Since 1932, The ‘Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ is conducting a short film competition section in every year for honoring the crew of the best short films. The academy principally offers short film awards in two different categories, i.e. Best Animated Short Film and Best Live Action Short Film.

From 1930 to 1974, the category ‘Best Animated Short Film’ was known in the names ‘Short Subjects, Cartoons and Animated Films’. Similarly, from 1932 to 1974 the category ‘Best Live Action Short Film’ was known in the names ‘Live Action Films and Best Short Subject’

Burt Gillett’s Animated Short Film Flowers and Trees was the first Academy award won Short Film, This film was produced by Walt Disney Productions, and it was produced in the year 1932. Thereafter, on its every year Numerous Short and animated films won Oscar awards in diverse of categories.

We believe that, only 10% of Filmmakers are aware about the Genuine Short Film submission Process to Oscar Film Festival. Here, that is the reason why we are decided to write up briefly about this topic. Meanwhile, you have any questions; please ask to us through the comment section below.

Oscar Definitions

Short Film:

Any Genre of Film That has a Running Time of 40 Minutes or less is considered as Short Film.  Short Film Category in the Oscar competition section is divided into three- as Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film and Documentary Short Subject.

Animated Short Film:

The film that is created by using the Computer Graphics is called as Animated Short Films. Filmmakers can submit their film either the Animated Documentary Short Subject category or Documentary Short Subject Category, but not both.

Live Action Short Film

Any Fictional Film that is filmed by using general Filmmaking techniques is categorized as Live Action Short Films. Documentary Short Subjects won’t be considered in the live action category.

 Documentary Short Subjects

Any Short nonfiction film that is dealing realistic subjects such as social, historical, economic, cultural, artistic subjects is categorized as Documentary short Subjects

Rules

1. The Academy decides the eligibility for the award consideration of Short Film, only if the film must fulfil one of the following qualifying criteria between the 1^st date of last Year October to the 30st date of Current Year September.  It is also mandatory that the qualification must take place within the two years of film’s completion date.

a) The Short Film Must Have Been publicly exhibited (Paid Admission) in the cinema halls of Los Angeles Area for at least seven consecutive days with one screening at least in a day. Such publicly exhibited film must be shown either in 35mm or 70mm format,(or) in a 24 MM or 48 MM Frame Progressive Scan digital Cinema Format. The screen resolution of Projectors in the exhibited cinema halls will be of at least 2048 by 1080 pixels

The Output Video of Short Film Must Be in HD format, The Audio that integrated in that short film must be in a Typical Digital Cinema Package (DCP) is preferably 5.1 or 7.1 channels of discrete audio.  Also, the preferred minimum for a non-mono configuration of the audio shall be three channels i.e. Right, Centre and the Left.  The Academy also elucidated that, in Theatrical environment a left/Right Configuration is not acceptable.

The student categorized Films cannot qualify with a Theatrical Release,

(OR)

b) In case the film haven’t yet displayed in a Cinema Hall or any public exhibitions, then the film must have won a qualifying award in any Competitive Film Festival that is officially affiliated to The Academy. Such a case, the Filmmaker or the Representative must submit a proof of received award along with the entry. Click here to find out the academy’s short film qualifying festival list.

(OR)

c) The films that have won Medal award such as Gold, Silver or Bronze in the previous year of Academy’s Student Academy Award Competition in the categories of Narrative, Animation, Alternative or Foreign Film Category is also eligible for short film Submission.

2. Winners In the Documentary Category are Not Eligible to Submit Their Short Film to the Oscar.
3. The videos like Advertising (Commercially Purposed) films, Sequences from Feature Films, Unsold Episodically visualized TV series and Unaired TV series are not eligible for the submission
4. Encrypted (Password Protected) films will not be accepted

Submission  

1. The academy accepts only the short film in the formats such as 35mm or 70mm, or as a DCP. Such a Work Print or DCP of the Short Film Must submit to the Selection committee of the Academy award consideration panel before the deadline.
2. In Foreign Films (Non-English Speaking Films) English Subtitles must be included along with the original Sound track.
3. Above the envelope of Films Prints or DCP’s covers must be marked “Short Film Entry” and it to be shipped to the address – the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 8949 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211, before the deadline.
4. Deadline for the Academy’s Short Film Submission will be on the first day of October

Selection

The academy will select the excellent short film on the basis of factors such as Story, Visualization, Sound Designing, Editing and cost of production.  Based on such factors, each of the academy members will rank each of the films as 10, 9, 8, 7, or 6 with the guidelines of 10 (excellent), 8 (good), 7 (fair) or 6 (poor). The finalists’  names will be determined from such overall rankings.

Submission Fees  

Nill, but the shipping expense Must manage by the submitter itself

When And Where

When: 1^st week of March on Every Year

Where: Kodak Theatre 6801 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028
Level One of the Hollywood & Highland Center
p 323-308-6300

Submission Announcement

Submission Official Announcement: JUNE 24, 2013

Deadline

Documentary Short Subject – 1^st week Of September
Documentary Feature – End Of The Month September
Live Action Short Film — 1^st week Of October
Animated Short Film — 1^st week Of October

Competition Categories

1. The Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
2. The Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film

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