The Slick Rock Student Film Festival is a competition meant to challenge students to meet industry standards in the technical aspects of film production. Submissions may only be entered in one of the following categories.
HIGH SCHOOL CATEGORIES (grades 9-12)
Public Service Announcement (Suicide Prevention): A 2 minute PSA intended for Web delivery, public service television spots, and lectures at local, state, and national events. This category has special content that must be included and specific content that must be avoided for the safety and respect of the audience. A special prize package will be awarded for the top submission. See Scoring Guide for content details (submissions must not exceed 2 minutes).
General PSA: A public service announcement airs to benefit the general public, to improve the society we live in and frame the best hope for our lives today and our children’s lives tomorrow. Produce a film drawing attention to an important local issue. The film should address the general public and clearly answer two very important questions:
1. Why should I care about this issue?
2. What action would you have me do to support this issue?
See Scoring Guide (submissions must be 2 minutes or less).
STEP-UP Advertisement: Produce a 30-second spot that targets gang or violence prevention. It should be a positive ad that conveys the message that violence is never the answer. Ads should be a collaboration between the students and local agencies (school, city, or county) involved in anti-gang or anti-violence. Include the official Step Up logo and the Step Up website. The spot must show the consequences of one of the following behaviors: street gangs, drug abuse, violence at school, violence at home.
A special prize package will be awarded for the top submission. See the Scoring Guide for content details (submission must be 30 seconds).
Come Play Advertisement: Produce a 30-second spot that sells Tulare County as a travel destination. Entice viewers to experience the many wonders of Tulare County such as the Giant Sequoias, scenic mountain trails, numerous parks, museums, shopping and annual events. Include the official Tulare County tourism website, the official logo, and the official slogan "Come Play! Have an Adventure!" A special prize package will be awarded for the top submission. See the Scoring Guide for content details (submission must be 30 seconds).
General Advertisement: Create an advertisement for a local business. Ads should be the product of a collaboration between the students and business owner. Ads should be sensitive to the purpose and targeted to specific demographic. See the Scoring Guide (submission must be 30 seconds).
Documentary: Research and produce a documentary on an issue, topic, or person of importance to your community in general or sub groups of that community (skaters, AARP members, Teens, etc.). The documentary should strive to add value to the general discussion by bringing in new information, identifying unrecognized problems, providing or suggesting new solutions, or offering a unique perspective.
If the documentary is a biography, whether your subject is living or deceased, he or she should have a strong connection to the Central Valley, and the film should utilize student interviews with the subject, his or her friends and family, or those who have expert knowledge of him or her. If the individual is deceased, photos and/or video footage of that person along with testimonials and interviews from the subjects friends and family should be the backbone of the film. This is NOT a typical class biography report translated into a film; it must emphasize topics and people of local importance. See the Scoring Guide (submission must be 4 minutes or less).
Music Videos: In this category entrants will submit a music video based upon an original, student created song. The video will reflect the song's sensory, affective (emotional), and cognitive content (meaning). If the film inserts copyrighted images or copyrighted footage be mindful of obey copyright laws. Any unauthorized use of music or images will disqualify the film. See the Scoring Guide (submission must be 5 minutes or less).
Animation (2D or 3D): This category seeks to promote the technical field of 2D or 3D animation programs and honor our students' climb up the learning curve of such speciality programs. Films in this category must use a rendering program that creates a 3D world OR a computer application that creates a 2D world. Though technical prowess holds scoring merit, judging weight will side with the story. Cool effects will not overshadow a good story. Stop action films such as frame-by-frame dramas, claymation, lego-mation will NOT be accepted. See the Scoring Guide (submission must be 3 minutes or less).
5-Minute Comedy: Virtually all Hollywood blockbusters follow the same structure: character development, conflict, resolution. Students will mimic this structure by creating a 5 minute Blockbuster which includes these elements to tell a story. See the Scoring Guide (submission must be 5 minutes or less).
5-Minute Action/Drama Blockbuster: Virtually all Hollywood blockbusters follow the same structure: character development, conflict, resolution. Students will mimic this structure by creating a 5 minute Blockbuster which includes these elements to tell a story. See the Scoring Guide (submission must be 5 minutes or less).
Foreign Film: This category is intended to allow students who are learning a foreign language the opportunity to explore their new tongue in a creative, expressive way. The category is NOT designed for foreign-exchange students or students whose native tongue is not English. The film should tell a compelling story using a foreign language. Entries will initially be screened by foreign language experts for correct usage, grammar, accent, and syntax. Entries must be sub-titled in English and contain enough dialogue to demonstrate a command of the foreign language. See the Scoring Guide (submission must be 5 minutes or less).
MIDDLE SCHOOL CATEGORIES (grades 6-8)
Advertisement: Create an advertisement for a local business. Videos should be the product of a collaboration between the students and business owner. Ads should be sensitive to the purpose and targeted to specific demographic. See the Scoring Guide (submission must be 30 seconds).
Public Service Announcement: A public service announcement airs to benefit the general public, to improve the society we live in and frame the best hope for our lives today and our children’s lives tomorrow. Produce a film drawing attention to an important local issue. The film should address the general public and clearly answer two very important questions:
1. Why should I care about this issue?
2. What action would you have me do to support this issue?
See Scoring Guide (submissions must be 2 minutes or less).
Documentary: Research and produce a documentary on an issue, topic, or person of importance to your community in general or sub groups of that community (skaters, AARP members, Teens, etc.). The documentary should strive to add value to the general discussion by bringing in new information, identifying unrecognized problems, identifying unique solutions, or offering a unique perspective.
If the documentary is a biography, whether your subject is living or deceased, he or she should have a strong connection to the Central Valley, and the film should utilize student interviews with the subject, his or her friends and family, or those who have expert knowledge of him or her. This is NOT a typical class biography report translated into a film; it must emphasize topics and people of local importance. See the Scoring Guide (submission must be 4 minutes or less).
5-Minute Action/Comedy/Drama Blockbuster: Virtually all Hollywood blockbusters follow the same structure: character development, conflict, resolution. Students will mimic this structure by creating a 5 minute Blockbuster which includes these elements to tell a story. See the Scoring Guide (submission must be 5 minutes or less).
