Content Guidelines
Create an original, horror-themed narrative video rated PG-13 and under 10 minutes in length.
Create your film
Get started with YouTube how-to’s. Write your story, assemble your crew, and edit your film.
Upload
Submit your finished film with our easy-to-use online portal that’ll keep your film safe & secure.
Need a Camera?
Find an access media center. You can rent audio and video equipment for low-to-no-cost.
Awards and Prizes
Viewers and judges vote on the recipients of our grand prize and excellence awards.
Festival Schedule
We’ve outlined the entire event schedule to keep you informated about important dates.
Upload your film
Submissions open for the 2024 NWN in September! Check back for more details!
Guidelines
Themes and Content
Learn more about horror (sub)genres, runtime, and creative boundaries regarding edgy horror film content.
The Checklist
Every film accepted into the festival has adhered to the following content guidelines:
General
- The film was made within the past year.
- Any foreign-language films include English subtitles.
Theme
- It clearly belongs in a ‘horror’ genre or sub-genre.
- It is a live-action or animated film. Anything goes.
- It is a narrative film. Non-fiction, music videos, or film trailers may be played but aren’t award-eligible.
Runtime
- It is under 10 minutes in length (there is no minimum runtime).
Titles
- It includes a title with the film’s name.
- It includes a title identifying the creators’ location.
- It includes end credits.
Content Limits
- It generally conforms to the MPAA’s PG-13 rating.
- While it includes violence and gore, it does not include graphic depictions of sexualized violence or abuse.
- Graphic depictions of drug use—including alcohol and (e)cigarettes—are kept to an absolute minimum.
- Explicit language is minimal. One ‘f-bomb,’ max.
- Contains absolutely zero sexualized language.
Guidelines
Legal and Copyright
It’s important to properly license and credit your fellow creatives. Here’s how to do that.
Original Content
We take pride knowing that our filmmakers create entirely original films every year.
It’s important to get permission from actors, creators, and private property owners before involving them in your film.
Release forms be provided upon our request.
Media you use
Your film must not contain any copyrighted music, video, or images that you haven’t obtained written permission to use.
People you involve
Everyone in your film needs to understand that they’re working on your film and that their likeness may be made public on the web and social media.
It’s also critical that your film doesn’t contain defamatory statements targeting individuals, groups, organizations, or companies.
Locations you film at
Private property owners must be aware you’re filming on their land and give you written permission to use it.
Written permission to use public places (parks, trails, public buildings, streets/sidewalks, etc. ) is not required, but it’s best practice to inform local authorities where and when you’ll be filming.
Our release form can be used to obtain written permission from the parties above.
Guidelines
Audio and Video
Ensure your film looks incredible on the silver screen: aspect ratios, audio, frame-rates, and file format.
Aspect Ratio
In editing software it is possible to enter the width and height of your video—the aspect ratio. In 2019, this is mostly a stylistic choice by the director.
The theater projector will display your film differently depending on which aspect ratio you choose.
We recommend going with 2:39:1—it looks great and fills the entire cinema screen.
Frame Rate: If possible, try to film in 24 frames per second, for the optimal cinema viewing experience!
File Format
We recommend you export your film as an MP4 (h.264 codec) file in the highest audio and video quality possible.
Guidelines
Awards & Entry Fees
Every filmmaker helps make this event possible. Here’s what you could win and how to support us.
Awards
A grand cash prize and excellence awards await our winners at the After Party.
Judges’ Awards
Our panel of community film critics will select (1) grand prize winner—the recipient of a cash prize and our distinctive award for ‘Best Picture.’
Additional excellence awards will also be presented:
Best Scare
Best Acting
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Film Editing
Best Production Design
Best Screenplay
Best Sound Design
Best Special Effects
Entry Fees
Each entry into the film festival is $40. Pay when you’re ready.
Create a free account with FilmFreeWay—fill out the contact information. Let us know where you’re from in Vermont, too!
Create a Project
After making a new account you’ll be asked to ‘Create a Project‘—a project is where you’ll add your movie poster, cast details, and filmmaker bio before uploading your video file.
If you don’t have everything ready, don’t worry: You can create your project later.
Uploading your film
On your ‘project’ page, upload your film directly to FilmFreeWay from your computer. This ensures we get a high-quality copy of your film without video compression.
Privacy
Make sure the video is set to private (the default) and give film festivals permissions to view and download.
This keeps the video from being viewed by the public ahead of the film premiere.
Submit & Pay
Visit our FilmFreeWay festival page (linked below) and hit the submit button. Select your project and enter your payment information.
Help?
If you have any questions, definitely visit FilmFreeWay’s help center. You can also email us at info@nwnightmares.com.
Terms
By submitting a film, you agree to the following:
Your film adheres to the guidelines detailed above.
You acknowledge that entry fees are non-refundable.
You’ve gotten written permission for any media, people, and privately-owned locations that appear in your film and will provide those docs when we request it.
You agree to allow us reserve the right to determine if your film is eligible for public viewing and awards.
You agree that the festival organizers are not responsible or liable for any damages, claims, physical harm, or lost data as a result of entering, participating in, or attending the film festival.
Upload your film