Among the top 100 most popular film festivals in the world, the 7th annual Great Lakes Independent Film Festival has officially opened its Call for Entries and will accept submissions internationally of independently produced feature length and short length films and scripts in the genres of documentary, horror, experimental, Religious/Spiritual, animation, and all genre of music videos and Gay/Lesbian for the 2008 festival, September 25th. Thru September 28th. We shall accept all ranges of music videos, along with entries of short and feature length screenplays, stage plays, and teleplays of all genres and niches. 

The 2008 Great Lakes Independent Film Festival will accept all forms of religious, Christian, and spiritual films including African, African American, Gay/Lesbian, Black, Hispanic, Islamic, Latino, Native/Aboriginal and student films from the United States and around the world. 

With the advancements in digital technology, the ordinary movie viewing experience will change, and this is why we are brought the technology to our festival. The use of the DLP technology will enhance the audience’s experience by allowing them to observe the films as they are meant to be viewed. The technology allows most independent filmmakers to keep their exhibition formats as close to the original shooting format of their project, while reducing transfer costs. 

The Great Lakes Independent Film Festival is the first film festival world wide to completely exploit the DLP projection technology by Texas Instruments.

The Great Lakes Independent Film Festival horror categories for scripts and films will include Horror, Thrillers, Science Fiction, Suspense, Grindhouse Horror, Horror Documentary, Horror Animation, and student films and scripts. 

The annual screenwriting competition is a way for new and veteran scriptwriters to possibly get the break they need. 

Prizes for the winning script will include cash award of $500.00. The winning script will be forwarded to agents and industry professionals for consideration. 

If there is anything as universal as the ageless storytelling of motion pictures, it’s the music that makes up life’s soundtrack. 

The 2008 Great Lakes Independent Film Festival shall accept music videos from around the world of cross continent and cross-genre productions. We shall accept music videos of all ranges from pop, punk, rock, alt-country, country-western, folk, reggae, hip-hop to electronica, jazz, blues, Zydeco, industrial, gothic, karaoke, avant-garde, world music, and experimental. 

All film entries must be postmarked no later than July 5, 2008.

All script entries must be postmarked no later than August 30, 2008.

Film winners will be announced no later than August 9, 2008

Script winners will be announced no later than September 30, 2008

    FEES and DEADLINES: 

Animation and Experimental and Music Video Submissions:

• $25.00 ($20.00 Student) if postmarked by January 5, 2008 (U.S. Currency only)

• $35.00 ($30.00 Student) if postmarked by March 29, 2008 (U.S. Currency only)

• $45.00 ($40.00 Student) if postmarked June 28, 2008 (U.S. Currency only)

• $55.00 ($50.00 Student) if postmarked by July 5, 2008 (U.S. Currency only) Withoutabox entries ONLY

Short Length Script:

• $25.00 if postmarked by January 5, 2008 (U.S. Currency only)

• $35.00 if postmarked by March 29, 2008 (U.S. Currency only)

• $45.00 if postmarked by June 28, 2008 (U.S. Currency only)

• $55.00 if postmarked by August 30, 2008 (U.S. Currency only) Withoutabox entries ONLY

Feature Length Script:

• $35.00 if postmarked by January 5, 2008 (U.S. Currency only)

• $45.00 if postmarked by March 29, 2008 (U.S. Currency only)

• $55.00 if postmarked by June 28, 2008 (U.S. Currency only)

• $65.00 if postmarked by August 30, 2008 (U.S. Currency only) Withoutabox entries ONLY

All student entries MUST be accompanied by a copy of entrant's student identification.

ABSOLUTELY NO INTERNATIONAL CHECKS, WIRE TRANSFERS, OR MONEY GRAMS WILL BE ACCEPTED.  For all entries submitted outside the United States, we will only accept payment for submission fees in the form of INTERNATIONAL POSTAL MONEY ORDERS 

Rules:

Only one title per entry form. Productions from 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 may be submitted. Do not submit works in progress. All films must be submitted on DVD or 1/2" VHS (NTSC system only) for consideration (if DVD is burned, please send VHS). All films submitted must be available on DVD for presentation. 

