Rules and Tips for Spring - March 2014

Films premiering March 2014

IMPORTANT NOTE

Read through carefully as some of the information has changed since previous rounds

OF SPECIAL NOTE

Series, Foreign and Sims2 submissions are invited and welcome!

SUBMISSIONS FOR Spring 2014

will not be accepted until February 1st so stay tuned for details.

Contents of this document

Entering SIFF in 3 easy steps

Guidelines for Machinima Makers

Submission Categories

Awards Structure

Important and Helpful Links

Tips for Newbies

Three Steps to Entering SIFF

WE WILL NOT BE REVIEWING SUBMISSIONS UNTIL February 2014

Step ONE - Read through the information here very carefully to be sure that you don't miss

anything important and miss your chance to have your film accepted.

Step TWO - Email your submission form information to simatography@gmail.com

Step THREE- Watch for an email from the Simatography gmail account which will confirm

that your submission has been received. You can submit anytime, but we will not begin to

reply to submissions until February1st.

SUBMISSION FORM Please follow exactly to avoid any confusion.

NOTE the subject line of your email MUST BE exactly as this

your user name - film title

example

Minraed - The Day of the Druids

It is impossible to keep things organized in our mailbox without this. If you do not do this

exactly you will be asked to resubmit.

In the body of the email include the following:

Your user name here at Simatography.

The name you would like to see listed as the creator (director) of your film. For example:

Gus Rockman uses Brainstrip Pictures, while Sylent Whysper uses her user name Sylent

Whysper.

The title of your film.

The category that your film will be entered in (see the categories below).

If it is Sims3 or Sims2 machinima.

How much machinima experience you have.

Where are you from?

Include the link to your YouTube page - if you use another site rather than YouTube for

hosting your videos your submission will not be able to be shown on our YouTube page

so keep this in mind.

email your submission to

simatography@gmail.com

If you have any questions you can email us at this email address.

If you really want a quick answer get in touch with

Minraed Arzhel on Facebook or on the Simatography website mailbox

Guidelines for Machinima Makers

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Your SIFF submission must be a NEW machinima project that has NOT been previously re-

leased or seen by the public with the exception of advertisements and SIFF promotional vids

which can be released during the SIFF buzz leading up to the film premieres.

Submissions will be accepted until March 1st - no film submissions will be accepted after

this date. This does not mean that the film is due then, just the form must be submitted on

time so that your film will be on the Playbill listing.

Release date for SIFF film viewing is March 15th, 2014. This means that films must NOT

be released prior to this date - we want to build a lot of suspense and anticipation before

your BIG premiere.

Each entry should be a stand alone story. See guidelines below for those entering the

new Series category.

Your film may be in two or more parts, but be warned that this option is not best for all

films so consider this carefully.

You may choose to submit films to any of the categories with no limitations on the num-

ber of entries, but please be realistic. It is not often possible to complete more than one or

two. Submitting many and not completing creates quite a bit of confusion and extra work

for us when we are trying to track down submissions.

Refer to the IMPORTANT LINKS below to direct you to everything you might need to make

your SIFF release successful.

Submitting a film trailer, just like you see for real movies, is very strongly suggested. We also

encourage creating a film poster for our film promo poster challenge too. All of this helps

your film get more exposure.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

This official SIFF site will host and display all trailers (please upload to YouTube or other

host site first), photos, interviews and movie posters to help you advertise - let us know if you

need help posting anything.

It is your responsibility to share your trailers or other items to promote your film - refer to

the HELPFUL LINKS below to guide you on where to promote.

CENSORSHIP - we will not accept films that in any way glorify or promote rape, racism,

pornography, hate or any similar topics. We will not censor tasteful nudity or adult themes,

but we do ask that you make a small note just like you see in real films if there is "adult sub-

ject matter" just as a courtesy to those who may not want to see such things.

Be sure to subscribe to us on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/Simatographers

Submission Categories

Film Trailers

Film trailers are a great way to promote your film and SIFF. You do NOT need to fill out a

submission form for your film trailer. Viewer's Choice polls for this category will be posted

about 1 week before the films premiere.

Advertisements and SIFF Promos

Advertisements may be released anytime during the SIFF Buzz leading up to the film

premieres in March. Post your advertisement submissions in our Video section and be sure

to share them with us on our YouTube channel and on Facebook to be sure to get the most

exposure. These short submissions will also be eligible for voting by our fans.

you must complete a submission form for ads and promos

Advertisements might include:

a promo your Sims website or challenge

a fashion ad

a promo for your Sims machinima series

an ad for a build or other content that you are sharing

Or a Sims version of a real type of advertisement for a Sims3 object, cars, furnishings etc.

SIFF promotional ads.

Let your imagination run wild! And check out these excellent examples:

watch the WOOHOOIUM commercial HERE

watch the Rib-it Froggy Slide ad HERE

Film - Music Video - Series - Foreign Films - Other Machinima

You MUST identify if your submission is a FILM, MUSIC VIDEO, SERIES or OTHER. In the past

there has been some confusion about which category your submission falls into so please

consider the following:

FILM - A unique story either taken from a real life film or story, or something you came

up with yourself. It may be set to music, it may include voice acting, and it may be set

to a single song. The key here is that the focus is on the story and the characters.

