Submit a short film inspired by, and using, actual footage from NASA's digital archives for a chance to earn cash prizes, have your film screened by renowned director Richard Linklater (Boyhood, Dazed and Confused), and get programmed into the Houston Cinema Arts Festival this November.

The 2020 CineSpace Short Film Competition finalists have landed! To view the full list of finalists, visit the Houston Cinema Arts Program here. These films will be screened virtually on November 15th @ 1:00 PM CST at the Houston Cinema Arts online film festival. 

Thanks to all those who participated! As any NASA engineer might tell you, with constraints comes creativity and innovation. Despite the challenges faced by creators around the world due to COVID-19, we were so impressed by the innovation and resiliency that took place among this year's crop of short films. More than ever, creators dipped into the NASA archives to tell their imaginative stories, and from those submissions, 12 Finalist films were selected from 6 countries!  

NASA and the Houston Cinema Arts Society are teaming up once again to host the annual CineSpace Short Film Competition, inviting filmmakers, editors, and animators from around the world to explore NASA's digital archives and create short films inspired by, and incorporating, real NASA footage. 

With over 60 years of space exploration at your fingertips – from the first Apollo flights to the latest Rover shots – your mission is to flex your creative muscles and create something truly unique. By using NASA imagery, show us films that are experimental, narrative, documentary, comedy, drama, animation, ambient, music videos, re-mix, horror, sci-fi, and more – so long as your short is based on innovative and artistic storytelling, provokes an emotional response, and showcases a mastery of filmmaking, editing, and/or animation. You can submit up to 5 short films to this competition. Submissions are due by Wednesday, July 15th at 12pm PT. To submit, make sure you're signed into your Tongal account and click on the red 'Submit Video' button at the top of this page. The countdown clock for the submission deadline automatically adjusts to your timezone. 

Films will be judged on their creativity, innovation, and attention to detail – the hallmarks of spaceflight itself – with special guest judge Richard Linklater (Boyhood, Dazed and Confused) weighing in! Submissions must be 10 minutes or less (including credits) and comprised of at least 10% NASA imagery and/or footage, which is based on the film's total runtime, excluding credits. NASA-owned imagery may be sourced from the NASA archives or any publicly available source (see an up-to-date list here).

Films selected as "Finalists" will be screened at the Houston Cinema Arts Festival in November 2020, where a special ceremony will take place for attending filmmakers and the following awards will be announced during the screening: 

AWARDS: The Selection Committee and Competition Judges (collectively the “Jury”) will award the following prizes:

• Grand Prize: USD $10,000
• Second Prize: USD $5,000
• Third Prize: USD $3,000

SPECIAL JUDGING CATEGORIES AND AWARDS:  In addition to the above awards, the Jury may also award three Special Category prizes. They are looking for submissions that elevate the featured themes using creative and original cinematic and/or storytelling techniques. If the jury feels that a submission meets these criteria, the submission may be considered for these awards. If no submissions sufficiently meet the criteria, these categories may not be awarded this year. 

• Best Documentary: USD $3,000
  Designated for best film in a documentary format using NASA imagery.
  
  
• Film That Best Depicts "20 Years of Humans on the International Space Station": USD $4,000
  Humans will have lived peacefully in space on the International Space Station continuously for 20 years this November; so it has been 20 years since all living human beings were together on one planet. This category is designated for the film that best captures: the accomplishments, over the past two decades, of the ISS’ peaceful global partnerships, its support for global space exploration, and the science and technology that benefited humanity, using the tenets of one or more of the global peace awards such as the Nobel Peace Prize, the Goi Peace Award, World Peace Prize, U Thant Peace Award and many others as applicable to the ISS experience.

