Back on November 1, GLEN WOLFE and DAN REYNOLDS announced that entries were now open for the fourth annual DIRECTORS CHOICE AWARDS. The deadline to submit an entry is January 11, 2025…as in next Saturday!! If you made a fan film (of any genre, not limited to just Star Trek) that was released during calendar year 2024 and you haven’t entered it yet, here is the link to do so…
https://thefederationfiles.com/?page_id=1407
Winners will be announced on First Contact Day: April 5, 2025.
There is a $10 entry fee that includes submitting the film for consideration in up to seven of the following specialty categories in addition to being considered for Best in Fest (which carries a $250 cash prize). The categories are…
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Director
Best Original Costuming
Best Make-up/Hairstyling
Best Cinematography
Best Original Music
Best Audio Mixing
Best Lighting
Best FX Make-Up
Best CGI FX
Best Green Screen
Best Composite Shot
Best Screenplay
Best Parody/Comedy
Best Portrayal of an Existing Character
Best Animated Fan Film
Best Editing
Most Canon Award
Best Ensemble
Best On-Location Scene
Best Plot Twist
Best Use of Improvised Sets
Best Choreography
Best Trailer
Best Poster
The last two categories are brand new for this year’s awards. Glen clarified that the poster must be for a fan film that premiered in calendar year 2024. However, the trailer can be for a fan film that hasn’t been released yet. The only requirement is that the trailer itself must have been publicly posted for the first time during 2024.
As with the three previous years (and in line with the name of the contest), the fan films will be judged by the directors themselves. Each director will be e-mailed a ballot for each film they submitted . A director cannot vote for any fan film they themselves directed, and all ballots will be due no later than March 15. If a judge fails to return their completed ballot in time, their film submission(s) will be disqualified.
Glen reports that submissions have been robust this year, with a late push of Star Trek genre fan film entries. Typically, those are one of the most prolific types of fan films submitted, but until late December, Trek fan films were actually in the minority of submissions. Also notable (at least for me personally, as I’ve entered my own fan film, AN ABSENT FRIEND, since it was released last April and was eligible), is that a record number of animated fan films from various genres have been submitted this year.
So things are looking pretty exciting for this fourth installment of the Directors Choice Awards!