Complete your Registration to receive emails now! You’ll receive email updates and announcements on Cut!. You can download the required entry forms from here, and these should be included with your video.

* Required Fields

CUT! Ten FAQs:

1. What format can we shoot on?
   Videos will only be accepted on playable DVDs. You may have some other format camera in your school, like VHS or High 8. You can still shoot your film on these formats but you will need to make a dub of your finished video and burn it to a DVD. Important – if you submit on DVD, the disc must play on a standard DVD player, or your film will not be judged. We suggest testing it on several different players to make sure it works. Data discs containing Quicktime movie files are not acceptable as a main entry disc, but may be included as backup. Check your authoring also, as we have a lot of films cut off too abruptly.
   
   We are investigating online submission options for this year, however, so check back here soon.
    
2. How long does the video need to be?
   The finished video should be no longer than 6 minutes, and no shorter than 4 minutes. Quite complex and engaging stories can be told in this length of time - make the most of each shot.
    
   But I have created an awesome 10 minute masterpiece - pleeeeease can I enter it?
   Short answer - no, sorry. The time limits are there to make sure the pre-judging team has time to watch and consider all 70+ submitted films with sufficient attention to detail, which can already take some time. First approach - try and edit down your film, taking out all extranous material. If it’s still too long but very good, consider submitting it to another festival or competition. Some renowned NZ ones include Show Me Shorts, Homegrown (NZFF), and Reel Earth and Outlook for Someday for environmental films. There are also a lot of international festivals and opportunities.
    
3. What type of stories or genre are you looking for?
   Subject matter and genre is open, but the submitted video should fit somewhere within the categories of mini-documentary, mini-drama or experimental/animation. Ads and music videos are not eligible. The video may be in Te Reo. See ‘What makes a winning film’, below, for some tips on making your video stand out.
    
4. Is it a national or regional competition? Is it just for high Schools and what is the age group? Is it tiered for different age groups?
   Cut is a national competition. If you attend a secondary school anywhere in New Zealand, including homeschooling or Correspondence School students, you are eligible to enter this competition. The important thing is that you are enrolled as a student at the school you say you are.
   
   There are no separate categories for different age groups. Younger entrants (intermediate etc) are welcome to take part but should be aware that they are competing against videos created in by Year 12 and 13 students, some of which will have a high standard of production. However, talented teams and inspired ideas can stand out regardless of age.
    
5. Do students need prior experience? Can students who are not doing media studies courses enter?
   Prior experience in filmmaking will not be a factor for the judges to consider in this competition, nor is the issue of whether a student is enrolled in a course related to media studies. It may be easier to facilitate a production utilising the skills, resources and tutors available in Media Studies courses, but that is entirely up to the students and the resources available to them in their particular schools. Nobody can tell where the best ideas come from for films and certainly some very fine student films have come from outside of Media Studies courses.
    
6. Can students work in groups? Do they need specific roles?
   Filmmaking is a collaborative process. No single person can do all the jobs required to make a film. We are expecting the entries in this competition to be group projects and within these groups it is of course necessary that each person performs a role suited to their skills and creative contribution.
    
7. When is the deadline for submission to the competition?
   Submissions should be posted by 5pm, 5th October. Entries postmarked later than this date will not be considered.
    
8. When do we hear if we have won? What is the prize? What are the benefits?
   The awards ceremony being held at Wintec, in Hamilton, on October 28th.
   
   All finalist entries will receive a CUT! certificate and a DVD of the final entries. There will be a public screening of the finalist films at the award ceremony and the winning film will receive a prize, which will be announced. Last year’s main prize was an Apple iMac with Avid Media Composer editing software. Other prizes included Ricoh digital cameras, Media Arts scholarships, an 8g iPod Touch and a selection of filmmaking books courtesy of Focal Press.
   
   The opportunity to attend a public screening with the chance to meet professional filmmakers as well as like-minded peers and tertiary students can be excellent for inspiring a career in the moving image industry.
   