• Best Film Using Exclusively NASA Archival Footage: USD $1000
  Due to the changing landscape of collaborative filmmaking in this time of pandemic, there are many limitations on filmmakers' abilities to shoot or acquire new footage and interface with production crews and talent.  In response to these limitations, this new category recognizes editors, filmmakers, and multimedia experts who participate in Cinespace 2020 without acquiring new imagery.  This award challenges filmmakers to take a deep dive into NASA's archives and create short films using exclusively NASA archival footage. Filmmakers are encouraged to search for unusual or not commonly used footage.  These archival films can include NASA audio and/or graphics from any publicly available sources and can span any genre.

If your original plans for your CineSpace submission(s) have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, we encourage you to take this time to reimagine your approach and find new ways to create as well as virtually collaborate with others. One way to connect with other CineSpace creators is by posting in our project forum. We've curated this gallery of past CineSpace finalist and winning films that showcase exceptional storytelling and originality using novel approaches and simple techniques that can be achieved at home using the tools you have at your disposal.

Please reference the prizing above as the Project Funding breakdown at the top of this page automatically lists the prizing numerically rather than by ranking or category.

Finalist films may also screen at other events across the country, shown on NASA TV, and on the International Space Station!

This section is designed to help you put your best foot forward in making a submission. 

HELPFUL INFO:  Here are some do’s & don’ts to give your video(s) the best shot:

• Review past finalists and award winners here (2015,  2016,  2017, 2018, and 2019). Take note of what footage has been used the most. You are encouraged to use imagery not used before.
• If you have specific imagery in mind and can’t find it, please contact us at info@tongal.com. 
• Keep track of the URL links to the NASA footage you end up using in your final short. We will ask for a URL reference log in the submission form. 
• Footage found on YouTube may contain graphics, music and other production elements. In order to use NASA-owned footage found on YouTube, it must be clear of any third-party material (a.k.a content not owned by NASA). 
• You may alter, edit, add special effects and graphics to NASA-owned footage to tell your story as long as any third-party material you use is properly licensed. 
• You're welcome to adapt an older short you've worked on, but your video's creation must post-date Jan 1, 2017.
• If your film is in a language other than English, the review copy of your work should have English subtitles. Should you be selected as a Finalist for screening at the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, you’ll be required to submit a 1080p version without subtitles and provide either English subtitle transcript or SRT file with English subtitles.
• There is no entry fee to submit to CineSpace. You may submit up to 5 short films!
• If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must submit and sign all paperwork on your behalf. 

RIGHTS & OWNERSHIP:

• Submitters grant non-exclusive rights to NASA and the Houston Cinema Arts Society to the film's content. However, filmmakers will retain all rights to their own films.

JUDGING CRITERIA: The Jury will consider the following criteria to select Finalists and award Winners:

• Is the work based on innovative artistic presentation and storytelling?
• Does the work provoke an emotional response?
• Does the work show a mastery of filmmaking?
• Does the work show a high level of technical, conceptual, and aesthetic innovation and display an exceptional creative vision?
• Does the work show an exemplary use of the original NASA material used?
• Extra credit for using unusual or obscure NASA imagery that hasn’t been used before.

FILM RELEASES 101: In the very exciting event your film is selected to screen at the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, it will need to go through Tongal’s standard clearance process with one of our producers to make sure it has all the proper releases (music, talent, location, etc.) to be screened publicly. We’ve created this handy guide to help you determine which releases you’ll need, along with a zip file of our film releases. 

If you made your film before the launch of this year’s competition, we’ll be happy to review the releases you used in the course of your production in lieu of Tongal’s own releases. If there are any issues, there’s a chance we may ask you to complete one or more of Tongal’s releases. As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@tongal.com. 

Be sure to review NASA's Submitter’s Agreement before getting started on your submission, as you'll be asked to agree to it upon submission. In order for your short film(s) to be considered by the Jury, you must submit by Wednesday, July 15th at 12pm PT. Below, we've outlined the three phases of this competition:

PHASE 1: CINESPACE VIDEO SUBMISSION - Submit a ten (10) minute or less short film that is at least 10% comprised of actual NASA footage. Initial review copies may be uploaded to the Tongal submission form at HD 720p 16X9 with acceptable file formats: .mov, .mp4, .wmv,  and acceptable codecs: H.264 (MP4), MPEG-4. Be sure to keep track of the URLs that link to the NASA-owned footage you end up using in your film. We'll ask you for a reference log in the submission form.  

