Guidelines for Participating in Christian Film & Media Production:

In this event, participants produce a LIVE ACTION FILM using appropriate costumes and props, an ANIMATED FILM using such techniques as stop-motion, clay-mation, or computer animation using voice overs by the event participants, or a DOCUMENTARY STYLE FILM based on the current LTC Theme.

• There are three grade categories for Christian Film and Media Production: Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, and Grades 9-12. A production may include participants from more than one grade category, however, the production will be judged in the category of the oldest participant.
• An older participant may choose to serve as the director, camera person, or technician in a younger grade category. The older participant may not perform in the production unless they are used as an additional EXTRA. They will not receive credit nor awards for their participation.
• No more than 20 participants may work on the production.
• CHRISTIAN FILM productions must adhere to a Biblical concept and must clearly represent the current LTCSW THEME.
• The production can be a RE-CREATION of a Bible story that illustrates the current LTC theme, a MODERN APPLICATION, or a COMBINATION of both. The production can be modern or futuristic. We are looking for productions that express Christian values and ideas in a film. This includes ANIMATION and DOCUMENTARIES. (DOCUMENTARIES ARE MORE SUITED FOR A SMALLER GROUP.)
• Most film genres are acceptable including, HORROR, MUSICAL, ARTISTIC, SCI FI, FANTASY, PARODY, and DOCUMENTARY, so long as they respect the moral standards of LTCSW and have a respect for the Christian values that LTC expects.
• A PARTICIPANT MAY NOT RECEIVE MORE THAN ONE AWARD IN THE CHRISTIAN FILM & MEDIA PRODUCTION CATEGORIES. For instance, if a participant helps with a group doing an animation and then acts in a live action, they must choose which group to be with which to be recognized. A single participant cannot receive medals in both.
• Participants may receive outside assistance in the following areas: script writing, set construction, costumes, make-up, lighting, directing, and filming and editing. Outside assistance is defined as an adult or other person who is not a participant. However,
  participants must help with the process. Anything that has to do with the production must have participation by the participants.
• The MAXIMUM LENGTH of the Christian Film is to be TEN (10) MINUTES. A production exceeding ten minutes will be penalized five points. The introduction and credits count toward the total length of the film.
• All materials that are submitted for judging become the property of LTCSW. It is under stood that LTCSW reserves the right to use these materials for promotion, instruction, or any other manner deemed appropriate by the LTCSW Board of Directors.
• SOME FILMS MAY NEED THE USE OF CAMEO PARTS TO TELL THE STORY THIS COULD INCLUDE EXTRA PARTS FOR A DOCUMENTARY, OR BACKGROUND ACTORS IN A CROWD SCENE. THIS IS ACCEPTABLE BUT MUST BE DOCUMENTED ON A SEPARATE SHEET. EXTRAS OR CAMEOS SHOULD BE KEPT TO A MINIMUM AND SHOULD NOT BE A KEY PART OF THE PRODUCTION. DOCUMENTARIES ARE THE EXCEPTION. SEE DOCUMENTARY RULES BELOW. EXTRAS WILL NOT GET CREDIT FOR THE PRODUCTION AND WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY AWARDS. THEY SHOULD NOT BE ADDED IN THE CREDITS OF THE FILM.
• This production can be a period bible story or modernized adaptation as long as it adheres to the LTC theme. All submissions must include a detailed film script and other documentation specified by the rules.

Guidelines for Pre-Production

• Participants will select an appropriate story which illustrates the current LTCSW Theme.
• Create an ORIGINAL script. See below for script requirements.
• ORGANIZE ALL REQUIRED PROPS, MATERIALS AND TOOLS FOR FILMING:
  1. If LIVE ACTION, create costumes, sets, props, and find participant actors appropriate for their film.
  2. If ANIMATION, cast all voice-overs actors, prepare sound effects and find appropriate characters for their film.
  3. If DOCUMENTARY, organize a shooting timeline based on the theme and message that the documentary is attempting to express. Arrange for interviews and supporting content relative to the documentary.

