The Common Ground Student Short Film Competition

Because one of our objectives is to encourage future media efforts that take a common ground approach, Search for Common Ground holds an annual student film competition which is open to film students in the U.S. and abroad. The films that are selected will be included in the Common Ground Film Festival in Washington DC and in the travelling Common Ground University Film Series.

Criteria for Selection
The films selected to be screened at the Common Ground Film Festival in Washington will:

• Be balanced in their portrayal of all sides of the conflict or issue
  
  
• Communicate shared human experiences and qualities
  
  
• Avoid stereotyping by focusing on individuals rather than representatives of a group
  
  
• Promote understanding of the issues and of the people involved
  
  
• Provide audiences with a broader context of the issues
  
  
• Be relevant to the important issues that people, communities, and countries face today
  
  
• Film submission deadline: July 15, 2005.

Eligibility Requirements

1. Work must be by students currently enrolled in a relevant university program (students graduating in May of the submission year are eligible).



2. Work may be completed on 16mm or 35mm film, digital video, or Betacam, but must be converted to VHS- NTSC or PAL for submission.



3. Films must be less than 30 minutes in length.



4. All works must be in English or subtitled in English.



5. All entries must be received by June 30, 2004.

Entrance Procedure

1. All work must be submitted for judging on ½" VHS, NTSC or PAL format only. *No Beta or U-Matic ¾".



2. Information required:
   • Film title, contact information of entrant, and length of film must be included on all video materials and containers.
   
   
   
   • Synopsis: short, typed description of the storyline.
   
   
   
   • Filmakers explanations on why this is a common ground film.
   
   
   
   • List of credits: previous screening information.
   
   
   
   • Tapes and material will not be returned.

Winners must submit the following:

1. Short bio of the director



2. Black & white photo of the director



3. Film still: a print that best represents the film, clearly labeled



4. Expanded synopsis of the film



5. Beta SP copy for screening

Shipping
Submissions should be shipped prepaid and properly packaged to Search for Common Ground:

Past Winners

The Anniversary Director: Ham Tran 2003 MFA Directing, UCLA School of Film and Television

A Second Opinion Producer, Dorector, Editor: Hadas Ragolsky 2003 MA, Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California in Berkely

Dance Can Do All That Director: Tania Trepanier 2002 MFA, University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television

Transparency Direstor: Osama Al-Zain 2002 MA, American University Film Studies

Namuamitabul Christmas Director: Kwan-Ho Park 2002 Film Student Dankook University, Korea

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