PHASE 2: EVALUATION PERIOD - During this phase, submissions will be evaluated by the Jury. The Houston Cinema Arts Festival will announce the Finalists on or before October 15th, 2020, during the official announcement of their festival lineup. This is usually done via livestream. 

PHASE 3: CINESPACE FINALISTS - Finalists will work with the Tongal post-production team to deliver the assets required for the CineSpace screening and promotional materials. Around this time, Finalists will also receive their general festival laurels and will be put in touch with the festival's guest coordinator to make plans to attend the festival. Upon delivering final assets, Finalists will await prizing results to be announced during the CineSpace screening, which will take place sometime in mid-November (exact date TBD).

ASSET DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS:  In order to be featured in the CineSpace program in November, Finalists will need to deliver the following materials for the screening and promotional purposes. We want to make sure your film is screened in the highest quality format as possible!

• 3-5 300dpi HQ stills for the festival website and program guide

• Full High Quality Master file of your film in 23.97 FPS - If you're unable to convert your film to 23.97 FPS, Tongal can do the conversion in-house

• SRT file if your film contains subtitles

• Textless Master - If your film contains subtitles, please submit a version without them. This is in case NASA wants to put other subtitles that aren’t English over your film

In the very very exciting event you win an award at the CineSpace screening, you must complete the Winner Affidavit and IP Assignment forms in order to receive your award payment. Payments usually take 2 weeks to process.

MUSIC: To save yourself the trouble of Music Releases, Tongal has partnered with Jingle Punks, which you can use to source music for your CineSpace submission(s) free of charge. If you use this provider, you do not need to complete a Music Release Form. To learn more about using this provider, and accessing their music library, click on their name above. If you are selected as a Finalist and choose to use custom/original music, you must fill out and submit our Music Release Form. If you obtain music from other catalog providers, you must purchase the appropriate license at your own expense and submit it with our Music Release Form when you turn in your other releases.

1. ELIGIBILITY

The Screenings and Competition (hereafter “Competition”) is offered and open only to natural persons who are at least 18 years of age at the time of entry. Parents and guardians of filmmakers younger than 18 can submit on their behalf.

The following persons are not eligible to win prizes: employees of NASA, Houston Cinema Arts Society (hereafter “HCAS”) and their Board, employees of vendors to NASA or HCAS that have contracted to provide services to or in connection with the Competition, members of the Selection Committee, the Competition judges, and members of the households of the foregoing persons (collectively, the “Competition Parties”). However, if they would like to submit videos for viewing and possible inclusion as finalists, individuals affiliated with NASA should contact Dan Jacobs at daniel.v.jacobs@nasa.gov. NASA contractors may submit under certain circumstances. By entering, you agree to these Rules and warrant that you are eligible to enter the Competition.

THIS COMPETITION IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

2. PRE-COMPETITION AND KEY DATES

At any time, the General Public may visit the NASA IMAGE ARCHIVE and download imagery for public use. Access to this Archive is always available year-round, with the exception of any technical or maintenance related shutdowns. Note that the Archives are constantly updated and refreshed with new material.

The general use of these images is governed by NASA and US Federal Regulations and these regulations supersede any CineSpace Guidelines or Terms. The CineSpace Guidelines, Terms, and FAQ endeavor to indicate important NASA regulations for the use of imagery in connection with this Competition.

You must submit an audiovisual work (a “Submission”) that complies with the requirements of these Guidelines and Terms between March 2nd, 2020 and July 15th, 2020 at 12:00 PM PST (the “Submission Period”) using the means described below. Entries will be judged between July 16th, 2020 and October 15th, 2020  (the “Judging Period”). Finalists will be notified on or before October 31, 2020. The date of a public announcement of Finalist is to be determined at this time.

