High Tide Student Film Festival 2025

Presented by Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg

Exploring the Ocean Through Creative Visual Storytelling

The Aquarium of the Pacific is excited to invite Southern California high school students in grades 9-12, to participate in its fifth annual High Tide Student Film Festival. Individuals or small teams of 2-4 students are challenged to create a short three-minute video on one of three ocean-themed topics. Each student may submit one film into this contest.

Category Topics:

• Marine Species and Habitats
• Ocean Celebrities
• Fish Tales

Films can be in any style, whether it be a documentary, narrative, live action, animated, puppetry, poetry or a silent movie. Films should be original, creative and connect the audience to the topic in a compelling way. Science and education content is a plus.

Awards and Prizes:

• $2,000 Gold Award
• $1,500 Silver Award
• $1,000 Bronze Award
• $500 Category and Honorable Mention Awards

Finalists Will Also Receive:

• 10 tickets to the High Tide Student Film Festival Screening and Award Ceremony on Thursday, May 1, 2025, with exclusive access to the Aquarium after-hours.
• High Tide Student Film Festival Award certificate.
• Inclusion in an Aquarium news article and Pacific Currents digital magazine.
• Potential use of film in future Aquarium events and programs.

A distinguished group of judges will determine the High Tide Award Winners based on storytelling, creativity, technical and science/educational content.

See Scoring Rubric 2025.

Finalists are required to attend the High Tide Film Screening and Awards Ceremony on the evening of Thursday, May 1, 2025, at the Aquarium to receive their awards and prizes.

Technical Guidelines:

• Film must be between 2 - 3 minutes in length (120-180 seconds total run time, including credits).
• Film must be landscape/horizontal for a movie theater screen.
• Film must be in 1080 HD resolution or higher.
• Film must be submitted in H.264 MP4 or .MOV format.
• Please check sound levels. Audio should be balanced between Left and Right.
• Please make sure there is no branding or watermarks on any footage or throughout the film (i.e.: stock footage, editing program watermarks, etc.).

Content Guidelines:

Please read and carefully follow this Copyright Infographic prior to starting your film.

• Copyright and Clearances
  Please only use your own original material or material that you have permission to use.

  All videos, photos, music/audio, art, logos, books/articles and other copyrighted material used in your submission MUST be properly licensed. You must have permission and/or the proper rights to all content submitted. For any websites used, you must document the Web link or URL address and include that in the closing credits of the film. You will need to cite and submit all media sources used with your film in the closing credits and the Materials License Agreement.

• Proof of Written Permission
  If the film uses any material that is not your own it must be from a public domain and copyright free. There are resources for royalty free music and images you may use for a one-time license fee. Otherwise, you must obtain Proof of Written Permission, and submit that proof with your application and film.

• Materials License Agreement
  You must track and submit a detailed list of all the media sources used in your film with the Materials License Agreement. This includes providing the Weblink or URL for any websites used.

• Photo Image Release Form (People and Faces)
  You must obtain and submit a signed Photo/Image Release Form from all actors, background talent, extras, and any other identifiable individuals that appear in your film. For any individual that is clearly identifiable in your film (whether they are the focus of your camera shot or simply in the background), you need their written consent. You must submit their signed permission form with your film. If they are minors, this form needs to be signed by their parent/guardian.

Practical Tips: Download the Photo Image Release form in advance of filming and keep paper copies with you at all times while you are filming for your talent, or anybody captured in the background to sign. Keep these documents in a safe place for the production. You will need to submit a signed permission form for each person whose face is recognizable in your film.

If the copyright is in question, please abide by the adage “When in doubt, leave it out.” If you use any copyrighted material without written consent it is grounds for disqualification.

Title Slide and Closing Credits:

Films should begin with a title slide and end with Closing Credits. Cite all of your sources used in the closing credits of your film. Your film’s total runtime (TRT), with title slide and closing credits, must not exceed 180 seconds.

Contest Rules and Terms:

Please read and carefully follow the Contest Rules. Any submission that does not meet these guidelines will not be considered for judging.

Cost:

This is a free contest. There is no fee to submit your application and film

Dates and Deadlines:

• November 4, 2024 - Submissions open online (free)
• February 3, 2025 - Final submissions due for all applications, forms and film (by 11:59pm)
• March 31, 2025 - Finalists are notified this week by email
• April 9, 2025 - Finalists deadline to submit W9 Form and Finalist Image Release Form. Information will be emailed to finalists.
• May 1, 2025 - High Tide Film Screening and Awards Ceremony at the Aquarium of the Pacific. Finalists are required to attend the event.

Questions? For additional information, please contact us at: HighTideFilmFestival@lbaop.org

Here are examples of some former High Tide Film Festival winners that display different styles:

• School of Fish, Chen, Hendrix, Karsian and Lara (Rap Song)
• Octopus, Octopi and the Ocean they Occupy, Ramirez (Animation: Stop Motion)
• Shoreline Wonders, Dau (Drone Footage)
• Mermaids of the Sea, Lee, Nedunuri and Schorn (Puppetry)
• Dr. Robert Ballard’s Ancient Shipwreck, Smith (Photo Clips/Storytelling)
• From Farm to Coast, Pompel and Ramirez (Interviews)
• Born From Waves, Le (Acting/Storytelling)
• A Perfect Day at the Pier, Olivia Lopez (Silent Film)
• Just Jellyfish, Steinman (Animation)