The rules

The competition

The Pitch invites original pitches of up to two (2) minutes in length, showcasing the potential of the entrant to make a film. The entrant will demonstrate this with a pitch for an original contemporary short film (recommended maximum length of 15 minutes) that takes inspiration from a biblical story, parable, character or book. Any genre is acceptable, and the pitch may be a simple piece to camera telling the story, or it may be a storyboard, pilot piece, etc.

Each pitch must be accompanied by the official entry form, which will outline the case for supporting the film maker, cite the biblical source material for the pitch, and include a rationale for the choice of material.

The competition is open to everyone aged 18 years or over as of 8 December 2019.

Entry is conditional upon full agreement to The Rules and The Small Print (see below for more details).

The competition will take place over three rounds: round one, round two and final round.

Deadlines

We know that deadlines are an artist’s best friend! The early bird entry to The Pitch is free. But to stagger entries - and help support the film fund - there are charges for later entry. All funds go back into supporting filmmakers through The Pitch.

Round one: In consideration

Selection of Pitches to be ‘in consideration’ will be made by The Pitch Team consisting of film professionals, theologians, communication and media production staff.

Pitches will be critiqued based on the following criteria:

1. the originality and potential of the Pitch

2. the Pitcher's passion and vision for film making

3. the Pitcher's skill and ability to communicate

4. the Pitcher's understanding and/or interpretation of the emotional core of the bible story; and

5. contemporary approach of the Pitch

Once the Pitch Team have screened and selected pitches internally a LONGLIST will be published on the website on 1st November 2019.

Round two: Shortlist

In previous years there has been a public vote to select the Shortlist of 20 from which the finalists are drawn. However we have listened to feedback and know that as filmmakers you value simplicity and being assessed by your peers. So the public vote has been replaced by a ‘Panel of Peers’.

This Panel – consisting of Pitch consultants and filmmakers from our alumni – will review the longlist. Using the same criteria as above they will select the SHORTLIST of 20 to be published on 8th November 2019.

The final round:

The SHORTLIST will be reviewed by the industry judges from this year’s pitch, who will be listed on the Judges page. The judges will select the 10 finalists who they wish to see pitch in person at the Finalists.

The ten finalists will be notified on 20 November 2019, when the final ten will also be announced on www.enterthepitch.com

Residential Film Course for ten finalists

If you are a finalist in 2019, you will have a greater opportunity to help develop and hone your pitching skills, as we will be inviting you to attend a residential course in December 2019 ahead of the Finalists Weekend. The course will take place between Sunday 8 December 2019 and Tuesday 10 December 2019. This course will offer you a master-class worthy of the big studios, feedback on your pitch and help in preparing for the pitch.

Finalists Weekend

The ten finalists will be invited to participate in the finalists’ weekend, taking place on 17-19 January 2020.

The ten Finalists will be responsible for their own travel, but The Pitch will arrange and pay for accommodation on Saturday 18 January for all ten finalists.

The weekend will include making a face-to-face pitch with the judges and a subsequent interview. There will also be a variety of activities including workshops, screenings and critique.

Only three of the ten finalists will go through to pitch on day two (Sunday19 January), the other seven finalists will attend a special presentation.

The winner will be announced on Sunday 19 January, 2020.

The Big Prize - what the winner receives

The winner will work with a budget (which has a value in excess of £30,000) to make their short film (recommended maximum length of 15 minutes). The winner will be expected to demonstrate the ability to undertake the practical production of the film but will be offered production assistance from an established film production company.

The short film will be filmed, and completed during the first half of 2020, at dates to be agreed with the winner. This will take into account the period for pre-production and will proceed to principle photography as and when the project is ready.

The winning pitcher will then take the completed film to Los Angeles in 2020, and there will meet with industry professionals who will give feedback and advice on the film. The industry professionals will be people such as Ralph Winter (Producer X-Men; Fantastic Four; Wolverine) (although The Pitch retains the right to alter and amend the meetings as necessary with due regard to the availability of individuals). 

The small print

The following are non-negotiable requirements of entry. By completing and submitting an official entry form, you are agreeing to be bound by terms and conditions set out below. The Pitch reserves the right to amend and alter these rules without notice.

Definitions

The following definitions shall apply in these rules:

• ‘Pitch’ a pitch submitted to The Pitch website and accompanied by an official entry form.
• ‘Pitcher’ a person submitting a pitch.
• ‘The Pitch Team’ the individuals organising the competition.
• 'The Pitch/The Pitch Team' (when used in relation to or with reference to ownership or rights) the subgroup of The Pitch team responsible for production, operating as RIF Productions.
• ‘The Pitch Website’ the website located at www.enterthepitch.com

Content

• The pitch must clearly demonstrate, both in the visual pitch and accompanying written material, that the underlying source material is biblical.
• A completed entry form must accompany each pitch submission. Pitches not accompanied by an official entry form will not be considered.
• Any pitch in excess of 2 minutes shall be automatically disqualified.
• Submissions must be made in English or use English subtitles.
• Any content that is deemed, at the absolute discretion of The Pitch Team, to be blasphemous, offensive, pornographic, defamatory or obscene or in any other way against the spirit of the competition, shall be disqualified.

