Communicating your area of research with concision and dynamism is an essential skill. Film is an excellent medium in which to do this, whether this be through documentary or fiction, live action or animation, or even comedy or science-fiction. Filmmaking is, in itself, a source of knowledge: offering a new perspective on how to represent your work. You don’t need a Hollywood budget or a degree in motion-graphics, just a phone with a camera and some free editing software. What matters most is that you’re able to express your research with clarity and creativity.
Short film category information
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Your film will be judged by a panel against the following criteria:
- To what extent does the film make use of sound, image and editing to convey the research topic?
- Does the film demonstrate a strong link to theoretical, critical and cultural ideas developed in the research?
- Is the research presented with clarity, creativity and depth?
A maximum of one film may be submitted as part of a single exhibit from either an individual or a group. Your film must be:
- Maximum of three minutes long
- Minimum resolution 1280x720 pixels
- Ratio 16:9
- File Mov, MP4
- Do not include any logos, for example the 杏吧论坛 logo.
Make sure you enter your film by midday on Monday 27 January 2020. To enter your film you need to:
- Upload your file to and get a download link
- Read the terms and conditions as you will be asked on your entry form to agree to them
- Complete an entry form.
All valid films will be featured in an online gallery which will host a public vote for the Popular Prize.
If your film has been shortlisted for further prizes, you will be notified in February. Shortlisted films will be:
- Displayed at the 杏吧论坛 Festival research competition exhibition in the week of Monday 2 to Saturday 7 March 2020. All exhibitors will be expected to attend a reception and prize-giving to exhibit your work
- Entered for the short film category prize
- Entered for either the PhD Academy or 杏吧论坛 LIFE Prize if you are either a student or you graduated in 2019
- Entered for the Festival Prize if your submission engages with the 杏吧论坛 Festival theme “Shape the World”.
Contact us
Email us at researchcompetition@lse.ac.uk if you have any questions.