FIRST FRAME INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION AWARDS:
WHY FIRST FRAME INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL?
ALL WINNERS receive continued consultation, our contacts, and support to elevate their current and future projects. Our top prizes will make your dreams come true!
*WINNER OF OUR GRAND PRIZE: First Frame International Film Festival will PRODUCE the winning screenplay for a maximum budget of $500,000.00 USD. Yes, you’ve read that right. First Frame International Festival wants to turn your screenplay into a major motion picture!
*WINNER OF BEST FEATURE FILM: First Frame International Film Festival will offer a multi-platform DISTRIBUTION DEAL!
Awards & Prizes
There is only ONE winner per category for each award. Every winner will receive a Laurel and a Personalized Engraved Trophy, in addition to the invaluable rewards, pitches, and prizes described below.
FIRST FRAME INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL COMPETITION AWARDS:
BEST UNPRODUCED FEATURE SCREENPLAY CONCEPT *GRAND PRIZE WINNER*:
First Frame International Film Festival will start by PURCHASING or OPTIONING your screenplay, and produce it for a MAX budget of $500,000.00 USD. IF your screenplay is a bigger budget, we will OPTION it and do everything in our power to get it produced. However, in any capacity, if we are NOT successful after one-year, the rights to the script will return to the writer(s), and FFIFF will reward you with $2,000.00 USD in cash.
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE FILM:
The winning film will receive at least one multi-platform DISTRIBUTION DEAL offer, as well as the services provided by www.DevelopYourMovie.com, free of charge, for a future project.
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT FILM:
The winning film will receive the services provided by www.DevelopYourMovie.com, free of charge, for their first (or next) feature film project.
BEST UNPRODUCED FEATURE SCREENPLAY:
The winning writer will receive the services provided by www.DevelopYourMovie.com, free of charge, and Rob Margolies will attach himself as the producer as well as director, if desired. The winner writer also will receive 4 free pitches on virtualpitchfest.com. NOTE: How is this winning script different from the GRAND PRIZE WINNER? This winning script may currently be better overall, however, that does not make it an easier sell, per-say. The GRAND PRIZE winning script may not be "as perfect", but it will inevitably show the promise that with a rewrite, its potential could become most valuable in the long run.
BEST UNPRODUCED SHORT SCREENPLAY:
The winning writer will receive the services provided by www.DevelopYourMovie.com, free of charge, and Rob Margolies will attach himself as the producer as well as director if desired. The winner writer also will receive 4 free pitches on virtualpitchfest.com.
---
The WINNING FILMMAKERS of the following award categories will receive the services provided by www.DevelopYourMovie.com, free of charge, to help push their current project, or for a future feature film or TV Pilot:
BEST INTERNATIONAL / FOREIGN FEATURE FILM
BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM
BEST DRAMATIC FILM
BEST COMEDIC FILM
BEST HORROR / SCI-FI FILM
BEST ANIMATED FILM
BEST PILOT/WEB SERIES
BEST DIRECTOR
BEST ACTOR
BEST ACTRESS
BEST ACTOR DEMO REEL (or Scene under 5 minutes)
______________________________________________________
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION AWARDS:
The WINNING SCREENWRITERS of the following awards will receive our consultation and subjective advice, free of charge, to help build their talent and further their careers. The winner writers also will receive 3 free pitches on virtualpitchfest.com.
BEST DRAMATIC SCRIPT
BEST COMEDIC SCRIPT
BEST HORROR / SCI-FI SCRIPT
BEST TV PILOT/WEB SERIES SCRIPT
BEST FILM SCORE
_______________________________________________________
Rules & Terms
FESTIVAL RULES AND REGULATIONS
Note: Student Filmmakers, to enjoy the discount pricing, a current/valid student ID must be emailed to the festival PRIOR to submitting. If Valid ID is not provided, you will be asked to re-submit as a non-student.
All presentation materials (posters, postcards, goody bag promos) and DCPs for the First Frame International Film Festival must arrive at the FFIFF Offices no later than April 28th, 2023. If DCPs are not received by this date the film will be pulled and disqualified. NO EXCEPTIONS. It is the submitter's responsibility to ensure the First Frame Film Fest has the REQUIRED screening materials.
ALL ACCEPTED SUBMISSIONS must provide DCPs (due April 28th, 2023).
If sending DCP, Please Note that the Theater charges the filmmaker an Ingestion Fee. If sending a DCP we will still require an MPEG4 Film file.
DCPS must be logged out, signed for, and picked up after your screening. WE DO NOT RETURN/SHIP screening materials or promo materials (posters, postcards, goody bag items).
Submissions must be the original work of the entrant(s) and may not be based, in whole or in part, on any other fiction or nonfiction material, published or unpublished, produced or un-produced.
Entries may, however, be adapted from the entrant’s (or entrants’) original work, which should be noted in the logline required on the application form.
Entries lacking a logline on the application form will be disqualified.
If the script is based on a true story, historical or contemporary, the "based on true story/events" should be noted in the logline.
Collaborative work by two writers who share equally in its creation is eligible.
The collaborator’s name must be added during the online application process.
Writer's bio and headshot are recommended.
All entries must be received by or before the Extended Deadline.
1. Festival accepts submissions for feature films, foreign films subtitled in English, short films, feature documentaries, short documentaries, animation, TV Pilots, Web Series, music videos, student films, feature-length screenplays, short screenplays, and scripts for television/web series.
2. All films must be submitted with an online screener.
3. All feature narrative and feature documentary submissions must be over 60-minutes in length.
5. All short film narrative and short documentary submissions must be under 40-minutes in length.
6. Animation, web series, and student film submissions of all lengths will be considered.
7. Music Videos must be under 8-minutes.
8. Festival will present selected films as a live in-person event May 2023 in New York, NY
9. All Submission fees are non-refundable.
10. PLEASE NOTE: Due to the current COVID-19 health crisis, festival dates, location and/or format are subject to change.
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION RULES AND REGULATIONS:
1. First Frame International Film Festival Screenplay Competition accepts feature-length screenplays, short screenplays, TV Pilots, and Web Series screenplays. Feature-length screenplays must be a minimum of 60-pages and no longer than 150-pages. TV Pilots must be under 70-pages. Short screenplay and Web Series screenplay submissions must be under 60-pages.
2. Submitted screenplays can not have been optioned, purchased, or otherwise produced at the time of submission.
3. Writers may submit as many screenplays as they’d like to the competition, however each script requires a separate application and payment.
4. All entries must be submitted in English.
5. Submissions must include a title page with the author(s) and any relevant registration or copyright information.
6. Screenplays must be submitted in PDF.
7. All screenplays are considered complete once they are received by First Frame International Film Festival. No revisions or updated copies will be accepted.
8. Submission fees are non-refundable.
9. Please be sure to read all rules and regulations prior to submitting your project.