Terms & Conditions
Welcome to the inaugural Best Shot Film Festival, 2025.
You’ve tried the rest, and now you’re trying the Best Shot Film Festival.
Good on you!
At Best Shot Film Festival, we’re all about filmmaking and celebrating filmmakers’ best work from each calendar year, and by agreeing to these Terms and Conditions, your best shot of 2025 (and/or from your back catalogue), will be screened and judged for the chance to win a share of $3000 AUD.
To get you started, here’s the basics, with the full list of Terms and Conditions to follow…
Enter and pay your entry fee through Film Freeway, being sure that you select the correct entry section and fulfil the technical specifications!
If you’re selected as a finalist, we’ll let you know, and you’ll be in the running for a prize from our judges!
Make sure that you have all necessary permissions where your actors and copyright are concerned (we won’t be held responsible if you don’t!)
Remember that you own your film, but you need to allow us to use it for promotions and marketing of the festival!
1. How do you enter your film?
To enter your film (“Film”) into Best Shot Film Festival (“Festival”), you (“Producer”) must submit via Film Freeway with the payment of the relevant entry fee.
Entrants must select the section (“Entry Section”) in which they are intending to enter; the Open section (Producer must have been 18-years-old or older at the time the film was produced) and the Student section (Producer must have been a school student* at the time the film was produced).
Entrants must also indicate the production origin of their entry: whether their entry is either “Calendar Year” or “Back Catalogue”. Films from the “Calendar Year” must have been made during the 2025 calendar year, while films from the “Back Catalogue” must have been completed prior to January 2025. All films must be submitted in the English language OR English subtitles hardcoded into the film. All films must not exceed 10 minutes including credits.
Best Shot Film Festival is dedicated to recognising and celebrating the best films and filmmakers that have not found success at any other festivals. Therefore, to be eligible for selection, films entered in Best Shot Film Festival must not have won “Best Film” or “Best Director” in any other festivals at the time of entry. Should an entry receive an award for “Best Film” or “Best Director” at another festival between the time of being entered in Best Shot Film Festival and the Best Shot Film Festival date, this will not affect eligibility of that entry for selection in Best Shot Film Festival.
Files must meet these minimum specifications:
Type: .Mov or .mp4
Standard aspect ratio of 16:9
Resolution: 1080x1920
H.264 video codec, and AAC-LC audio codec
Any technical issues with the submitted films are 100% the responsibility of the filmmakers. If, at the time of official selection, your video file doesn’t work or doesn’t have English subtitles (if in a language other than English), we will reach out personally to ask entrants to amend this within a time frame disclosed on contact, otherwise the film will be automatically rejected.
Filmmakers are responsible for adhering to all guidelines and deadlines needed to ensure the highest quality exhibition of their film.
Films must be suitable for public viewing; the decision of suitability is solely at the discretion of Best Shot Film Festival but as a guide, films should not exceed an Australian MA15+ rating. (A comparison showing international comparisons of film classifications is available here.)
*For these purposes, ”school student” includes: students enrolled in Elementary School, Grade School, Primary School, Middle School, High School, and/or Senior High School.
2. How are the films are judged?
a) A total of twelve (12) films will be chosen as finalists in each Entry Section (12 finalists in the Open section, and 12 finalists in the Student section). In 2025, for the inaugural festival, these 12 films from each section will be selected from both “Calendar Year” and “Back Catalogue” and may be made up of any combination from those production origins. The finalists (“Finalists”) will be viewed and judged prior to the screening at the Festival, using a pre-determined criteria (“The Judging Criteria”).
b) Best Shot Film Festival may, in its absolute discretion and without giving reasons, short-list any Film as a Finalist for judging and for viewing on Festival Night.
(c) Best Shot Film Festival selects a panel of three (3) to judge the Open section Finalists, which may be made up of, but may not necessarily include all of, the following industry professionals: actors, directors, writers, producers, composers, broadcasters, educators and others (“Panel”). Best Shot Film Festival will endeavour to ensure that the judging panel is representative of each criterion equally, so as not to “bias” the results. The members of the Panel view the Finalist films and score them using the Judging Criteria. Student section finalists will be judged by the Best Shot Film Festival team, which may be made up of, but may not necessarily include all of, the following: educators, artistic directors, film composers. Best Shot Film Festival tallies those results and calculates an average score for each film. The highest scoring film in each section will be awarded first place; the second-highest scoring film will be awarded second place; the third-highest scoring film will be awarded third place for that section. The judges are asked to use their own judgment but, in general, Best Shot Film Festival instructs the Panel to evaluate the films based on The Judging Criteria. In the event of a tie, the judges will be asked to decide the winner based on their discretion. Budgetary constraints are not part of Best Shot Film Festival’s judging criteria. There may be other awards like the People’s Choice Award which are not awarded by the Panel, but by popular audience vote.
(e) On Festival Night, the three films in each Entry Section awarded the three highest overall scores by the Panel will announced as the overall winners of that Entry Section (“1st/2nd/3rd place: Best Open shot of 2025” and “1st/2nd/3rd place: Best Student shot of 2025”), and the Producers of the Winning films will each be awarded a prize.
(f) In the event that the recipient of the Award is under the age of eighteen (18), such Award (if payable), will be made payable to the parent, custodian or legal guardian of such recipient.
(g) Any non-cash prizes awarded are not transferable, exchangeable or redeemable for cash.
3. How does Audience voting and THE “people’s choice” award work?
There may be an audience-awarded prize (“Friendly Fire Award”). Best Shot Film Festival will not manipulate audience voting numbers; the film with the most audience votes over the time period indicated will be declared the winner (“Friendly Fire Winner”). The 12 finalists from the Open sections and the top 3 films from the Student section are eligible for the Friendly Fire Award.
