Submission FAQ

Here are some answers to some frequently asked questions about submitting 
a film to Studentfilms.com. If you do not find an answer below, please .

• Does it cost anything to submit my film to the site?
• What are the benefits of hosting my film on Studentfilms.com?
• How do I submit my film to Studentfilms.com?
• What are the technical requirements of my submission?
• Do I have to be a student to have my film on the site?
• Do all films that are submitted get accepted?
• Is there a maximum length that my film can be?
• Can I submit my film over the web?
• Can I submit my film on a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM?
• Will the tape be returned to me?
• Can I put multiple films on one tape?
• Can I re-submit a new version of my film?
• Do you accept international submissions?
• Do you accept films made in High School?
• My film has copyrighted music, can I still submit it to the site?
• Is there anything I can do to help promote the site?




• Does it cost anything to submit my film to the site?

  Yes, however the rates are extremely cheap:

  Films 0-10 minutes long:	$10
  Films 11-45 minutes long:	$1/minute

  This is not a submission fee. If for any reason your film is not accepted, your money will be refunded.

  Your film will not be lost in a massive site such as iFilm where your film is quickly forgotten. Studentfilms.com is a small organization that is dedicated to student filmmakers and we want the best on-line experience for you and your film.

  With Studentfilms.com's new dynamic and searchable site your film will not be buried in a mass of other films. The new "Randomizer" feature is great for surfers and the site now features more dynamic stats and reviews.

  Most festivals charge $50 for submissions - and even then there is no guarantee that your film will be seen. iFilm, on the other hand charges $200 for a year to have your film lost on their site.

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• What are the benefits of hosting my film on Studentfilms.com?

  The site gets around 40-50 thousand visitors each month, with around 20 thousand of them from unique IP addresses. This is an extremely large potential audience for your film. Also, consider the following features:

  - New films are displayed on the main page of the site for a month, guaranteeing your film top billing.
  
  - Each film is rated on five categories: Acting, Cinematography, Directing, Editing and Screenwriting. You will always know what is working and what isn't. There is no better way to learn.
  
  - The "Browse Genre" and "Randomizer" features randomly pull from all of the films in the database so even when your film is no longer "new" it still has a high chance of being seen.
  
  - Your film's stats viewing stats are also be available on the film stats page.

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• How do I submit my film to Studentfilms.com?

  To submit your film to Studentfilms.com, simply fill out the Submission Form* and mail your tape, the Submission Form, and a check for the hosting fee to:

  Studentfilms.com, Inc.
  5870 Melrose Ave #3-913
  Los Angeles, CA 90038

  Once the film is received it usually takes 2-4 weeks to be posted on the site, depending on the number of submissions that have been received before your film. You will receive an e-mail shortly after we receive your film which will provide the estimated posting date for your film(s).

  *One Submission Form per film. You can send multiple films on one tape. Make check out to "Studentfilms.com". There is no need to send multiple checks for each submission.

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• What are the technical requirements of my submission?

  -	DVD (set-top playable or DVD-R with QuickTime) are the allowed submission formats. VHS or MiniDV is no longer accepted. If it is a DVD with a QuickTime you must follow the compression guidelines below. **(DV/DVCPRO codec ONLY)
  -	The audio level must be of a high enough volume without any clipping.
  -	If you shot on film, it must be professionally transferred to video. No rogue "shot of the wall" film transfers of your film are accepted. Besides, a professionally transferred film looks beautiful.

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• Do I have to be a student to have my film on the site?

  Yes. You need to be either attending a College or High School or your film had to have been made during that time. However, exceptions are sometimes made. The school that you are attending doesn't necessarily need to be a "film school" nor do you need to be taking film classes.

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• Do all films that are submitted get accepted?

  Only films made by students (graduate, undergrad, or high school) will be accepted. 

  Reasons that your film wouldn't be accepted would be that the tape sent was of poor technical quality (see technical requirements below) or the film contains content beyond what would be an R rating. 

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• Is there a maximum length that my film can be?

  Yes. Currently the limit is 45 minutes. This will have a bigger file size, but for broadband this really isn't an issue.

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• Can I submit my film over the web?

  No. I need a high quality file using the DV/DVCPRO codec. These can be in the hundreds of megs. I do my own compression of the film here to optimize it for the web and I need the highest quality file as a source. You could however burn it to a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM and mail it to me. (see below)

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• Can I submit my film on a DVD-ROM?

  Yes. Use the following settings.

  Video Compression: QuickTime or AVI using the DV/DVCPRO codec
  Audio Compression: No Compression, 48kHz or 44.1kHz, 16bit, stereo

  Also use the following frame sizes and fps:

  1.	NTSC: 720x480, 29.97 fps
  2.	PAL: 720x576, 25 fps

  Please send movies as an AVI or QuickTime using the DV/DVCPRO codec only. Any other codec is not accepted.

  MPEGs will not be accepted.  MPEGs make further compression extremely difficult. They cause many errors and refuse to give up their audio track.

  DVDs of your film that will play in a set-top box are also acceptable, however it is still a compressed format and will not look as good as MiniDV or sending a DV Quicktime (or AVI) on a DVD-ROM.

  If you have any further questions feel free to .

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• Will the film be returned to me?

  No. I will need it in case I need to re-digitize the film.

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• Can I put multiple films on one dvd?

  Yes. Putting multiple films on one dvd is perfectly fine. Although please keep in mind that the hosting fee is per film and not the duration of all the films on the tape.

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• Can I re-submit a new version of my film?

  Yes, you may re-submit a newer version of a film that is on the site. However, there is a re-encoding fee equal to the hosting fee of the film when you originallty submitted it to the site. If your film hasn't been added to the site yet then sending in a new version is free.

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• Do you accept international submissions?

  Yes!

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• Do you accept films made in High School?

  Yes! Studentfilms.com is for all student film-makers.

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• My film has copyrighted music, can I still submit it to the site?

  One should get the rights for all music used in a film. Having original music composed for you is a great option. There are many composers listed in the Discussion Board of the site who will help you with this.

  Studentfilms.com assumes that all filmmakers have received permission to use all material within a film and will not be held liable for any legal action that may occur by posting a film that has copyrighted music that was used without permission.

  However, these are student works and are not being shown for profit, so I don't think anyone will put up a fuss.

  For further reference:
  
  - HOW TO ACQUIRE MUSIC FOR FILMS
  - Music Rights Nightmares
  - Public Domain Music
  - Signature Sound: Music Clearance & Licensing

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• Is there anything I can do to help promote the site?

  Yes! If you are attending film school or taking film classes, and I will send you flyers for you to post around your school.

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