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Submit Via Film Freeway

Submit your trailer via Film Freeway.
Or Submit your full short to AfroComicon by clicking HERE. 

Festival Guidelines 

Celebrating Potential, Not Privilege 

Festival Overview
Welcome to Clip Tease, the Movie Trailer Film Festival. We invite filmmakers, editors, and creatives worldwide to submit their best movie trailers. Whether you're in the process of making your short film, are a filmmaker with a concept or are brand new to filmmaking, our festival is dedicated to your best pitch via your movie trailer. Show us your best trailer and we'll help you produce it. 

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Eligibility Criteria

Who Can Enter

  • The festival is open to all creatives regardless of professional status.

  • Submissions are welcome from individuals, teams, or organizations.

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Film Status

  • Trailers may be submitted for films, series, or media projects in any stage of production (pre-production, production, post-production, or completed).

  • We accept trailers for both existing and conceptual (fictional) projects.

Premiere Status

  • Premiere status is not required. Trailers that have been publicly released or screened at other festivals are eligible.

  • However, preference may be given to trailers that have not yet been widely distributed.

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Age Restrictions

  • Filmmakers of all ages are welcome to participate. However, entrants under 18 must have a parent or guardian co-sign the submission.

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Country of Origin

  • The festival accepts submissions from all countries. There are no restrictions on country of origin. (*Audience Choice judging is restricted to US)

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Judging and Awards
Judging Criteria

  • Trailers will be judged based on the following criteria:

    • Creativity and Originality: How unique and innovative is the trailer?

    • Storytelling: Does the trailer effectively communicate a narrative or concept?

    • Emotional Impact: Does the trailer evoke emotion or curiosity?

    • Technical Quality: Is the trailer well-produced, with high-quality visuals and sound?

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Award Categories

  • Best Trailer Overall (Winning prize) 

  • Best Concept

  • Best Editing

  • Best Use of Music

  • Audience Choice Award

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Selected Trailer (Winner) 

  • The winning trailer will have their short film, music video, or creative project produced by industry professionals. This prize recognizes the talent and vision behind the trailer and provides the resources and support needed to bring the full project to life.

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Other prizes include:

  • 1 YEAR of Adobe Creative Cloud Subscription

  • 1:1 Master Class with Industry Producers

  • Free entry into next year's event (and Partner AfroComicon) 

  • $500 Cash​

  • $100 Cash 

  • $50 Cash 

All trailers are entered into the AfroComicon film festival for selection. 
 

Submission Guidelines
Trailer Length

  • Maximum Duration: Trailers must not exceed 2 minutes in length.

  • Minimum Duration: Trailers should be at least 30 seconds long.

Genre and Style

  • All genres and styles are welcome, including drama, comedy, horror, sci-fi, documentary, animation, and experimental.

  • Creativity in both concept and execution is highly encouraged. Trailers can be for real or fictional projects.

Eligible Projects

  • In-Progress Projects: Trailers for short films or animated shorts that are currently in progress are eligible for submission.

  • Concept-Only Projects: Trailers based purely on a concept or idea for a short film or animated short, without an accompanying full-length project, are accepted. These trailers should effectively convey the potential of the project through strong storytelling and creative execution.

  • Previously Submitted Films: Short films or animated shorts that have been submitted to other film festivals may not be eligible unless a significant change has been made to the concept or script. This ensures the work aligns with the fresh, innovative vision of Clip Tease.

Language

  • Trailers in languages other than English must include English subtitles.

  • Subtitles must be clear, legible, and professionally timed.

Originality

  • All submitted trailers must be original works created by the submitter or their team.

  • We accept trailers for completed or in-progress short films and animated shorts.

Content Guidelines

  • Trailers should be appropriate for a general audience. Intense scenes are Acceptable but avoid explicit content unless it’s relevant to the genre (e.g., horror).

  • Submissions containing hate speech, extreme violence, or explicit sexual content will be disqualified.

Rights and Permissions

  • Submitters must hold all necessary rights to the footage, music, and other content used in their trailer.

  • Any use of copyrighted material must be fully licensed and properly credited.

Technical Requirements

  • Accepted video formats include MP4, MOV, and AVI.

  • Resolution must be a minimum of 1080p (1920x1080) for optimal screening quality.

Submission Platform

  • All submissions must be made through Film Freeway Portal or via Clipteasefilms.com. 

  • A completed submission form must accompany each trailer entry.

Entry Fee

  • Early Bird Submission: $110 per entry.

  • Regular Submission: $125 per entry.

  • Late Submission: $150 per entry.

  • Student Submission: $50 per entry (valid student ID required).

Multiple Submissions

  • Filmmakers may submit multiple entries. However, each trailer must be submitted separately with its own entry fee.

Press Kit (Optional)

  • A digital press kit is optional but encouraged. It should include:

    • A synopsis of the film/project (if applicable).

    • The director’s bio and filmography.

    • High-resolution stills from the trailer.

    • Film/project poster (if available).

Submission Deadlines

  • Early Bird Deadline: Sept. 15,  2024

  • Regular Deadline: October 15, 2024

  • Late Deadline: October 30, 2024

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