to treat filmmakers the way we would want to be treated.
With that in mind, we’ve been having a number of discussions internally on what effect COVID-19 might have on our festival plans. Because our festival is in December, we haven’t had to make the kind of whiplash decisions other festivals have suffered, but we are equally affected by the uncertainty of the future.
As of now, we are moving forward under the assumption that the December festival will happen, live and in person, as it has for the last six years. However, if the quarantine conditions do not support the idea of a physical festival because our theater is closed, people are unable to travel, or the virus is not sufficiently ‘under control’ to operate safely, the festival will move to a virtual space. No matter what, there will be a 2020 festival – it will not be postponed or cancelled.
What does that mean for you? Well first of all, I want to emphasize that Other Worlds believes live screenings in a theatrical setting where filmmakers and audiences can come together to be the most important purpose of a film festival. If we do go virtual, we will aspire to retain as much of the feel of the physical festival as possible, with Q&As, panels, and networking events. IN ADDITION, and this is the MOST IMPORTANT THING, we will also commit to playing films selected and screened with the potential Virtual 2020 Festival at Other Worlds 2021 when we can come together in a physical space. So, you would play Other Worlds twice with the same film…
For anyone who submitted to our festival prior to April 1st, before festival circuit plans went out the window, we have offered them the option of withdrawing and resubmitting next year with a waiver. To be clear, no refunds were be given, just the offer to resubmit next year with a waiver. This is only for films submitted prior to April 1st.
Finally, Other Worlds was one of the first seven festivals to sign on to the Seed & Spark Film Festival Survival Pledge (https://try.seedandspark.com/film-festival-pledge/), vowing to temporarily waive any premiere status or completition date requirements for this year and next year’s festival. As always, shorts that are available online will be considered for both the 2020 and 2021 festivals, but just to make it clear, any feature that screens online in an official ticketed festival capacity is also eligible to play Other Worlds, it just can’t be available online to the general public.
The team hopes you are healthy and happy during these unprecedented times. We hope this helps ease any concern you have with your Other Worlds submission. Please stay safe out there and ask us any questions you need to. We hope you will be out there creating inspiring stories again soon.
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Other Worlds is the premier SciFi film festival in the USA, with six years running of sold out screenings, World and North American Premieres, and filmmakers from all over the world in attendance. In 2016 we added Horror to the mix with Under Worlds to great acclaim. Our films play on DCP with 5.1 sound on giant screens, at the Galaxy. Indie at its heart, OW is firmly committed to championing filmmakers and writers and bringing the best films to the Geek Capital of the World. With a diverse and approachable team of programmers, we are building a network of SciFi fans and filmmakers, leading a loyal community, and launching SciFi films into the wider world.
WHY SEND US YOUR FILM?
-FILMMAKERS HAVE A BLAST HERE! We firmly believe in framing our festival around you, the filmmaker. At OW, you can count on a full theater of genre fans eager to watch your film (and ask you questions after - we hold a Q&A after every screening!) Network with other artists at our annual Filmmaker Happy Hour and throughout the fest.
-WE GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT YOUR FILM! We want our programs to have the biggest reach possible – we pick the films we do for a reason, after all (hint: they’re awesome and everyone should see them). OW prides itself with awesome marketing efforts, both on our own website/blog and coverage from taste-maker publications like The Austin Chronicle and Austin360. And those full audiences we mentioned earlier? They’re ready to spread the word too by telling their friends and sharing on social media.
-WE F-ING LOVE GENRE! Lots of festivals only have so many slots reserved for “genre” films. That’s where we come in. OW is all about giving a platform to stories set in fantastical worlds. We’re constantly pushing the boundaries of what makes SciFi, well, SciFi. Same for Horror (we launched permanent Horror sidebar Under Worlds to great acclaim in 2016!) We have a year-round screening series, Other Worlds Orbiter, because once a year is just not enough to share the awesome SciFi films that we come across.
-HOW ABOUT REASONABLE FEES & TRANSPARENCY? We know how rough it is out there money-wise for artists (many of us on the team are filmmakers ourselves.) OW prices its submissions accordingly and of course rewards thinking ahead with cheaper Early Bird rates! Another thing we offer: transparency to submitters. Even if you aren’t accepted to the festival, feel free to request feedback from our programmers. You paid us money – the least we can do is offer some constructive notes on your project and why it didn’t make the cut this time.
SCRIPTS:
Other Worlds is dedicated to fostering and promoting creativity in Science Fiction in all its forms during every stage of development, and we are proud to announce our 6th annual screenwriting contest is now currently open and accepting submissions! The contest will run concurrently with the film program, and will include a space for shorts and teleplays, in addition to the feature length category.
Starting this year (2020) we will also accept HORROR and FANTASY submissions for the Screenwriting Contest.
