FILM & SCREENPLAY
SUBMISSION OPPORTUNITIES
The Orange County Independent Film Festival is proud to partner with OCTV and the Southern California Cinema Society to offer the following opportunities for filmmakers and fans of independent movies.
FILM FESTIVAL
SUBMISSIONS
OCIFF FILM SUBMISSIONS
Interested in submitting a film project to the festival?
Feature Films and Short Films of all topics, ratings, styles, and genres are invited to submit. The OCIFF accepts and screens films from across the globe, while also having a special connection and focus on Southern California based film projects.
Accepted festival films receive public screenings at Southern California cinemas as part of the fest. Additional nomination consideration for Award Honors and Audience Choice Awards are also given to every festival accepted film. Potential additional streaming premieres may be offered to select films.
Learn more about the submission process by reading our Submit FAQ and by visiting the Orange County Independent Film Festival’s FilmFreeway submission page.
Submit your film today,
by clicking the FilmFreeway logo below:
SCREENPLAY
SHOWCASE
SCREENPLAY SHOWCASE
The Orange County Independent Film Fest and Southern California Cinema Society present the annual OCIFF Screenplay Showcase.
Honoring the best original unproduced screenplays of the year with awards and prizes, in the service of connecting creative screenwriters with the best collaborators to assist them in pushing innovative cinema into completion, while also supporting potential production and financial partners in finding exceptional screenplays.
For those seeking out the best screenwriters in the world to collaborate with: attend the annual OCIFF Award Ceremony and meet our Screenplay Contest Winners.
Screenplay authors are encouraged to submit to our Unpublished Screenplay Contest – featuring a $3,000.00 Grand Prize for the first place Best Unpublished Screenplay Winner. Winners honored annually at the festival.
Submit your Screenplay today,
by clicking the FilmFreeway logo below:
MEMBERSHIP
FILM SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP
Join our friends at the Southern California Cinema Society!
Film Society members enjoy exclusive invitations to screenings throughout the year, discounted tickets to the Orange County Independent Film Festival, and much more.
Become a member and support independent film.
FUTUREFEST
AI+VFX FUTUREFEST SUBMISSIONS
Submit your VFX / Al film project today:
VFX, Al, and VR-based film projects are invited to submit to our newest festival event. The Southern California Cinema Society teamed up with the Orange County Independent Film Festival to curate the best technology-based and special effects films from the past year.
Filmmakers are invited to submit films partially-generated or fully-enhanced using Al tools. Submissions should highlight the potential of VFX in film storytelling with usage that expands creative possibilities and supports great cinema.
Learn more about the OCIFF AI + VFX Futurefest and see our complete list submission categories at the Al FutureFest FilmFreeway page.
OCTV
STREAMFEST SUBMISSIONS
Get your annual OCTV Membership Pass to watch perennial new release selections of director-approved OCIFF films alongside other festival films.
Filmmakers preferring to screen online-only may submit to the OCIFF’s online streaming platform: OCTV. Feature Films & Short Films of all topics, ratings, styles and genres, made anywhere in the world are accepted to screen as part of the OCTV Online Film Festival.
Feature Films & Short Films of all topics, ratings, styles and genres, made anywhere in the world are accepted to screen as part of the OCTV Online Film Festival.
Submit your film to OCTV today,
by clicking the FilmFreeway logo below:
JOIN TODAY
OCTV STREAMING MEMBERSHIP
Get your annual OCTV Membership Pass to watch perennial new release selections of director-approved OCIFF films alongside other festival films.
Feature Films, Short Films, Rental Bundles of curated Short Films and Feature Film triple features.
Click here to sign up for your annual membership subscription to OCTV.
SUBMISSION FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Age Requirements?
The only age requirement for submitting to the festival is that you must be 18 years of age or older, though minors (under the age of 18) can have a parent or legal guardian to submit as their representative.
Submission Category?
Descriptions and eligibility requirements for each submission category are listed on the festival’s FilmFreeway page under the Categories and Fees Menu.
If unsure, select a category that most closely aligns with your project. Festival staff may resign submitted projects to more optimal categories in service of programming fit and award consideration.
Premiere Requirement?
Festival acceptance is never based on a festival film’s premiere status. Films and Screenplay submissions are considered based on quality first and foremost. However, it must be noted that attendance to public screening events is affected by premiere status and online availability.
It is highly recommended (and proper form) that if a film is currently screening at a festival, it is best not to have another “local screening” (within 40 miles) for no less than 40 days prior to and 30 days following any previously scheduled festival screening date.
International Projects?
Yes, the festival accepts submissions from across the world. However, projects not (primarily) in English are required to have English subtitles or dubbing in order to be properly evaluated.
International submissions may submit via FilmFreeway.
Student Submissions?
Yes, the festival accepts student submissions. Student submission requirements and discounts will be listed on the festival’s FilmFreeway submission page.
Students may submit via FilmFreeway.
Screened in Cinemas?
Yes, all festival accepted films will be invited to receive at one public in-person screening at a Southern California cinema as part of the festival.
Additional screenings or encores may occur on occasion.
Only accepted projects providing a festival-approved screening print by the festival deadlines can be screened. Every screening, including scheduling and venue changes are at the festival’s discretion and may be subject to change without notice.
Where Do Festival Events Occur?
Festival screenings and events historically occur in Southern California, primarily in the cities of Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Irvine, San Juan Capistrano, and/or Mission Viejo.
Festival screening times and event locations will be listed on our website prior to Opening Day.
All screenings, including scheduling and venue location are at festival discretion and may be subject to change without notice.
Works-In-Progress/Rough Cuts?
The festival does review incomplete projects, but does not prefer to screen visibly incomplete works. Feel free to submit a rough cut, but only if you know a screening worthy version will be ready in time for the festival.
Please mark submissions as “rough cut” or “work-in-progress” in your submission materials and introductory letter, and note which elements are incomplete.
Films must be completed before the final festival deadlines.
Acceptance Notification?
Submitters will be notified after the festival’s Final Deadline through FilmFreeway and via email.
Receipt of Submission?
Check your projects FilmFreeway submission page to confirm project status.
Submission Feedback?
Due to the high volume of submissions received and current low submission fees, the festival is not able to provide feedback for submissions.
If feedback is requested by popular demand, a summary-collection of edited judges review scores may be re-formatted and disseminated to submitters for additional fees. Check current festival submission categories to see if expanded feedback options are available this season.
Travel Reimbursements?
The festival does not provide travel stipends or accommodation reimbursements for submitted projects, or award winners.
How Many Projects Can I Submit?
Submit as many projects as you would like, although each submission would need to pay a separate submission fee.
Can I Resubmit?
Previously submitted projects may be resubmitted, along with additional submission fees.
If re-submitting in the same season, both submissions will be reviewed and judged separately, although if both judged to be accepted, the festival would not accept both versions to screen and would exhibit the most current version.
if re-submitting for a future festival season, past judging scores and review notes would not port over into a new season.
Fee Waivers?
In order to ensure that each submission is evaluated fairly the festival does not offer fee waivers.
Submission fees guarantee your work is properly viewed and considered and go toward making sure the dozens of eyes that review submissions are compensated for their time. However, submission fees do not guarantee acceptance or screening at the festival.
Refund Policy?
Due to the nature of the event, the festival must
operate with a strict No Refund policy.
Volunteering?
Yes, to apply for a volunteer position please visit our Membership page.