FDCP, CHED, UniFAST Open Call Submission Entries CineIskool Short Film Lab

The forged partnership between the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) with Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and its attached agency, the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST), is holding a Call for Entries to the recently launched film project for beneficiaries of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act or Republic Act 10931.

CineIskool Short Film Lab and Festival is a visual showcase of diverse stories in the community that highlights the significance and benefit of free tertiary education. This project also aims to produce and exhibit films that will inspire the youth to take advantage of the different education assistance programs put together by the government for the youth’s empowerment.

The program consists of two components, a short film lab and a film festival. The short film lab program will choose 10 projects from a pool of applications that will each be given a grant worth PHP 125,000 to produce a 5-minute short film; PHP 100,000 for production costs and PHP 25,000 for safe filming protocols.

Each project will undergo online intensive film labs via Zoom, covering topics on Production Management, Story Development, Technical, Safe Filming, and Editing, mentored by award-winning filmmakers and producers in the industry. 

After undergoing the intensive labs, the 10 projects will be officially recognized through a film festival.

For more information and updates, follow @unifastofficial on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

CineIskool Short Film Lab and Festival Mechanics:

1. ELIGIBILITY

• The competition is open to all students who are currently enrolled and are beneficiaries of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act or RA 10931 programs.
• Submissions from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are encouraged.

2. GUIDELINES

• The competition is open to scriptwriter-director pairs with real stories to share with currently enrolled beneficiaries of quality tertiary education. (Applicants must present a School ID or Certification of Enrollment and Registration Card)
• The proponent and owner of the story must either be the scriptwriter or director of the team.
• The entries must be in documentary or narrative form. Animation and experimental films will not be accepted.
• The total running time (TRT) of the completed film output must not exceed five minutes, including the opening and closing credits of the film.
• The completed film output must have its premiere during the CineIskool Short Film Festival, to be held in 2022.
• The rights of the completed film output will belong to the proponent. However, FDCP and CHED-UNIFAST will reserve non-commercial rights to screen entries in various events and platforms.
• The team must send two of their members to all the required online film labs.
• The use of original literary sources, music materials and film footage must have proper clearance from their respective copyright owners before they can be used in the final output. The Festival organizers shall not be liable for any costs related to claims of performing rights organizations.
• By entering the Festival, the participants agree to abide by the Festival guidelines and rules.
• In case of any violation of the guidelines and rules, the organizers and the judging committee reserves the right to disqualify the participant and their film or remove them from the program.
• The organizers and the judging committee reserves the right to disqualify any participant and/or to forfeit any prize from a participant who is found to have committed plagiarism or has undertaken fraudulent practice and/or activities harmful to the Festival or the Festival submission process.
• FDCP reserves the right to create, revoke and modify at any time, in any way its entry requirements, rules and regulations at its absolute discretion without prior notice. Finalists and submitted entries shall be bound by any amendments or addition to the entry requirements, rules and regulations herewith.
• The decision of the selection committee is final and irrevocable. The organizers and the judging committee are not obliged to give explanations for the results.

3. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

The following requirements must be submitted online in an organized google drive folder with shared viewing settings.

1. DULY ACCOMPLISHED APPLICATION FORM with complete details (Complete name and contact details, Working Title, Synopsis, Director/Scriptwriter Intention’s Note, Concept and Financial Plan)
2. School ID or Certification of Enrolment and Registration Card as proof of being a beneficiary of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.
3. Online link to one (1) previously produced short film (if applicable). (Note: the online link must be set to private and the link and password must be uploaded via Vimeo or Google Drive).
4. Brief resume, HD profile photo, and a copy of a government-issued ID of the filmmaker.
5. Story concept (in PDF) and/or script if available.
6. AWARDS
7. Best Film – PHP 50,000.00
8. Special Jury Prize – PHP 30,000.00
9. Best Director – PHP 20,000.00

5. SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES

Entries may be emailed to filmlab.fdcp@gmail.com with subject heading: Application for CineIskool 2021