HIGHLIGHTS OF COMPETITION GUIDELINES:

• Open to Filipinos who have not written or co-written, directed or co-directed more than three films,
  documentaries or animated features.
  
• Three Categories:
  
• Feature Film Competition
  
• Full-Length Documentary
  
• Animated Short Film Competition
  
• Three Divisions in the Feature Film Competition and Full-Length Documentary Competition
  
• Luzon Division
  
• Visayas Division
  
• Mindanao Division
  
• National competition for animation
  
• Geographically oriented using language/dialect indigenous to setting
  
  
• Seed Grants to finalists to produce film as follows:
  
  • Feature Film Competition: P600,000 to each Division finalist
    (3 finalists per Division)
    
  • Full-Length Documentary: P300,000 to each Division finalist
    (1 finalist per Division)
    
  • Animated Short-Film Competition: P100,000 to best storyboard
    (3 finalists nationwide)
    
    
• Deadline for submission of screenplay is midnight of Dec 11, 2011
  
• Finalists announced December 29, 2011
  
• Filming starts January 2012 and final submission of films on May 30, 2012
  
• Festival in June 2012 at Davao City
  
• Detailed guidelines at www.fdcp.ph
  
• Forms can be downloaded from www.fdcp.ph or are available at FDCP Makati Office

For the complete set of rules and guidelines of the National Film Competition and application forms, please visit our website: www.fdcp.ph, or email us at: natcom@fdcp.ph

GENERAL OBJECTIVES

In light of its mandate to promote and protect the Philippine Film Industry, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) has established a nationwide Scriptwriting and Film Competition that seeks to encourage the further development of our outstanding film culture, while highlighting and unifying the many diverse visions, views and voices of Filipino filmmakers that are found all across the Philippines.

COMPETITION GUIDELINES

ABOUT THE COMPETITION

1. The 1st SinengPambansa National Film Competition sponsored by the Film Development Council of the Philippines shall be held either in the City of Davao or in June 2012.
   
2. The competition is open to Filipinos 18 years old and above who have not written or cowritten, directed or co-directed more than three (3) films, documentaries or animated
   features.
   
3. The competition shall be held in two stages:
   
   • The Scriptwriting Competition for Feature Film, Full-length Documentary, and Animated Short Film Competition in August 18, 2011 to December 11, 2011, and
     
   • The National Feature Film Competition which will gather all the films produced from the winning scripts of the Feature Film Scriptwriting Competition, Full-length Documentary Competition, and the Animated Short Film Competition in
     January 20 to June 2012.
     
4. The entries in this preliminary stage of the competition shall consist of
   • storyline/synopsis and full screenplay for the feature film;
   • concept and full narrative for the documentary film; and
   • concept and full storyboard for the short animated film.
     
5. The Feature Film Scriptwriting Competition shall be held simultaneously in the three
   different island regions of the Philippines, represented by the three divisions:
   
   • The Luzon Division
     
   • The Visayas Division, and
     
   • The Mindanao Division
     
     The participants' respective entries must be set in the geographic location corresponding to the division for which such are entered and must be in a language or languages indigenous to the setting.
     
6. The Full-Length Documentary Competition shall be also held simultaneously in the three
   different island regions of the Philippines, represented by the three divisions:
   
   • The Luzon Division
     
   • The Visayas Division, and
     
   • The Mindanao Division
     
7. The Animated Short Film Competition will be a national competition with entries accepted nationwide.
   
8. The Full-Length Feature Film Scriptwriting and Full-Length Documentation, and Animated Short Film Competitions will be held simultaneously.
   
   
   JUDGING
   
   
9. For the Feature Film Scriptwriting Competition, each division will have its own panel of independent jurors who will be independently and anonymously appointed by the FDCP. The FDCP shall also appoint one of its staff as a member of each jury.
   
10. For the Full-length Documentary Competition, the jury members' identity will also be held in independent anonymity by the FDCP. The FDCP shall likewise appoint one of its staff as a member of this jury.
    
11. For the Animated Short Film Competition, the jury will also be chosen in the same manner by the FDCP. The FDCP shall likewise appoint one of its staff as a member of this jury.
    
12. The panels of jurors for the Feature Film Competition, Full-length Documentary Competition, and the Animated Short Film Competition shall be composed of accomplished filmmakers and experts in cinema.
    
    
    WINNERS
    
    
13. In the Feature Film Scriptwriting Competition, the top three entries of each jury member shall be gathered and collectively ranked. The resulting top three entries in each division will win a seed grant toward the completion of the project.
    
