2019 THEME
This year's theme has been chosen to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing,
​the televisation of which the Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station just south of Canberra, had a lot to do with:
"A Small Step"
This can be interpreted in any way you wish, so get your creative thinking caps on and start dreaming up some great stories for the 2019 festival!
2019 DATES
THEME ANNOUNCEMENT: Late Nov/Early Dec 2018 Online and via newsletter
ITEMS ANNOUNCEMENT: Friday 22nd Feb, 5.45 for 6pm, Location TBA
FILMMAKING: Friday 22nd Feb - Monday 4th March
FILM DEADLINE: Monday 4th March, 6pm, Submission via online entry form only
GALA SCREENING & AWARDS: Friday 8th March, 7pm for 8pm start, Old Parliament House Senate Rose Gardens
ENCORE SCREENING & People's Choice Award: TBC
The 2018 Festival was huge! 36 films made in 10 days, the Top Twelve was received really well by the audience of thousands and now we have the People's Choice voting leading up to the Encore Screening. A brilliant animation called 'Puddles' took home Best Film and a bird called Buddy took home everyone's hearts. Fabulous films, fabulous filmmakers and fabulous fun.

INFORMATION FOR FILMMAKERS

  • Important Dates
  • Prizes
  • Items
  • Rules
  • Festival History
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ITEMS ANNOUNCEMENT
Friday 22nd Feb, 5.45pm for 6pm, Location TBA
The list of 10 items to be included in your film for points will be announced. 

FILMMAKING
Friday 22nd Feb to Monday 4th March, All over Canberra
Teams make their films.

FILM DEADLINE
Monday 4th March, 6pm, Online Submission Only
Films must be completed and submitted via the website before 6pm.

TOP TWELVE ANNOUNCEMENT
Wednesday 6th March, by 5pm
We announce the films screening in competition via email

GALA SCREENING & AWARDS
Friday 8th March, 7pm for 8pm, Senate Rose Gardens, Old Parliament House
Entry is free, Ages 15+ (under 15s with an adult), Bring your own chair
In case of inclement weather, the event will be cancelled and screening will be at the Encore Screening time and place.

ENCORE SCREENING
Date and Location TBA
Entry is free, Ages 15+ (Under 15s with an adult), Announcement of the People's Choice Award Winner.
Sponsor
Award
Prize
.
Best Film (most points overall)
$600 cash 
.
Best Use of Theme
$300 cash
​EoR Media.
Best Student Film (most points Student Team)
$300 cash
.
Best under 18s Film
$300 cash
.
Best Use of an  Item
​$300 cash
.
Best Director
$300 cash
.
Best Sound Design
$300 cash
.
Best Original Music
​$300 cash
.
Female Filmmaker Award
$300 cash + Mentoring Session
.
Best Performance
$300 cash
.
Most Memorable Performance
$300 cash
​.
Best Cinematography
$300 cash
Hot Dogma Script Consultancy
Best Screenplay
$300 cash
.
Best Editing
​$300 cash
EoR Media
Best Art Direction
$300 cash
.
Best  Animation or Visual Effects
$300 cash
.
People's Choice Award
​Prize Pack.
Prizes are awarded by the judging panel and will be announced after the screening of the Top Twelve films. Each prize is noted below and includes a Clapper Board Trophy.

The People's Choice Award is voted by the audience online in the week following the festival and announced at the Encore Screening.

​Click out the Festival History Tab above for previous winners.
In 2008 the Top Twelve were made available for viewing on the ABC website after the festival where they are still available to view.
You can also view a number of previous Top Twelve films via our YouTube Page.
THE 2019 ITEMS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT 6PM, FRI 22ND FEB 2019 AT THE ITEM ANNOUNCEMENT EVENT. THEY WILL BE LISTED ONLINE BEFORE 12PM ON SAT 23RD FEB.

​TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT TO EXPECT, BELOW ARE THE 2018 ITEMS.

The 2018 Items were:
  1. The old Train Tracks at the Kingston Foreshore
  2. A poem (can be written down or performed)
  3. 'Fire and Water' sculpture by Judy Watson at Reconciliation Place. This sculpture has sound which can be used as the item
  4. Graffiti/Street Art (found not created unless you have permission)
  5. Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex at Tidbinbilla (additional rules apply)
  6. A sunset
  7. 'Little Big Man' by Dean Bowen, Petrie Plaza Civic
  8. A Dendy popcorn box
  9. A pet
  10. A smile
Picture
THE 2018 ITEMS
ITEM SPECIFIC RULES
  • ​Unless specified otherwise, the items MUST BE SEEN for the points to be awarded.
  • Only FIVE can appear in photos, the rest must be included in the film as actual items/locations.
  • A character MUST interact with at least ONE item.
  • Don't forget safety comes first, don't disrupt the public *too* much and don't do anything illegal!​