   5th October 2012 (5pm) - Deadline for submissions
   28th October 2012 - Screening and awards ceremony
    
9. Who are the judges and is there any feedback?
   All videos submitted will be viewed by a selection panel made up of the Wintec Moving Image tutors and allied industry professionals. The 10 finalists will be judged by a panel of skilled industry professionals drawn from the film and television industry. The judges will be announced closer to the judging date.
    
10. What makes a winning film?
    On this site, you can read some guidelines which give a good idea of the criteria we will be using to judge the films in this competition. Primarily we will be looking for an original and creative take on a chosen theme that engages an audience successfully. We will also be looking to see a structure that supports the idea, in other words, “form should match the content”.
    
    A golden rule is that “all good stories have a beginning, middle and end, though not always told in that order”. (For example, you may want to start with the end and tell the story in flashback). Even experimental films should have a structure - for example, the rhythmic repetition of a visual motif, that might change and weave into other directions and then work its way round to remind us of the beginning again. It is about a sense of unity and wholeness to the piece, as though it has been conceived as a complete idea from start to finish, not an incomplete fragment that is not resolved.
    
    We will also be looking at the technical aspects of the film. Not whether you have used the latest editing software or smart computer special effects, but fundamentals of good visual storytelling like focus, framing, control of light, creative use of location or sets, wardrobe/costume, sound recording and editing to tell the story and/or create the mood and feeling.
    
    Also, a consideration for drama is the performance of the actors. It is therefore of some importance that you cast your actors carefully and that they can deliver an acceptable performance to convey the story. Most schools have drama teachers and students interested in acting. Make the most of the skills these people have to offer. Likewise with documentary, your subjects need to have some degree of screen presence or something that holds the interest of the audience.

Good luck, and certainly consult your teachers and tutors for help.

Required Forms

The following forms must be couriered or posted with your video to CUT! NZ SECONDARY SCHOOLS VIDEO COMPETITION by 5.00 pm – 5th October 2012.

• Official Entry Form
• Appearance Consent Form
• Video Competition Rules And Regulations
• Music Licensing Form (if your video contains music)

May be required

This form should be filled out and sent to APRA if you are applying to use commercially-available music. If successful, include a photocopy of this form with your entry (APRA information on music copyright).

• APRA/AMCOS Application form

2012 Cut! Dates

We’re happy to announce that Cut! NZ Secondary Schools Video Competition will be running again in 2012 and look forward to receiving your films. The 2012 deadline for entries is October 5th.

Cut! Award Winners for 2011 Announced

New Zealand’s top young filmmakers were announced on Sunday 9 October, at the Cut! National Secondary Schools Short Video Finalists Screening 2011.

The public screening, which showcased 4-6 minute short films by the chosen 10 finalists, attracted an audience of about 100 people, with students, parents and teachers coming from Waihi, Auckland, Ngatea and Hamilton.

Best Film:	‘The Decision’ by Lucas Sachs of Saint Kentigern College, Auckland'
Runner up Best Film:	‘The Boundary’ by Conor Bowden of St Thomas of Canterbury College, Christchurch'
Hamilton Award for Best Director:	‘The Decision’ by Lucas Sachs of Saint Kentigern College, Auckland
Hamilton Award for Best Design:	‘Before Midnight’ by Jakob Twidle of Waihi College
Best Editor:	‘The Decision’ by Lucas Sachs of Saint Kentigern College, Auckland
Best Original Music:	‘Before Midnight’ by Jakob Twidle of Waihi College
Hamilton Award for Best Sound Design:	’The Boundary’ by Conor Bowden of St Thomas of Canterbury College, Christchurch
Best Use of editing and effects to tell storyline:	‘Bliss’ by Latham Arnott of James Hargest College, Auckland
Hamilton Award for Best Design:	‘Before Midnight’ by Jakob Twidle of Waihi College
Best Comedy:	‘Out of Time’ by Dallas Delaney of Long Bay College
Best Performance:	The lead character of ‘The Decision’ by Lucas Sachs of Saint Kentigern College, Auckland
Best Script:	‘Remember’ by Laura Beverley of St Cuthbert’s College, Auckland
Best Use of editing and effects to tell storyline:	‘Bliss’ by Latham Arnott of James Hargest College, Auckland
Best Cinematography:	‘The Unknown Flower’ by Quade Biddle of Hauraki Plains College

Cut! Coordinator Rochelle Jones said that the competition for the awards this year was tough.

