Is the Breakout Filmmaker competition open to anyone?

The Breakout Filmmaker competition is open to any aspiring director who is age 16 or older and a legal resident of the United States, Canada or Great Britain at the time of registration.

Can a filmmaking team enter the competition?

While each contestant will undoubtedly have a 'supporting cast' (e.g. actors, etc.), the competition is for individual filmmakers only.

Where can I learn about the rules for this competition?

Check out the "How It Works" link above to learn about the rules of this competition.

Can I include music in my short film entry?

Music videos, per se, are not included amongst the approved genres. If, however, you are simply looking to incorporate music as part of your opening and/or closing credits or as a background soundtrack, please note that you must be able to provide Project Breakout with explicit written consent from the copyright holder(s) to use such content. Without such consent, your video entry will be flagged as "infringing" upon the legal ownership rights of others and will be immediately removed.

If you're unsure as to your right to use such content, we recommend that you review the royalty-free music library at Premium Beat.

Who picks the winner of the Breakout Filmmaker competition?

The winners will be selected by a combination of voting by the online fans and judging by a panel of industry insiders. The online fans will select the Top 15 filmmakers based upon their Round 1 short film entries (voting window opens on Monday, December 3, 2007 and ends on Sunday, January 6, 2008).

The 15 finalists will be required to submit an additional short film entry for review, voting and judging by a combination of the online audience and the panel of industry insiders. The grand prize winner and two runner-ups (2nd and 3rd places) will be announced on Monday, January 28, 2008.

Please refer to the How It Works section of this site for an official competition schedule.

I'm having issues uploading my video. What's the problem?

Your video entry must be no longer than ten (10) minutes in length, no larger than 100 MB in size and must be in one of the following file formats: .mov, .wmv, .avi, .dv, .mpg, .mpg4, .3gp and .3gp2.

How many short film videos can I upload / enter into the Breakout Filmmaker competition?

Each contestant can upload up to five (5) short film videos as they wish, but only one such upload can be identified by the contestant as an official competition entry during Round 1. Should a contestant make it through to Round 2, he or she will be allowed to upload an additional video entry.

What type of short film can I submit as a competition entry?

Each competition entry must fall into one of the following broad film genres: drama, comedy, action/adventure, horror/thriller, sci-fi/fantasy or documentary.

How can I get more votes for my video entry?

We've found that promoting yourself through your online and offline network is the best way to "get out the vote". The Round 1 voting window opens to the online audience on Monday, December 3, 2007 and closes on Sunday, January 6, 2008. The Round 2 voting window (for competition finalists only) opens on Monday, January 14, 2008 and ends on Sunday, January 27, 2008.

What criteria will be used by the judges in selecting a Grand Prize Winner from the 15 finalists?

The panel of expert judges will apply the following criteria in assessing the Round 2 entries and in ultimately selecting the Grand Prize Winner: Direction (25%), Technical Production (25%), Story Concept (25%) and Overall Impression (25%).

Somebody made a nasty comment about my video entry in the Critic's Corner. Can I remove the comment?

The Breakout Filmmaker competition is held in the public forum. As such, contestants must be able to take the good with the bad. If you feel that the comment has truly "crossed the line", please email us at touchbase@projectbreakout.com and we will check the comment for appropriateness.

Where do I go if I want to edit my personal information, upload photos and access tips and tricks for promoting my competition entry?

Simply login and visit your profile. If you are not yet a registered member of the community, please register now.

Can I submit a foreign language (non-English) short film entry?

Yes, but it must have English sub-titles.

If this FAQ did not help you please refer to our support page.