The SVS rules:
 
-All teams and indiviuals must Register for The Short Video Showdown and pay the registration fee.
 
-All teams must procure their own film equipment and personnel (cameras, editing stations, props, actors, ect....).  Individuals that are placed on a team will be given equipment to use.
 
-Teams are only allowed a maximum of 11 members that can compete on their team.

-All team leaders must check in by (10:30 am) sharp on the day of the event or the team will be disqualified.
 
-The genre this year that all teams will be making is Horror.  It will truly be a night of Horrors to remember!
 
-All team members will draw a theme that they will also have to incorporate into their film.  (example: "a murder," "bicycle," "restaurant," ect....).  The theme that has the most amount of draws, will be the team's theme that they will have to use.  If there is a tie, then the team will get to choose which of those themes they want.  The teams can stop drawing at any time and go with the theme that has been drawn the most amount of times.  The more team members you have, the better chance you have at drawing the theme you want.  All teams will have to incorporate their selected themes into their films.
 
-Any team members caught with any mobile devices/tablets out during the drawing and the countdown before noon, will be disqualified.  This is so teams can not notify their team members who maybe on stand by to get started before the countdown concludes. 

-All teams will start their short video productions at (12:30 pm) sharp and must have the fully edited, completed video turned in by (6:30 pm) sharp.  Presenting and judging will start at (7:00 pm).  If it is turned in a second after, the team will be disqualified.
 
-All teams must turn in a film with a minimum length of 7 minutes.  If the film is a second under 7 minutes, the team will be disqualified.  The 7 minute minimum length will exclude credits, so your film must be at least 7 minutes in length not including any credits.  If you have a long establishing shot followed by 1 single credit dropping, then the minimum 7 minute length will start after the credit drops.  If you include scenes intertwined with credits, then all those scenes will not count that fall before the first credit and fall after the last credit.  Text that have to do with the telling of the story are not credits; and therefore do not affect the time length of the film.
 
-All teams are only allowed to use un-copyrighted music and pictures in their videos. If a team is caught using any copyrighted material, purposefully; then the team will be disqualified.  If a team will be using copyrighted material, they must show documented proof that they have permission to use it for specifically The Short Video Showdown.

If a team's film has copyrighted music or other material in it, but was not purposefully put there by the team; then the team must have exhibited signs that they attempted to avoid it or had little control over it getting into their film.  For instance, if they were shooting a scene and a car drove by playing copyrighted music, and the music got into their film.  And there was no way they could edit it out and/or didn't notice it until it was too late.  Then this will be left up to the discretion of The SVS Judges and the SVS Referee whether the team will be disqualified or not.  
 
-Teams will not be allowed to use any video footage that has already been shot before the contest. This includes stock footage, establishing shots, ect…. If a team is caught using footage that was shot before the contest has started, they will be disqualified.
 
-Any team that is disqualified will not get a refund of their registration fee.

-All winning team members must be present at the screening and judging in order to recieve a SVS Championship Medal.  This is only in regards to receiving The SVS Championship Medals.  The team will still receive The SVS Trophy, cash prize, and any other team member who are there will receive a SVS Medal.  
 
-By registering and competing on a team in The Short Video Showdown all competitors agree to allow The Houston Film Production Club and its affiliates to film them and use their image and likeness for promotional content and content in general on all HFPC and SVS media materials and websites.  Every person competing in the event also acknowledges that The Houston Film Production Club and all of its affiliates are not responsible in any way for personal injuries, equipment being damaged or stolen, or any other issues that are out of our hands.
 
-Refunds can not be given back as a general policy.