RULES

  • Films must be shot within the 11 'filmmaking' days (archival footage excepted). Preparation for shooting may be done outside of those days.​​
  • A character MUST interact with at least ONE ITEM in the film
  • A maximum of five items can be included via still-image/photographs. The rest must be actual items/props in the scene or locations for scenes. The only exclusion is animation - if a film is entirely animated, they can include all items as visual representation
  • Films must be a maximum of 7 minutes long, including credits
  • Unless an item is specifically noted as being an audio item, the item must be seen or visually represented. Drawings, photos and other visual representations are acceptable (up to the maximum of five representations)
  • To be eligible for the student entry price and prize ALL Producers AND Directors must be full time students - either primary, secondary or tertiary and currently undertaking a full time study load. Photocopies/sighting of students cards will be required
  • To be eligible for the Under 18s Prize, ALL Producers AND Directors must be under 18. ID will need to be sighted by the LCA team
  • You must have copyright clearance for the music, script and any other element in your film. We cannot accept a film that does not have these clearances
  • In regard to animation - you may prepare before the filmmaking days ie. do preparatory drawings, write scripts, draw/paint/prepare backgrounds etc before the filmmaking days - but all 'animation' (the actual putting together of the movement in a computer program or any shooting of stop-motion) must be done in the filmmaking days
  • Please keep in mind the open nature of the award screening when making your films and keep violence, language and drug use etc to below an (M) level. See www.classification.gov.au for details on the (M) classification
  • Mistreatment of animals will not be tolerated.​

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

You need to submit:​
  • A HD version uploaded to YouTube/Vimeo which will be your judging and screening copy
The screening copy should be high quality, high resolution data file, H.264 or ProRes,  1920x1080 pixels, .mov or .mp4 files are preferred.

ONLINE JUDGING AND SCREENING SUBMISSION

Submission MUST be made via YouTube/vimeo link. You will include the link in your submission form, to be filled out online. The link MUST be available for viewing from 6pm on the submission Monday - so you will have to allow enough time to upload your video. Technical difficulties will not be taken into account, the deadline MUST be adhered to. Please don't distribute your link until after our Gala Screening - we want everyone to come to the festival and see the film on the big screen!

SCORING

Points will be awarded for including the specified items in the films, and you will have to seek them out – Scavenger Hunt style. You can include the items anyway you like, your character can walk past one, or you can set a scene at a location, whatever fits your story best.  Be playful and creative! We want to see Canberra in new and interesting ways.  You receive 10 points for each item visible in your film.  You also receive the following points for the technical elements of your film. These are awarded by a Judging Panel:
Filmmaking Element
​Description
Points
Screenplay/Writing
Original and creative story and plot, good dialogue and believable characters.
Up to 20
Acting/Performance
Believable and memorable acting/interviewees in documentaries
Up to 20
Directing
How the whole piece fits together - all the elements working cohesively to realise the script to its full potential visually, aurally & emotionally.
Up to 20
Editing
Editing that supports the style of the film and enhances the story and emotion.
​Up to 20
Cinematography
The quality of the camera work, lighting and shot design.
Up to 20
Sound Design
The recording and mixing of location recordings, music and sound effects and creative use of sound.
​Up to 20
Music
How well the music is used to fit the tone & emotion of the film. If there is no music, points will be given if that choice works in favour of the film.
​Up to 20
Art Direction
Creative use or creation of props, locations, set dressing and costuming.
Up to 20
Enjoyment
How enjoyable the film is, regardless of genre. Enjoyable means good to watch, not boring, the right length for the story - the x-factor. Do they like it.
​Up to 20
Use of Theme
How the film relates to and creatively utilises the theme
​Up to 20
  • The Top Twelve films by the points are then screened to an audience and prizes in each of the technical categories are awarded as well as Best Film, Best Student Film and Best Use of an Item.​
  • The People's Favourite Film is voted online the week after the festival and announced at the encore screening.
  • Female Filmmaker Award is given to an outstanding female in a behind the camera role and is decided by the Judging Panel.

JUDGES

We select a diverse panel of filmmakers, critics and people who have general film interests. The panel changes each year. The 2018 Judging panel were:
Annette Hurda: Documentary Filmmaker
Janine Jeffreys: Filmmaker and Production Designer
Jim Adamik: Actor
Luke McWilliams: Film Reviewer for Canberra Weekly & The Movie Club on ArtSound FM 92.7

Screening

Top Twelve Gala Screening and Awards
Friday 8th March, 2019, 7 for 8pm start
Old Parliament House Rose Gardens

Bring your chair or picnic blanket and watch the Top Twelve films under the stars in the gorgeous Senate Rose Gardens at Old Parliament House. You can also check out other events at the Enlighten Festival occurring in the Parliamentary Triangle or just enjoy the films and music at LCA.
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Contact Us

General Enquiries: 13 22 81
Festival Director: Marisa Martin
Filmmaker Enquiries: 0422 524 351
Email: lightscanberraaction@eormedia.com.au

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To keep up to date with all the festival news for filmmakers, subscribe to the Festival Newsletter that comes out during the festival.

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