7th October 2013

2014 Rockies Now Open For Submissions

Banff World Media FestivalCelebrating the best of the best of the world’s entertainment content, the Rockies is an internationally acclaimed program competition hosted by the Banff World Media Festival that attracts over one thousand entries from more than 40 countries annually. Each year at the Rockie Awards Gala, the Banff World Media Festival honours the immeasurable contribution of some of the biggest names on screen and behind the camera in the industry. The 2014 Banff World Media Festival will be held at the Fairmont Springs Hotel & Convention Centre in Banff June 8 through 11th 2014. Final nominees will be announced in May, 2014. Please see below for categories and rule information.

2014 Rockies Categories
Below are the categories for the 2014 Rockie Awards Program Competition listed under their respective genres.  The winners from each category will advance to a next-tier competition for the Best Of Genre Awards.  The winners of the Best Of Genres compete for the Jury Grand Prize.

Best Youth And Children

  • Pre-School – Live action or animated programs or series meant to entertain or educate children aged 4 and under. Animated programs from this category are also eligible for Animation category.  Separate entry fee applies.
  • Children’s Fiction – Live action or animated programs meant to entertain children older than 4 years. Animated programs from this category are also eligible for Animation category.  Separate entry fee applies.
  • Children’s Non-Fiction – Informative programs or series meant to educate children older than 4 years.
  • Youth Fiction – Live action or animated dramas or comedies geared towards entertaining a teen and young adult audience. Animated programs from this category are also eligible for Animation category.  Separate entry fee applies.
  • Youth Non-Fiction – Informative programs or series with topics or issues that are geared towards or meant to educate teens and young adults.

Best Digital

  • Webseries Fiction – A fictional television-like program or series created specifically for internet audiences. Eligible programs have only been broadcast on the internet and have not been distributed, as is, via cable, satellite, or terrestrial systems.
  • Webseries Non-Fiction – A non-fictional television-like program or series created specifically for internet audiences. Eligible programs have only been broadcast on the internet and have not been distributed, as is, via cable, satellite, or terrestrial systems.
  • Cross-Platform Fiction – Projects that stem from a fictional television property for enhancement via a digital platforms. Eligible projects could include games, websites and/or mobile applications associated with a television program.
  • Cross-Platform Non-Fiction – Projects that stem from a non-fiction television property for enhancement via a digital platforms. Eligible projects could include games, websites and/or mobile applications associated with a television program.
  • User-Generated Digital Video Content – Short films and standalone videos released on an online platform.

Best Entertainment

  • Animation – Any television program or series where the depiction of characters and settings is primarily in the form of hand drawn or computer animation.
  • Branded Entertainment – Demonstrations of content that uniquely positions a brand, product or service within the context of the entertainment experience.
  • Lifestyle – Series or programs featuring food, garden, do-it-yourself, health, trends and styles, or travel.
  • Music and Variety – A single production or a continuing series of episodes showcasing musical, comedic or performing guests or any mix of other talent generally considered ‘variety’ entertainment.
  • Reality – Programs depicting events that simulate real-time situations with non-fictional characters in a controlled setting.  May also include competition style programs where a recurring cast competes for a prize.
  • Sketch and Comedy – Comedy programs or specials with satirical sketches, comedic situations or predicaments, or parodies.

Best Fiction

  • Serial Drama – Episodic dramas, including ongoing series and mini-series, featuring narratives using recurring principal characters.
    • Soap operas and telenovella entries should go to Melodrama category.
    • Science Fiction, Action, Fantasy, and Procedural Dramas should go in their respective categories.
  • Procedural Drama – Programs or series that depict situations where law enforcement personnel, including police, detectives, lawyers, and forensic scientists solve crimes.
  • Made for TV Movie – Single film presentations originally presented for the television medium.
  • Melodrama – Serialized fiction programs with heightened sense of emotional stakes and gravitas.  Soap operas and telenovellas belong in this category.
  • Science Fiction, Action, and Fantasy – Programs or series in the science fiction, action, adventure or fantasy genres, which can also include works in wuxia and horror.
  • Sitcom – Scripted situational comedies consisting of recurring characters within a common setting (i.e. a home or workplace).

