Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where can I turn for help if I am in a crisis or concerned about a friend?

Recognize the Warning Signs for Suicide to Save Lives: http://tinyurl.com/RecognizeTheWarningSigns

For additional resources from NAMI New Hampshire's The Connect Program, visit: theconnectprogram.org/survivors


2. Is my school or organization eligible?

  • You must be associated with a middle school, high school, or not-for-profit afterschool club or program located in New Hampshire and in grades 5-12.

    • Any middle and high school in New Hampshire is eligible, including but not limited to: public, private, charter, alternative and home schools.

3. How many entries may a team submit?

  • Each team may only submit one entry.

4. My school or organization doesn’t even have an art, film or media class. Can I still enter?

  • Yes, you may enter this film, writing, and art contest.

5. What happens if my entry is longer than the specified time limit?

  • Your entry would be disqualified if it's longer than 2 minutes.

6. How do I enter the contest?


7. What if I don't complete the Intent to Participate form?

  • Complete the Intent to Participate Form to let us know that you are planning to submit a film or writing piece and in which category. Submitting the form does not obligate you to submit an entry, just as not submitting the form does not disqualify entries, but it helps us with the planning process.

8. What is the role of the adult advisor?

  • The adult advisor must review and approve the student films for content that is suitable for schools and a general public viewing audience.

9. Do I really need to get all these forms signed?

  • Yes. Film-making requires discipline and dedication to the craft. Participants are honor bound to acquire all necessary permissions and signatures and accept the liabilities for copyright violations.

10. As a participant, how much help can I get from parents, teachers, and other adults?

  • Teachers, parents, and other adults are encouraged to be resources, and may participate as actors, but the project must be the participant's work, this includes scripts, camera work, pre-post production. Outside help must be limited to showing participants how to do a task while never actually performing the task for them and offering suggestions while allowing the participants to make the final decision.

11. When and how do I know if I win?

12. What are the prizes for each category?

13. I don’t know that much about suicide prevention and mental illness. Where can I learn more?

14. What if I don’t have access to filmmaking equipment?

  • If you have access to a Smartphone, then you are all set. There are apps to help create the movie. You can also use a free program such as Windows Movie Maker.

15. I don’t know anything about filmmaking, can I still enter?

  • Yes you can! All you need is enthusiasm and creativity!

16. How much violence can my film have? Can I use profanity?

  • This question addresses the topic of “appropriate content”. This is a school-related contest and, as such, content, violence, profanity, sex and drug activity must be appropriate for school use and adhere to your school’s policies, rules, and guidelines.

17. Is there an award ceremony?

18. Can I use popular music in my video?

  • Original music or music that is in the public domain (royalty free) may be used in your film if the source is cited in the credits. You will need written permission from the copyright holder to use all copyrighted materials such as popular songs, so you will not be able to just download or purchase your favorite song on iTunes and include it in your video.

19. I have limited internet access. Is there another way to download release forms and submit my entry?

  • Yes, we can mail you copies of all release forms and you can sign, scan and email to us or mail us a hard copy of your entry postmarked by the submission deadline. You can download and print the release . Please contact us at magnifyvoices@new-futures.org and we will provide the address to send your entry.

21. Why do the film entries need to include captioning?

  • Films in languages other than English are encouraged and will be accepted as long as they have English captioning. If your film is in English we still encourage you to include captioning.

22. What is the difference between captioning and subtitles?

  • Captioning (also called closed captioning), is commonly used as a service to aid deaf and hearing-impaired audiences. They usually appear as white text within a black box, appearing a second or two after being spoken.

  • Subtitling is most frequently used as a way of translating a medium into another language so that speakers of other languages can enjoy it.

  • You do not need to use closed captioning or subtitling software to include captioning in your film. What we are looking for is your film to include text in English that allows the viewer to fully comprehend your film, whether because of a linguistic barrier or hearing impairment. The primary goal of captions and subtitles is expanding audiences and allowing everyone to enjoy your film!

23. Can I show brands or logos in my film?

  • Technically yes, but we do not recommend it. While it may not be possible to keep all brands out of view, there are easy ways to avoid them from being a focal point in your film. For example, dress your actors in clothing without recognizable brands, cover up laptop brands with a sticker or sticky note, or frame your shots so that recognizable stores are not highlighted. While using a brand will not disqualify your film, it may limit the use of your film in television or movie theaters, due to brand copyright laws.

24. What if I have other questions not in this FAQ list?