Make a Movie in 2 Weeks with only your Teams Resources!
The Beyond Film School Short Film Challenge was created to provide opportunity to all Beyond Film School Alumni to gain experience in a film role they aspire to be in a safe environment with the guidance of a film industry professional. Beyond Film School is very happy to have Reel Works alumni eligible to apply this year alongside Beyond Film School Alumni.
The Challenge serves as a way to make film industry connections, receive credit on IMDb.com as well as on their resume, and produce footage for their reel, and website.
During this Challenge not only will the participants come to understand what is involved to make a movie come together, but they will practice resourcefulness while utilizing problem solving, leadership, and communication skills.
Participants who apply are assigned their role, a team, a rental house, and a team leader to create the best short film possible in two weeks!
2025 Film Challenge Theme: ‘Seeing the Other Side”
Required Elements: 1 tracking shot, a hug, a picture frame.
Teams Shot July 24-26, 2025
Thank You to Our Film Challenge Sponsors
2025 Film Challenge Films!
2025 Film Challenge Teams
2026 Film Challenge Rules and Guidelines
Important Dates:
Eligibility:
Application Requirements:
The Team
Team Leaders:
Team Communication:
The Script:
Film Requirements:
Production Rules/Guidelines:
Timeline:
Film Submission:
Showcase:
After the Challenge:
Important Dates:
June 1 – July 5, 2026 – Applications open for participants
July 5, 2026 – Applications Due for participants (by 11:59pm)
August 7, 2026 – Teams Announced!
August 13, 2026 – Official Launch (Genre given, Theme announced, Writing can begin!) @12p
August 17, 2026 – Scripts MUST be Locked
August 21-23 2026- Shooting Weekend
August 30, 2026 – Team Films Due (by 11:59p)
September 15, 2026 – Showcase & Awards
Eligibility:
All are welcome to apply!
If you haven’t taken a Beyond Film School Set PA Training Class you are REQUIRED to interview with the Film Challenge Leaders after submitting your application. (This will be scheduled after application is received)
If you are a Beyond Film School Alumni, or Reel Works Alumni it is FREE for you to apply. All others that want to apply will have to submit a $15.00 application fee.
Age requirements: Must be 21 to participate unless you are a Beyond Film School Alumni.
If you are applying as a Director you MUST submit any small project that shows you have the capability to direct unless you are a Beyond Film School Alumni.
Application Requirements:
Applications will be open June 1, 2026
All applications are due July 5, 2026 at 11:59pm (est)
You will choose at least 3 film roles you wish to fill in order of priority. You will need to state why you want to be in that role, and why you feel you can succeed in that position for your team. Why are you ready to take on this challenge of these positions?
- You will need to state your film Experience you have to strengthen your application
- You MUST answer all questions
It is completely acceptable if you do not have film experience.
- You are required to include all the assets you can bring to your team.
(Food, locations, cast, equipment, software, hard drives, crew members that are willing to help out on the shoot day, microphones, a slate, knowledge of free things your team can use, etc)
- A 1-2 minute video is required explaining what you can bring to the team, talk about your strengths, and what you hope to gain from this challenge, and anything you feel the team leaders need to know about you. Tell us something you haven’t been able to with the application question
If you are not a Beyond Film School Alumni, or Reelworks Alumni you will have to submit a $15.00 Application fee.
We will try and find a spot for everyone, but there is no guarantee that every applicate will be placed on a team.
The Team
Each team will have a Team Leader that is a film professional to help guide and mentor the team through the Film Challenge. In addition all teams will be mentored by the Challenge Leaders Amber M. Sherman, and Robert J. Tierney.
Roles to be filled:
- Producer
- Writer
- Director
- Director of Photography
- Assistant Director
- Art Director/Production Designer
- Editor
- Script Supervisor
- Sound
- Set PAs
Producers, Directors, ADs, Writers, Editors, DPs, Script Supervisors will be required to attend a crash course on their role. This is mandatory and will be over zoom.
All team members MUST be available in the NJ/NYC/CT area to be there for the shooting day. There are team members are allowed on a case by case basis.
A team member can fill more than 1 role, and is limited to a dual role, NOT a triple role.
(For example: Director/Writer, Producer/Director, Producer/Editor, Director/DP, Producer/AD)
If your team needs additional crew you CAN recruit friends, other industry crew members on a volunteer basis only to fill any crew gaps that may occur on each team.
Choosing the Teams:
The team leaders, and Amber will choose/decide who goes on what team based on your application, and your performance in the Set PA Class, and projects worked on in the industry, and interview if required.
Each team will have a balance of more experienced, and less experienced Alumni, and our goal is to even the teams out as much as possible so you succeed in making a great short film.
Who can help Your Team?
Anyone! Anyone that you have access to! Talk about the Film Challenge, don’t be afraid to ask for help. So many people will want to help you with your movie.