“The judges had a hard time trying to designate the twelve awards as the level of skills, performance, ideas and camera work was very high among the finalists”.

Lucas Sachs, Conor Bowden and Jakob Twidle took away multiple awards for their films, and this year the prizes included an Apple iMac computer, iPod’s, an LCD monitor, Dick Smith and JB Hi Fi Vouchers, Ricoh digital cameras, and so much more.

This competition would not be possible without the continuous support from its dedicated sponsors. This year the sponsors were Ricoh, Avid, Lapshop, Hamilton City Council and the School of Media Arts, Wintec.

For more information contact Cut! Coordinator Rochelle Jones at Rochelle.jones@wintec.ac.nz / 07) 8348800 extension 7576.

4 x Award recipient Lucas Sachs, Cut! Coordinator Rochelle Jones, Moving Image Programme Coordinator John Mandelberg

Who made the Cut 2011!?

The top ten finalists have been announced for the 2011 Cut! National Secondary Schools Short Film Competition; and Wintec and the Cut! team are very pleased with the selection which cover topics including memory loss, sleep deprivation, boredom and government interrogation.

After over 50 entries, which came in from as far south as Invercargill and as far north as Kerikeri, were judged by the preliminary team, the top ten finalists were selected.

Cut! Coordinator Rochelle Jones says that this competition attracts a vast variety of talent and skill, showcasing New Zealand’s up and coming youth that are striving to get amongst the film industry.

“It is very exciting receiving all of the entries and watching the short films unfold.  You can see the ideas that these Secondary school students have generated, the amount of time they have put into their projects; not to mention the level of technology capability, which just improves immensely every year.  I am looking forward to seeing what awards are given to the students and films at the finalists screening”.

Cut! 2011 finalists are as follows:

The Boundary, Director: Conor Bowden, St Thomas of Canterbury College
Before Midnight, Director: Jakob Twidle, Waihi College
Bliss, Director: Latham Arnott, James Hargest College
The Decision, Director: Lucas Sachs, Saint Kentigern College
The Dinosaur Kid, Director: Hamish Balderston, Hauraki Plains College
Deprivation, Director: Connor Ingle, Hauraki Plains College
Unknown Flower, Director: Quade Biddle, Hauraki Plains College
The Un-Social Network, Director: Sabine Pollak, St Cuthbert’s College
Remember, Director: Laura Beverley, St Cuthbert’s College
Out of Time, Director: Dallas Delaney, Long Bay College

These films will be screened at a public Finalists Awards Screening on Sunday 9 October 2011, at Wintec’s Gallagher Hub in Events Room One, where three judges; Angela Littlejohn, Andrea Haines and Julia Reynolds, will announce the winners of the top awards.

Angela Littlejohn is a well-known film producer who has worked on features including ‘Show of Hands’, ‘Separation City’ and ‘Apron Strings’. Previously Angela has spent time in London - including six years in production and finance for Channel Four, where she worked on Trainspotting and a run of TV projects. Andrea Haines is president of the New Zealand Federation of Film Societies and Julia Reynolds is a Master of Arts graduate from Wintec’s School of Media Arts, and a well-known director, whose latest film ‘Shepherd’ was shown at the 2011 SPARK International Festival of Media, Arts and Design.

Best Overall Film, Best Director and Best Performance are among the awards that will be decided by these judges the day before the event, and prizes up for grabs this year include an Apple iMac computer, a one year Bachelor of Media Arts (Moving Image) scholarship and a Ricoh digital camera.

This year welcomed the eighth birthday for Wintec’s annual Cut! Competition, which is organised within the School of Media Arts, thanks to a huge help from the Moving Image department and its tutors.

Sponsors that continue to support this annual event and made this year’s prizes possible include Lapshop, Ricoh, Hamilton, and Avid.

