Share your story through film or video! Every year we partner with the Kitchener Public Library and the Grand River Film Festival, for a youth video competition. Young people between the ages of 12 and 25 are invited to share their short films and videos to win a $300 prize in each age category.
On this page:
About the contest
Are you a storyteller? Do you enjoy sharing your stories and ideas through video or film? Have you been experimenting with shooting short videos that tell a story using a social media platform? Are you interested in film production? Are you studying media arts and looking for opportunities to showcase your work and support your professional CV? Do you want your film or video screened in a movie theatre?
If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, we want to see your film or video. Challenge your creativity and storytelling skills and shoot a film that will win you a cash prize and a spot in the Grand River Film Festival lineup!
Our film contest does not have a theme so consider submitting a short video or film that is:
- action/adventure
- animation
- comedy
- dance video
- detective
- documentary
- drama
- educational or instructional video
- experimental
- fantasy
- fiction
- film noir
- music video
- narrative
- promotional video
- science fiction
- travel video
Prizes
Up to two people will win a $300 prize in each of our three age categories:
- 12 to 14
- 15 to 17
- 18 to 25
We may also choose up to 10 honourable mention winners who will each get a prize.
How we choose a winner
Winners are selected based on their:
- technical merits: we assess technical merits based on how well your film or video meets the submission criteria
- artistic merits: we assess artistic merit based on originality, quality and design; how well have you used these components to tell your story?
Jury
The jury for the contest is composed of industry professionals (filmmakers, social media influencers, writers, production professionals, actors etc.), past contest winners, film enthusiasts, and artists. Subscribe to this page to get an email when we add jury profiles.
Submit your video
Submissions are open now for the 2023 youth video competition.
The deadline to submit your film or video is 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, March 23, 2023.
Submission criteria
Make sure you meet these criteria before submitting:
- submit only one film or video
- you can submit as an individual or as a group (more than one director of the film or video)
- if you are submitting as part of a group, you can also submit as an individual as long as the group entry is submitted under the name of another person in that group
- if you are submitting as part of a group, the submission is done by the oldest person in the group
- you must be a Canadian resident – applications from Waterloo region will be given preference
- submit a film or video between 45 seconds and three minutes in length (including credits) suitable for all ages
- anything longer will be disqualified
- upload your film or video to YouTube or Vimeo at the highest quality possible (please make sure your video can be accessed for at least two months after the submission deadline)
- you must have created, filmed and edited your film or video without any adult assistance (adult actors are allowed)
- allow your film or video to be screened at a public event or virtually on our YouTube channel
- please check off permission on the online application
- follow the copyright rules described in the copyright section below or your film or video – no matter how good it is – will be disqualified
- reference all media sources in your film or video description or credits
- submit through the online application before the deadline
Please reference all media sources in your film or video description or credits.
Screening
Subscribe to this page to get an email when we add screening information.
Resources
Are you new to filmmaking? Looking for more resources to expand your skills? We collected a list of resources that may be helpful if you’re just beginning to experiment or already have a few films to your name:
- content
- copyright
- equipment rental
- tips and tutorials
- other submission opportunities
- learning resources
- grants
Content
Learn more about the film rating system, storyboarding and developing your story or scriptwriting:
- Motion Picture Association film rating system
- beginner's guide to filmmaking
- storyboarding tips
- scriptwriting tips
Copyright
Copyright is the exclusive legal right given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material and to authorize others to do the same.
All images, music and sound effects used in your film or video must be original or used per the content’s copyright or use guidelines. If we suspect that your film or video inappropriately uses copy-written material, it may be disqualified. This is especially important if you are choosing to tell your story through TikTok or Instagram platforms.
A musical composition, sound effect or image available online may not mean it is in the public domain. You may still need permission from the artist to use it in your film or video. That’s why it’s best to use platforms like Creative Commons.
Check out these resources:
Find assets to use in your film:
- Creative Commons provides millions of songs, images and music if you follow their guidelines
- free sound effects
Equipment rental
Tips and tutorials
Watch these tutorials to help develop your skills as a filmmaker:
- filmmaking concepts
- cinematic shots with inexpensive equipment
- angles and shots with examples
- visual effects
- writing and story structure
Other submission opportunities
Are you looking for other opportunities to screen your film? Check out these local festivals: