6:55 Shorts

Watch | Rules | Mail-In Option | WGBH Submission Release Form

Eligibility

Entrance is open to emerging filmmakers, seasoned producers and innovators from related industries. Entrants must regularly conduct business as an independent contractor. Employees of WGBH are not eligible to enter. All entries submitted become the property of WGBH and will not be returned or acknowledged.

If selected to receive a Grant, you must:

• complete, sign, and return a Producer Services Agreement
• comply with all independent contractor criteria of WGBH including completing all independent contractor status verification paperwork required by WGBH (e.g. Taxpayer I.D. Number for business). Failure to do so will disqualify you from becoming a Grant recipient
• be available to produce the Short during a four month period beginning on or around July 1, 2006 and ending no later than December 31, 2006
• not become an employee of or provide other services to WGBH prior to December 31, 2006
• if deemed necessary by WGBH, obtain a fiscal agent
• certify that the entry is original, and no other person or entity holds rights to the entry
  

What to Submit

To be considered, applications must be completed in full. Completed applications include the following requirements:

• Application Form
• Submission Release Acceptance
• Program outline, including style and approach to material
• Sample of a previous work or pitch
• Proposals submitted to or currently under consideration with other production, broadcast, funding or distribution entities should not be submitted

Applicants will not be notified if incomplete applications are submitted.

Only one submission will be accepted per person. If more than one person has originated the proposed program as a group, all persons who have contributed to the proposed program must complete the online application and a submission release form.

Guidelines

There are two rounds of judging.

In Round 1: All entries will be judged by a panel whose decisions are final and not subject to review or appeal. Judging criteria during phase one may include, but not be limited to, whether the entry:

• demonstrates a fresh approach to the broadcast narrative,
• demonstrates a track record of creative expression and a capacity to bring the project to successful completion; and
• will be appropriate and entertaining for a public broadcast venue and meet WGBH broadcast criteria

In addition, preference is given to nonfiction, though fictive proposals will be considered. We encourage applicants to consider new genres, original concepts, alternative points of views, visually driven story lines and other less conventional story forms.

WGBH will select two entries based on the criteria stated above.

One selection will be made by public voting using Open Media Network. Uploaded sample reels and written or video pitches from the ten finalists will be available online from June 5 through June 23rd for online voting. The entry with the highest rating, according to Open Media Network’s ratings system, will be determined the “audience selection.” All decisions are final and not subject to review or appeal.

Notification of grant awards will be made by e-mail.

Grant

Up to four Grants will be awarded in WGBH's sole discretion. Selected awardees will receive $2,500 (the "Grant") for production and post-production of the Short with $1,500 awarded upon execution of the Producer Services Agreement, and $1,000 awarded upon completion of the program and delivery of all required materials. All taxes on the Grant are each recipient's sole responsibility. All costs for production and delivery of the Short, in excess of the Grant, are each recipient's sole responsibility.

In exchange for the Grant, WGBH shall own all right, title and interest, including the copyright, in and to the Short. Acceptance of the Grant constitutes permission for WGBH to exclusively distribute and exploit the Short in all manner and media throughout the world, and to use excerpts from the Short and the names, images, voices, likenesses, and biographical material of any and all persons associated with the production thereof to promote the Short and WGBH.

Each grant recipient will be required to obtain all necessary rights, clearances, and releases, including, but not limited to, the rights in and to stock footage, locations, appearances, materials, visual arts, and music to enable WGBH to exploit the Short in all manner and media throughout the world in perpetuity.

Pursuant to WGBH's ownership interest in the Short, WGBH shall have the sole, unlimited and exclusive right to produce, distribute and exploit, without restriction, derivatives of the Short. Subject to your compliance with the terms of the Producer Services Agreement, including without limitation, satisfactory production and delivery of the Short, should WGBH elect to pursue production of a longer version television program based on the Short and should you desire and be available to participate in such production, you and WGBH shall negotiate the terms and conditions of your participation therein, in good faith, within a reasonable period of time not to exceed 60 calendar days. If you elect not to produce such production or the parties fail to agree on said terms and conditions for your participation, WGBH shall be free to produce such production without any further obligation to you.

How to Apply by Mail

For Single Applicants:

• Provide all information requested on step 3A of the online application. You must submit Step 3A of the application online.
• Read and agree to the terms and conditions of entry. Print and sign the submission release form.
• Then print a copy of the online application and mail it and the submission release form with the requested materials.

Your completed application will include a hard copy of the online application you submitted, program outline, production plan and samples of previous work.

Mail to:
WGBH
125 Western Avenue
Boston, MA 02134
Attention: 6:55 Open Call

Please submit only the requested items. Submissions must be postmarked no later than May 26, 2006. Please remember to include a paper copy of your online application. All entry materials become the property of WGBH and will not be returned or acknowledged. WGBH is not responsible for entries that are lost, damaged, mutilated or misdirected. By submitting an entry, applicant represents and warrants that s/he has all necessary rights to the material submitted.

Note: Only one submission will be accepted per person.

For Group Applicants:

All persons who have contributed to the proposed program must complete the online application and a submission release form. Each person should indicate on the online application that they are part of a group submission and list the names of each member of the group. Send a completed application and a completed release submission form for each group member along with the program outline, production plan and samples of previous work to:

WGBH
125 Western Avenue
Boston, MA 02134
Attention: 6:55 Open Call

Submissions must be postmarked no later than May 26, 2006. If you're submitting as part of a group, please remember to include a copy of each member's online application and their submission release form.

