CALL FOR ENTRIES

Yeah, having your schoolwork posted on the fridge at home is cool. But having a video you made posted on the White House website and screened at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? We think that’s pretty cool, too. That’s why we’re super-excited to announce the
first-ever White House Student Film Festival: a video contest created just for K-12 students, and whose finalists will have their short films shown at the White House. Finalist videos may also be featured on the White House website, YouTube channel, and social media pages.
DOWNLOAD ENTRY GUIDE
Submit your Film

THE PRESIDENT HAS AN ASSIGNMENT FOR YOU

Our schools are more high-tech than ever. There are laptops in nearly every classroom. You can take an online course on Japanese -- and then video chat with a kid from Japan. You can learn about geometry through an app on your iPad. So, what does it all mean?
We’re looking for videos that highlight the power of technology in schools.
Your film should address at least one of the following themes:
  1. How you currently use technology in your classroom or school.
  2. The role technology will play in education in the future.
Here are some topics that you may want to consider as idea starters when deciding what your video could be.
How does technology help with: 
  • Personalized Learning 
  • Online Learning
  • Global Collaboration 
  • Student Creativity
  • Making and Tinkering 
  • Project Based Learning 
  • Critical Thinking
Consider showing the following in your video.
These are examples only:
  • The use of technology as a creation tool
  • The use of technology in new and innovative ways
  • The use of technology to access high quality online content and resources
  • Technology in schools
  • Open to students K-12
  • Films must be under 3 minutes
  • Submissions due January 29, 2014

Need Help?

Contact us with questions or comments.

Submit A Film (Individual or Group)

Are You In?

Submissions for the White House film festival will be accepted from November 25 through January 29, 2014. Videos must be uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo to be submitted. You and a parent/guardian must complete the form below and submit a link to your video.
Important Entry Requirements:
  • Open to U.S. students in grades K-12. All entries must be submitted by student’s parent or guardian. 
  • You must submit your Entry online during the Competition Period. Time and eligibility of Entry will be determined by The White House in its sole discretion.
  • You may not submit more than one Entry. 
  • Your Entry must have been created on or after November 25, 2013.
  • Your Entry must be three (3) minutes or less in length (including opening and/or closing credits).
  • Your Entry must not infringe any third party copyright or trademark, or violate the rights of any person or entity.  Make sure that you only use content in your Entry that you are authorized to use, including, without limitation, music, images, film clips, and other intellectual property.
  • Your Entry may not contain images or likenesses of any individuals who have not provided their authorization or whose parents or guardians have not provided, authorization if such individuals are under the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence. 
  • Entries must be appropriate for viewing by the general public; appropriateness will be determined by the White House in its sole discretion.

Student Film Festival Official Rules

DOWNLOAD ENTRY GUIDE
OPEN ONLY TO K-12 STUDENTS AND PARENT OR GUARDIAN.
By entering the “White House Student Film Festival” (“Competition”), entrants accept and agree to be bound by these Official Rules. Any violation of these rules may, at Sponsor’s discretion, result in disqualification. All decisions of the judges regarding this Competition are final and binding in all respects. (The White House is referred to in these rules as the “Sponsor”).
1. COMPETITION PERIOD. Competition begins 1:00 AM EDT November 25, 2013 and ends 11:59 PM EDT January 29th, 2014 (“COMPETITION PERIOD”). Online entries must be received by the end of the Competition Period.
2. ELIGIBILITY. The Competition is only open to students enrolled in grades K-12 in the United States and U.S. territories who are at least 18 years old as of the date of entry and the parent or legal guardian of a student below the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence.
3. HOW TO ENTER. In order to enter this Competition, entrants must upload their video onto YouTube or Vimeo. Entrants must read and agree to all rules and regulations, submit the online entry form online, and submit a link to their video on the White House website.

Entries must address at least one of the following themes:
(1.) How you currently use technology in your classroom or school OR
(2.) The role technology will play in education in the future.
The entry must:
(a.) include the title of an original video,
(b.) the filmmaker’s name,
(c.) have been created on or after November 25, 2013,
(d.) be three (3) minutes or less in length, including opening and/or closing credits,
(e.) only use authorized content, including, without limitation, music, images,film clips, and other intellectual property,
(f.) only contain images or likenesses of any individuals who have provided their authorization or whose parents or guardians have provided authorization if such individuals are under the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence,
(g.) be appropriate for viewing by the general public (appropriateness will be determined by the White House in its sole discretion),
(h.) be originally authored or the entrant must have written permission to use copyright protected material. All text, images, videos, and other content and materials submitted by entrants, including without limitation, the items described in subsections (a) – (h) above, shall be referred to hereafter as the “Submission.”
Entrant represents and warrants that Submission is the original work of entrant, it has not been copied from others, and it does not violate the rights of any other person or entity. Entrant further represents and warrants that Submission adheres to the fundamental spirit of the Competition and does not contain any defamatory, obscene, or otherwise unlawful matter.
If selected as potential finalists, entrants shall be required to complete a release confirming the consent, release and grant of rights set forth in Section 6 and provide such information as may be required for with The White House to conduct a background check (no personally identifiable information, including names or social security numbers of entrants, will be collected or maintained by the U.S. Department of Education). The Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entry at its sole discretion.
4. FINALIST SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION. There will be two rounds of judging. A panel of judges consisting of White House staff will conduct the preliminary and final review and select films that will be presented at the Film Festival at the White House. In the preliminary and final rounds, judges will review and score the Submissions according to the following criteria:
(1.) Creativity in expression of the theme,
(2.) Originality of the Submission, and
(3.) Technical Quality of the final video product.
Second round contestants will be notified via email. If any such entrant: (i) cannot be contacted; (ii) does not respond within five (5) days from the date the Sponsor first tries to notify her/him; (iii) fails to return all releases and other requested documents; such entrant forfeits and an alternate will be selected. The White House in its sole discretion will select finalists for exhibition at the White House Film Festival.
5. PRIZE DESCRIPTION. Finalists will have their short films shown at the White House. Finalists have an opportunity to be invited to attend the screening at the White House. Finalist videos may also be featured on the White House website, YouTube channel, Vimeo, and other social media pages. Finalists will be presented with a certificate celebrating their achievement.
6. OWNERSHIP AND LICENSE. Ownership in any Submission shall remain the property of the entrant, but entry into this Competition constitutes entrant’s irrevocable and perpetual permission and consent, without compensation, with or without attribution, that the Sponsor may use, reproduce, print, publish, transmit, distribute, sell, perform, adapt, enhance, or display such Submission, and the entrant’s name and/or likeness, for any purpose, including any and all media now in existence or hereinafter created, throughout the world, for the duration or the copyright in the Submission. Sponsor and/or others authorized by the Sponsor shall have the right to edit, adapt, and modify the Submission.
7. PARTICIPATING ENTITIES. This Competition is administered by The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20502.