Entry INFO/SPECIFICS:
The
ÒImagine That!Ó competition is a special category that requires a single
producer, or production team to conceive, write, cast, shoot, edit and post, an
original 7-minute movie —the total
time of which must include opening and closing
credits. If the movie is over
7-minutes, it will be disqualified.
(If itÕs under seven, thatÕs fine.
It should be no shorter than 4-minutes, however.)
Catch
2: The work must be produced and
sent to us for judging by March 2, 2009.
So, you have about a month to get this production written, shot, wrapped
and sent!
Catch
3: You must choose to construct
the narrative by using one of the
following genres:
Comedy
Drama
Horror
Action/Adventure
You
must also include a specific character, a line or dialogue, and a prop from the
prompts that you see below.
Character:
Line of dialogue: Will be posted February 1, 2009!
Prop:
If any
of the above elements are not included in your movie, it will be disqualified.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The character, dialogue line and prop must act as essential elements in the movie –
they cannot be afterthoughts, but ones that drive the narrative.
- FAQ –
Q: What if my horror movie is funny,
too? Is it ÒComedyÓ or ÒHorror?Ó
A: It will be considered and judged upon
the conventions of the genre in which you enter it. If you enter it in ÒHorror,Ó it will be considered a horror
movie. If it has elements of
comedy in, itÕs still a horror movie.
Q: What if itÕs a horror movie but it has
action/adventure in it?
A: If you entered in ÒHorrorÓ the judges
will consider it a horror movie with action/adventure in it. If it has comedy and action/adventure in it, and itÕs entered in the ÒHorrorÓ
category, it still will be considered and judged as a horror movie.
Q: What if I want to do a romantic
comedy? Would I enter it in the
ÒComedyÓ category?
A: Yes. Clearly, the genres listed above are broad categories that
overlap. The judges will look at
your work based upon the emphasis you
give it. If you say itÕs a romantic comedy, and enter it
in ÒComedy,Ó then clearly, it should have the elements and conventions of
romance and comedy in it.
Q: What if I want to do a film noir detective story? Is it ÒDramaÓ or ÒAction/Adventure?Ó
A: It could be either, or a little of
both. The category you choose in
which to enter your work is up to you.
If your movie is, say, a spoof on film
noir, and has a wisecracking detective in it, it may best be entered in the
ÒComedyÓ category. If
thereÕs no funny stuff in it, and you wish it to be a dark, brooding movie, you
might enter it in ÒDrama.Ó Same
thing if it has a lot of action or adventure in it. ItÕs all about emphasis,
you see? So choose your genre
wisely and know what you movie is about!
Q: What about language? How far can we go?
A: Well, youÕre in high school, so not too
far. Of course your dialogue must
sound Òreal,Ó but it has to be within the bounds of current taste and
acceptability. When in doubt,
check with your advisor.
Q: What about Ònudity?Ó
A: Next question! Seriously, as we noted above, youÕre in
high school so any ÒnudityÓ must be very carefully considered. Is a bare midriff nudity, for
example? How about wearing hip-hop
pants and being able to see oneÕs butt/underwear? Or wearing revealing pajamas, or tight t-shirts, or what have
you? Again, be very circumspect about stuff like this
and check with your advisor.
Remember, your emphasis should
be on creative story telling – so itÕs your creativity, writing and
production techniques (e.g., camera work, lighting, sound, acting, editing)
that will count, not how revealing or shocking you can be!
Q: Can we use music?
A: Yes, we encourage the use of music to
complement, set the scene, and help drive your narrative.
Q: Oh, so that means I can just rip off
popular music from the net and use it, right?
A: No. We must observe the rules of intellectual property and
copyright. Any unauthorized music
is unacceptable; use it without permission and your work will be
disqualified. We may want to air
some of the entries on our MTSU TV station. To do this we must have legal music.
Q: Well, where can we get music then?
A: You can write and produce your own
original music, or go to www.mobygratis.com
The
artist Moby set up this site especially for independent filmmakers. ItÕs got a ton of great music on it,
and itÕs free! Make sure you
credit Moby, too!
Q:
What happens if we want to send in multiple
entries from the same school?
A:
Great! WeÕre in favor of multiple entries from the same school, just not
the same genre. So if, say, you
send in a horror short, someone (or some team) from the same school cannot also send in a horror short.
However, that person (or team) may
send in a comedy, drama, or action adventure movie. See what I mean?
Only one of any specific genre per school is allowed. That means,
check with your advisor to make sure only the best comedy, drama, horror film, or action/adventure movie you or
your team can dream up is submitted.
Q:
So your saying our school (or any school) can send in a max of four entries each – one comedy, one drama, one horror
and one action/adventure, right?
A:
Correct. Rather than four horror films from your school, only send
oneÉthe best one you can think of. Rather than sending four comedies,
only send oneÉbut make it the best one! Believe me, putting all your
energies into making one exceptional,
specific genre will be looked on much more favorably than if you send in
four mediocre films of the same genre. Capeesh?
If you
have any questions get in touch with Dr. Bob Pondillo, heÕs honchoing this
category. His phone is:
615.904.8465 or e-mail: pondillo@mtsu.edu
We
canÕt wait to see what you come up with!
Good luck!