3. HOW TO ENTER

There is no entry fee to submit to CineSpace. You may submit up to 5 short films.

Submissions MUST contain at least 10% (based on total running time excluding credits) of NASA imagery. More than 10% can be used and still photos can also be used in addition to the video imagery. This imagery may be obtained through the NASA IMAGE ARCHIVE or other publicly available means such as YouTube, etc. 

The Tongal (“Submission Portal”)  CineSpace Submission Phase is open from March 2, 2020 – July 15th, 2020 12:00 p.m PST.

To enter the Competition, you must:

• Navigate to Tongal.com/CineSpace2020 to access the Challenge Brief, Instructions, and the Submission Form. (You will need to log-in to, or create a Tongal Account to enter your submission).
• Click on the red "Submit Video" button at the top of page to access the submission form. This will allow judges to view and download the submitted videos. Initial review copies of your works may be uploaded to the Tongal website at HD 720p 16X9 with acceptable file formats: .mov, .mp4, .wmv,  and acceptable codecs: H.264 (MP4), MPEG-4.  However, Cinespace screens all selections at the highest resolution, 1080p format. Should you be selected as a Finalist for screening at the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, you will also be required to provide a 1080p .mov master file, using a ProRes, Animation, or Uncompressed Codec. If your film is in any aspect ratio other than 16X9, you are responsible for adding in appropriate pillar boxes or letter boxes, so that the final file comes in at 1920X1080 without distorting your creative intent.  In addition, any non-English language works will be required to submit a version without subtitles and provide either an English subtitle transcript or SRT file with English subtitles – based on 1080p file. We'd like all master files to be in 23.97 FPS. If you need help with conversion, the Tongal team is here to help. 
• Fill out the required information on the Submission Form, and Agree to Terms in the Submitter’s Agreement.

CineSpace may use third parties such as Film Freeway for marketing and visibility but all Submissions must come through Tongal.

If you have any issues accessing our submission page or with the submission process please contact info@tongal.com.

The video file that you submit must comply with Tongal’s recommended compression and uploading guidelines (see item 3 above for uploading instructions).

If your Submission is selected as a Finalist (as defined below), you must provide a high-resolution version upon CineSpace’s request.

Once you have submitted a work, it will not be returned. Submissions may be disqualified at any time for non-compliance with the Official Rules and Submitter’s Agreement. CineSpace makes the final determination as to which Submissions are eligible to take part in this Competition. NASA is the sole judge of the prizewinners. CineSpace will not notify you of any disqualification or the reasons for such disqualification.

ANY ATTEMPT TO ENTER THE COMPETITION EXCEPT AS PROVIDED ABOVE IS VOID.

4. REQUIREMENTS AND JUDGING CONSIDERATIONS

Each Submission must comply with the following rules:

