INFORMATION, RULES & REGULATIONS
GENERAL INFORMATION
The primary objective of the Student Silent Film Festival is to offer students the opportunity to create contemporary silent films and enhance their storytelling abilities without relying on dialogue. This demanding exercise will significantly improve students' capacity to produce engaging films.
In order to participate in the festival, every school must pay an entry fee, which will not only help fund the event but also encourage students to participate with seriousness and dedication. Please note that only one film submission is allowed per school. If a school has multiple films to choose from, they must select the best one for submission.
To help schools choose the best film, we recommend that they organize their own mini-festival or pre-judging event to evaluate the entries and select the best silent film to enter into the Student Silent Film Festival.
Every participating group is required to have two adult chaperones, including at least one teacher, to ensure proper supervision and guidance.
IMPORTANT DATES & DEADLINE
EVENT DATE: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Friday, October 10, 2025
PAYMENT DEADLINE: Friday, November 7, 2025
FILM, TRAILER, & HYPE VIDEO SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Friday, December 12, 2025
THEME: "LET THE PROP LEAD"
This year there’s no preset topic—your prop is the theme. Each team will be given one prop. That object isn’t just set dressing; it should spark curiosity and shape the story in some way.
YOUR PROP IS, "A DECK OF CARDS"
Prop-Based Theme Requirements
- Use it more than once so it feels like a thread, not a throwaway.
- Let it shift the story in some way—a clue, a complication, a turning point, or even a joke.
Tips to Make It Pop
- Build moments around the prop—hand-offs, reveals, match cuts, or sight gags.
- Show characters reacting to it: wanting it, losing it, hiding it, or being thrown off by it.
- Use real-life, contemporary settings: phones, lockers, city streets, trains, hallways.
- End with the prop paying off—maybe it solves the problem, triggers the twist, or delivers the punchline.
VENUE
The Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove
PARTICIPATION FEES
The participation fee is $200.00 per school. This fee will provide 10 Artist/Faculty Passes and 2 Additional Passes for chaperones. Each group is required to have 2 adult chaperones, including a teacher
GENERAL ADMISSION TICKET COSTS
General Admission Tickets: General admission tickets for the big night is $25 per person ($20 in advance online).
EVENT SCHEDULE
- 5:30 - 6:30 pm: Artist Check-in, Red Carpet Social Hour (Show Films of past Festival)
- 6:45 pm: Showtime!
FESTIVAL COORDINATORS
- Bill Allan - Communications Teacher at Lyons Township High School
- Derek Berg - Founder and CEO of the Clarendon Hills Music Academy
- Ed Newmann - former president and CEO of Calabash Animation Studios, Chicago, IL
STUDENT SILENT MOVIE FESTIVAL GUIDELINES
ELIGIBILITY
All eligibility to participate in the silent film festival is by invitation only.
GENERAL REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Friday, October 10, 2025
Click to Register Here
PARTICIPATION PAYMENT DEADLINE: Friday, November 7, 2025
(Payment is required for participation.)
Click to Pay Participation Fees Here
FILM SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Friday, December 12, 2025
Click to Submit Your Film, Trailer & Audience Choice Promo/Hype Video
FILM LENGTH
Each school can submit one film with a minimum running time of 5 minutes and a maximum running time of 7 minutes.
FILM TITLE
Please make sure to establish a formal title for your film. Please do not use "untitled" as your title.
FILM TRAILER DEADLINE (Required): Friday, December 12, 2025
Each school is required to submit a 30-to 60-second trailer for their films. Trailers can have their own soundtrack and/or voice-over, dialogue, etc.
Click to Submit Your Film, Trailer & Audience Choice Promo/Hype Video
PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD PROMO/HYPE VIDEO DEADLINE (Required): Friday, December 12, 2025
Each school is required to submit a 30-second promo/hype video for THEIR film to be voted for the “People Choice” award. The purpose of the promo/hype video is to inspire students to come to the live event to support their school and vote for their school's film for the People's Choice Award.
Click to Submit Your Film, Trailer & Audience Choice Promo/Hype Video
HOW THE WINNERS SELECTED
Traditional Judging: A panel of judges will screen all films and select the top 3 respectively in no particular ranking. The consensus of those results will determine the finalists based on cinema excellence.
Audience Choice Award: In addition to the traditional judging, we shall be presenting an Audience Choice Award. This round of voting will happen exclusively at the event by the members of the audience.
FORMAT
All submissions should conform to the following specifications:
- H.264 or H.265 video codec and AAC audio codec
- mov or mp4 wrapper
- 1920 x 1080 resolution
- 29.97 fps or 23.976 fps
CONTENT: PG 13 RATING
PG-13 (Parental Guidance-13) is a film rating category assigned by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) of America. The PG-13 rating indicates that some material may not be suitable for children under the age of 13, and parental guidance is suggested.
The guidelines for the PG-13 rating include:
- Violence: Violence is allowed in PG-13 films, but it should not be excessively graphic or disturbing. The violence should not be glorified or gratuitous, and it should not be directed at innocent victims.
- Language: Mild to moderate profanity is permitted in PG-13 films, but the use of strong language should be infrequent and used only in a non-sexual context.
- Sexual Content: Sexual content is allowed in PG-13 films, but it should not be explicit or overly graphic. Nudity is allowed but should be brief and non-sexual. Sexual references and innuendos are also allowed but should not be too explicit or offensive.
- Drugs: Drug use and references to drugs are allowed in PG-13 films, but it should not be excessive or glorified.
Overall, the PG-13 rating is intended to provide guidance to parents about the suitability of a film for their children. Parents should use their judgment when deciding whether a particular film is appropriate for their child based on their child's age, maturity, and sensitivity to the material presented in the film.