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Jury
The festival prestigious lists of judges are given a rather difficult mission: to seek out and reward work that is smart, compelling and relevant, work that defies categorization. The judges select work they would have been proud to do themselves.
Like every other kind of film, mobile films are judged in part on elements such as concept, camerawork, acting, locations, and editing.
The jury consists of five judges from the Institute of Cinema and senior directors in Egypt and the Arab world. The jury operates with complete transparency and without interference from the management of the festival at all. The jury relies on several criteria for evaluation.
Jury Evaluation
Concept
Is the story or concept unique? Is the story coherent, and does it hold your attention? Does the script have resonance and stay with you long after viewing it? Determining the quality of concept considers all the elements that go into the creative process and how successfully the original idea is communicated.
Quality of Craft
Determining the quality of craft focuses on the filmmaking process and technical execution. This includes the appearance and quality of the captured image, editing, sound design and audio integration, performances, lighting, and all the aspects that account for a memorable viewing experience. Quality of Craft means more than just a pretty looking film or video, and it doesn’t necessitate that it be cutting edge or trendy.
Integration
How well the work is implemented in the medium? Can you fully experience the quality of the work, or are there technical or media-specific issues preventing you from experiencing it to its fullest?
Execution
The brilliance of an idea can easily fall flat if not executed properly. Execution becomes more difficult when taking into account the different ways media is consumed including differences in technology, location and user preferences. While reviewing Execution, consider the following: Is the experience seamless? How well is the work implemented in the medium? Is the audience able to fully experience the work without technical or media-specific issues getting in the way? Does the execution value enhance the film’s message?
Reach
The creation of great viral content demands that it spreads far and wide. When considering Reach ask yourself: Does the content compel the user to share it? Does it have longevity or a short lifespan? Does the work have the potential to become part of the Internet’s modernistic?
Overall Experience
Demonstrating that a film or video can be more or less than the sum of its parts, the overall experience encompasses concept, execution, quality of craft, as well as the intangibles that provoke viewer response. Repeat viewing or visiting generally indicates a generally positive overall experience.
Judging Criteria
- Good Story: A great movie must have a good plot that tells both an intriguing and unusual story.
- Suspense: Some element of the film must keep the audience on edge and make them eagerly anticipate a resolution.
- Originality: The film must present some new concept or idea that has hardly been explored by its predecessors. Some amount of creativity and innovation should invent never-before-seen content.
- Good Actors/Good Cinematography: No matter how great a job the writers did coming up with a story, it must be properly executed. The actors must convince the audience they are the characters they're portraying, and the camera crew must capture the scenes in a manner that best illustrates the story.
- Profound Message: Within the story there should be brought to light a particular moral or ethic.
- Realism/Accuracy: A great film should portray events, people, etc. as they are in real-word settings despite controversial themes. Actions and interactions should be believable, plausible, and at least somewhat relatable.
- Good Setting: The characters must be placed inside an environment that contributes to their actions and interactions while also emphasizing the themes and moods of the film. The scenery should be pleasing to the eye while not detracting from the main focus of the scene.
- Soundtrack: I heavily subscribe to the adage "music is the language of the soul". Sound should compliment the visuals, but also help convey the emotion of each scene.
- Composition: Everything must be arranged in a comprehensive manner that upholds the story.
- Special Effects: The film visuals must maintain a professional quality and stimulate the audience. Special effects should be used appropriately, when they compliment the emotion of each scene and support the setting.
- The moral or ethic preferably have to be agreeable: it preferably has to resonate in the audience's mind.
Jury Rating
All judges will be asked to rate each in each category (Storytelling, Creativity and Originality, Technical Quality and Engagement). The submissions that score the highest in each of the production categories will be screened at the Festival and receive a trophy at the festival’s award ceremony. A trophy for the entry selected as the Best of Festival will also be awarded.
STORYTELLING – 30%
How do you rate the filmmakers’ as storytellers? Consider in your rating:
- Does the story have a clear structure and plot?
- Are the characters adequately developed and relevant?
- Is the story original and engaging?
- Are the images arranged logically and effectively in a way that fits the purpose of the film?
- Does the film have pace and continuity?
CREATIVITY AND ORIGINALITY – 30%
How do you rate the filmmakers’ creativity and originality? Consider in your rating:
- Does the writing and direction use imaginative and creative ways to include the feature item?
- Does the film exhibit originality?
- Does the film display innovative ideas or story telling techniques?
TECHNICAL QUALITY – 20%
How do you rate the technical quality of the film? There are three technical components to rate the technical skills and methods used:
- CINEMATOGRAPHY
- Is the camera steady and are the shots framed and focused?
- Are close-ups and camera angles used to add meaning to the story?
- Is the lighting and camera positioning visually effective?
- EDITING
- Does the editing help to clarify the story and enhance the pacing and flow of the story?
- Are transitions smooth and well-paced or distracting?
- Are the opening titles and closing credits appealing and easy to read?
- AUDIO, MUSIC, SOUND EFFECTS
- Does the audio and soundtrack complement the story?
- Is the dialogue and/or narration clear and easy to understand?
- If there are sound effects, are they appropriate to the story or do they detract from it?
ENGAGEMENT – 20%
How do you rate the audience engagement of the film? Consider in your rating:
- How strongly does this entry stimulate thoughts and ideas?
- Does the film provoke an emotional response?
NB/ Films anti humanity or religion or political films will not be accepted in this competition. Adult scenes are not accepted.
