The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is pleased to announce the 2017 Student Academy Awards competition. The program is open to all student filmmakers who have been enrolled as a full-time student in a degree-granting program at a U.S. college or university recognized. The mission of the contest is to recognize and honor student filmmakers who demonstrate excellence in the creation of motion pictures. By awarding the outstanding achievements, the Academy strives to support and inspire emerging filmmakers and to foster growth and education in the art and science of motion pictures. The winners of the award will get Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medal Awards which include cash grants of $5000, $3000 and $2000, respectively, and a trip to Los Angeles for SAA Week.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, comprised of 7,000+ accomplished men and women working in cinema. They recognize and uphold excellence in the motion picture arts and sciences, inspire imagination, and connect the world through the medium of motion pictures.
Eligibility:
To eligible the applicant must meet all the following criteria of the two categories:
- Domestic film school competition (for students enrolled in U.S.-based schools)
- The SAAs honor the single director or person most responsible for the creative production of the submission.
- The student filmmaker must have been enrolled as a full-time student in a degree-granting program at a U.S. college or university recognized by the SAA Executive Committee as indicated by the “Student Academy Awards School Eligibility” criteria at the time the submitted film was made.
- Entries must have been made in a teacher-student relationship within the curricular structure of the teaching institution.
- Entries must be identical in content and length to the version submitted to the student’s school for credit/final grading and may not be altered once submitted for Student Academy Award consideration. (Do not submit work in progress.)
- Entries submitted for the Academy Awards competition (regardless of the outcome) are not eligible for entry into any subsequent SAA competition.
- International film school competition (for students enrolled at schools outside the U.S.)There are two ways to become eligible:
CILECT schools
- The SAAs honor the single director or person most responsible for the creative production of the submission.
- Each CILECT member school (www.CILECT.org) is allowed to submit one film in each of the foreign categories: Foreign Narrative, Foreign Animation, and Foreign Documentary.
- The submitted filmmaker must have been enrolled as a full-time student in a non-U.S.-based college or university that is a current member of CILECT (The International Association of Film and Television Schools).
- Entries must have been made in a teacher-student relationship within the curricular structure of the teaching institution.
Film festivals
- The SAAs honor the single director or person most responsible for the creative production of the submission. Eligible students enrolled at non-U.S. based colleges or universities (regardless of membership in CILECT) can submit one film to the Student Academy Awards if that film meets all other eligibility criteria and has been selected for screening in competition at three film festivals recognized by the SAAs (see SAA Qualifying Festivals List) over the last two years. Films must be in competition, not just screening at the festival. Proof of “in competition” status must be provided, ideally through links to festival pages highlighting the film’s “in competition” status
- The student filmmaker must have been enrolled as a full-time student in a degree-granting or professional credential program at a college or university based outside the U.S. and recognized by the SAA Executive Committee as indicated by the “International Student Academy Awards School Eligibility” criteria at the time the submitted film was made.
- Entries must have been made in a teacher-student relationship within the curricular structure of the teaching institution.
How to Apply:
To apply for the contest, the candidates can follow the given link: http://www.oscars.org/saa/apply
Supporting Documents:
Entries must be submitted to the SAA no later than one year from the date of graduation.
- No entry may be longer than 40 minutes including opening and closing credits.
- All entries submitted must be in English, subtitled in English, or dubbed in English.
- A film can only be submitted to the SAAs once. Making changes to the film, even significant changes does not make the film eligible again.
- Submitted films (including still images, poster images, or similar graphics) must not contain mention of any accolades received, such as festival laurels, or awards won.
- Entries must be submitted online through the designated SAA submission portal on or before the close of business on the last day of the above-defined Eligibility Period.
- Advertising films, promotional films, and films made as works for hire are not eligible.
- Entries must be motion picture works that have been completed and submitted to the student’s school for final credit/grading between June 2, 2016, and June 1, 2017 (Eligibility Period).
Financial Aid and Award Money:
- Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medal Awards (which include cash grants of $5000, $3000 and $2000, respectively, and a trip to Los Angeles for SAA Week) may be given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in recognition of outstanding achievements in student filmmaking in each of five domestic and international film school categories: Narrative, Animation, Alternative, Documentary, and Narrative (International Film Schools).
- Gold medals may be given in two international film school categories: Animation (International Film Schools) and Documentary (International Film Schools).
Application Deadline:
The deadline for the 2017 competition is June 1, 2017.
Link for More Information:
Contact Information:
If you have any questions, contact Shawn Guthrie or Hector Garcia in the Student Academy Awards office at 310-247-3031 or sguthrie-at-oscars.org.