4. What are the Producer’s responsibilities and accountabilities?
The Producer hereby represents and warrants to Best Shot Film Festival that:
(a) the Producer has the sole and full right and authority to accept the Terms and Conditions and enter into this Agreement and grant the rights granted in the Agreement;
(b) the Film complies with the Terms and Conditions;
(c), the Producer is the sole and exclusive owner, or has permission from the sole and exclusive owner, of the copyright in the sound recordings comprising the soundtrack of the Film and the music and lyrics reproduced in those sound recordings**;
(d) all of the performers in the Film have consented to the use of their performances in the Film**;
(e) the Producer has obtained from each contributor to the Film (“Contributor”), including with respect to the underlying works in the Film, a release to use the results and proceeds of the Contributor’s services and/or contributions to the Film including, without limitation the right to edit, alter and/or reproduce the results and proceeds of the Contributor, in any manner or context, by the Producer, and any person authorized by the Producer to do so (including Best Shot Film Festival, its assignees and licensees), and such consents have been obtained to the full extent permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) (Moral Rights Consents)**;
(f) the Producer has obtained from each Contributor, authorization for Best Shot Film Festival to use the Contributor’s name and likeness in connection with any publicity for the Festival and related competitions**;
(g) the Producer assumes all liabilities, legal or otherwise, should any insurance claims (personal injury, property damage or otherwise) occur in relation to the production of their entry in the Festival. The Producer thereby indemnifies Best Shot Film Festival from any liabilities, legal or otherwise, relating to insurance claims (personal injury, property damage or otherwise), resulting from the production of their entry in the Festival;
(h) the Producer assumes all liabilities, legal or otherwise, should any copyright infringements occur in relation to their entry in the Festival. The Producer thereby indemnifies Best Shot Film Festival from any liabilities, legal or otherwise, relating to copyright infringement resulting from their entry in the Festival;
(i) the Producer will pay all fees and other charges related to entry of the Film in the Festival;
(j) all details submitted by the Producer are true and correct, and the Producer indemnifies Best Shot Film Festival from and against any and all claims and demands made against Best Shot Film Festival, and its assignees or licensees;
(k) all residuals or other payments to Contributors in connection with the Film have been paid, together with the cost of all licenses of all copyright and any film footage, musical works, lyrics, sound recordings or other material in which copyright subsists, owned by any third parties and which are used or adapted in the Film, other than fees that may be payable to local performing rights associations for use of the Film before/during/after the Festival Night;
(l) no part of the Film is, or will be, actionable for defamation or violate any right of privacy or publicity of any person, and the full use of the rights in the Film will not violate any rights, including copyright or moral rights, of any person, firm, or corporation; and
(m) the Film is not the subject of any litigation nor is it threatened by any claim or litigation.
**Documentation confirming compliance with Paragraphs 3 (c), (d), (e), and (f) above is the sole responsibility of the Producer, should that documentation be required.
5. What are the Producer’s rights?
The Producer:
a) acknowledges that Best Shot Film Festival, its assignees and licensees, may do or omit to do anything which may infringe any and all moral rights granted to the Contributors or the Producer including to edit, alter and/or reproduce the work of the Contributors, the Producer and the Film and the Producer consents to these actions by Best Shot Film Festival, and its assignees and licensees, in any manner or context, in perpetuity throughout the world, and such consent is given to the full extent permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth); and
b) authorises Best Shot Film Festival and its assignees and licensees to do any and all acts comprised in the Producer’s Rights Consents.
6. Why might I be disqualified?
Best Shot Film Festival may, in its sole discretion, disqualify a Film from the Festival, if Best Shot Film Festival has reason to believe that a Film does not, for any reason, comply with the Terms and Conditions.
7. How is Best Shot Film Festival indemnified?
The Producer agrees to indemnify Best Shot Film Festival and hold them harmless from any damages, liabilities, losses, costs, expenses, obligations or claims (including, without limitation, reasonable outside attorneys' fees and costs) arising out of the breach of Producer’s agreements, obligations, representations and warranties under this Agreement.
8. What if there are changes to the Terms and Conditions?
Best Shot Film Festival reserves the right to make changes to these terms and conditions as required, which will take effect from the date of posting on the website. Your continued use of the Best Shot Film Festival website (“www.bestshotfilmfestival.com”), following the posting of changes to these Terms and Conditions, will mean you accept those changes.
Privacy
The guiding principle of Best Shot Film Festival is that your personal information is only held to allow us to support and improve your customer relationship with Best Shot Film Festival. If you have any concerns about our use of your personal data please email info@bestshotfilmfestival.com. We will investigate complaints, act on emails claiming unjustified exploitation of data and take such further action, as we, in our sole discretion, find appropriate.
Copyright
The images, graphics, text, applets and scripts operating our website (which, collectively, we call "Website Information") are © Best Shot Film Festival 2025 unless otherwise stated. You may view Website Information in a web browser for private browsing purposes only. Copying Website Information into a computer cache or storage device for private on or off-line browsing purposes is also permitted. You may not make a copy of the Website Information or any part of it for any other purpose without our prior written consent, which may be granted at our discretion (or where we do not own the copyright, we will direct you to the owner themselves for such consent). Nothing in these terms and conditions or on our website constitutes a license to use or copy the Website Information.
Occasionally we may publish images or text in which the copyright is not owned by us. Where this is done, and where practicable, we acknowledge the copyright owner. Excerpts from films are used to promote festival screenings of those films, and their inclusion in the Best Shot Film Festival.