UIL FILM PARTICIPANT GUIDE

PARTICIPANTS

All students producing (non-performers) the film must be eligible students under the current UIL rules (e.g., a 10th grade student may start production of a contest film in summer of 2025 and enter their film as an 11th grader for the 2026 festival).

Students producing the film must be currently enrolled (2025-2026 school year) and attending a UIL member high school. The entire production team must be enrolled full-time day students at the participating UIL member high school during the 2025-26 school year. See UIL Eligibility

Only students producing the film (non-performers) must be listed on the official entry form.

·      There is no minimum or maximum number of student contestants.

·      Performers are not considered contestants if that is their only role in the project.

·      Adult involvement in the project is limited to sponsors and onscreen talent.

·      There is no amateur rule for this contest.

·      No professional assistance (i.e. paid work performed by an adult or professional for-hire company) is allowed in the production shoot or in post-production. 

• This does not apply to things like buying a costume or prop.
• It does apply to things like camera operators, post-production personnel, etc.
• You can use professional software, but you cannot use the services of a digital effects artist.
• For additional clarification, contact the UIL Theatre office.

SPONSORS: Adult Sponsors in the UIL State Student Film Festival shall be full-time employees of the school districts they represent. Their actual involvement in producing the film shall be in an advisory capacity only.

Contact UIL Director of Eligibility and Education if you have questions regarding student eligibility.

CONFERENCE- PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

Schools will enter in one of the following conferences. Failure to enter in the correct conference may lead to disqualification of the entry. 2025-2026 ACADEMIC ALIGNMENTS LINK

●      Conference 3A-Combined Conferences 1A- 3A schools only.

●      Conference 4A-Conference 4A

●      Conference 5A-Conference 5A

●      Conference 6A-Conference 6A

LIMITS AND ENTRIES

Time limits include credits and will be checked in prelims. Each school may submit three (3) films in each of the following four categories:

●      Narrative- 3-7 minutes maximum in length

●      Documentary (No Broadcast News or PSAs)- 3-7 minutes maximum in length

●      Computer/Digital Animation, in which the illusion of movement/imagery of the subject or character is created by keyframes in a digital animation program. 30 seconds to 3 minutes maximum in length.

●      Traditional Animation, in which the illusion of movement is 100% created by the filmmaker(s). This includes hand-drawn animation or stop-motion animation which physically adjusts objects in each frame. 30 seconds to 3 minutes maximum in length.

See Clarification of the UIL Animated Film Categories for additional information.

ELIGIBLE MATERIAL

There is no contest-specific prompt or particular theme for film festival entries.

Submitted films must be original works and are required to have clearances for music and or other copyrighted material featured in the project.

Students are encouraged to find non-copyright sources for music and images. A media log of any copyrighted music, footage and images used shall be kept on file at the school. See link example of the media log. Your school is responsible for obtaining all copyright clearances for images, footage and music used in your submission. 

The submitted film shall not infringe upon or violate the intellectual property rights of any third party and will not give rise to any claims of infringement, invasion of privacy or publicity, or infringe on copyrights, trademarks, patents, or other intellectual property rights. The submission has not been released commercially, been previously published, screened at a film festival prior to the 2025-2026 school year, or won any awards.

Films containing copyrighted material used without WRITTEN PERMISSION will not be eligible for competition. (C&CR Section 1036) Please ensure all work submitted is original.

NEW! ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) POLICY

AI may be used for technical purposes such as: creating visuals, visual effects, creating instrument-only soundtracks, as some examples.

Use of AI shall not violate or infringe any persons or works protected by copyright and trademark laws or any other intellectual property rights. No public figure’s likeness may be used for contest.

The use of AI in documentary films must be clearly identified onscreen with the words “Digitally rendered with AI” for clarity and audience transparency.

All original ideas, writing, and creative content must be the student’s own work. 

Examples of acceptable AI usage for UIL contest:

·      Composing a musical score for the film (without vocals).

