ReelPitch Challenge to Award $25,000 + Other Prizes to Four Emerging Filmmakers
Submissions Due Aug. 9th in Industry Jury/People’s Choice Competition
The Audience Awards invites filmmakers from around the globe to submit a pitch video of their film or web series to the ReelPitch Challenge, which will award $25,000 in cash, as well as other prizes, to four deserving projects.
The Audience Awards provides a stage for short films and engaging stories. Dedicated to celebrating the power of storytelling and building audiences for new talent, it was created by filmmakers for filmmakers to help grow careers and fund dreams.
The Contest is for videos, trailers or film pitches and is split into four categories:
- Pre-production
- Production
- Post-production
- Distribution & Outreach
The 3 top most voted videos and the top 2 jury selections from each category will move on the the final rounds to compete for the prizes equaling $28,998.
The challenge will award four cash prizes and two music licenses for films with a budget up to $1 million will be awarded by Filmstro, the world’s first soundtrack creation studio ($1,999 value each). Winning shorts will also be screened at the premiere Audience Awards International Film Festival, to be held in Los Angeles, Calif., April 2017, and gain invaluable exposure including press and social media engagement.
Audience Awards:
- 1st Place: $10,000, Filmstro soundtrack license ($1,999) & Audience Awards International Film Festival premiere
- 2nd Place: $2,500 & Audience Awards International Film Festival premiere
Jury Awards:
- 1st Place: $10,000, Filmstro soundtrack license ($1,999) & Audience Awards International Film Festival premiere
- 2nd Place: $2,500 & Audience Awards International Film Festival premiere
Videos must be 10 minutes or less and submitted no later than Aug. 9, 2016 at 8:59 a.m. MDT (USA). The contest is open to all ages, professional levels and countries.
The entry fee is only $20. 
Submitted videos will be judged for eligibility based on the quality of content and adherence to the assignment. Two prizes will be awarded by a highly noted industry jury. Two additional prizes will also be awarded by a People’s Choice competition, voting opens Aug. 9 at 9 a.m. MDT (USA) and runs through Aug. 18 at 9 p.m. MDT (USA). Winners will be announced Friday, Aug. 19. Vote at: www.TheAudienceAwards.com
The Jury prize will be awarded by:
Caterina Fake, co-founder of the iconic websites Flickr and Hunch and a board member of the Sundance Institute
Darrien Gipson, Executive Director, SAGindie
Sascha Rice, Global Marketing Director, Motion Picture, Eastman Kodak Company
Harry Vaughn, Associate Programmer, Documentary and Catalyst Narratives Reader, Sundance Institute
Adnaan Wasey, an Emmy- and Webby-nominated executive producer of innovative media, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism and head of POV Digital, the new media production division of the long-running PBS documentary series POV.
For a full list of rules or to enter: https://theaudienceawards.com/the-audience-awards/reelpitch
About the Audience Awards:
Launched in 2013, Audience Awards (AudAwards) is an innovative, online, video contest platform, with a rapidly growing community that is 100,000-members strong. AudAwards competitions are an organic opportunity to cross-promote brands, projects, products, services, causes and the work of emerging filmmakers on a broad scale. We understand what it means to be an independent filmmaker, struggling to be heard and seen – usually on a shoestring budget – and AudAwards is a unique stage for advancing careers. Top brands like Hilton, Kodak and Fusion, among numerous others, call upon our member filmmakers to produce and submit videos (following specific criteria) for people’s choice voting, allowing audiences to come together to support outstanding talent. Winners receive a variety of cash awards ranging as high as $50,000 and other in-kind prizes. Competitions have provided opportunities to be presented at prestigious film festivals and land distribution deals with major networks. Corporations and other organizations gain unique perspectives into consumer tastes, as well as rights to valuable assets. It’s a win-win! Visit us online at www.theaudienceawards.com
