Thirty shortlisted filmmakers will be selected and flown to Los Angeles for the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards ceremony, taking place on February 22, 2023 in Culver City, California.
The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards is a major new program for short films providing an exceptional opportunity for creators and filmmakers from around the world.
About Sony Future Filmmaker Awards
Sponsored by Sony and free to enter, the Awards set out to elevate original voices from around the globe with a fresh perspective on storytelling.
Thirty shortlisted filmmakers will be selected and flown to Los Angeles for the Awards ceremony, taking place on February 22, 2023 in the Cary Grant Theatre at the historic Sony Pictures studio lot in Culver City, California. Winners from six categories – including the Environment and Future Format – will be announced on the night and rewarded with cash prizes and a range of Sony’s Digital Imaging equipment. Winners will be selected by a panel of leading figures chaired by award-winning theatre, television and film director Justin Chadwick.
‘With the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards we are looking for the next generation of storytellers whose work can engage, inform, entertain and excite. If you have something to say and you want your voice to be heard, we want to hear it.’ shares Justin Chadwick.
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Following the Awards night, all 30 winners and shortlist will attend two days of workshops, screenings and panel discussions led by Sony Pictures executives and top experts in their fields.
With a goal that aims to support filmmakers’ career progression by providing them with exclusive access and unparalleled insight into the inner workings of the industry, the two-day program will cover a wide range of topics from pitching to legal, to working with talent agencies and using cutting-edge technologies including animation and CGI.
The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards includes the following competitions and categories:
Filmmaker
The Filmmaker competition elevates original voices that bring a fresh perspective to storytelling.
- Three categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction and Environment.
- Entries must be between five to 20 minutes in length and can be shot on any device.
- Shortlist of up to 15 filmmakers (maximum five per category).
- Winners and shortlist all receive a trip to Los Angeles to take part in the Awards ceremony and two-day workshop programme.
- The three category winners additionally receive $5 000 (R83 000) and an FX9 Cinema Line Camera (plus lens).
Student filmmaker
The Student Filmmaker competition rewards the talent soon set to shape the industry.
- Two categories: Fiction and Non-Fiction.
- Entrants must be studying a film course at a registered institution at a diploma or degree level worldwide.
- Entries must be between five to 20 minutes in length and can be shot on any device.
- Shortlist of up to 10 is selected (maximum five per category) to ensure representation of the different continents and a diverse range of global talent.
- Winners and shortlist all receive a trip to Los Angeles to take part in the Awards ceremony and two-day workshop programme.
- The two category winners and their institutions additionally receive a range of Sony’s Digital Imaging equipment.
Future formate
The Future Format competition challenges filmmakers to respond to a new technical brief each year.
- For 2023, submissions are to be shot exclusively on a smartphone.
- Entries must be between two to five minutes in length and can be shot on any smartphone.
- Shortlist of up to five is selected.
- Winner and shortlist all receive a trip to Los Angeles to take part in the Awards ceremony and two-day workshop programme.
- The category winner additionally receives $2,500 (R42 000) and a range of Sony’s Digital Imaging equipment.
Dates to diarise:
The deadline for all entries is 13 December 2022, at 07:00 CT. The two-day workshop programme will take place at the Sony Pictures studio lot in Culver City, California on 23 and 24 February 2023. The jury panel for the inaugural edition will be announced in September 2022.
For more information and to submit to the awards, click here.