·      Creating a fantasy creature for your film.

Examples of Unacceptable use of AI for UIL contest:

·      Composing a musical soundtrack using an AI-rendered voice mimicking Taylor Swift’s singing.

·      Creating a fantasy creature for your film that looks like Shrek.

Credits should list the sources of all your video footage, images, music, and sound effects. This includes the use of AI in the development of your film.

COMMUNITY STANDARDS

The administration of the producing school shall assure that the production does not offend the moral standards of the community. When the final edited product is examined and approved by the administration of the producing school, the production is eligible for presentation at any contest site. A “community standards and copyright compliance form” included in the entry form serves to certify that the production has been carefully examined and approved for presentation. This form is included on the online entry and due by the entry deadline.

Community Standards and Copyright Compliance Statement 2025-2026

Sponsors shall eliminate or reject profane references to a deity, expletives, obscene language, actions or scenes from the entry.

The administration of the producing school shall assure that this entry complies with these requirements and that the entry does not offend the moral standards of the community. When the film is examined and approved by the administration of the producing school, the film is eligible for screening.

I certify that all necessary permission and/or licensing has been obtained from the owner of any and all rights, including copyright, of all music performed and images used in this film by this school.  I also understand that the University Interscholastic League is not responsible for obtaining any necessary permission or licensing of the music performed or images used by this school during the course of any UIL competition.

All original ideas, writing, and creative content must be the student’s own work. 

Credits should list the sources of all your video footage, images, music, and sound effects. This includes the use of AI in the development of your film.

NEW! STAGE WEAPONS

If your film deals with sensitive topics, please be aware that tension and conflict can be portrayed without use of violence, weapons and/or explicit language.

Firearms (no real guns) and explosives of any type shall not be used. This includes, but is not limited to, cap guns, blank firing guns, BB guns, pellet guns, starter pistols, blunt-tipped knives, swords or daggers and nothing capable of firing any projectile.

Only non-firing stage and replica firearms or other weapons may be used under the adult faculty sponsor(s) supervision. 

It is highly recommended that faculty sponsors keep all weapons or replicas used as properties safely. When not actively filming or rehearsing, weapons must be locked in a secure container and under the adult faculty sponsor’s control. 

Schools are required to follow all local laws and school policies regarding firearms. Check your local film office and state requirements for necessary permits and insurance for filming with weapons. 

Any school using stage weapons should seek training from certified experts before the start of filming.

ENTRY PROCEDURES

●      Schools are asked to submit an Intent to Participate form by December 1, 2025. This is a survey only and not the official UIL enrollment form.  

●      The official UIL entry form for submitting films will become active January 1, 2026. The form can be found at www.uiltexas.org/film.

·      All non-student participation must be noted on the submission form. Credits should list the sources of all your video footage, images, music, and sound effects.

●      FILM SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 10, 2026.  Films must be submitted by the deadline to qualify. No late or INCOMPLETE submissions will be accepted.

●      The date, times and venue for the State Awards are tentatively scheduled for February 25, 2026 (Combined Conferences 1A- 3A & Conference 4A) & February 26, 2026 (Conference 5A & Conference 6A)  in Austin. Check the UIL Film page for updates.

 EVALUATION

 Films submitted to the Festival shall be previewed, critiqued and ranked by our adjudicators. Originality, cinematic storytelling, and technical execution are the basis of the scoring. Students will receive feedback from the judges.

Films should be the creative vision of the production team. As such, class projects which may end up as a longer piece than UIL time limits allow, should not be submitted as separate entries. A school's entries should be unique, representative of the individual teams.

Depending on the number of entries received in your category, advancing films will compete in multiple rounds, culminating with a State Semi-final round to determine State qualifiers. Those entries advancing to State in each category will be screened and ranked first through sixth place at the State Festival. First through sixth place will be awarded medals and/or trophies. Schools shall receive a written evaluation of the film via the Film Contest Portal for each level.

The UIL TALK TAB system will be used to tabulate rankings.