Guidelines for Filming

• Participants can be done on smart phones, tablets, or any digital format camera suitable for full-motion video.
• It is very important to pay attention to lighting, sound, and cinematography technique. Lighting will directly impact the quality of the image or film you are producing as well as contributing to the mood of the film you are shooting. Light your set appropriately.
• Sound is the most commonly overlooked aspect of the filming process. Avoid filming in noisy environments or locations with too much echo. Most cellphone tablets and cameras have microphone jack that will allow the use of a external microphone which will greatly improve the audio quality. A more technical alternative would be to record voice-overs during editing, but is not required or recommended by beginning film groups.
• Cinematography or the motion of the camera is very important. We encourage the use of a tripod to hold the camera steady during filming. However, there may be cases where a more hand held feel is appropriate. It depends on what mood the film makers want for their story.

Guidelines for Editing

• Editing is where the magic of film making begins. It is an essential part of the film process. It is where you put the best parts of your film together to make a great product. Editing is also called POST PRODUCTION.
• Editing can be done on the smart phone, tablet, or imported and edited on a computer. There are free or low-cost options available online to help in the editing process. For example: Windows users may choose to use Movie Maker while iMovie is a powerful and free alternative for Apple users.
• Once film clips are trimmed, cut, and assembled, and your movie flows properly, then it is time to add sound effects, music, and voice-overs, if needed. Sound effects add to the realism of the film. For example: footsteps, animal noises, or the sound of a big city–these sounds may not be picked up during filming but can be added during the editing process.
• Music sets the mood of the film. Action suspense or intense sadness can be expressed through music. Although it is not required to have music in your film, it is highly encouraged because it enhances the film.
• NOTE: COPYRIGHTED MUSIC, SOUND EFFECTS, AND OTHER DIGITAL CONTENT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER. But, never fear, there are plenty of places to obtain Royalty-free stock music sound effects and backgrounds. For example: https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music is a great place to find sound effects and music for all genres and styles. Pay attention to the terms used when selecting your radio files. You may be required to credit the creator of these files in your film production. *MORE INFORMATION about copyright issues are given below under the guidelines for scripts.

Guidelines for Mastering

• Once you have edited the production, it is time to create the master copy of the film. This is where you choose the final quality options before exporting your movie. For Example: You maybe given the option to choose resolution or sound quality. In most cases it is best to use the highest quality setting, usually referred to as HD quality. This is usually a maximum of 1920×1080 in resolution. Although, it is not required to be filmed in HD.

Guidelines for Scripts

• SCRIPTS MUST BE ORIGINAL! PLAGIARISM WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!
• PARODIES ARE AN ACCEPTABLE FORM, ALTHOUGH, PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE RULES FOR COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL SUCH AS MUSIC AND WRITTEN MATERIAL.
• ALTHOUGH ADULT COORDINATORS CAN HELP WITH THE SCRIPT WRITING PROCESS, PARTICIPANTS MUST TAKE PART IN THE CREATION OF THE SCRIPT.
• Scripts should be an original movie script, formatted in PDF with a title page that includes:
  1. Title
  2. Name of congregation
  3. Grade Category and Team number
  4. **NOTE: IF DOING A DOCUMENTARY A WRITTEN TIMELINE OF THE FILMING PROCESS MUST BE INCLUDED AND WILL BE JUDGED AS PART OF THE SCRIPT.
  5. Any Scripture references
  6. SCRIPTS SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE a list OF ANY EXTRAS OR CAMEOS USED IN FILM.

• MUSIC AND DIGITAL COPYRIGHT LAWS WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED!
  1. ALL MUSIC MUST BE ORIGINAL OR HAVE WRITTEN PERMISSION BY THE OWNER TO USE.
  2. ALL NARRATIVE (SCRIPT) NOT CREATED BY THE LTC PARTICIPANTS MUST BE HAVE WRITTEN PERMISSION BY THE OWNER TO USE.
  3. ALL DIGITAL CREATIONS INCLUDING CGI EFFECTS, BACKGROUNDS AND SOUND EFFECTS MUST BE ORIGINAL, OR HAVE WRITTEN PERMISSION TO USE.
  4. THERE ARE ROYALTY FREE MUSIC, SOUND EFFECTS, AND BACKGROUNDS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET. YOU MUST PAY ATTENTION TO THE TERMS OF THESE WEBSITES.

