Categories &

Submission Guidelines

Submissions will be accepted from 6-12 grade applicants residing in Anne Arundel County.

Only work submitted during the publicized window will be accepted. Late submissions will not be considered. Please plan accordingly!

Technical Guidelines

Your submission’s total runtime must NOT exceed the specified time limit for the category you are submitting (See categories and time limits above).
For All Video-Based Submissions: Use .MP4 File Format (H.264 Codec) .gif file format for GIFS Only is Accepted
For All Still Submissions: Please Submit as .JPG at 300dpi 8” X 10” Minimum (.png Formats Accepted as well)
Please submit a download link for submission sizes larger than 1GB. Please make sure we have permission to access the File.
When uploading your submission, use the following file naming conventions:
FirstNameLastName_Title_Year.fileformat Example: SamSmith_Derby_2024.mp4
Check your work! Verify that it has been successfully uploaded, the file format is correct, the file name aligns to the requirements, it is in the correct orientation, and it plays smoothly with clear sound (if applicable).

Content Guidelines

Works may be on any topic but must be G or PG-rated in language and subject matter, be appropriate for all audiences, and show cultural sensitivity. Works that fall outside of this will be disqualified. Depictions or suggestions of weapons, violence, self-harm, etc. will not be accepted.
The Festival committee values creativity and originality. Work that is submitted must be original work created by the applicant. If the entered work is found to have been copied from another source, is AI-generated, or contains copyrighted components, the work will be disqualified.
An original work is new and different from what others have created. This means that you are the author of the work, and the work is not copied from someone else’s original work.
Entries that are heavily influenced by the work of other artists, even if no materials are directly copied, will not be considered original and should not be entered into the festival.
We are not accepting submissions that include content produced using AI tools.
Use of sound or video clips from other films, television shows, music videos, etc., within your submitted work is not permitted unless those clips are in the public domain or you have received written permission from the copyright holder. Use of trademarked products or characters is also not permitted unless permission is received from the trademark owner. Applicants are responsible for obtaining permission from copyright and trademark owners.
All applicants are required to obtain permission to use copyrighted music in their films. Applicants can also use their own original music. Additionally, copyright-free, public domain, trade-friendly, or Creative Commons-licensed music can be used with attribution. Look for royalty-free content, as needed.
If your use of copyrighted materials falls under the fair use standard, be sure to include attribution in the credits. (more info on fair use here: https://innovationhub.bcps.org/digital-citizenship/copyright-fair-use)
During production, filmmakers may not obstruct the public right-of-way or film on private property without permission from the owner.
The Festival committee reserves the right to switch your submission to a different category as they see fit.

Any submission that does not meet these guidelines will NOT be considered for judging and

will NOT be selected to screen.

Submit Your Work Here

Submissions will be accepted October 1st-January 30th 2026

Submissions

Categories &

Submission Guidelines

Categories

Middle School

High School

Submission Guidelines

Technical Guidelines

Content Guidelines

Submit Your Work Here