Terms, Conditions & How to participate

I. Time Period
1. Filmmaking time for Deccan Herald’s Bengaluru Weekend Film Challenge is scheduled to begin from 6:00 PM IST, February 25th, 2022 and end on February 27th, 11:59 PM IST.

2. Participants need to submit their film by 11.59 PM IST, February 27th, 2022.

Before submitting the film, make sure the following information is readily available to input to the Google form (Click here to access)
a. Name
b. Team Leader
c. Theme
d. Name of the film
e. Contact Details of Team Leader (for all communication) Mobile
Email - must use the same to upload all documents Address
f. Upload documents:
f-1. .srt file (Max 10 MB)
f-2. Signed legal agreement (Max 10 MB)
f-3. Video upload (Max 1 GB)

g. Link to unlisted video on YouTube

3.  Along with uploading the film, the team leader is required to download, print, sign and upload the filmmaker’s agreement (Click here to download the agreement) along with the Google form (Click here to access).

II. Tasks – What should participants do in the given time period?

1. Shooting
2. Editing
3. Background Music
4. Colour Correction and Rendering
5. Compressing below 1 GB. Files larger than 1 GB will not be accepted.
6. Uploading the film
7. Upload the film to YouTube as an UNLISTED video. Send us the link.

Additional tasks that will add to evaluation points
1. Scripting
2. Casting
3. Location and Art Design

III. What can participants do before the Weekend Challenge begins?

1. Organise your Crew: Team size is entirely up to you, as long as all members are volunteers.
2. Organise Cast (if required)
3. Get your equipment ready
4. Find your shoot locations

IV. The entire film must be shot within the filmmaking period and the team needs to provide proof of the same as and when needed.

V. What can’t be used in the film?

1. Photographs, music or any sort of film or video footage can be used in a film, only if the team has the rights to use them. Use of copyrighted material will lead to disqualification. Copyright free music can be used in the film.
2. Animation is not allowed as part of the film.

VI. Theme reveal

The theme will be announced online on February 25, 2022, 6:00 PM IST on www.deccanherald.com and Deccan Herald social media handles (Twitter, Facebook and Telegram)

1. Along with the theme, a prop will also be announced. The usage of a specified prop will be mandatory.
2. Non-usage of the prop will lead to disqualification of the entry.

VII. Technical Requirements

Films can be shot either on DSLRs/ Mirrorless Cameras or Mobile phones but only in the 1980 x 1080 aspect ratio.

All footage must be shot at minimum 1080p. If possible, external microphones must be used. If not, audio quality must be clear.

VIII. Final Duration

The finished film must be a minimum of 3 minutes in duration, and a maximum of 5 minutes in duration including end credits.

Films longer than 5 mins will not be considered.

All films must open with the following text:
“This film was made for the Deccan Herald - Bengaluru 2040 Weekend Film Challenge”
Text colour white on black background.
Font Arial, Font size:100
Stay time on screen: 10 seconds (will not be counted as part of the total film duration)

IX.  All films, irrespective of language, should have English subtitles. The subtitles must be provided separately in a properly formatted SRT file (Use any free tool to create Subtitles).

X.  Each team must submit the signed filmmaker’s agreement along with uploading the film. The film will not be evaluated until the agreement is signed and received. Check out the agreement here

XI.  The final video must be uploaded in MP4/MOV/MPEG-4 format. The uploaded video should be in 1080p and strictly below 1 GB. File size larger than 1 GB will not be accepted.

XII.  For being eligible for the Bengaluru 2040 Summit - Weekend Film Challenge:
1. Films must be the original work of the team and must not infringe third-party’s rights.
2. Must be suitable for publication and not contain obscene or indecent material that hurts a person’s belief or incites violence.
3. Must not contain obscene or pornographic material; must not contain defamatory statements about any person, company, organisation or entity.
4. Must not invade privacy or other rights of any person, company or entity.
5. Must not in any other way violate applicable laws and regulations; and must not contain any copyrighted elements not owned by the team.
6. Films containing prohibited or inappropriate content as determined by TPML (publishers of Deccan Herald) in its sole discretion will be disqualified.

XIII. TPML (publishers of Deccan Herald) may, in its sole discretion, disqualify films deemed to be inappropriate or otherwise non-compliant.

XIV. The organisers, TPML (publishers of Deccan Herald) may add to or amend these rules at any time prior to the beginning of the filmmaking period, without informing the participants.