14. In the Full-length Documentary Competition, the top three entries of each jury member shall be gathered and collectively ranked. The resulting top entry in each division will win a seed grant toward the completion of the project.
    
15. In the Animated Short Film Competition, the best storyboards for animation competition will be individually chosen by the jury members and collectively ranked. The top three entries shall receive a seed grant toward the completion of the project.
    
16. If there are not enough winners deserving of the grant, the judges retain the right to withhold grants as they see fit.
    
17. In total, there will be a maximum of:
    
    • nine (9) winners in the Feature Film Scriptwriting Competition, with a maximum of
      three (3) per division;
      
    • three (3) winners in the Full-length Documentary Competition, one (1) per
      division; and
      
    • three (3) winners in the Animated Short film Competition;
      
18. The winners of the Feature Film Scriptwriting, Full-length Documentary, and Animated Short Film competitions shall be announced on December 29, 2011.
    
    
    PRIZES
    
    
19. Each winner of the Full-Length Feature Film Scriptwriting Competition will be given a financial grant of Php600,000 to produce their winning scripts.
    
20. In view of this endowment, the FDCP retains thirty (30%) percent ownership over the script, as well as over the mechanical distribution and exhibition rights of the finished feature film.
    
21. The financial grant shall be released in two tranches:
    
    • Php400,000 upon submission of complete pre-production documentation.
      
    • Php200,000 upon submission of the finalcut.
22. Participants who win the grants must be ready with their respective production team with cast and crew duly identified on paper. This constitutes the condition by which they shall be awarded the initial tranche of the grant.
    
23. In addition, the films produced from the winning scripts shall be exempt from paying the Application Fee of Php10,000.00 for the review of their film by the Cinema Evaluation Board.
    
24. Each winner of the Full-length Documentary Competition will be given a financial grant of Php300,000 to produce their winning Director's Proposal for a Full-length Documentary. The seed money shall be released in two tranches also:
    
    • Php200,000 upon the start of production
      
    • Php100,000 upon the submission of the final cut.
      
25. Each winner of the Animated Short Film Competition will be given a financial grant of Php100,000 to produce their winning storyboards. The seed money shall be released in two tranches also:
    
    • Php60,000 upon the start of production
      
    • Php40,000 upon the submission of the final cut.
      
26. Failure of any finalist to submit a final cut will result in the forfeiture of the remainder of the seed grant; in addition, the participant must return the amount received in the first tranche.
    
27. The FDCP will automatically include the winning productions in their portfolio of Filipino films at international film festivals and markets, and at the Sineng Pambansa Film Festivals. As such, it retains the right to the non-commercial exhibition of films in the
    above contexts.
    
28. The winning participants will be also be invited by the FDCPto participate in a workshop, at the FDCP's expense, intended to further inform and educate filmmakers, as necessary on production values and the local and international film markets.
    
    
    SUBMISSION
    
    
29. Deadline for the submission of duly accomplished and notarized entriesto the Feature Film Scriptwriting Competition shall be no later than midnight of Decemer 11, 2011. Entries sent by mail or courier should not be postmarked later than the deadline. Entries must be submitted to the FDCP office in Makati City and must be addressed as follows:
    
    
    • For the Feature Film Scriptwriting Competition:

    Feature Film Scriptwriting Competition
    Thru: Mr. Teodoro Granados
    Film Development Council of the Philippines
    26th Floor Export Bank Plaza
    Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. corner Chino Roces Ave.
    Makati City
    

    • For the Full-length Documentary Competition:
      

    Full-length Documentary Competition
    Thru: Mr. Teodoro Granados
    Film Development Council of the Philippines
    26th Floor Export Bank Plaza
    Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. corner Chino Roces Ave.
    Makati City
    

• For the Animated Short Film Competition:
  

  Animated Short FilmCompetition
  Thru: Mr. Teodoro Granados
  Film Development Council of the Philippines
  26th Floor Export Bank Plaza
  Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. corner Chino Roces Ave.
  Makati City
  
  

30. Submissions to the Feature Film Scriptwriting Competition and the Full-length Documentary Competition shall be for full-length feature films, where a full-length feature film is defined as having a length of at least 80 minutes.
    
31. Submissions to the Animated Short Film Competition shall be for short animated films, where a short animated film is defined as sequence of images that depict hand-drawn, handmade or computer-generated artwork or model positions and whose length does not exceed 15 minutes.
32. Submitted entries will be provided to the jurors with the title of the script only as the identifying mark. The script must be rendered in standard film script form, with proper indications and formatting regarding setting, dialogue and stage directions.
    
33. The entries in the Scriptwriting Competition may be written in any language spoken within the geographical bounds of the island region (division) for which it is submitted.
    
34. The entries for the Feature Film Scriptwriting Competition must be accompanied by a story line in English, and if the full script is not in English or Filipino, the corresponding dialog translation in English or Filipino.
    
35. The entries for the Full-length Documentary Competition must be accompanied by a storyline in English or Tagalog anda Director's concept proposal.
    
36. The entries in the Animated Short Film Competition must be in storyboard format, meaning key frames of the animated short film must be visualized and illustrated along with a script in order to deliver, as closely as possible, the look and feel of the
    completed material.
    
37. It is assumed that the submitter of the screenplay or storyboard, as de facto producer of the film for which the script is written, will be able to gather a production team within the geographical bounds of their division and produce the film within the same bounds, outside of post-production.
    
    
    APPLICATION FORMS
    
    
38. Application forms can be downloaded from the FDCP web site at www.fdcp.ph or obtained from FDCP representatives. These will include:
    
    • An authenticity form that guarantees that the submitter is the sole creator of the work submitted and that he or she is a bona fide resident within the bounds of their entry division (form must be notarized by the submitter)
      
    • An official entry form indicating the category, title of the work and the author's name.
      
    • The contestant must also submit photocopies of proof that they are residing or have resided within the bounds of their division.
      
39. Contestants may only submit under one category and one division; multiple submissions are not allowed and any contestant who submits multiple works, whether under a single category or division of more, shall be disqualified.
    
40. Contestants must supply four (4) hard copies of their scripts, director's proposal for a fulllength documentary, or storyboard, whichever may apply.
    
41. Winners shall be notified by registered mail, or through announcement in publications and on the FDCP website.
    
42. Relatives of FDCP staff, to the second degree of consanguinity, are not allowed to enter the contests.
    
    
    THE 2012 NATIONAL FILM COMPETITION
    
    
43. The 2012 National Feature Film competition will gather all the films produced from the winning scripts of the Feature Film Scriptwriting Competition, winning proposals for the Full-length Documentary Competition, and winning storyboards for the Animated Short Film Competition. This will be held throughout January 15 to May 2012.
    
44. Principal photography of each entry must use full-HD filming equipment. Finished film at the very least must have a stereo sound mix. Final output should be in DVD or any higher-end format compatible with digital projection and playback.
    
45. The final cut should be submitted in DVD format to the FDCP main office in Makati City not later than midnight of May 30, 2012. Provincial entries that cannot be submitted in person may be submitted by courier (LBC, Air 21, JRS, etc.) post marked not later than midnight of May 30, 2012 and must be addressed as follows:
    
    
    • For the Feature Film Competition:
      

    Feature Film Competition
    Thru: Mr. Teodoro Granados
    Film Development Council of the Philippines
    26th Floor Export Bank Plaza
    Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. corner Chino Roces Ave.
    Makati City
    
    

    • For the Full-length Documentary:
      

    Full-length Documentary
    Thru: Mr. Teodoro Granados
    Film Development Council of the Philippines
    26th Floor Export Bank Plaza
    Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. corner Chino Roces Ave.
    Makati City
    
    

• For the Animated Short Film:
  

  Animated Short Film
  Thru: Mr. Teodoro Granados
  Film Development Council of the Philippines
  26th Floor Export Bank Plaza
  Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. corner Chino Roces Ave.
  Makati City
  
  

46. All the completed films based on the winning scripts in the Scriptwriting Competition will be exhibited for a three-day run during the Sineng Pambansa National Film Competition.
    
47. FDCP shall issue the audience suitability advisory for the films in the finals necessary for their exhibition in accordance with the proper age group for which each film in the finals is respectively appropriate.
    
48. Three winners shall be chosen from the filmfinalists: a special jury prize, a grand jury prize, and a grand festival prize for best picture. They will be announced during the recognition night for the festival.
    
49. The winning Full-length Documentary and Animated Short Film shall be exhibited as part of the festival. Winners shall receive trophies and plaques of recognition.
    
50. In case of any unforeseen circumstances, FDCP reserves the prerogative to make the necessary ruling outside prevailing guidelines but still in keeping with the objectives of the competition and consistent with the customary conduct of competitions of this
    nature.

 

Guidelines and Form

Submission deadline is on December 11, 2011