call for entries: now open

Thank you for your interest in the 12th annual Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. Please be sure to read the rules & guidelines listed below prior to submitting your film.

Submission Rules & Guidelines

Full Frame exhibits nearly 100 documentary films, and of those, approximately 60 make up the NEW DOCS program. The other films are screened as part of the Festival’s curated programming. Full Frame does not solicit submissions for curated programs. By completing the online application, you will be submitting to the NEW DOCS program.

I. Eligibility

Documentaries no longer than 180 minutes completed after January 1, 2007 are eligible for Full Frame 2009.

Both preview screeners and exhibition prints must either be in English or have English subtitles or commentary.

If your film is accepted, Full Frame will only screen the following exhibition formats: 16mm and 35mm, BetaSP NTSC, Digibeta NTSC and HDCAM 1080i/60i.

Full frame distinguishes shorts and features as follows:
Shorts: less than 40 minutes
Features: 40 or more minutes but no longer than 180 minutes

Full Frame does not have any specific premiere requirements. However, the Festival does take previous screenings and broadcasts into consideration when making its official selections, especially previous screenings in North Carolina. It is the filmmaker's responsibility to notify Full Frame of any change in premiere status during the submission process.

II. Deadlines & Fees

REGULAR DEADLINE: October 15 - $40. Entries POSTMARKED after October 15, 2008 will be charged the Late Entry Fee.

LATE DEADLINE: November 30 - $60. Entries POSTMARKED after November 30, 2008 may not be considered.

III. Submission Requirements

ENTRY FORM: Full Frame is a participating festival of the online submission service Withoutabox. ALL entries MUST be submitted via www.withoutabox.com.

DIGITAL STILLS: While Full Frame’s online application requests a press kit, the ONLY items required for entry are two (2) digital stills. Images can either be uploaded onto Withoutabox when you complete your online entry form or sent on a disc with your preview screeners. Full Frame will not accept paper press kits. Please DO NOT send them as they will be discarded.

PREVIEW SCREENERS: Full Frame requires three (3) preview screeners per submission. Preview screeners are accepted on DVD (Region 0 or 1) and VHS NTSC. Occasionally the Festival will accept PAL preview screeners. Please contact Sadie Tillery for more details.

Preview screeners will not automatically be returned. If you wish to have your screeners returned, you must enclose a stamped, self-addressed mailer. Please do not send return mailers with metered postage. Submissions will be returned in May 2009, and the Post Office will not accept packages metered more than a few days in advance.

IV. Rough Cuts

Full Frame strongly encourages filmmakers to submit finished versions of their films whenever possible. If you would like to submit a rough cut, please contact Sadie Tillery.

Full Frame does not exhibit works-in-progress. Your film must be completed by mid-March in order to be screened at the 2009 Festival.

V. Rights & Clearances

Full Frame expects all exhibiting filmmakers to have secured music and talent rights to their films for festival exhibition.  

 
Exhibiting filmmaker (Exhibitor) represents and warrants that:

1. All persons who are featured as interview subjects have given unrestricted permission for use of their images, words, and performances, waiving or assigning to Exhibitor all rights including but not limited to copyrights and moral rights.

2. To the extent any pre-existing material is used in the film that is not original to Exhibitor, except brief clips of video and/or audio material used only to the extent reasonably necessary for purposes of public criticism, commentary and documentary reporting relevant to the thesis of the film, Exhibitor has obtained unrestricted permission from all rights holders for use of the material in the film and for display and performance of the film or any portions thereof in any and all venues and media, including for promotional purposes. 

3. To the extent any remaining rights relating to the film are owned by third parties, Exhibitor warrants that Exhibitor has all rights and permissions necessary to permit the showing of the film at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival and any other events sponsored by Full Frame at which Exhibitor agrees or has agreed the film may be exhibited, and for use of excerpts or portions thereof in any and all venues and media, including for promotional purposes.

4. All materials submitted to Full Frame are otherwise the original work of Exhibitor (and its employees, if any), and not of any third party, except as identified below. 

5. Exhibitor warrants that it has good and marketable title to the entire submitted work, except as identified below. 

Exceptions:  NONE

Exhibitor shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Full Frame from any and all liability, loss, costs, damage, judgment, or expense (including reasonable attorneys fees) resulting form or arising in any way out of any such claims by any third parties and/or which are based upon, or are the result of any breach of the warranties in this section.

VI. Selection & Notification

The Primary Contact listed on the entry form will be notified of their film’s status via email by March 1, 2009. It is the Primary Contact’s responsibility to update Full Frame with any change in their relevant contact information. 

CLICK HERE IF YOU'VE READ THE SUBMISSION RULES & GUIDELINES AND ARE READY TO SUBMIT YOUR FILM.