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TVFilm is Upstate New York's Indie Short Film Showcase, 15 Years Running

Now in its 15th year, TVFilm is an engaging showcase for short, creative works of a diverse regional community of independent film and media artists in Upstate New York. TVFilm offers filmmakers in our area a chance to share their thoughts on the challenges and triumphs of independent filmmaking.

 

Entries are closed for this season

Eligibility Requirements

TVFilm is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Meet the Films of Season 15

Now Streaming: Every Season of TVFilm

TVFilm Extras

WMHT

Upstate Indie Film Meet Up: Film Funding Panel

On October 19, 2023, WMHT's TVFilm hosted their first Upstate Indie Filmmaker Meet Up: Film Funding Panel. Learn from our panel about different opportunities for getting your work out there! 

Indie Filmmaker Resources

Local Organizations

Film Festivals

FAQs

Any filmmaker 18 years or older who is a resident of Upstate New York. Upstate New York is defined as counties north and west of the larger New York City area starting in Dutchess, Ulster and Sullivan counties.

We accept films from any genre, including and not limited to documentary, experimental, narrative, comedy, thriller, and animation. Films must be under 25 minutes in length.

TVFilm is a great platform for distributing your film to a wider audience after a festival run. Many of the filmmakers we feature show short films that are proof of concept for feature-length works, or are experimental and play with the boundaries of independent filmmaking. Keep in mind, by submitting to TVFilm, your film may become ineligible for some festivals that require a premiere or require that you have not publicly distributed the film in other venues.

It is possible to convert from 24 fps to 29.97fps, the required frame rate for broadcast. Please refer to this document for information about how to complete this export in Adobe Premiere.

FCC is the Federal Communications Commission. The Federal Communications Commission regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. An independent U.S. government agency overseen by Congress, the commission is the United States' primary authority for communications law, regulation and technological innovation. At WMHT, we must comply with FCC rules for broadcasting so as to not be fined for violation. This means sometimes we may have to censor words or images in films that could be seen as obscene, indecent or profane. Please refer to this webpage for information on the law on obscene, indecent, and profane broadcasts.

The rights release is a document that states you are releasing the rights to WMHT to broadcast your film for a term of three years. This allows WMHT unlimited, non-exclusive right to exhibit your film on air, on-demand (PBS App), live-linear streaming (YouTube Live), and PBS Video Manager (website). The personal release is a document that gives WMHT permission to use your appearance, name, voice, likeness, picture and whole or in part, distributed in all broadcast and non-broadcast media including, but not limited to television, radio, cable, audio and video, websites and other interactive media worldwide in perpetuity. This includes your image and voice from the interview we recorded. It also grants WMHT the right to use your appearance in publicity and advertising concerning TVFilm, such as on social media or marketing campaigns. You do not need to provide any releases that you collected for the appearance of actors, subjects or third-party content in your film. By signing the rights release, you are stating that you have collected all necessary rights to these items.

The Season 15 Panel