Guidelines for Documentaries

• DOCUMENTARIES are a different genre of film and have a few different rules.
  1. If a documentary showcases a group event, then a LTCSW participant must do the interviewing and be on the screen. No voice-overs.
  2. If a documentary showcases a person that is not an LTCSW participant, then that person must be accompanied on screen by an active participant. For example: The interviewer must be a participant and do all interviewing face to face on camera.
  3. The documentary script must include a timeline and written description of the event or person that is being documented. This will be judged as part of the script.

 

Judging Criteria:

Christian Film & Media Production videos will be evaluated by a panel of three judges.

• The video creation will be judged using a scale of 100-points.
  1. (40 points) SCRIPT:
     • (10 points) THEME: Is the LTCSW theme illustrated clearly?
     • (10 points) SCRIPTURAL ACCURACY: Does the story portray Biblical Scripture/ideas with integrity?
     • (10 points) STORY FLOW: Does the story flow easily between dialogue and action?
     • (10 points) CREATIVITY: Is the script original or a creative parody. FOR DOCUMENTARIES: Does the script portray the ideas set across for a documentary?
  2. (30 points) FILMING:
     • (10 points) LIGHTING: Is the lighting appropriate for the story? Is it too dark or too light for the story?
     • (10 points) SOUND: Does the sound work? Can you hear what the actors are saying? Are there unneeded outside sounds interrupting the filming or not appropriate for the story (i.e.: airplanes flying overhead during a period piece)?
     • (10 points) CINEMATOGRAPHY (Camera Work): Does the camera move around a lot? Is a tripod being used for stability? Are there inappropriate backgrounds being filmed in the shot (i.e.: is there a car in the background that doesn’t fit with the intended era?)
  3. (10 points) ACTING: Are the actors portraying the characters to make the story move forward? Are the characters being portrayed coming to life? Are the actors comfortable with their characters? Are their movements smooth and purposeful or fidgety and stiff? FOR DOCUMENTARIES: Is the interviewer producing a creative atmosphere for the one he is interviewing for the documentary?
  4. (15 points) PRODUCTION:
     • (5 points) COSTUMES: Are costumes authentic and appropriate for the time period being portrayed? Is the entire costume appropriate (i.e.: sandals instead of tennis shoes in a bible story)?
     • (5 points) SET DESIGN: Was there an attempt made to make the set look appropriate for the story line? Does it match the period the story takes place in?
     • (5 points) PROPS: Was an attempt made to use props appropriate to the setting? Are the props consistent (i.e. if one actor is using a prop, it would be inappropriate for the other actors to pantomime)?
  5. (5 points) OVERALL EFFECT & APPEAL: Does the overall production capture and keep the audience’s attention?
  6. Appropriately, certain penalty deductions will be assessed.
     • (-5 points) exceeding 10 minute maximum, including introduction & credits
     • (-5 points) improper documentation
     • (-10 points) PLAGIARISM
• An award rating will be assigned based on the point average among the three judges.
• As a general rule, awards will be assigned accordingly: GOLD, 95-100 points; SILVER, 85-94 points; BRONZE, 70-84 points; and NO AWARD, 0-69 points.
• The Event Director reserves the discretion to assign the final award.

 

Submission Protocol:

Completed Christian Film & Media projects must be submitted according to this protocol.

• Entries MUST be digitally submitted to the EVENT DIRECTOR on or before the Pre-Convention Events Submission deadline.
• ENTRIES are to be submitted in digital format only. Most HD file formats are acceptable. In other words, if the video plays on your smart phone, tablet, or computer media player it will be fine.
• If you have questions about the way to submit an entry, please contact the event director.
• Entries must include a team form with all participants’ information including the team number, names of participants, grade levels, and the congregation name.
• Entries must contain all documentation, including narrative, if applicable.
• Entries must contain a digital copy (.pdf) of the script, including a title page.
• The event director will confirm reception of the entry to the church coordinator.