For more information contact Cut! Coordinator Rochelle Jones on Rochelle.jones@wintec.ac.nz .

 

2010 Cut! Winners Announced

Hauraki Plains College student Quade Biddle has won the top prize in the 2010 Cut! National Secondary School Short Video Competition with a tense film about a young girl exploring a garden shed. Biddle’s film ‘Curiosity’ also won ‘Best Director’, ‘Best Script’ and ‘Best Cinematography’. Biddle took home a number of prizes for his efforts, including a Philips 22” LCD Monitor from Lapshop, a one-year scholarship to Wintec’s Bachelor of Media Arts, a Ricoh digital camera, and an iMac with editing software for his school.

Cut! Judges called the film “sophisticated and beautifully shot. The young lead actress is gorgeous, with a very natural performance. It has a strong suspense and a sense of mature filmmaking. The quality was very high in all aspects. Tension was terrific and the story drew the audience in with an intriguing ambiguity.”

This is the 7th year Wintec has organized the Cut! competition, which aims to encourage secondary school filmmakers nationwide and showcase their talent. 70 entries were received in total this year, and 12 were selected as finalists. Moving Image lecturer Paul Judge said that the team had been very impressed with the standard of work overall and that the judges had a difficult task. Judging this year were Thomas Robins, co-creator of successful online interactive drama Reservoir Hill from KHF Media in Wellington; Andrea Haines, president of the New Zealand Federation of Film Societies; and Renee Casserly and Julia Reynolds, producer and director of upcoming feature film ‘Shepherd’.

Post-apocalyptic war film ‘Breathe’, directed by Kenny Ruddell, Whangerei Boys’ High School, was named ‘Best Film – Runner Up’ and also won the ‘Hamilton Award for Best Sound Design’. ‘Nocturnal Fear’, directed by Conor Bowden, St Thomas of Canterbury College gave a suspense-filled depiction of one teenager’s fear of the dark, and won ‘Best Performance’ and the ‘Avid Award for Best Editor’.

Portia McLean and Stephen Clothier, from Karamu High School, offered something different with ‘Entymology’ – a quirky puppet/animated tale about flawed insects and an unfortunate fish, which won the ‘Hamilton Award for Best Animation’ and also the ‘Lapshop Award for Best Art Direction’. ‘The Life I Live’, an insightful and scenic look at horse-training in Tokamaru Bay directed by Tumanako Teka while a student at St Peter’s School (Cambridge) won the ‘Hamilton Award for Best Documentary’.

Upper Hutt College were an easy choice for ‘Best Cut! School’, after entering over40 films in the competition, having 3 chosen as finalists, and then bringing a 30-strong group up to Hamilton to attend the Awards Screening. ‘Congenitals’, a sharp comedy about a group trying to be cool, directed by Upper Hutt’s Katie Boyle, won ‘Best Dialogue’ and was a crowd favourite. Margi Moore, Head of Wintec’s School of Media Arts, said Upper Hutt College had made a fantastic effort, and should be very proud of its Media department and students. “We hope to see them continue this great momentum.” 

Check out http://www.mediarts.net.nz/?p=1823 for more photos and full nominations & results.

Andrea Haines (judge), Portia Mclean, Steven Clothier and Renee Casserly (judge)

All photos by Geoff Ridder

2010 Secondary school film finalists announced

Wintec and the School of Media Arts are pleased to announce that the finalists for the 2010 Cut! National Secondary Schools Short Video Competition have been selected. Made by young directors from all around New Zealand, the short films cover a range of topics, including horse-training in Tokomaru Bay, the elusive art of being cool, a mysterious ‘purger’, bullying, fear of the dark, and the study of some very odd insects.

This is the 7^th year Wintec has organized the Cut! competition, which aims to encourage secondary school filmmakers nationwide and showcase their talent. 70 entries were received in total. The top 12 will now be viewed by a panel of judges and winners announced at the Awards Screening.