Best Non-Fiction

  • Arts and Performing Arts – Non-fiction programs and documentaries exploring, analyzing, or celebrating an arts discipline.
  • Environmental and Wildlife – Non-fiction programs and documentaries which examine significant localized and/or global environmental themes and issues or natural and wildlife phenomena.
  • History and Biography – Non-fiction programs or series which focus primarily on historical and political documentation and analysis, including biographies of significant persons and politicians, living or dead. Fictional programs or series with characters based on real people belong in one of the fiction categories.
  • Humanitarian and Investigation – Non-fiction programs or series with examinations of social and global issues, including poverty, violence, justice, human rights, crime, discrimination, gender issues, family dynamics, political crisis, as well as social trends and ethics.
  • Science and Technology – Non-fiction programs with the examination and/or education of scientific issues, discoveries and exploration as the primary emphasis. May include biographical programs on scientists.
Rockies Rules and Regulations
Questions about your upload? Visit The Rockies FAQ page for more information.ELIGIBILITY

Your program is eligible for the 2013 Rockies Program Competition if:

  • The entry’s first transmission date is January 1st, 2013 – March 31st, 2014 (no earlier than Jan. 1st, 2013 and no later than March 31, 2014).
  • Prior to its first transmission, the entry has had no theatrical release. (Entries with limited theatrical release may be considered – contact Henry at hwong@achillesmedia.com for approval).
  • Co-production partners should confer to agree which organization will be the entrant so as to avoid duplicate entries. Duplicate entries will not be refunded.
  • It is the entrant’s responsibility to choose the category which best fits the entry. Your program is judged in the category which you select. It is vital that the program belongs in the selected category: it is a key element of the judging process. Festival organizers urge you to ensure your program is entered in the suitable category. Contact Henry at hwong-at-achillesmedia-dot-com for assistance if you are unsure of the correct category.
  • Separate fees are charged for each category entered for the same program.
  • Do not resubmit entries from previous years, only new episodes of previously submitted series are eligible. Resubmitted entries from previous years will not be refunded.
  • Entries must be in the English language OR have English subtitles OR have dialogue dubbed in English. SUBTITLES are preferred.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

  1. Entries for the 2014 season of the competition can now be entered using our online video link. This is the preferred method to submit your entry into the competition. Our system accepts standard file formats. DVDs will no longer be accepted.
  2. Acceptable screen sizes are 4:3 or 16:9. Please have the video in digital format with the correct square pixel aspect ratio.
  3. No full commercial or long commercial blacks.
  4. No burned-in time codes.
  5. Only final cut, as-broadcast productions are eligible; no rough or fine cuts.
  6. Avoid copyright disclaimers beyond the start of the program.

JUDGING PROCESS

The Banff World Media Festival organizers designate Jury Hosts, organizations from around the world that underwrite and facilitate the judging of one or more categories. The Jury Hosts appoint jury members, and each jury selects the Rockie Award nominees for their category (or categories).

One program in each of the 27 categories will win a Rockie Award as the best in its particular category. All category winners listed under their respective genres will advance to a next-tier competition for the Best Of Genre Awards.  The winners of the Best Of Genres compete for the Jury Grand Prize.

A jury will also decide any Special Jury Awards.

Announcements & Notifications

Programs chosen as nominees will be announced in May 2013. The nominee list will be posted prominently on our website. All nominees will receive notification by email. It is the entrant’s responsibility to update any contact information that may change from time of entry to announcements.

All nominated programs receive 1 (ONE) complimentary registration to the Banff World Media Festival to facilitate attendance at the Banff World Media Awards show. All winning programs will receive a Rockie statuette.

PLEASE NOTE: The Banff World Media Festival Kick-off Rate will be available to all entrants for two weeks after the nominee announcement.  Any registrations purchased for BANFF 2012 will not be refunded upon notification of a nomination.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 7th, 2013 at 10:56 am and is filed under Awards, Careers, Events, National News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
  1. Tami Quiring (@VillageGamer)
    3:57 am on October 7th, 2013

    .@BanffMedia Festival 2014 Rockies Now Open For Submissions http://t.co/w1AvhjVQj1 #eyeoncanada

  2. Anne Trueman (@Anne_CMPA)
    3:58 am on October 7th, 2013

    “@VillageGamer: .@BanffMedia Festival 2014 Rockies Now Open For Submissions http://t.co/msYgBnVedL #eyeoncanada”@CMPAUpdates

  3. Anne Trueman (@Anne_CMPA)
    6:29 am on October 7th, 2013

    RT @VillageGamer: .@BanffMedia Festival 2014 Rockies Now Open For Submissions http://t.co/w1AvhjVQj1 #eyeoncanada

  4. Banff Media Festival (@BanffMedia)
    6:51 am on October 7th, 2013

    RT @Anne_CMPA: “@VillageGamer: .@BanffMedia Festival 2014 Rockies Now Open For Submissions http://t.co/msYgBnVedL #eyeoncanada”@CMPAUpdates

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