• It must be an original work by you (apart from the NASA imagery), meaning that you (or the minor you as a parent are submitting for) were one of the work’s principal creators and have the right to submit it to the Submissions Portal and grant the licenses set forth in the Terms below.
• It must have been created after January 1, 2017.
• It must either be in the English language or have English subtitles (to the extent it contains dialogue or text).
• It must be no longer than 10 minutes, including credits.
• It must contain at least 10% (total time basis of actual work – not including end credits) of NASA imagery, which may be found on the NASA Archive or other publicly available sources. (NASA Imagery may be altered with After Effects or other techniques).
• Initial review copies of your works may be uploaded to the Tongal website at HD 720p (16X9) with acceptable file formats: .mov, .avi, .mp4, .wmv,  and acceptable codecs: H.264 (MP4), MPEG-4,. However, Cinespace screens all selections at the highest resolution, 1080p format. Should you be selected as a Finalist for screening at the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, you will also be required to provide a 1080p .mov master file, using a ProRes, Animation, or Uncompressed Codec. If your film is in any aspect ratio other than 16X9, you are responsible for adding in appropriate pillar boxes or letter boxes, so that the final file comes in at 1920X1080 without distorting your creative intent.  In addition, any non-English language works will be required to submit a version without subtitles and provide either an English subtitle transcript or SRT file with English subtitles – based on 1080p file.
• If your film was created using a cell phone, please be advised that portrait cell phone footage is difficult to present on screen. It is highly recommended to shoot any video using a cell phone in the landscape or horizontal orientation.
• It must not be an excerpt from a longer work.
• It must comply with all of the content restrictions set forth in the Terms. Among other things, ANY USE OF THIRD-PARTY MUSIC IN THE SUBMISSION MUST BE PRE-CLEARED WITH THE APPLICABLE OWNERS/LICENSORS.
• You must have the right to grant the licenses set forth in the Terms.

When submitting to the Submissions Portal you must select the best-fitting genre from the drop-down menu in the submission form. CineSpace reserves the right to re-categorize the genre.

Selection of Finalists

A team of specialists from NASA and HCAS and special judge Richard Linklater will select Finalists based on the considerations set forth below. All Finalists will be “CineSpace 2020 Finalists” and their works will screen at the Houston Cinema Arts Festival November 12-16, 2020. The Finalists’ works will also be posted on the HCAS website and various NASA websites. Subsequent screenings may take place at special events throughout the remaining year and a compilation of the finalists may be submitted for screening in its entirety to other collaborating film festivals internationally. All Finalists will be notified of website posts and all screenings.

Awarding of Prizes

One or more NASA judges will award the prizes as listed below:

Competition Awards

• Grand Prize: USD $10,000
• Second Prize: USD $5,000
• Third Prize: USD $3,000

Special Categories

• Best Documentary: USD $3,000
• Film That Best Depicts "20 Years of Humans on the International Space Station": USD $4,000
• Best Film Using Exclusively NASA Archival Footage: USD $1000            

Please reference the prizing above as the Project Funding breakdown at the top of this page automatically lists the prizing numerically rather than by ranking or category.

Judging Criteria for Special Categories: In general, the Jury is looking for Submissions that elevate the featured themes using creative and original cinematic and/or storytelling techniques. If the jury feels that a Submission meets these criteria, the Submission may be considered for a special category award. If no Submissions sufficiently meet the criteria, this category may not be awarded this year.

• Best Documentary: USD $3,000
  Designated for best film in a documentary format using NASA imagery.
  
  
• Film That Best Depicts "20 Years of Humans on the International Space Station": USD $4,000
  Humans will have lived peacefully in space on the International Space Station continuously for 20 years this November.  This category is designated for the film that best captures the accomplishments, over the past two decades, of the ISS’ peaceful global partnerships, its support for global space exploration, and the science and technology that benefited humanity.

• Best Film Using Exclusively NASA Archival Footage: USD $1,000

Due to the changing landscape of collaborative filmmaking in this time of pandemic, there are many limitations on filmmakers' abilities to shoot or acquire new footage and interface with production crews and talent.  In response to these limitations, this new category recognizes editors, filmmakers, and multimedia experts who participate in Cinespace 2020 without acquiring new imagery.  This award challenges filmmakers to take a deep dive into NASA's archives and create short films using exclusively NASA archival footage. Filmmakers are encouraged to search for unusual or not commonly used footage.  These archival films can include NASA audio and/or graphics from any publicly available sources and can span any genre.

All remaining finalists will receive Official Selection mention.

All genres will be considered for all prizes.

The Selection Committee and Competition Judges (collectively the “Jury”) understand that various genres and formats have different artistic qualities.

5. CONTENT RESTRICTIONS

Your Submission must comply with the content restrictions and guidelines set forth in the Terms and any NASA Imagery Archive restrictions.