High School Festival: Video
The world is full of stories—stories that must be shared. If you’re passionate about exploring the language of film and telling stories through video, this competition is for you. Choose to shoot a documentary or narrative, or create an animated world all your own.
Competitions
Narrative
Time Limit: 4–6 minutes
One long or two short memorized selections from a novel, short story, poem or play. Introductions and transitions are expected.
Animation
Time Limit: 7–9 minutes
People: 2 or more
Scene excerpted from published play by reputable author; brief introduction needed for each scene; quality of literature will be part of the evaluation. No Readers’ Theatre, lighting, makeup or sound effects.
Small table, two chairs and one stool provided; costumes, props and other set pieces left to discretion of performers. Students must be able to perform their scene in an acting space of approximately 20'x12'.
Documentary
Time Limit: 5–7 minutes
Original speech to stimulate, convince, inform or move to action. May not deal with doctrinal interpretation or religious controversy. Must be delivered without notes.
Guidelines for all categories
The project must have a running time of 3 to 8 minutes and must be submitted in one of the following formats: DVD or a movie file (.mp4 / .wmv). The movie file must be submitted on a non-returnable disc or thumb drive. If you elect to submit your video in a DVD format, please check your DVD on several different DVD players. Sometimes a DVD burned on an individual computer will not play on any other device. A DVD or a movie file format that will not play on our equipment will not be eligible for the competition. Discs and thumb drives must be labeled with the your name and school you attend.
All elements contained in the video must be free of copyright issues including but not limited to music, photographs and ideas. The credits must include the following: name of the student/director and school, a list of crew members and their positions, a list of the equipment that was used (cameras, editing software and any other software used in production), and the source for the copyright free music.
The film may focus on any subject as long as content is suitable for a Christian venue. Music in the style of pop, rock, jazz or country-western music will not be permitted. Final decisions about content will be made by the judges.
- Students may enter a maximum of 3 contests.
- Students may win first place more than once in successive years with different pieces.
- Any student who does not fulfill all of the contest requirements will forfeit his right to win but will receive judges’ written critiques.
1st Place Solo Winners
- Trophy
- Paid program fee for the 1st semester of freshman year at BJU
- Full scholarship to attend a BJU EDUcamp
2nd Place Solo Winners
- Plaque
- Full scholarship to attend a BJU EDUcamp
3rd Place Solo Winners
- Plaque
- One-half scholarship to attend a BJU EDUcamp
1st, 2nd and 3rd Place Group Winners
- Trophy
Side-by-Side Music Experience
Contestants can rehearse and perform in large groups hosted by members and directors of BJU performing organizations.
Wind Band
- Open to 11–12th grade students in brass, woodwind and percussion. Students will rehearse and perform side-by-side with members of the BJU Symphonic Wind Band under the direction of Bruce Cox.
Orchestra
- Open to 9–12th grade students who play violin, viola, cello or bass. Students will rehearse and perform side-by-side with members of the BJU Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Michael Moore.
- Violin I must be able to play with confidence and ease in fifth position, Violin II and Viola in third position, Cello and Bass in fourth position.
Concert Chorus
- Open to SATB singers recommended by their director.
- Each school or homeschool group may select up to 3 balanced quartets of SATB for a total of 12 singers maximum. These singers will rehearse and perform concert choral literature side-by-side with the Chorale under the direction of Warren Cook.
Festival Singers
- Open to SATB singers participating in any area of the Festival. This chorus will rehearse and perform side-by-side with BJU’s all-freshmen choir, University Singers, under the direction of Eli Yanson.