Margi Moore, Head of Wintec’s School of Media Arts, said she was impressed by the quality of the films and also the support entrants received from their schools. After having two entries selected as finalists in 2009, Upper Hutt College were a standout for their enthusiasm this year. With the support of Media Studies HOD Mihai Ifrim, students created and entered over 40 films – a Cut! record. Lynfield College are well represented, with two entrants in the final 12; and debut filmmakers from Hauraki Plains College feature in both the finalist and highly commended categories.

The Cut! Awards Screening is happening at 11am, Sunday October 17th, at Events Room 1, Gallagher Hub, Wintec City Campus, Tristram St, Hamilton. This event is free and open to the public. All finalist films will be screened and a number of prizes presented. These prizes are made possible each year by the support of Lapshop, Ricoh, Hamilton, Avid, Magnum Mac, Elsevier and Focal Press.

Cut! 2010 finalists

Curiosity - directed by Quade Biddle, Hauraki Plains College
The Silent Shadow – directed by Vinny Ritossa, Upper Hutt College
Trapped – directed by Yasmine Jellyman, Upper Hutt College
Congenitals - directed by Katie Boyle, Upper Hutt College
Nocturnal Fear - directed by Conor Bowden, St Thomas of Canterbury College
Smoke ‘n Jandals - directed by Conor Mardell, Auckland Grammar School
The life I live – directed by Tumanako Teka, St Peters School
Breathe - directed by Kenny Ruddell, Whangerei Boys High School
You-Me-Cycle - directed by Nicky Read & Jess Howell, Lynfield College
Envision - directed by Ben Cook, Lynfield College
Echo - directed by Ayeesha Holder, Cashmere High School
Entymology - directed by Portia McLean & Stephen Clothier, Karamu High School

Highly commended were

Theo’s Box – directed by Seung-woo Hong, Nelson College
Just For Kicks – directed by Therese Kiely & Joanne Mijares-Supelana, Baradene Collge
The Accountable – directed by Nic Rollinson, Cashmere High School
Semi-Conscious – directed by Katie Boyle, Upper Hutt College
Man’s Best Friend – directed by Lawrence Goodwin, Hauraki Plains College

The judging panel will feature Andrea Haines, president of the New Zealand Federation of Film Societies; Renee Casserly, Community Arts Adviser and producer of upcoming feature film ‘Shepherd’; and Julia Reynolds, Wintec Master of Arts student and director of ‘Shepherd’, which begins shooting in November. Judging via DVD in Wellington will be David Stubbs and Thomas Robins from KHF Media, creators of successful online interactive drama Reservoir Hill. Reservoir Hill recently won the Qantas Film and TV Award for "Best children's/youth programme”, the "Mobile application award" at the recent TUANZ Awards, and an International Emmy in the "Digital Program: Children & Young People" category. All finalists will receive feedback from the judges.

For more information, images, comments, or to interview local finalists, contact Dawn Tuffery: dawn.tuffery@wintec.ac.nz or 0274947999, or 078348800 x 7576

2009 Cut! award winners announced

A reflective suspense film about a paranoid school cleaner has taken out the ‘Best Film’ prize in the Cut! NZ Secondary Schools Short Video Competition for 2009 - ‘The Cleaner’, directed by Seung-woo Hong from Nelson College. After deciding at the last minute to fly up to attend the ceremony, Seung-woo was happy to discover that his carry-on luggage for the return trip would include an iMac, Final Cut Express, a Ricoh digital camera and a Wintec Bachelor of Media Arts first-year study grant.

The awards were judged by Renee Casserly, Richard Swainson and Tamara Dorfliger. The group said that ‘The Cleaner’ stood out for its strong soundscape, suspenseful atmosphere and creative visual storytelling and construction. Dorfliger, a Bachelor of Media Arts graduate now working for tvCentral and tvRotorua, said the film also showed a great attention to detail and a convincing performance from the central character.

The Runner-Up Best Film also hailed from the South Island, with romance-thriller ‘53’ (directed by Ben Childs, from Middleton Grange School, Christchurch) filling the second place spot. The judges enjoyed the film’s strong naturalistic performances, clever construction and tight editing. This is this team’s second success in the Cut! competition, after winning the ‘Best Original Score’ prize in 2007 for their pop mockumentary ‘Bounce it, Bounce it, Bounce it’.