All entry materials become the property of WGBH and will not be returned or acknowledged. WGBH is not responsible for entries that are lost, damaged, mutilated or misdirected. By submitting an entry, applicant represents and warrants that s/he has all necessary rights to the material submitted.

Note: Only one submission will be accepted per person. Only one grant will be awarded to any joint submission.

WGBH Online Submission Release
You must read the terms and conditions of this release carefully before clicking on the “Agree” button. By clicking on the “Agree” button you agree to be bound by the terms of this release form and you become a party to the agreement.

You must agree to the following release agreement to apply for a grant from the WGBH Open Call: 6:55 Shorts. If you are not willing to be bound by the terms of the agreement, you must not click the “Accept” button and your application cannot be processed.

The WGBH Educational Foundation ("WGBH") is engaged in the production of television programs for exploitation in any and all entertainment media. In this context, WGBH reviews various source ideas, proposals and suggestions. Such materials may be related to format, theme, treatments and/or means of exploiting a production once completed. In order to avoid misunderstandings, WGBH will not review or discuss ideas, scripts, treatments, formats or the like submitted to it on an unsolicited basis by persons not employed by WGBH without first obtaining the agreement of the person submitting the material to the terms set forth below (the “Agreement”).

The following shall constitute a release (the “Release”) by you (“Submitter”) with regard to the submission of an application, program outline, pitch and any other materials submitted by you for consideration of a grant from THE WGBH LAB: 6:55 Open Call (the “Material(s)”) for review by WGBH. Submitter understands and agrees that the execution of this Release is a prerequisite to WGBH’s review of any materials submitted. All references herein to WGBH shall include any related entities as well as WGBH’s directors, officers, agents, employees, consultants, lessees, licensees, successors and assigns.

In consideration of WGBH’s review of the Material, Submitter hereby agrees as follows:

1. Submitter understands and agrees that WGBH does not undertake to consider the Material in confidence. Submitter acknowledges that WGBH must disclose the Material to various employees, and possibly even to those outside WGBH’s employ (including, if you become a finalist, posting the Material on-line for evaluation by the public to select the Audience Favorite), to determine the Material’s value. It is understood that no confidential relationship is entered into by reason of WGBH ‘s consideration of the Materials or by reason of discussions at any time between WGBH and Submitter.
2. Any submission to WGBH is made with the understanding that WGBH shall give the Material such consideration as it merits in WGBH’s sole and final judgment, and WGBH is under no obligation to Submitter to use the Material. WGBH is under no obligation to release to Submitter either any details of WGBH’s actions in connection with the Material or any information regarding WGBH’s activities in the field to which the Material pertains.
3. Consideration of the Material is not an admission by WGBH of the novelty, propriety or originality of the Material. WGBH shall not be obligated to further consider a Submitter’s Material or to negotiate with or enter into an agreement with Submitter pertaining to the Material.
4. Any parts of the Material that are solely owned and controlled by Submitter pursuant to 15 U.S.C.A. 1051 et seq. and/or protected by copyright for the benefit of Submitter pursuant to 17 U.S.C.A. 101 et seq. (collectively, the “Statutes”) shall be deemed protected materials for the purpose of this Release and WGBH claims no ownership in such protected materials by virtue of this Release.
5. Submitter hereby represents and warrants that:
   a) Submitter is the sole originator of the Material, that the Material is solely owned by Submitter and that no other person, firm or corporation has any right, title or interest therein or thereto.
   b) Neither the Material nor WGBH’s review or use thereof shall violate any personal or property rights of any third party including, but not limited to, rights of droit moral, privacy, publicity, copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights, nor shall the Material or WGBH’s review or use thereof constitute defamation, libel or slander against any third party.
   c) Submitter has the full right and authorization to submit the Material to WGBH upon all of the terms and conditions herein stated.
   d) No persons other than you or those executing a separate but contemporaneous Release with respect to the Material have collaborated with Submitter in creating the Material, nor do any persons other than you and those executing a separate but contemporaneous Release have any rights in such Materials inconsistent with Submitter’s agreement hereunder.
   e) Submitter has fully read and understands and agrees to this Release.
6. Submitter agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless WGBH and its Related Entities from and against any claim, loss, obligation, liability or expense including reasonable attorney’s fees that may be asserted against or incurred by WGBH in connection with the Material submitted hereunder, any use of such Material by WGBH or any breach of any representation, covenant or warranty made by Submitter hereunder.
7. The Material has not been previously disclosed to WGBH, and WGBH has not made any prior inducements, promises or representations to Submitter regarding the Material. This Release constitutes the entire understanding of Submitter and WGBH as of the date hereof. No other agreement, written or oral, expressed or implied, exists between Submitter and WGBH with respect to the Material. Any modification or waiver hereunder or termination hereof must be in writing and signed by both Submitter and WGBH. The invalidity of any provision hereof shall not affect the remaining provisions. The representations, warranties and indemnities herein shall survive the termination, execution, completion or expiration of this Release.
8. Submitter has retained a copy of the Material and agrees that WGBH shall not have any obligation to return the submitted copy of the Material to Submitter and that WGBH shall be under no obligation for any loss or damage to such copy.