Guidelines

Film duration: between 30 seconds and 4 minutes.

Deadline for submissions is February 20th 2013.

If you want to compete in any other category than the General one, be sure to read our Terms to understand what we require of each of category.

What film should I make?

Remember, whether you are for or against whaling: originality, clarity, how well you deliver your message, and the 'x' factor, are what will distinguish your entry in the competition.  So as a tip: consider that if you simply shoot one continuous shot of someone talking to the camera - it may be harder to score well on originality.

Perhaps you live far from the ocean. Perhaps there are no whales or dolphins on hand to conveniently feature in your short film. If so, don't worry, you are like most of us!

We've provided a library of whale and dolphin video clips for use in your short films.  You must limit your use of this footage to a maximum of 12 seconds.  We're not seeking to be impressed with underwater footage, and we actively discourage seeking out any illegal interaction with whales as they are wild animals and need their privacy to be respected. In most situations interacting with them is illegal for that reason. 

You can have people featured in your film, or no people. You can narrate, or not. You can use artwork, music, animation, scribbles, bagels, jelly beans... Just be certain to either own copyright of what you use, or obtain permission to use it in the context of the Whale Like Me Short Film Contest.

Learning

To help you get inspired about your film, you can learn some things about cetaceans before starting. We've bundled some great resources you can use to learn about some of the intelligent life living beneath the surface of our oceans - your film will benefit and you may be amazed at what you discover!

Language

If you wish to submit a film with important narration in a language other than English, please provide subtitles in English.