Homeschooled student Brad Griffiths won Hamilton’s inaugural ‘Best Hamilton Film’ award, with his fast-paced futuristic thriller ‘Without Pay’, and also picked up ‘Best Editing’. Another local success was Hamilton Girls’ High School student Tégan Hall, who got 1st equal in ‘Best Director’ for her experimental work ‘Dreamland’. Other big winners included Sebastian Solberg (St Kentigern College), who picked up ‘Best Cinematography’ and ‘Best Documentary’ for ‘Nepal’, and Isaiah Tour (Papatotoe High School) who won ‘Best Script’, ‘Best Animation’ and ‘Best Original Score’ for the quirky ‘Spore’.

Awards were also presented for special effects, best performance (full results below) and Top School effort within the competition, which went to perennial top performers Gisborne Boys’ High School. The main prizes were presented by Sharon Bolderson from Auckland’s A2Z Technologies.

Winner of the Audience Favourite award was ‘Spore’ from Papatoetoe High School, closely followed by zombie-ninja film ‘Exhuman’ (Upper Hutt College) and ‘53’ (Middleton Grange School). All ten finalists received certificates for themselves and their schools, plus a bag containing goodies and gifts from sponsors.

Gail Pittaway, Media Arts lecturer and MC for Sunday’s awards ceremony, said Cut! 2009 had been an incredibly impressive event, showcasing skilled and passionate work from some really talented students. “The programme will be a collector’s item one day, for all the names of the rising stars it contains. The prizes were also superb and the level of sponsorship very generous. It was a thrill to have been part of!’

Cut! is proudly presented by Wintec and the School of Media Arts, with support from A2Z Technologies, Lapshop, Hamilton City Council, Ricoh, Auteur House, Focal Press and Elsevier.

Winner details

Best Film – iMac with Final Cut Express for the school, with Ricoh digital camera and USB sticks for the director and team
Winner: The Cleaner (Seung-woo Hong, Nelson College, Nelson)

Runner-Up Best Film - Lapshop. Viewsonic VA2026W 20" widescreen monitor + webcam & LaCie itsakey USB stick.
Winner: 53 (Ben Childs, Middleton Grange School, Christchurch)

Best Documentary - Focal Press/Elsevier $50 book voucher + iPod
Winner: Nepal (Sebastian Solberg, St Kentigern College, Auckland)

Best Director - Wintec Bachelor of Media Arts first year study grant to the value of $1500, and Skycity movie passes
Winners 1st equal – Tégan Hall (Dreamland) and Seung-woo Hong (The Cleaner)

Best Hamilton Film - $500 worth of Dick Smith Electronics vouchers
Winner: Without Pay (Brad Griffiths, The Correspondence School, Hamilton)
(Nominees – Dreamland (Hamilton Girls’ High School), Without Pay and Defying Gravity (Hillcrest High School)

Best Editing - 2 x Neo editing software packages from A2Z Technologies, valued at $450.00 RRP & 2 x packs of writeable DVDs (one for school, one for editor)
Winner: Without Pay (Brad Griffiths, The Correspondence School, Hamilton)

Best Cinematographer - Focal Press/Elsevier $50 book voucher & Ricoh digital camera.
Winner: Nepal (Sebastian Solberg, St Kentigern College, Auckland)

Best Script - Focal Press/Elsevier $50 book voucher + itsakey USB
Winner: Spore (Isaiah Tour, Papatoetoe High School, Papatoetoe)

Best Animation - Focal Press/Elsevier $50 book voucher + robot USB from Lapshop
Winner: Spore (Isaiah Tour, Papatoetoe High School, Papatoetoe)

Best Performance - webcam + lego USB from Lapshop
Winner: Ben Childs (from 53, Middleton Grange School, Christchurch)

Best Original Score - Free 6 hour recording session in the Wintec Commercial Music recording studio + Sennheiser headphones
Winner: Spore (Isaiah Tour, Papatoetoe High School, Papatoetoe)

Best Special FX – Lapshop prize pack
Winner: When Others Sleep (Eugene Lee, Christchurch Rudolf Steiner School,
Christchurch)

Top Cut! School - Wintec one-day Filmmaking Workshop for a class – to be selected from STAR courses offered, or negotiated with Moving Image lecturers. Winner: Gisborne Boys’ High.

