How to Enter
Rules are Simple
Use any one of the provided music tracks – just don’t modify it.
Make it suitable for all ages.
No copyrighted material.
Download SoundtracksSee FAQ Page
Eligibility
Filmmakers must be 20 or under as of April 15 of the year submitting.
Select Your Country or Region
Submission Guidelines
Below are the submission guidelines for the Youth Silent Film Festival.
Submission format: must follow Submission Form guidelines for your region, along with a signed Submission Form.
All filmmakers must be twenty years old or younger as of the date listed on the Submission Form.
For each submission, a filmmaker must choose one of the 10 pre recorded musical themes upon which to base the film. Themes are:
Motown
Horror
Slapstick
Epic
Science Fiction
Hero
Western
Noir
Discovery
Once you have chosen a musical theme from this website upload the theme music and include this with your submitted film. If selected as a finalist, your film will be screened with live musical accompaniment matching your chosen musical theme.
Films that do not have a musical theme from the approved list dubbed to their film will be disqualified.
Films may be submitted in black and white, or color.
Films may be live action or animation.
Films must use at least three title cards-an intro card (with the film title, filmmaker(s) name(s), and age), at least one in the middle, and one at the end of the film.
Film running time should equal the soundtrack run time, approximately 3 minutes.
Films must be family-friendly/appropriate for viewers of all ages.
Jurors will select winning entries based on scoring films on four categories: Story, Cinematography, Editing and Acting (see the jury scoring guidelines for further discussion on jury guidance).
All decisions of the jury members are final.
Filmmakers must use only original footage and no copyrighted material.
Music Downloads
Choose your music from below to accompany your film. Music may not be modified.
To download music, click its 'Download' link. If your browser doesn't download the file, but instead views/plays the file, select the save option under your browser's file menu.
Romance
Motown
Horror
Slapstick
Epic
Science Fiction
Hero
Western
Noir
Discovery
© 2018 Avakian Creative Works, LLC
Sci Fi, Hero, Western, Noir, Discovery, and Motown soundtracks produced and recorded at Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School, Hyde Park, NY. Gus Pratt Memorial Digital Allen organ provided by the New York Theatre Organ Society. Slapstick, Horror, Epic, and Romance soundtracks produced and recorded on the 3/11 digital Allen organ at the home of Richard Lawson.
SUBMISSON FORMAT: Films are to be submitted as a .MP4 or .MOV using H.264 compression, and must be 2GB or less in size.