All entries will go through Withoutabox.com. 

To ensure that your entry is properly processed, you must fill out the form completely and enclose proper payment. Please mark the tape with the title of your project, running time, your name, contact information and category. Along with the VHS tape or DVD, a black and white still from the production, a complete cast and crew list and a 50-100-word synopsis of the project must be included. We will notify you by email when your tape has been received. 

No videocassette or DVDs will be returned. Participation in the Great Lakes Independent Film Festival implies understanding and acceptance of all terms included in this application. All fees must be paid in U.S. Currency. 

Category Summary: 

Narrative Feature = 70+ minutes
Narrative Short = 69 or less minutes
Animation Feature = 60+ minutes
Animation Short = 59 or less minutes
Documentary Feature = 50+ minutes
Documentary Short = 49 or less minutes
Experimental Feature = 70+ minutes
Experimental Short = 69 or less minutes
Horror Feature = 50+ minutes
Horror Short = 49 or less minutes

Gay/Lesbian Feature = 70+ minutes
Gay/Lesbian Short = 69 or less minutes 
Religious/Spiritual Feature = 70+ minutes
Religious/Spiritual Short = 69 or less minutes

Music Video =15 minutes or less

Scriptwriting Eligibility: 
Must be 18 years of age or older 
The entered script must not be or previously been optioned, sold, or produced 

Scriptwriting Rules: 
Any genre considered

Scripts must be original work of the author

Multiple authorship is allowed. If the script wins, the writers will divide the prize.

Multiple entries are allowed, but their own completed entry form and their own appropriate entry fee must accompany each entry.

No corrected pages or additional pages will be accepted after the script has been entered. 

Script Guidelines: 
Submitted Scripts must be in English.

Do not send originals, scripts will not be returned.

Scripts must be in industry standard format and bound with 2 or 3 brads unless submitted electronically as an Adobe PDF or Word File.

Body pages must be correctly numbered.

Script title page should only contain name of screenplay.
Must be on white paper.

Covers must be card stock only 

Teleplay Rules:
Teleplays must be original material. We will not accept spec scripts for existing shows, treatments or reality television pilots. 

Teleplays must be hour or half-hour or one hour pilots. Additional material will not be read or considered. 

Teleplays must not have been previously optioned, purchased or produced. 

Competition Awards:
Prizes for the winning script will include cash award of $500.00 The winning script will be forwarded to agents and industry professionals for consideration.

Top 10 finalists will: 

Be given exposure to literary agencies, film studios and Hollywood producers. 

Be contacted by October 4, 2008, and be given until January 31, 2009, to submit a rewritten script. 

Have names and contact information posted on GLFA Web site. 

Included in a GLFA press release. 

Posted on the GLFA Web site along with brief script synopsis and contact information. 

Given further opportunities by having their scripts read by influential producers, agents and / or managers who play an active role in today’s industry. 

Additional prizes will be announced as they are made available.

Script Length: 
Feature Length scripts 70 pages or more
Shorts length scripts 69 pages or less 

Teleplay Feature Length scripts no more than 60 pages 
Teleplay Short Length Scripts no more than 30 pages 

Stage Play Full Length scripts 50 pages or more 
Stage Play Short Length Scripts 49 pages or less 

All entries must be postmarked no later than the appropriate entry deadline they were submitted under. Additional entry fee will be required if not postmarked by the appropriate deadline. Entries received with uncompleted information will not be considered. 

PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW ALL BELOW INSTRUCTIONS 
ABSOLUTELY NO INTERNATIONAL CHECKS, WIRETRANSFERS, OR MONEY GRAMS WILL BE ACCEPTED. For all entries submitted outside the United States, we will only accept payment for submission fees in the form of INTERNATIONAL POSTAL MONEY ORDERS 

Checks returned to us will incur a standard $25 fee that must be paid, even if you choose to pull your script/film from the competition. 

Film winners will be announced no later than August 9, 2008

Script winners will be announced no later than September 30, 2008

Visit www.greatlakesfilmfest.com for entry forms.