Finalists in 2009 were

Without Pay – Brad Griffiths, The Correspondence School, Hamilton
Whanau – Gisborne Boys High (‘Gissy Boys’), Gisborne
Where Others Sleep – Christchurch Rudolf Steiner School, Christchurch
53 – Middleton Grange School, Christchurch
The Cleaner – Nelson College, Nelson
Die Nacht – Auckland Grammar School, Auckland
Exhuman – Upper Hutt College, Upper Hutt
Dreamland – Hamilton Girls’ High School, Hamilton
Nepal – St Kentigern College, Auckland
Spore – Papatoetoe High School, Papatoetoe

The Concept

Cut! is a national competition for secondary school filmmakers, run by Wintec. Students are challenged to create a 4 – 6 minute short film on any topic. Entry is free and there are a great collection of prizes to be won.

The video

Videos submitted can deal with any genre or subject, but should be a complete short film – whether drama/fiction, documentary or animated/experimental. Music videos are not eligible.

Timeline

Print out the forms and enter now!

5th October 2012	Deadline for posting submissions
28th October 2012	Screening and awards ceremony

Guidelines

1. The competition is open to any production team of students who are currently enrolled in and attending a New Zealand secondary school. This production can be incorporated into NCEA Media Studies.
    
2. The submitted video may be no longer than 6 minutes, and no shorter than 4 minutes.
    
3. The submitted video should fit within the categories of mini-documentary, mini-drama/fiction or experimental/animation. It may be in Te Reo. Ads and music videos are not eligible.
    
4. Each video must be the work of the students only (although the assistance of the supervising teacher at various stages of the production is permitted and expected.) Actors within the production may be any age.
    
5. If music is used on the video, written permission to use the music must be included with the entry. (A music clearance form is available on this website.)
    
6. Entry is free. Just send us your tape or disc, the completed entry form and your music clearance form (if applicable). Videos that have been entered in previous CUT! Competitions are not eligible.
    
7. It is the responsibility of the entrant to ensure DVDs submitted are playable on a standard home DVD player. We suggest testing them on several players to make sure, as discs that do not play will not be judged. A data disc containing video files such as Quicktime will not be acceptable as a primary entry disk, due to potential codec difficulties, but may be included as backup.
    
8. No videos that are “objectionable” will be considered. According to law, a video is rated objectionable if it “describes, depicts, expresses, or otherwise deals with matters such as sex, horror, crime cruelty, or violence in such a manner that the availability of the publication is likely to be injurious to the public good”. Click here for more details.
    
9. If you enter more than one video, you must fill out separate entry forms for each video.

All Projects

1. Must have been completed after the 1st October, 2011
    
2. Should not have been broadcast previously (ie, on television or online).

Materials and Formats

All entries must include the following:

1. Only videos on DVD format will be accepted. DVD must be playable on a standard DVD player.
    
2. Tape or disc labelled with the title of project, product team name and supervising teacher name
    
3. Completed and signed entry form and clearance forms
    
4. The submitted entry form must also be signed by a supervising teacher

Judging

Selection Process

All submissions will be viewed by the 2012 Wintec selection panel, consisting of staff and allied industry professionals. The panel will select 10 productions for screening and final judging.

Finalists

The ten finalists’ productions will be judged by a panel made up of industry professionals, with awards announced at the screening We may request high resolution copies of finalist films.

The membership of this panel will be announced on the website. The judges will provide general comments on each video that will be sent to the entrant. The judges’ decision is final.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Use of Original Music in Videos

Before you choose music and special effects for your video, you must ensure that it is legal for you to do so. Just because you own a CD does not mean you can use music on that CD in your video. Students are encouraged to utilise the creative talents of local bands, singers and composers around them in putting together an original music score for their entry. This is an opportunity to make a completely original CUT! competition entry and at the same time highlight the creative talents of your local community. All music used must have a clearance form filled out and attached to the entry form – see ‘Enter now’ for all required forms.

