Instroduction
In the soon-to-be-infamous Meiwenti Global Film Contest, all entries have just one month to write, shoot and edit a short movie, is a natural progression from our very successful and popular Shanghai Short Film Contest. With this, we will be hoping to build similar communities of filmmakers and enthusiasts to the community that has emerged in Shanghai or to link existing communities around the world in one global contest. This will involve all cities hosting their own contests simultaneously and having their own Awards Ceremony.

Then, all the winning films will go forward to the global contest in Shanghai and compete for the prestigious Global Winner award. This global ceremony will be screened in your city where there will be a vast array of different styles on show from all over the world. There will be an added edge, as the film representing your beloved city fights for its pride.

Why the Meiwenti Global Film Contest is unique
There are thousands of short film contests and festivals in the world, what sets us apart is:

• We are the only contest whose aim is to create communities of independent film lovers around the world and use this global network for the international distribution of indie feature films
• Our business model is designed to benefit the indie filmmakers worldwide
• We want to involve everyone in filmmaking, not just film students and industry insiders
• The Meiwenti Network will support filmmakers in the production of films that have met the quality standards

Timeline

• Kick off: June 11th
  On this day, all the filmmakers who have signed up will meet up in a venue and the promoter will explain what are the requirements for the contest. The promoter will also email the requirements that same night for those filmmakers that can’t make it.
• Entries Deadline: July 8th
  Any movies submitted after can not be included in the contest, so it is very important that you mark this date and plan carefully so as not to run out of time.
• Local Ceremony: July 18th
  The local awards ceremonies will take place on July the 18th at a venue in your city with the 12 best films being screened and the winning films and actors being selected by a Jury of film industry professionals and the audience getting to vote for the ever-popular, "People’s Choice Award".
• Global Ceremony: August 1st
  All the winning films from each city being screened and a coveted Global Winner being chosen by a Jury of professional filmmakers from all over the world.

Award Categories
The voting will be carried out by a judging panel of film professionals in your city. The jurors (4 to 6) will grade the films according to the different technical aspects of filmmaking. In addition, the audience will be the Jury for one category, the always popular "People’s Choice Award".

• Winning Film
• 2nd Best Film
• 3rd Best Film
• Best Actor
• Best Actress
• People’s Choice

Disclaimer
Meiwenti Productions has the right to show the films on its website or at one of its affiliated websites and to produce contest compilation DVDs.

Sign up
Email your local promoter to sign-up or to answer any questions you have.

If your city doesn't have a promoter, you can participate in the INTERNATIONAL contest, where all the orphan filmmakers will compete.
For more info, please contact: international@meiwentinetwork.com

Requirements
Each team has to include four requirements in the film. The requirements change from contest to contest, and are always some aspects of filmmaking such as, cinematography, audio, editing, etc. The reasons for this is to ensure that the films have been produced solely for this contest, as well as an attempt by us to push the teams artistically and technically.

Against All Odds - Requirements

• ACTING:one of the actors must cry in a scene
• EDITING: L-cut editing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L_cut
• CINEMATOGRAPHY: You must have a dolly zoom shot http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolly_zoom
• SOUND: You must include the sound of a radio program that you make yourself

Teams
There is no limit as to the amount of people that each team can have. If you are a filmmaker but lack actors or crew members, your local promoter will help you find them. And if you are a solitary star, the promoter will help you find a team.

Specifications

• 8 to 12 minutes long, including titles and credits.
• Mini DV, DV or HDV (PAL or NSTC, according to your zone)
• Wide-screen or standard-screen
• Sound 48.1khz
• Your national language or English, with subtitles in the other language

Fee
Please ask your promoter about the fee for your city.

Restrictions

• No pornographic or vulgar material
• No films prejudiced towards race, gender or religion beliefs
• No cartoon representations of religious figures (Danes should take note)
• No films of political content
• No films where animals are abused or injured (eating them is ok, thou)

Failure to comply with all these restrictions will disqualify your film.

Technical Specifications

• Movies should be delivered on mpeg4 format-(not DVD)
• 1 CD-ROM with 10 images from your film
• Director's Bio and a short film synopsis
• A poster for your movie

Failure to comply with all these restrictions will disqualify your film.

Venue
Your promoter will inform you where the local awards ceremony in your city will take place. The Global Awards Ceremony will be held simultaneously in all participant cities.

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