Topic: BiM Celebration Animation Contest
Create a 30-second film and be included on the first Bricks in Motion DVD/Blu-ray film collection.
We are currently in pre-production for a feature-length documentary about brickfilmers that will include appearances from Dylan Woodley (NXTManiac), Chris Boyer (SlothPaladin), James Morr (Spastikchuwawa), Brotherhood Workshop, Jay Silver, and more. The film will be directed by Philip Heinrich (Sméagol on BiM) and produced by Nathan Wells, Doug Vandegrift, Zach Macias, and others.
In order to raise production funds for the documentary, we will be producing a new Bricks in Motion DVD featuring a variety of classic films, with new director commentaries, as well as new films! The DVD will be available for pre-order in September.
As part of this DVD, we want to highlight YOUR work. Every qualifying entry to this contest will be included on the DVD as part of a 'Celebration animation contest' showcase.
The theme of this contest is 'Celebration.'
The documentary we are making is a celebration of this hobby and the people involved in it. You may interpret the theme however you like. People who surprise us with entertaining, outside-the-box interpretations will be rewarded in the judging process.
All entries must be primarily composed of stop-motion animation. 3D, Flash, or other animation techniques may be used to in addition to stop-motion as long as the finished product is at least roughly 70% stop-motion animation.
Entries should use LEGO or similar building toys as primary elements.
Films must not contain adult language, excessive violence (blood and gore) or sexual themes. We reserve the right to disqualify entries (excluding them from the DVD) for objectionable content.
Entries must be exactly 30 seconds in length, including any titles and credits. Entries that are longer or shorter than this are not permitted.
Submitted films must be new films, created specifically for this competition.
Entrants may only submit one entry per person.
Films may not be posted publicly until after the contest deadline has passed.
Entries must contain only images, sounds, music, and story material which you have the rights to distribute -- no copyrighted content to which you do not have the rights may be used. No trademarked properties which might be confused with commercial enterprises may be used. This means you can not use storylines based on characters from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, or other trademarked series. You cannot base your work on copyrighted material; however, old works that are now in the public domain are acceptable source material. All material included in films submitted must be original, or content that you have expressed permission to use. If you use content that is not your own, you must be able to provide proof that you have received permission to include it in your film.
All entries must be fully submitted by noon, UTC time, on Saturday, September 6.
Please note that for much of the world, this will be early in the morning. It is advisable to submit as far in advance as you can, in order to leave time for any troubleshooting with your submission.
Entries may be submitted at any time before the deadline, though they cannot be publicly shared until after the deadline has passed.
To submit your film, send a link to your entry to our BiM Celebration forum account by private message and email the release form to [email protected].
Our preferred method of submission is unlisted YouTube links. If you do not have a YouTube account, we also accept password-protected Vimeo uploads and downloadable links.
All submissions must include a copy of the release form to be included on the DVD, in addition to the submission itself. This will consist of a form that you print, fill out, and scan, then send back to us at the email address listed in the release form. If you are under 18, please include a signature from a parent or legal guardian in addition to your own.
Please email a copy of your release form to [email protected] when you submit your film.
There will be three winners and three prize options. 1st place will receive first choice, 2nd place will receive 2nd choice, and 3rd place will receive the remaining prize. The three contest winners will also receive copies of the DVD.
Blue Snowball Microphone
The Blue Snowball is a high quality and versatile microphone, suitable for voiceover work, sound effects recording, or even recording instruments for music. Its built-in USB-ready capability makes it an excellent choice for brickfilmers because the built in processing means that it will produce high quality recordings regardless of the specifications of your computer's sound card. The Snowball works on both Mac and PC.
LEGO Bricks & More Builders of Tomorrow Set 6177
This collection of bricks is a useful addition to any brickfilmer's collection. Having a larger collection of bricks is great when it comes time to build sets for your film. The set includes 650 pieces in various colors.
LEGO Creator Treehouse Set 31010
A three-in-one model that includes a treehouse as well as two alternate house designs, this set has a variety of useful pieces in addition to serving as a set which would be at home in many brickfilming projects.
In addition to these prizes, all contest entrants' entries (barring disqualification due to rule violations) will be included on the Bricks In Motion Collection DVD. This DVD will be made available for pre-order next month as part of a funding campaign for the upcoming Bricks In Motion documentary. Due to costs, entrants will not receive a copy of the DVD unless they pre-order, but having your film on the DVD will allow it to be seen by a new, larger audience. We intend to make DVD pre-orders available at a reasonable cost.
Entries will be judged on criteria including originality, production values (animation, set design, cinematography, sound, etc.), and story. We encourage creative approaches to the theme. Surprise us! But like in a good way, though.
Judges currently include BiM members Sméagol (Unrenewable, Cashman), MindGame (The Profession, Stranger than Fishin'), Nathan Wells (Beast, Unsound), and Vandy (America: Outlawed, Pirates). We'll announce more details on this as they are solidified.
FAQ
Q: The rules say to print and scan your release form. What if I don't have a scanner?
A: If you don't have a scanner, there are free apps that allow smartphones to scan documents, such as CamScanner for iOS and Android.
Q: Can I make and submit more than one entry?
A: Because all qualifying entries will be included on the BiM collection DVD, we must limit entry to one film per person.
Q: Can you include a link to my YouTube channel or website on the DVD?
A: You may include the URL to your channel or website in the credits of your film, as long as it is contained within the 30 seconds.
Q: When can we share our entries publicly?
A: You may share your entries publicly after the contest deadline has passed. Please refrain beforehand, because among other reasons we would like to avoid any question of people ripping off each others' ideas.
Q: How much will the DVD cost to pre-order?
A: We intend to offer a variety of options for the documentary crowdfunding campaign. The lowest priced tier to include the DVD will be at $25, and include other rewards as well for that price including a copy of the documentary and special thanks in the credits. For more information, visit this thread.
Q: Will the DVD be available after the pre-order period?
A: No, due to limited resources and the ongoing labor costs and time investment involved with making DVD available indefinitely. It is being created as an exclusive to raise funds for the Bricks In Motion documentary.
Q: When will pre-orders be available?
A: We intend to launch pre-orders via the documentary crowdfunding campaign on Saturday, September 6.
Q: Can entries be less than 30 seconds?
A: To avoid entries becoming exceedingly short, no. Entries should be 30 seconds in length. Using titles and/or credits to achieve this is a perfectly acceptable method.
If you have questions about the contest, feel free to post them in this thread! We look forward to seeing your entries.
Entries Received
DanW (password: bricksinmotion)
tenny1028
brickelodeon
Pritchard Studios
Gentry studios
funmiproductions
JonnDThunDer
twickabrick
LASF
MegaNova films
thefourmonkeys
somedudenamedmilan
Galen5055
sillypenta
Mickey
backyardlegos
PushOverProductions
Sonjira
StefanMuscat
Saminatorger
Brickcrazy
Greenshirt
jay
Indyception
jcharsch
AquaMorph
dewfilms
END films
Regan
Kizar
Tobias
Dyland
Chris_W
33 Entries received.
Definitely going to try and enter this.
