THE 5 MINUTE FILM FEST
The 5 Minute Film Festival (5MFF) is a yearly event where amateur filmmakers and amateur critics get together for an evening of homemade films and fun. We all drink, we all vote, but yet only a few will win...
FEATURED PLAYLISTS
Back By Popular Demand These Are The Top Trending 5MFF Playlists
HALL OF SHAME
Enjoy this "honorable mention" compilation of some of the best and worst videos ever submitted.
PAST WINNERS
Do you want a glimpse of raw talent? Take a look at the previous 5 Minute Film Fest winners.
POOPY-D PLAYLIST
A sick and twisted piece of rapping poo that every so often makes a cameo appearance. A cult favorite.
WHAT IS THE 5MFF?
The films shown at the 5MFF are for the most part meant to be “hack,” rough, and amateur. We aspire to nothing more than posting one more plot-less video on YouTube. At the end of the event all those in attendance vote on the Best Film, Best Actor or Actress, and Best Use Of The Number 5. Prizes such as a pat on the back, T-shirts, beer openers, and mugs are sometimes given away to the winners if we have any money. The coveted 5MFF trophy is then presented to the winner of the Best Film. The 5MFF is all about getting out there and creating something new. It’s time to get out your camera, video camera, or phone and make something this year!
So for those of you last year that didn’t make a film now’s your chance. The next 5 Minute Film Fest is just around the corner so if you haven’t already, start brainstorming, round-up your film crew and get started. Don’t let another year go by where you say “crap… I should’ve done that!” Don’t “should” all over yourself this year. It’s easy and god forbid you learn something along the way!
We are looking forward to your masterpiece. May the best film win!
THE RULES
1. Must Be Less Than 5 Minutes
Your video can be 3 seconds if you want. Sometimes shorter is better, despite what some women think. We keep all films short because 5 minutes can seem like an eternity if your movie sucks. Plus, people get drunk, loose focus, and want to see other films.
2. It Must Be An Original
You can use clips from existing films but you must add your own touch to them in some new way. Movies, internet videos, home movies, and pictures can all be used. Comedy normally claims the trophy.
3. Submit Your Film In Advance
This event take a lot of time to organize, so the last thing we need is someone giving us some jacked up entry on the day of the event. Make sure your video is saved in ideally .mov, .mp4, or less desirable.mpeg, and .wmv format and is under 100 MB in size. You get brownie points for getting it in early!
4. Film Responsibly
Your cute baby, political statements, and buck naked nudity are a no go. Although nudity is fucking hilarious we often watch these films in a family environment such as a restaurant or bar. The last thing we need is to be arrested. With that said, this event is not censored so attend at your own risk. If you are easily offended, please show up, it will be funny to watch your reactions.
5. For God's Sake Just Film Something!
Creating a film is not as time consuming as one may think. Don’t beat yourself up trying to direct the next blockbuster. If you think of something good just do it. Some of the best films we’ve seen have been completed from start to finish in less than 10 minutes. There are no excuses work, they all suck, so just get out there and film something!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS [FAQ's]
A: Typically comedy takes home the trophy, but there is aways a first for everything. Just try to make the best OR worst film you have ever done and see what happens.
A: The best way to tell is while you’re in Itunes, highlight the song, RIGHT click on it (if you’re on a mac, control + click) and select “get info”. If you see that you’re file is a “Protected AAC Audio File”, then it’s protected. So your choices are to either hack the audio file and de-protect it or choose something else.
A: Make sure your video is saved in .mp4 or .mov. I also will accept .wmv and .mpeg formats but these are less workable. IMPORTANT: the video should be under 100 MB in size.
A: Find one, duh! Borrow from a friend or team up with someone who does have one. Most cell phones, digital cameras, and computers have built in video cameras. The quality from these items are good enough. If none of these options work, then use existing pictures and movies to make your masterpiece. By the way, this excuse REALLY sucks, figure it out Sherlock!
A: Yes, but we prefer not to take random or anonymous submissions however. It is much more fun to see your friends make an ass of themselves than strangers. There must be people at the event that know you, or for that matter wish they didn’t know you.
A: Most programs let you save your project to maximize video quality for the web, CD, DVD, video streaming, or email. Normally saving your file as “CD quality” is the best option for reducing file size and maximizing quality. If you want to get more technical follow the advice of Stokes McIntyre Director of Hotbed Media. “Here are the compression settings I used for the ESPN video project: IMA 4:1, Stereo (L R), 32.000 kHz, H.264, 480 x 270, Millions. In the settings menu… limit data rate to 1200kbps. That should give a nice quality while letting users download okay. Some of the sound quality comes from the mix that we did. I put it through an audio compressor and optimized the audio for the web. If you have garage band you can do it pretty easily. They have presets to help audio quality.”
A: You can email it, share a Dropbox link, send via Google Drive, or simply text it to the host.
A: Nope. We have had submissions from as far away as Russia, Spain, London, and South Africa. All from the same person but you get my point.
A: iMovie comes standard on all iphones and Mac computers and is the software of choice for the 5MFF. PC's also come standard with editing software. You Tube also has a free editor.
A: There are several free online YouTube rippers that you can use (www.youtuberipper.com). Or if it is your video you can log into you YouTube account and download it directly.
A: The coveted 5MFF trophy changes from year to year and can take any form the organizer chooses. However, generally the theme of the trophy is directly related to prior years winning film, and whats in the budget.