Click here for more information about the use of music in videos

Like last year, entrants will also have the opportunity to utilise a CD of great copyright free music composed and performed by third year Wintec music students from a CD titled ‘Exposition IV’ - for a copy of this CD email dawn.tuffery@wintec.ac.nz. Also, check out ‘use of music in videos’ under ‘additional information’ on this site for more information about music copyright, free music programmes and use of commercial music restrictions.

Here are some links to sites that have free music loops:
www.looperman.com
www.breakbeatsonly.com/preview1.htm
www.samplenet.co.uk
samplearena.com/cdrom/

Watch the 2011 Cut! Finalists

The Decision St. Kentigern College Best Film Hamilton Award for Best Director Best Editor Best Performance	Bliss James Hargest College >Best Use of editing and effects to tell storyline
Deprivation Hauraki Plains College	The Dinosaur Kid Hauraki Plains College
Out of Time Long Bay College Best Comedy	Remember St. Cuthbert's College Best Script
The Boundary St. Thomas of Canterbury College Runner Up Best Film Hamilton Award for Best Sound Design	Before Midnight Waihi College Best Original Music Hamilton Award for Best Design
Unknown Flower Hauraki Plains College Best Cinematography	Unsocial Network St. Cuthbert's College Hamilton Award for Best Sound Design Hamilton Award for Best Design

Watch the 2010 Cut! Finalists

Curiosity Hauraki Plains College Best Film Best Director: Quade Biddle Best Script Best Cinematography	The Silent Shadow Upper Hutt College Best Cut! School
Trapped Upper Hutt College Best Cut! School	Congenitals Upper Hutt College Best Dialogue Best Cut! School
Nocturnal Fear St Thomas of Canterbury College Best Editor Best Performance	Entymology Karamu High School Best Animation Best Art Direction
The Life I Live St Peters School Best Documentary	Breathe Whangarei Boys High School Best Film - Runner Up Best Sound Design
You-Me-Cycle Lynfield College	Envision Lynfield College
Echo Cashmere High School	Smoke 'n Jandals Auckland Grammar School

Watch the 2009 Cut! Finalists

The Cleaner Nelson College, Nelson Best Film Best Director: Seung-woo Hong (1st equal)	53 Middleton Grange School, Christchurch Runner-Up Best Film Best Performance: Ben Childs 3rd in Audience Favourite vote
Whanau Gisborne Boys High (‘Gissy Boys’), Gisborne Top Cut! School	Spore Papatoetoe High School, Papatoetoe Audience Favourite Best Original Score Best Animation Best Script
Without Pay Brad Griffiths, The Correspondence School, Hamilton Best Hamilton Film Best Editing	Dreamland Hamilton Girls’ High School, Hamilton Best Director: Tégan Hall (1st equal)
Nepal St Kentigern College, Auckland Best Cinematographer Best Documentary	Where Others Sleep Christchurch Rudolf Steiner School, Christchurch Best Special FX
Exhuman Upper Hutt College, Upper Hutt 2nd in Audience Favourite vote	Die Nacht Auckland Grammar School, Auckland

Watch some of the 2008 Cut! winning entries

The Death of Mr Saracini St Dominic’s College Best Film, Best Editing	Game Gisbourne Boys’ High School Runner Up Best Film, Best Script
Last Minute Movie Christ’s College Best Director	Les Enfants du Paradis Wanganui High School Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design

Are you the creative type? Always full of ideas? Do you want to make a career out of your passion for the visual arts, communication, or music? Would you like to study with others like you in a dynamic, creative environment where you learn to make your dreams a reality? If so, you’ll want to come to study Media Arts at Wintec...

Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) and its School of Media Arts are the organisers of the Cut! competition. Wintec has its main campus in the city of Hamilton and attracts significant numbers of students from the Waikato and throughout New Zealand. Its reputation as a leading provider of high quality applied, vocational and professional qualifications continues strongly.

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