MUSIC VIDEO - Think about the music videos you see on television, they often tell a

story, but are presented in a more abstract or artistic way, often showing the band

playing. Check out the YouTube channel of the Sims3 band NOISE HERE to see a variety

of styles of music video to inspire you. In a music video the focus is on the band and the

song and if there is a storyline it will usually be an interpretation of the lyrics.

SERIES - We are now opening up to Sims Series machinima. If you are entering your

series you have two choices: you can enter a first episode to a new series you are

launching (a great way to use SIFF to help build up hype) OR you can submit your next

episode of your series, but it must NOT have been previously released, this next episode

will release on September 15th along with the rest of the films.

OTHER MACHINIMA - If you have another machinima creation that you want to

showcase this is where it will be categorized. This is the category for public service

announcements, art or abstract films, fashion videos, home tours, or anything else you

can think of that isn't really a film, music video or series. Here are some examples:

5 Facts videos

Tea: Instant

JN's Mocumentary

Occam's Razor Home Tour

FOREIGN FILMS - Films in other languages with English subtitles are welcome. Ask in our

forums if you need help translating. We have a number of members of various nationalities

who are willing to help.

Machinima Masters

Machinima Masters is a special category for highly experienced machinima makers. All

previously showcased Featured Machinima Makers or Machinima Masters that return to SIFF

will be placed in this category. Criteria for selection is listed below, just so you are aware of

what we are looking for when we invite people to participate in this category. Machinima

Masters are those machinima makers that inspire us all to learn more and create even more

amazing machinima and who wow us with their technical skills.

What makes a Machinima Master?

The staff have debated this behind the scenes for quite some time, and while we don't

agree 100% on every point, these are some of the things we have decided make a Master:

Previous machinimas that make us say "wow" and are a true inspiration to us.

Excellence in editing skills including film edting, but also music and sound editing, and

voice editing if used.

Interesting and unique camera work.

Good lighting techniques on ingame filming.

Attention to detail in set design and wardrobe.

Interesting and unique story lines.

While special effects are not a necessity, if they are used they are used with top notch

skill.

Separating some machinima makers into this category was started mainly for one reason,

and that is to help newcomers to SIFF and newbie or less experienced film makers feel less

intimidated and more welcome. We want to be sure that you feel comfortable and that

you don’t feel that your machinima skills are “not as good as him” or “I can’t compete with

her!” SIFF is not about competing or winning, it is about being proud of your creativity,

sharing and showcasing talent.

It’s Time for

Awards Structure

The prestigious SIFF Golden Clapboard Award

Special Recognition Badges

Just for Fun Awards - SIFF Golden Star

These awards will be chosen by a select panel of judges. Judges who are also participants

will not judge any category that they have submitted to.

Best of the Masters - selected by the SIFF staff to recognize outstanding machinima

achievement.

Best NEW Director - selected from those identified as new directors and who is clearly a

beginner with potentia.

Best Overall WOW pick - one machinima will be selected for demonstrating excellence in

machinima making.

Special Recognition Badges for various accomplishments may include - Voice Acting,

Editing, Special Effects, Set Design, Costume and more and will be deterimined by the SIFF

staff as we identify outstanding skills that deserve to be recognized, whether you are a be-

ginner or an experienced machinima maker.

Viewer's Choice

A chance for the fans to vote for their faves.

Best Advertisement or SIFF Promo.

Best Film Trailer.

1st, 2nd and 3rd place for Masters (if the number of submissions allows).

1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in the music video category.

1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the films category.

1st, 2nd and 3rd place in series category.

1st, 2nd and 3rd place in OTHER category.

NOTE ON VIEWER'S CHOICE AWARDS - the number of awards up for voting will depend on

the number of submissions and may change at the time of poll creation. We will identify

these changes at that time if needed.

The Golden Star awards will be chosen by the panel of judges to award outstanding crea-

tive contributions that help make SIFF a huge success and may include:

Best Red Carpet Photographer.

Red Carpet Fashion Sense.

Best Film Promotion Poster.

Best Paparazzi reporting (using story and photographs).

Best SIFF Personality.

Staff Submissions

Our SIFF staff also enjoy participating in the challenges, but we also feel that it would be

unfair to compete in the challenges that we ourselves are running. At the same time, many

of the SIFF fans have demanded the chance to vote for staff submissions so we have a

dilemna.

Minraed, as the executive director, will consider staff submissions based on the category

of the submission and the machinima experience level of the staff submission so that it is

placed as fairly as possible for the fans to vote. Since the votes are based on open polls we

feel that this is a fair way for the staff to contribute. I hope you will agree.

Tips for Newbies

To use cheats hit Ctrl+C and a bar will show up on the top of your game

screen where you can type this

Always use the cheat "HideHeadlineEffects on" this takes away the

thought bubbles and plumbobs from over your sims heads.

Don't film with your walls down, it doesn't look realistic to see homes with

no walls.

Learn to use camera controls properly - there is a good tutorial HERE.

If you have the Generations EP then test out the cheat

"MovieMakerCheatsEnabled on" - read information about this cheat HERE.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - Watch the How to Make Machinima Series by

Nittens HERE

http://www.cafepress.com/simatographystuff