The SYMBIOSIS Film Competition challenges 6 teams, each working in a scientist-filmmaker pair, to create a short film in just 1 week.
Participants will have 8 days to write, shoot, edit, and score their films. They are asked to follow the guidelines below or else they will not be eligible for the award.
All creative work must take place within the "1-Week Time Period".
Any work created in advance of the competition period is prohibited. This includes scriptwriting, shooting, costume and set design, and use of preexisting footage. Specific requests should be forwarded to us at symbiosis@imaginesciencefilms.org.
Participants are allowed to announce their involvement in late September. Note that participants are only paired during the festival. The only initial preparation allowed prior to the festival includes the following: securing equipment, finding possible crew/cast, and scouting/securing locations.
Each scientist-filmmaker pair will be given a $2,500 stipend. This can be used for cast/crew, equipment, location, and any other production-related costs. The stipend will be provided on the first day of production. Production costs cannot exceed this allotted stipend. Decisions on how to use these funds must be decided together as a team. We will request an itemized list of costs with receipts. Any money not spent should be returned. Any equipment items purchased must be returned to Imagine Science after the competition.
Both the scientist and filmmaker should work equally in all aspects of production and be engaged in the process together. They will be asked to talk about their collaboration several times. This will be a factor in choosing the winning film.
Participants must attend all three open key dates: Pre-festival Symbiosis Mixer (Oct 17), Lab Meeting & Reception (Oct 21), and Closing Night (Oct 25). A no show will automatically disqualify the participant from the final award. Certain exceptions are possible upon request.
Symbiosis production and process encourages its participants to experiment. Startle us, surprise us, amaze us! We particularly love films that defy categorization: not just inventive documentary and gripping scientific fiction but fictional documentaries, raw lab data aesthetics, thought-provoking experimental film, personal essay narratives, and innovative animation! We also provide a unique opportunity for sci-art collaboration: not only where scientists and filmmakers work together, but also scientists making their films and artists conducting their own scientific experiments. It's all very open-ended.
The entrant shall not distribute or advertise their film in any way during the competition period.
Films belong to the filmmaker/scientist and can be shared online after the competition. Imagine Science Films reserves the right to showcase the film on science video platform
LABOCINE after the competition.