Other Worlds Film Fest does not offer waivers under any circumstances. Our fees simply pay for the awards and the costs of running the contest (not even). We understand the financial hardship of being a screenwriter and costs of submitting to competitions and have kept our fees low in order to allow the most number of entries as possible. We hope you can find it in your budget to submit your screenplay.
All entries will receive feedback on their scripts at the conclusion of the Other Worldsi Film Festival, December 2020, if desired. All feedback will be distributed by February of the following year at the latest.
Scripts must not have been produced, optioned or sold prior to December, 2020.
All entrants certify to the originality of the entered script, or in the case of Specs, the originality of their handling of the material. Entrants warrant there are no disputes regarding the ownership of the submission and that the submitted material does not defame or invade the rights of any person living or dead. Entrants fully indemnify Other Worlds Film Festival and its agents against any claim made for such violations of law.
In the event of shared authorship, all writers will share prize money equally. It will be up to primary entrant to communicate all notices and divide all prize money with the other writers.
Entrants may submit more than one screenplay/teleplay in any chosen category, as well as enter different scripts in different categories. Each script entry requires a separate application and fee. All entries and payment must be made through the Festival Freeway website, no cash or check payment will be accepted.
Once an entry has been made, we cannot provide a refund. If a payment is disputed, the account holder may be subject to any fees.
All scripts will be judged as entered, no revisions will be accepted.
All scripts must be entered as .pdfs. No physical copies.
All scripts must be in English.
No supplementary material should be sent. No show bibles, treatments, or reality show formats will be accepted for the Teleplay competition.
Consulting can only be done on winning scripts. No substitutions.
By entering the script in the competition, the entrant is agreeing to all rules and regulations of the competition. Entrant agrees to hold Other Worlds Film Festival and its agents harmless from and defend them against all claims, demands, losses, damages, judgments, liabilities, and expenses (including attorney’s fees) arising out of or in connection with any and all claims of third parties, whether or not groundless, based on any script.
Entrant gives Other Worlds Film Festival the non-revokable right to use your name and the script title, synopsis, and short excerpt (no longer than 10 pages) in our marketing materials in perpetuity.
Please register your script. Although this is not a requirement, it is highly suggested. The only true protection for a writer in any dispute is a proper registration with the US Copyright Office, this is in addition to any registration with the WGA West or WGA East.
All decisions of the festival and its agents are final.
About feedback:
Written feedback will be provided to every entrant of the competition, if desired, which we believe is the least a screenwriting competition can do to certify your script was read with precision and professional concern.
Feedback will be in the form of a scored, seven criteria breakdown with one to two sentences provided in each heading. Please note, this feedback is part of the judging process and is not necessarily written with the writer in mind. Your entry fee pays for the logistics of the competition. The feedback is provided to you as a bonus.
Writers will not be able to contact the judges or ‘argue’ against their feedback.
Scripts may receive overwhelmingly positive feedback and yet still not place in the competition, this usually means the script was eliminated in later rounds of the competition. Additional feedback may be provided to the writer, by a second judge, and this feedback may be shorter than the primary feedback, although this is not guaranteed. The Competition reserves the right to provide only the initial judge’s feedback.
The primary purpose of the competition is to identify and celebrate the top scripts in each category, not to be a source for script notes. We do not offer ‘upper levels’ of judge’s notes for higher fees. If looking for more detailed feedback, we highly suggest seeking out a respected script consultant, and we recommend contest sponsors Script Butcher or Save the Cat!®
FILM:
All films will compete for the Audience Award as selected by voting by festival attendees. Documentaries, Music Videos, and Fan Films will be considered with shorts or features, depending on their length. Filmmakers will be allowed to vote for their own films if in attendance (because, obviously.)
In addition, the Mary Shelley Award will be awarded to the best film that furthers the involvement and representation of women in genre filmmaking. Granted by a jury of industry professionals, the award includes a $500 cash prize.
Finally, the programming team (11 opinionated, argumentative members strong) gives out the Parsecs, bragging rights awards that live forever on our website (and on laurels on your films), including Best Script, Best Director, and Best Editing.
SCRIPTS:
$250 Features / $250 Teleplays / $250 Shorts PLUS an additional $250 for the Grand Prize Winner selected from all three categories. Winner in each category will receive a free full script consultation from the Script Butcher, including feedback, notes and suggested edits. Free copies of the latest Save the Cat! Software and a Save the Cat! book of their choosing for all Winners.
All entrants will receive a discount code good for Save the Cat! books via their website.
Winning Scripts will be announced the week after the Other Worlds Film Festival, December 2019 with the Audience Awards and the Cthulhies in a national press release. Finalists will be announced in November.
NOTE: there must be at least 50 entries in a category to be awarded a prize. Categories w/ less than 50 entries will be combined w/ other categories when awarding prizes. However, a winning script will still be selected in each category (no matter the total entries).