Media Categories & Rules

Note: Trophies will be awarded in all categories.

EUSD students can submit work as an individual in Video, Photography, and Audio Storytelling. EUSD teachers can also submit class video projects (but the actual work should be primarily done by the students. See the Adult Support page in the left sidebar for more guidelines). This year, multiple class video entries may be submitted, if a teacher chooses. Either way, all entries in any category must be primarily student-produced work. Teachers and parents can support, instruct, model, or cajole, but they cannot do work for the students. For more detail, see the Adult Support link in the left sidebar. You may enter any or all of the categories below, but you can only submit one individual entry per category (e.g. one video, one photograph, etc.). There will be three awards in each category: Primary Students (grades K-2), Intermediate Students (grades 3-5), and Middle School Students (grades 6-8). There will be separate awards for Individual Video Projects and Class Video Projects.

Check out previous winners in the Previous Winners section (left sidebar). Get an idea for what kind of quality you'll need to produce.

Video (Class and Individual)

Video Judging Rubric

Individual Video All entries must be submitted by a teacher or administrator. Videos can be on any topic and of any genre. There can be only one lead person in the Individual category: their vision guided the production; others may work as tech crew and/or actors but the award will go to only to the lead. Videos must be no more than 5 minutes in length, created during the 2018-19 school year, appropriate for an elementary/middle school audience, and copyright compliant. Only one Individual Video submission per student, but they may also participate in the Class Video category.

Class Video

A class video may be created by any number of students under the teacher's guidance. Students may participate in multiple class videos. All entries must be submitted by a teacher or administrator. Videos can be on any topic and of any genre. Videos must be no more than 5 minutes in length, created during the 2018-19 school year, appropriate for an elementary/middle school audience, and copyright compliant. Anyone appearing on camera must provide a signed EUSD Media Release or proof of a School/Classroom Media Release, to the submitting teacher or administrator.

Judging for both Individual and Class Videos will be based on:

Strong storytelling/Reporting
Technical Proficiency

Light
Sound
Editing

Cinematography (or Animation)
Creativity
Engaging and Relevant Subject Matter

IMPORTANT: Anyone appearing on camera must provide a signed EUSD Media Release or proof of a School/Classroom Media Release, to the submitting teacher or administrator.

For your video format export see: EYMF File Preparation page (Sidebar on the left). You can see the judge's rubric here.

Photography

Video: How-to Take and Edit Photos on iPad

Photography Judging Rubric

All entries must be submitted by a teacher or administrator. You may submit any photograph that you have taken during the 2018-19 school year. Only individuals may submit to this category, and each student may submit only one photo to the Festival. The subject matter is up to you, but it must be appropriate for display at school and other public areas. The photo can be color or black and white. You may edit your photograph (color and tonal correction/adjustments) in a program like Photoshop, but it must remain realistic (no collages, mixed-media, effects filtering, etc.). The photo should should be submitted as a JPEG with the highest possible resolution.

The judges will be looking for the following characteristics:

Composition and Design
Creativity
Technical Proficiency

Exposure
Focus

Engaging and Relevant Subject Matter

You can see the judges' rubric here.

IMPORTANT: Anyone appearing in the photo must provide a signed EUSD Media Release or proof of a School/Classroom Media Release, to the submitting teacher or administrator.

Photo Dimensions

For your photo format export see: EYMF File Preparation page (Sidebar on the left).

Audio Storytelling

Audio Storytelling Judging Rubric

All entries must be submitted by a teacher or administrator. Only individuals may submit to this category, and the story must be their original creation. Audio Storytelling can be one person telling a story, or multiple characters performing an audio play. 1-3 Students may enter a project as a creative team, only if each member is equally responsible for the concept and delivery. Other student may participate as actors or tech crew, but only the creative team will receive a trophy if the project wins. The audio must be an original story, created during the 2018-19 school year, no more than 5 minutes in length, and appropriate for an elementary/middle school audience. It may contain sound effects and music from an audio program such as GarageBand, or from a legally obtained copyright-compliant source such as FreePlay. Judging will be based on:

Inventive Use of Sound Elements
Technical Proficiency

Sound Levels
Lack of Distortion
Balance

Creativity
Engaging Storytelling with Relevant Subject Matter

Guidelines on how to export your audio file: EYMF File Preparation page (Sidebar on the left).

NOTE: At FilmFreewayAudio Storytelling is classified under Music/Songwriting.