I lifted this from the old DVC blog and updated it a bit. Dylan...we need to talk about finishing the new site one of these days. :)

If you enter a film...

YOU ARE A JUDGE!

Judging is really very easy. Once the challenge is complete and all films have been released, you have 7 days to pick your top three films, and email them as #1 #2 and #3 to thedvchallenge@gmail.com

Please include both the filmmakers name and the film title when you send them in!

One vote per film/team. And no voting for your own film!
If you didn't enter, you don't get to vote!

And on what criteria do you pick your top three films?

Voting should be weighted 50% for production quality, and 50% for use of theme/story.

Here is a system that might help.
Give each film two ratings out of 10. One for how well it uses the theme, one for overall production value. Write them down in order as you watch and readjust as you see fit.

For example:
________Theme/Story ______ Production
Film A________9_____________ 9.5
Film B________8______________9
Film C________7______________7
Film D________5______________7
Film E________8______________3


By the end you will have a list that represents fairly accurately your best choices, and no films get forgotten. You may want to go back and rewatch your top 5 just to make sure they are as good as you remember them.


Have fun!

Hi,
Are we picking the top 3 films or the top 5 films. Its suggests top 3 film at the start of the text and at the end it states top 5 film?

You are emailing your top 3 picks. I think Dylan just suggested reviewing your original 5 or so picks just to make sure you didn't inadvertently leave out a favorite. Or something like that...

One quick question, do we have to rank our top three picks as #1-#3? Are they weighted somehow when you add them all up? Or can we just list them in any order?

Also, because we have so many cool films, should we have a few additional awards to vote on? I noticed you did that in the past, and it would be pretty fun-(unless it's too much work keep track of, adding up numbers is probably not the most fun part of running the challenge.)

Andrew, the order of your top three films is very important. When we tally votes, your #1 pick gets 3 points, #2 gets 2, and #3 gets 1 point. We add them all up to find our winner. So, although it has never happened, it is possible for someone with a bunch of second or third place votes to be the winner!

As far as sub-categories, that would be fun, but we don't have prizes, plus, I hesitate to add it now that the judging has begun. But...it does sound like all kinds of fun to have votes for best story, best cinematography, etc. Hmm...

We have received votes from 10 of you, and I just sent acknowledgement. If you voted and didn't hear back, try again! And to the rest of you...the sooner you all vote the sooner we can announce the winner!! :)

Maybe there should be a time limit put on voting, with the rule being that if you don't vote, your film is automatically withdrawn from the competition. May speed things up.

There is a time limit on voting, as posted above. It is seven days, which happens to be today!

You are not going to believe this. We are looking at a 3-WAY TIE for first place!!! So I talked with the Head Whipcracker (that would be Dylan, of course) and here's what we're going to do:

A run-off vote between the top three starts now and ends this Friday at midnight. With the Black Magic Cinema Camera from www.dvestore.com at stake your vote is very important, so please vote! Rank them 1st, 2nd, 3rd as before. But here's a caveat...the 3 filmmakers whose films are in the running are excluded from the voting.

Okay, judges, let's do this again and find our winner! The top three films are:

"Loop" by Simon Wood
"Road To Symphony" by Joseph Tran
"Tradition" by Mark Hartopp

Yes, you have until Friday, but the sooner everyone votes, the faster we can end the suspense!!!

Wow. This was the best challenge ever. Only fitting that it ended in a three way tie!

That's okay... the BMD Cinema Camera is only shipping in VERY limited quantities anyway! <evil grin>

I blame BlackMagic Design for all the suspense!

Congrats to Simon, Joseph and Mark!

Problem:

The remaining film makers: Can they now vote for their own film ?

Guess I didn't word it well...the remaining filmmakers won't be voting at all.

Wow! This is so exciting. Could it be any better to keep everyone on their seats. This is one of those comps people will remember for awhile. Far better than any TV Soap. Simon and Joseph Good luck too.

Could the 3 filmmakers tie again! Stay tuned folks :)

Wow, well I was genuinely surprised to see Loop was up there. This was a difficult one to judge; but 3 winners? Crazy. But there were a lot of seriously brilliant entries that ought to be up there too.

Anyway, I reckon poor old Guy Cochran should abracadabra up 3 BlackMagic cameras and we'll call it a day....(joking)! ;)

Best of luck guys!

Could the 3 filmmakers tie again!
Over half of you have voted and that's where we still stand. It's driving the vote-counter absolutely bonkers! The rest of you only have until tomorrow night at midnight. Let's go!! :D

Wow. Wow, wow, wow! That's all I can say!

Truly an honor and a pleasure to be a part of this DVC!