Wakakirri High Rules and Judging Guidelines

General Wakakirri High Rules

What is a Film?

Create your own short film under 5 minutes (including titles and credits).  Upload your film to the Wakakirri website.

What stories can you tell?

Students can tell any story they wish, using any genre or style appropriate to their story. Schools can elect to incorporate the 2012 signature item, which is TWELVE.

Wakakirri High is an opportunity to explore and celebrate the diversity of life within Australia.

Who will see our story?

Wakakirri High films will be featured on the Wakakirri website and may also be shown at live Wakakirri events throughout the year. The Wakakirri website is a fantastic resource for schools across Australia, attracting heavy traffic and contributing significantly to the 1 million people who see a Wakakirri story each year.

Interpreting Indigenous Stories

Wakakirri requires schools to gain permission and take special consideration when interpreting Indigenous stories or portraying Indigenous individuals or images

A Sustainable Approach

Wakakirri proudly promotes sustainability and has done so since its inception in 1992. Participating schools are asked to consider the environment in all aspects of their involvement, which includes embracing the concepts of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle whilst constructing/sourcing any costumes, sets and costumes.

How to submit your entry

You will need to upload your film to the Wakakirri website by the 3rd of August, 2012. Registered schools will receive a user name, password and instructions on how to upload their work. Schools will also need to complete a Confirmation of Entry form that will be sent to all registered schools.

Wakakirri High Rules

Three films maximum per school

Work must be the original work of the students (though it may also be an original adaptation of an existing story/event)

Any soundtrack should use original music (PLEASE read carefully the rules on music)

Any number of students may perform in or work on the production whether it be a group or an individual.

Any featured performers or animation voice overs must be students (unless making a documentary)

Can be edited and involve voice overs, effects, animations, credits and captions

All editing must be the work of students

Stories, language, images and themes must be appropriate to age group. Your film must be PG Rated.

Films must not exceed 5 minutes in length (including opening titles and end credits).

Films created for other competitions or assessments can be submitted as long as they fit the Wakakirri High rules, and tell a story.

Only works received by the due date (3rd August 2012) will be eligible for judging. Late entries will not be accepted.

If making a documentary, you will need to get a Documentary Release Form signed by everyone you film (a release form is like a permission form).

Music Rules

Although you might be able to use existing songs for films you make for school assessments, you are not allowed the same freedom in Wakakirri because the films will be made available to the public.  We recommend you use either original music or license/royalty-free (see below) recordings in your film, however, should you wish to use other music, please read carefully the following information on music copyright. NOTE: Films received that use existing songs in their soundtrack without written permission from all copyright owners will be DISQUALIFIED.

You will need permission to include other people’s music in your film, even if the music was accidentally recorded in the background while you were filming.  A single piece of music may include a number of copyrights: if using an existing recording, you will need permission from the recording company that own that particular recording, as well as permission from the publisher who holds copyright over the lyrics and music.

When applying for permission to use copyrighted music, you must make it clear that the music is being used for a short film that may be displayed in live venues and featured on the Wakakirri web page and potentially on television.  Generally copyright lasts for the life of the relevant creator plus fifty years, however, there are exceptions to this rule. When in doubt, you should check out the Australian Copyright Council’s web page (www.copyright.org.au)

Some music exists that is licence/royalty-free and therefore free to use, however, it is always best to check this with the producer of the music source and where possible, obtain this in writing.  A simple way to avoid the tricky problem of obtaining permission from the copyright holders, is simply to create your own original music. There are lots of simple (and sometimes free) software programs for creating music on your computer (eg Garage Band)– or you might want to involve music students from your school in the production by getting them to create music for you.