Eligibility

• The Pitch is open to film makers eligible to work in the UK. All pitchers who are not UK residents (or currently residing in the UK) must be able to attend the Finalists Weekend on 17–19 January 2020. It is the responsibility of the pitcher to meet all costs of travel and accommodation and to arrange all necessary visa requirements resulting from participation in the competition.
• Previous Pitchers may submit to The Pitch, but no pitch previously submitted to the competition will be considered.
• Pitchers must be aged 18 or over as of 8 December 2019.
• Employees of The Pitch Team and members of their immediate families (including any live-in partner) are ineligible to enter. Any such entries will be invalid.
• Pitchers must hold a full passport and be eligible to enter the USA.
• Pitchers’ passports must be valid for at least 12 months from April 2020.
• Pitchers must be able to attend the Finalists’ Weekend should their pitch be shortlisted.
• Only one pitch per pitcher may be submitted.
• Pitchers may work in small teams to develop a series of ideas but, if selected, only one person per team will be invited to attend the Finalists’ Weekend.  Teams must nominate the individual at the time of entry.
• All Pitches must be submitted by one of the deadlines (see above) and by the final late deadline of 12 noon UK time on 21 October 2019.
• The winner’s film must be produced during the first half of 2020.
• All content that is not in violation of terms but is deemed unsuitable for minors will require age verification prior to viewing and voting if the pitch is selected to participate in Round two.

Format

The pitcher is responsible for ensuring that their pitch is uploaded to The Pitch website in the format outlined.

• All pitches must be in 16:9 ratio.

Please see the technical information page for more information about uploading your pitch.

Ownership

• The pitcher must be the producer, director, or creator/writer, of the pitch.
• The pitcher must be the originator/owner of the short film for which they are pitching.
• The pitch must not be currently under consideration by another production company, investor or development consortium.
• The pitcher must not have sold, conveyed, granted or assigned any right, title or interest in the pitch, and the pitcher guarantees there are no legal encumbrances on the submitted pitch of any kind, and that the pitcher is not subject to, nor is it aware of any matters, facts or circumstances which could lead to any claims, proceedings or litigation or other allegation of infringement, in respect of the pitch.
• Pitches may not contain any music or other item (including without limitation, trademarks or copyrightable material) for which the pitcher does not have a valid and subsisting license.  It is the responsibility of the pitcher to clear all material.  If there is any doubt, The Pitch Team will take all reasonable steps to clarify the situation with the pitcher but may disqualify the pitch at their discretion.
• An uploaded pitch shall not have been previously broadcast, transmitted or commercially distributed prior to its submission to The Pitch website, nor shall a submitted pitch have previously received any awards or accolades from any other competition.
• The pitcher must own all title right and interest in the submitted pitch, including, without limitation, the worldwide copyright in the pitch and any and all extensions and renewals of that copyright.
• The pitcher hereby grants The Pitch Team and competition organisers a royalty-free,  non exclusive (subject to the following), worldwide license, in perpetuity, for the life of copyright, to exhibit, broadcast, transmit, display, distribute, reproduce in copies, couple with other pitches, synchronize and otherwise perform the submitted pitch.
• All rights in and to the films made by the winning Pitcher and the Runner Up Pitcher(s) (such films to be 15 minutes max running time and based on the Pitchers original 2 minute Pitch and as further defined herein) shall be wholly owned by The Pitch Team.
• If shortlisted, The Pitch Team shall have the exclusive right to upload, post, transmit, display and broadcast the submitted pitch over the Internet on The Pitch website, or otherwise, for a period of 2 years following the submission of the uploaded pitch, and all pitchers shall use reasonable efforts to prevent any posting, transmission, display or broadcast of the submitted pitch over the Internet, including, without limitation via YouTube and similar websites without the express written consent of The Pitch Team and the competition organisers. The Pitch Team and competition organisers reserve the right to broadcast or display all submitted pitches on other websites at its sole discretion.
• In consideration of the ten highest scoring pitchers (the finalist/s) participation in the Finalists' Weekend, the finalists grant The Pitch the first option to develop and produce (but without there being any obligation to develop or produce), a film based on or inspired by the finalist's pitch. Such option shall expire twelve (12) months from the date of the final day of the Finalists' Weekend. In the event a finalist wishes to develop their pitch with another party within the 12 months, such a request to be sent by Royal Mail recorded delivery to The Pitch. The Pitch shall have ten (10) working days from receipt of such a written request from the finalist in which to take up or pass on the development of the pitch. After 10 days should no response have been received by the finalist then release from the first option shall be deemed to have been given by The Pitch.
• The finalists undertake to ensure that any film produced which is based on or inspired by their pitch, whether such film is produced with The Pitch or by a third party, shall include a credit in the closing credits of the film as to "Developed from an Original idea for The Pitch www.enterthepitch.com" or similar wording to be agreed in good faith between The Pitch and the finalist.

Prize

No matter the previous experience and background of the pitcher, the pitcher should have a vision for their future role in the industry as producer, director or writer. During the process, and particularly the Finalist’s Weekend, The Pitch Team and judges will, in discussion with the winner, determine the most appropriate role for the winner in the production of the winning film. In doing this, The Pitch Team will seek to build and develop a crew and cast around the pitcher in a way that best supports and develops the gifts of the winner. The judges’ decision in these matters will be final.

The USA

The Pitch Team and competition organisers will pay for one economy class airfare between London and Los Angeles, and will provide accommodation for six nights for the winning pitcher.

The pitcher shall be responsible for travel insurance and all necessary legal paperwork,  i.e. valid and subsisting passport (with at least six months before renewal is required at the time of travel), visas (where appropriate) and ESTA forms for the pitcher. Proof must be provided of these prior to travel.

The prize is not transferable. No cash or credit alternatives will be offered.