How to Win an Oscar (Part 1 of a 327 part series)
Written by Steve Muccini   

The plastic ones, you can buy.

Looking for Oscar gold? Here is a primer.

The film festival circuit both inside and outside of the U.S. is where the hopes and dreams of independent filmmakers are realized. Any filmmaker can submit their narrative short or feature, documentary, music video, or experimental work to a film festival. All it takes is an entry fee ranging from $25 to $125 submitted under the deadline with your finished work. Getting into any festival is exciting and can represent a filmmaker's big shot at getting their film seen by all the right people. But if your aspirations include a bask in Oscar glory, there are a few requirements and a few festivals that you need to break into.

Your road to Oscar
If you think that taking out a full page ad in Variety soon before the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences selects its picks for their Oscar awards gives you the same chance of winning as the latest blockbuster film churned from the Hollywood movie making engine, think again. There are specific requirements that must be met before a feature film is even considered in the voting process. The following is a sample of the primary eligibility requirements for consideration of the Academy and they may vary from year to year so be sure to check out the official rules for all the details.

To start, here are the films from 1998 to 2008 which picked up the Best Picture award:

1998    Titanic                                          2004    The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
1999    Shakespeare in Love                     2005    Million Dollar Baby
2000    American Beauty                           2006    Crash
2001    Gladiator                                       2007    The Departed
2002    A Beautiful Mind                            2008    No Country for Old Men
2003    Chicago

Photo: Alan Light
and the Best Picture goes to...
Getting the nod
The first requirement has to do with the definition of what it means to be a "feature" film. Although it may be debated across the industry, the Academy considers a feature film to be one which is at least 40 minutes in length. Anything less and you drop into the short film category and lose the chance to be the official Best Picture of the Year.

The next item is somewhat technical in nature. Your film must be in a format which allows it to be exhibited in a theater as a 35mm or 70mm film. That means that you either have to shoot your project on film stock, or have it transferred from another film format or digital. You can submit a digital format as long as it is 24 or 48 frame progressive scan Digital Cinema format with a minimum projector resolution of 2048x1080. With technology evolving from year to year, it is important to get to the official site for the current specs.

The next requirement is one which gives a nod to the birthplace of modern filmmaking, Los Angeles. In order to get your work onto the official ballot, it must have run in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County. Don't think that you can just rent out one of these facilities and run your film because it must be screened with paid admission and for a consecutive run of at least seven days.

Finally, if your film has premiered on the internet or on TV, don't worry about clearing space for the renowned golden trophy on your awards shelf, because screening in a non theatrical space takes you out of the running. There are a number of other minor considerations and requirements if you want to be the producer of the year's best motion picture. If you are wondering how you can get yourself a paid screening in LA County California, one first step is to be recognized in the film festivals below. These are some of the more prestigious in the country and if you get in, and receive a top award at the event, it will bring your film to light in front of the right people and get you closer to your LA debut.

Shorts are films too
If your film is not of the official feature length, it is considered a short film. If that is the case, screening at these festivals represents your only way into the voting process. Oh, here's the rub, you also need to walk away with one of the awards listed under each festival. (No one said that filmmaking was easy.)

  • AFI FEST
    Grand Jury Prize - Short Film Award
    www.afi.com/onscreen/AFIFest

  • ACADEMIA DE LAS ARTES Y CIENCIAS CINEMATOGRAFICAS DE ESPAÑA (SPAIN)
    Goya Award for Best Short Live Action
    Goya Award for Best Short Animation
    www.academiadecine.com

  • ACADÉMIE DES ARTS ET TECHNIQUES DU CINÉMA (CÉSAR) (FRANCE)
    Best Short Film
    www.lescesarducinema.com

  • ACADEMY OF CANADIAN CINEMA & TELEVISION (GENIE)
    Best Live Action Short Drama
    Best Animated Short
    www.academy.ca

  • ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES (Student Academy Awards) (USA)
    Gold Medal - Alternative
    Gold Medal - Animation
    Gold Medal - Narrative
    Honorary Foreign Film Student Award
    www.oscars.org

  • ANN ARBOR FILM FESTIVAL (MICHIGAN, USA)
    Best of the Festival
    www.aafilmfest.org

  • ANNECY FESTIVAL INT'L DU CINEMA D'ANIMATION (FRANCE)
    Le Cristal d’Annecy       
    Special Jury Award
    www.annecy.org

  • ASPEN SHORTSFEST (COLORADO, USA)
    Animated Eye Award
    Best Comedy
    Best Drama
    Best Short Short
    www.aspenfilm.org

