Makers Film Festival 2020

Calling for submissions – the Makers’ Film Festival

Yes, it’s true, we are calling for short films about craft, makers, making and materials for the inaugural Makers’ Film Festival.

**Due to COVID-19, we have deferred the inaugural Makers’ Film Festival to 2021 and will widen the call-out to Australasia, New Zealand and countries of the Indian Ocean Rim.**

Following the, increasingly popular, Australian tour of Real to Reel: The Craft Film Festival (produced by the UK Crafts Council and Crafts magazine), Maker & Smith decided to compile an Australian version.

This highly unique short film festival has inherent appeal, not just for people involved in craft, but for anyone who enjoys a story well told in less than 15 minutes on film! Even though the topics revolve around the core theme of craft, the range of approaches could not be more diverse – from stop animation fantasies only a few seconds long to in-depth documentary film-making.

Our aim is to create a set of films that derive from all corners of our society – as a way to highlight and share the breadth of craft in the region. We deliberately chose to do this now as the Crafts Council is taking a production gap with the international selection of films for Real to Reel in 2020.

We thank the Crafts Council for the inspiration – and – we can’t wait to see more craft on the big screen.

Quick Info
  • Films must have been made since 1 January 2017.
  • Short films only. They can be a few seconds long, and although we’d prefer no longer than 10 minutes, we will accept up to a maximum of 15 minutes including credits.
  • Easy to submit. Just fill out the online form and send us a link.
  • Deadline for submissions: 1 April 2020. (update: 30 November 2020)
  • Entry Fees and T&Cs apply: $55 (inc GST) per submission.
  • The selected films will screen together in the first Makers’ Film Festival, which will tour Australia and internationally.
What are the selection panel looking for?

We are looking for films with a strong creative narrative. And to bring together a collection that illustrates the breadth and wonder of craftspeople’s lives, skills, environments and materials from across Australia. (update: also New Zealand countries of the Indian Ocean Rim).

All genres are encouraged, from documentaries, to story-led films to hand-made animation. We are keen to see a range of approaches in both craft and film-making. Maker & Smith encourages submissions from every corner of our community and which celebrate the diversity of life.

If your film explores making, skills and materials, the selection panel would like to see it.

Submit your film for possible selection and be a part of the Makers’ Film Festival. For more info read the Terms & Conditions, which also include some specs advice.

Read about the Selection Panel.

Creating the brand for the Makers’ Film Festival

Don’t you love the fabulous branding that IZZI has created for the Makers’ Film Festival? We are so pleased with it, as it complements our Maker & Smith brand identity so well.

Izzi told us she used the elements of the Maker & Smith identity but made some modifications, such as introducing black to connote a dark cinema, arranging the pattern in a long band to infer a film reel and using a thinner elegant typeface.
We hope you like it too?