Rule Nineteen
Special Rules for The Short Films Awards

I. DEFINITIONS and CATEGORIES
1. A short film is defined as a motion picture that is not more than 40 minutes in running time (including all credits).

2. An award shall be given for the best achievement in each of two categories:

3. DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED IN THE LIVE ACTION CATEGORY. AN ANIMATED DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT MAY BE SUBMITTED IN EITHER THE ANIMATED SHORT FILM CATEGORY OR THE DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT CATEGORY, BUT NOT BOTH.

4. Previews and advertising films shall be excluded. A sequence from a feature-length film (an animated credit sequence, e.g.) may not be excerpted and submitted as a short film. An unaired episode of an established TV series or an unsold TV series pilot will not be accepted as a short film in the Academy’s Short Film competition.

II. ELIGIBILITY
1. Short Films in either category must qualify in 16mm, 35mm or 70mm or in a 24-frame progressive scan digital format (minimum native resolution 1280 by 1024 pixels), delivered to the screen by an image and sound file format suitable for existing digital cinema sites (or the current digital definition approved by the Board of Governors). Formats requiring special technical presentation will be given consideration if made available for Academy voting screenings in Los Angeles County. Dialogue or narration must be substantially in English or the film must have English subtitles.

2. To be eligible for award consideration for the 2004 awards year, a short film must fulfill (within two years of the film's completion date) one of the following criteria between October 1, 2003 and September 30, 2004:

(a) The film must have been publicly exhibited for paid admission in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County for a run of at least three consecutive days (no fewer than two screenings a day). Student films cannot qualify in this manner.

(b) The film must have participated in a "recognized" competitive film festival and MUST HAVE WON THE BEST-IN-CATEGORY AWARD. Proof of award must be submitted with the film print. "Recognized" competitive film festivals comprise those established film festivals on the Academy's Short Films Awards Festival List which may be obtained from the Academy.

Television or internet exhibition anywhere does not disqualify a film, provided such exhibition occurs after its Los Angeles theatrical release, or after receiving its festival award.

3. A student film may qualify only under II.2.(b) above or by winning a Gold Medal Award in the Academy's Annual Student Academy Awards competition of 2004 (excluding the documentary category), provided it meets the length requirement. However, any student filmmaker submitting a film for consideration in the Short Films Awards categories may not subsequently enter the same film in the Student Academy Awards competition.

4. Only one entry in each category will be accepted from each producer or each identical producing team.

III. SUBMISSION
1. The print submitted for Academy Award consideration must be a composite film print, identical in content and length to the print or data essence utilized for the qualifying exhibition. All entries submitted must include a synopsis of the film written in English.

2. Prints should be marked "SHORT FILM ENTRY" and shipped PREPAID to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 8949 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, California 90211. Those not chosen as nominations for final balloting will be returned to the sender at Academy expense. PRINTS SUBMITTED WILL BE RETAINED BY THE ACADEMY UNTIL THE VOTING PROCESS IS COMPLETED AND WILL NOT BE LOANED FOR USE BY OTHERS DURING THE PERIOD OF THE VOTING PROCESS.

3. THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING THE ENTRY FORM, SYNOPSIS, CAST AND CREDITS LIST, FILMOGRAPHIES, STILLS, PROOF OF QUALIFYING EXHIBITION OR AWARD AND FILM PRINT IS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2004. FOREIGN ENTRIES MUST ALSO COMPLY WITH THIS RULE. FOR FILMS THAT REACH THE BRANCH SCREENING ROUND OF VOTING, A SECOND FILM PRINT (WHICH WILL BE RETURNED) IS REQUIRED TO FACILITATE FURTHER VOTING. THIS SECOND FILM PRINT IS DUE JANUARY 5, 2005.

4. "Every award shall be conditioned upon the delivery to the Academy of one print of every film nominated for final balloting for all Academy Awards and such print shall become the property of the Academy, with the proviso, however, that the Academy shall not use such print for commercial gain. Such print shall be deposited with the Academy, and subject to matters not within its control, shall be screened by the Academy for the membership in advance of distribution of final ballots." (Academy Bylaws, Article VIII, Section 6.) THE ACADEMY WILL RETAIN FOR ITS ARCHIVES ONE FILM PRINT OF EVERY FILM CHOSEN AS A NOMINATION FOR FINAL BALLOTING IN EACH CATEGORY OF THE SHORT FILMS AWARDS.

5. The recipient of the statuette will be the individual person most directly responsible for the concept and the creative execution of the film. In the event that more than one individual has been directly and importantly involved in creative decisions, a second statuette may be awarded. However, no more than two awards will be given to a winning production. In cases where more than two individuals claim major creative contributions, the copyright holder must decide which two will be eligible to receive Oscar statuettes and so inform the Academy. Companies or organized groups shall not receive nominations or awards.

6. No film may be submitted more than once for Academy Award consideration.

IV. VOTING
1. A Reviewing Committee, consisting of volunteer active and life members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch, will view all films entered and mark all entries 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 or 5 with the guidelines of 10 (excellent), 8 (good), 6 (fair) or 5 (poor). Not more than ten films in each category receiving the highest average numerical scores above 7.5 shall be considered further. In the event that fewer than six films receive average numerical scores above 7.5, those with the next highest average numerical scores of 7.5 or less shall be included until six films are selected.

2. All entries selected by the Reviewing Committee shall be screened by the Branch Nominating Committee consisting of all active and life members of the Academy Short Films and Feature Animation Branch. Those members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch who served on the Reviewing Committee and who viewed all of the selected films in either or both categories are entitled to receive ballots by mail. The running order of the films in each classification shall be determined by lot. The point system of voting from 10 to 6 is to be used at this screening to select nominations. Those films receiving an average score of 7.5 or more shall be eligible for nomination. However, there may be not more than five nor fewer than three nominations in each category.

3. Final voting for the Short Films Awards shall be restricted to active and life Academy members who may vote only for one film in each of the two classifications after official Academy screenings of the nominated achievements. However, those members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch who served on the Branch Nominating Committee and who viewed all the nominated films are entitled to receive ballots by mail. When a non-standard format nominated film cannot be included in the official Academy voting screenings for its category, members must submit evidence of having seen that film elsewhere in order to vote in that category.

4. Excellence of the entries shall be judged on the basis of originality, entertainment and production quality without regard to cost of production or subject matter.