  • ATHENS  INT'L FILM FESTIVAL (OHIO, USA)
    Best Narrative
    Best Animation
    Best Experimental
    www.athensfest.org

  • ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL (GEORGIA, USA)
    Grand Jury Prize
    Best Animated Short
    Best Narrative Short          
    www.atlantafilmfestival.com

  •  AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL (TEXAS, USA)
    Narrative Short Jury Award
    Animated Short Jury Award
    Narrative Student Short Jury Award
    www.austinfilmfestival.com

  • BERLIN INT'L FILM FESTIVAL (GERMANY)
    Golden Bear - International Shorts Competition
    www.berlinale.de

  • BERMUDA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
    Bermuda Shorts Award Winner
    www.biff.bm

  • BILBAO INT'L FESTIVAL OF DOCUMENTARY & SHORT FILMS (SPAIN)
    Grand Prize of the Bilbao Festival
    Golden Mikeldi for Animation
    Golden Mikeldi for Fiction
    www.zinebi.com

  • BRITISH ACADEMY OF FILM AND TELEVISION ARTS (BAFTA) AWARDS (ENGLAND)
    Best Short Film
    Best Short Animation Film
    www.bafta.org

  • CANADIAN FILM CENTRE’S WORLDWIDE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (CANADA)
    Best Live Action Short Film
    Best Animated Short Film
    www.worldwideshortfilmfest.com

  • CANNES FESTIVAL INT'L DU FILM (FRANCE)
    Palme d’Or (Short Films)
    www.festival-cannes.fr

  • CARTAGENA INT'L FILM FESTIVAL (COLOMBIA)
    Best Short Animation - Golden Catalina Indian
    Best Short Narrative - Golden Catalina Indian
    www.festicinecartagena.org

  • CHICAGO INT’L CHILDREN’S FILM FESTIVAL  (ILLINOIS, USA
    Adult Jury First Place Live-action Short Film or Video
    Adult Jury First Place Animated Short Film or Video
    www.cicff.org

  • CHICAGO INT'L FILM FESTIVAL (ILLINOIS, USA)
    Golden Hugo for Best Short Film
    www.chicagofilmfestival.org

  • CINANIMA INT'L ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL (PORTUGAL)
    Grand Prize
    www.awn.com/cinanima

  • CINEQUEST FILM FESTIVAL (SAN JOSE, CA)                                                 
    Best Short Narrative
    Best Animated Short
    www.cinequest.org

  • CLERMONT-FERRAND INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (FRANCE)
    International Grand Prix
    National Grand Prix       
    www.clermont-filmfest.com

  • DAVID DI DONATELLO AWARD[ACCADEMIA DEL CINEMA ITALIANO] (ITALY)
    Best Short Film
    www.daviddidonatello.it

  • EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS
    European Short Film - Prix UIP
    www.europeanfilmacademy.org

  • FESTIVAL DE CINE DE HUESCA (SPAIN)
    International Short Films Contest - Gold Danzante Award
    Iberoamerican Short Films Contest - Gold Danzante Award          
    www.huesca-filmfestival.com

  • FLICKERFESTINTERNATIONAL SHORT FILMS FESTIVAL
    The Coopers Award for Best Film
    The Yoram Gross Award for Best Animation
    www.flickerfest.com.au

  • FLORIDA FILM FESTIVAL (FLORIDA, USA)
    Grand Jury Award Best Narrative Short
    www.floridafilmfestival.com

  • FOYLE FILM FESTIVAL (IRELAND)
    Best Irish Short
    Best International Short
    Best Animation
    www.foylefilmfestival.org

  • GIJON INT'L FILM FESTIVAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE (SPAIN)
    Premio Principado De Asturios Al Mejor Cortometraje (Best Short Film)
    www.gijonfilmfestival.com

  • THE HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (NEW YORK)
    Golden Starfish Best Short Film Award
    www.hamptonsfilmfest.org

  • HIROSHIMA INT'L ANIMATION FESTIVAL (JAPAN)
    Grand Prize
    www.urban.ne.jp/home/hiroanim/

  • KRAKOW FILM FESTIVAL(POLAND)
    The Grand Prix - The Golden Dragon
    www.kff.com.pl

  • LOCARNO INT'L FILM FESTIVAL (SWITZERLAND)
    Golden Leopard - Live Action Short
    Golden Leopard - Animation Short
    www.pardo.ch

  • LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL
    Best Animated Short Film
    Best Narrative Short Film
    www.lafilmfest.com

  • LOS ANGELES INT’L. SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (CALIFORNIA, USA)
    Best of the Fest
    Best Foreign Film
    Best Drama Film
    Best Comedy Film
    Best Animation Film
    Best Experimental Film
    www.lashortsfest.com

