Sponsored by the Parramatta City Council, and a part of the Parramatta Sci-Fi Film Festival activities, the 2014 Project Sci-fi competition, in partnership with Screen My Shorts, challenges filmmakers from around the globe to write, film, edit, produce and upload to YouTube a 3-10 minute long film with a science-fiction theme. On offer are prizes totalling $5,500 Australian dollars.

The competition is open to both live action and machinima entries, and filmmakers are responsible for putting together a team, cast and crew (producers, directors, cinematographers, writers, etc..), as well as securing equipment, locations, and costumes. Each team needs to be represented by a Producer. The challenge sets no limits on age or budget and welcomes all filmmakers.

Films can be submitted by individuals and groups but those wishing to participate must register with the competition by October 3rd, 2014.

When submitting their entires, participants are asked to nominate two of the following themes for their film:

Sci-romance – love between aliens, robots and more! (Can be happy, sad, tragic)

Sci-comedy – sci-fi that is humorous in nature. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a good example of sci-fi comedy

Save the Environment: a theme focuses on saving the dying planet and/or ecosystem

Zombie / disease: a theme focuses on the effect of a disease in the future

Apocalyptic / post-apocalyptic sci-fi: stories about the extinction or near extinction of humankind either by forces of nature or by our own means. Post- focuses on telling the tale of the survivors of an apocalypse

Spy-fy: Science fiction about futuristic spies and espionage, and the effects of technological advancement on their professions

Super hero: stories related to super heroes who get their powers from technology or because they are from another world. Often focuses on futuristic superheroes

Robots / AI – fiction in which the science of Artificial Intelligence and robotics is a central theme, typically relating to Robot stories

First contact / alien: the various scenarios in which humanity makes contact with other civilizations

Social sci-fi: – fiction in which future societies are extrapolated, explained and often criticised, usually for the purpose of social satire. The social sciences are the over-riding theme in this type of fiction; however, science and technology will usually play a central role in the structure of the extrapolated society.

Prior to Kick Off of the competition on Friday, 3rd October 2014 at 7 pm (19:00) local time in each participating city and town , the organisers will then e-mail each entrant with one (1) of their nominated subjects/topics. The entrants then have 30 days in which to make and edit their film. All films must be uploaded to YouTube (and set to Private) no later than midnight local time in each participating city and town on Sunday November 2nd November 2014. An e-mail with the YouTube link should be sent to info@scifilmfestival.com as notification of the film’s completion.

Above: Tutsy Navarathna’s “The Residents“, overall winner in the machinima category of the 2013 Project Sci-Fi challenge

The total prize list for the competition comprises (all in Australian dollars):

SciFi Best Film $2000

Project SciFi Runner Up Film $1000

Project SciFi Best Performance – $500

Project SciFi Best Cinematographers – $500

Project SciFi Best Special Effects – $500

Project SciFi Best Production Design/Art Direction – $500

Project SciFi Best Machinima Film – $300

Runner up Machinima Category – $200

In addition, the UWA has determined that machinima makers wishing to enter the same film to both this challenge and the UWA’s Transcending Borders Machinima Challenge may do so, providing the theme requires of both challenges are met in the same film.

Judging will be by a panel of selected jurors, and a special awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, November 16th 2014 at the RiversIde Theatres, Parramatta, commencing at 18:30 local time, as a part of the Parramatta Sci-fi Film Festival.

For further information, please refer to the links below.

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