  • LOS ANGELES LATINO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (LOS ANGELES, CA)
    Best Short
    www.latinofilm.org

  • MELBOURNE INT'L FILM FESTIVAL (AUSTRALIA)
    The City of Melbourne Grand Prix, Best Short Film
    Best  Fiction Short Film
    Best Animated Short Film
    Best Experimental Short Film
    www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au

  • MONTREAL'S FESTIVAL NOUVEAU CINEMA (CANADA)
    Best Short Film
    www.nouveaucinema.ca

  • MONTREAL WORLD FILM FESTIVAL (CANADA)
    1st Prize - Short Film
    www.nouveaucinema.ca

  • MORELIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (MEXICO)
    Best Animated Short Film
    Best Fiction Short Film
    www.moreliafilmfest.com

    NASHVILLE FILM FESTIVAL (TENNESSEE, USA)
    Best Animation
    Best Short Narrative
    www.nashvillefilmfestival.org

  • OBERHAUSEN INT'L SHORT FILM FESTIVAL(GERMANY)
    Grand Prize of the City of Oberhausen
    www.kurzfilmtage.de

  • OTTAWA INT'L ANIMATION FESTIVAL (CANADA)
    Grand Prize to the Best Independent Short
    www.awn.com/ottawa

  • PALM SPRINGS INT'L FESTIVAL OF SHORT FILMS  (CALIFORNIA, USA)
    Best Animation
    Best Live Action (15 minutes and under)
    Best Live Action (over 15 minutes)
    Best of the Festival Award (may be awarded to any genre)
    www.psfilmfest.org/festival/index.aspx?FID=26

  • RHODE ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL  (RHODE ISLAND, USA)
    Best Short
    www.film-festival.org

  • RIO DE JANEIRO INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
    Grand Prix - International Competition
    Grand Prix - National Competition
    www.curtacinema.com.br

  • ST. LOUIS INT’L FILM FESTIVAL(MISSOURI, USA)
    Best of the Festival
    Best Live Action Short Film
    Best Animation Short Film
    www.cinemastlouis.org

  • SAN FRANCISCO INT'L FILM FESTIVAL (CALIFORNIA, USA)
    Golden Gate Award Narrative Short
    Golden Gate Award Animated Short
    www.sffs.org

  • SANTA BARBARA INT’L FILM FESTIVAL (CALIFORNIA, USA)
    Bruce C. Corwin Award - Best Live Action Short Film
    Bruce C. Corwin Award - Best Animation
    www.sbfilmfestival.org

  • SHORTSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL (SANTA MONICA, CA)
    Best of Festival Award
    www.shortshorts.org

  • SIGGRAPH (LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - USA)
    Best Animated Short Film
    www.siggraph.org

  • SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL (UTAH, USA)
    Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short
    Grand Jury Prize for Best Animated Short
    www.slamdance.com

  • STUTTGART INT'L ANIMATION FESTIVAL (GERMANY)
    Grand Prix International Competition
    Best Animated Children’s Film
    Best Student Film
    www.itfs.de

  • SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL (UTAH, USA)
    Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking
    International Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking
    festival.sundance.org

  • SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL (AUSTRALIA)
    Dendy Award - Fiction under 15 Minutes
    Dendy Award - Fiction over 15 Minutes
    Experimental
    Yoram Gross Animation Award
    www.sydneyfilmfestival.org

  • TAMPERE INT’L SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (FINLAND)    
    Grand Prix - International Competition
    National Main Prize (under 30 minutes)
    www.tamperefilmfestival.fi

  • TORINO FILM FESTIVAL (ITALY)
    Short Film Competition - Best Film
    www.torinofilmfest.org

  • UPPSALA INT'L SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (SWEDEN)
    Grand Prix
    Best Children’s Film
    www.shortfilmfestival.com

  • USA FILM FESTIVAL - NATIONAL SHORT FILM & VIDEO COMPETITION (DALLAS, TEXAS - USA)
    Fiction First Place
    Animation First Place
    www.usafilmfestival.com

  • VENICE INT'L FILM FESTIVAL (ITALY)
    Corto Cortissimo Lion - Best Short Film
    www.labiennale.org/en/cinema

  • ZAGREB WORLD FESTIVAL OF ANIMATED FILMS (CROATIA)
    Grand Prix - Best Short Film at Festival
    www.animafest.hr

 

Steve Muccini is president of SpotEdge Media, an award winning video production company producing content for TV and the web, and also HomeSaleVideo.com  and affiliated with Melton Media. . He is also a writer, producer and actor in Austin, Texas.

 

 
 

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