Be specific with what you ask for from each person. Let people know what you need.
As long as you don’t exchange any money for their help, they are permitted to help make your film in any capacity.
Team Leaders:
Team Leaders are there to guide, motivate, and make sure the team succeeds in making a complete short film.
Team Leaders will:
- Be industry professionals that have experience in film from start to finish
- Produced full creative content in some form to its completion
- Worked in the independent film realm in some capacity
- Understand each key film role, and know what is needed from each role
- Have a love of teaching and mentoring
- Have patience
- Keep calm
- Set the tone for their team
- Make sure a final Film is produced to completion
- Be present at the day of shoot with their team
- Supervise all stages of production
Team Leaders CAN:
- Provide assets to their team.
- Give feedback on how each crew member can improve in their role
- Give notes on script
- Give notes on edit
- Assist in tough spots that each crew member might encounter
- Use contacts to help their team
Team Leaders can NOT:
- Fill key roles
- Give money to the team for any use
- Pay any crew member for any reason
The Challenge Leaders (Amber M Sherman & Robert J Tierney) will serve as a Team leaders for all teams. They are also available for help if needed and can be reached out to as well during the Challenge.
Team Communication:
Most meetings, pre-production can be done over zoom, the ONLY in-person requirement for the whole team and the Team Leader is when your team shoots on location.
It is encouraged to meet in person whenever possible.
The Challenge Leaders Amber M. Sherman, and Rob J. Tierney MUST be invited and attend you first official team meeting once the Challenge Launches.
(It is suggested to have a tech scout and look at the location in-person prior to shooting. This would involve the Producer, Director, DP, and 1st AD)
Each team will be given a Discord Server to help organize their shoot, and to communicate all details of your short film. Your team leaders will also be present in the Discord.
Team Leaders must be added/CC’d on any team meetings, zooms, and emails.
An official callsheet must be distributed to all of the team and crew involved in the shoot day, and submitted to the Challenge Leader.
The Script:
Your script can not be less than 3 pages, and not exceed 5 pages.
The script needs to reflect the assets of your team. You write WITHIN THE MEANS of your team only.(You wouldn’t write a script that involves a bar scene if your team does not have access to a bar to shoot it in.)
You are NOT allowed to use old script or recycle scripts you’ve written in the past previous to the Film Challenge Launch Day.
The one who was selected as the writer must be the ONLY person who writes the script.
Script writing stage starts once the Challenge is officially launched on August 13, 2026.
On the Film Challenge Launch Day you will receive your genre, certain creative elements, as well as the theme for this year’s challenge to be implemented into your script.
There will be a sole Writer, but the Producer, Team Leader, and Director can add notes, and collaborate to produce the best script possible for the team. Script notes are limited to Team leader, Producer, Director, unless the writer asks otherwise to other team members.Each round of Script notes should be compiled and then given to the writer. The writer can not and should not take notes piecemeal from all the team members.
The Writer should make themselves available to give creative clarity once production starts. The Writer is expected to be on set when their team shoots.
Film Requirements:
No longer than 6 minutes in run time including credits, and the Beyond Film School company vanity card at the front of the film.
You can chose to use your film sound over the vanity card sound.Beyond Film School Logo must be included in credits, and on artwork and remain unaltered.
All elements given on the Film Challenge Launch Day must be in the final edit of the film.
There will be no use of AI in any aspect of making your short film.
There will be a list of special thanks that must be in your end credits. Every person that helped contribute to your film must be credited in the final edit.
Must be shot in horizontally, as well as be exported in .MOV codec (H.264)
Final films to be submitted Sunday, August 30, 2026 at 11:59pm
Production Rules/Guidelines:
Potential shooting days are August 21-23 2026
The Team Leaders must be on set. Your team can shoot before or after these dates, but you need to keep in mind your editing time.
All team members must agree to the shooting date. Your shooting date must be submitted to the Challenge Leader. As well as your location, crew call, and estimated wrap.
Only 1 day of Shooting is allowed.
Company Moves:
- There can NOT be any company moves during the production phase that take longer than 30 minutes.
- You can have multiple locations, but locations are suggested to be walkable from the starting point of shooting, and not exceed the 30 minutes of company moving.
*** If there is an instance where a team NEEDS more than a 30 minute to company move the Team Leader and Amber must approve that company move beforehand***
Hours/Location:
- If you are shooting in NYC you CAN shoot on public property without needing a permit as long as you do not put a tripod/equipment on the ground, or disturb the space and people around you.
- You can NOT go past 12 hours of shooting in a given day.
- You must break for a 30 minute lunch 6 hours after crew call.
- Wherever your team decides to shoot your film you MUST get permission from the owner of that property. (Unless it is public property and you can shoot without disturbing the surrounding area)
The Producer:
- Must ensure all crew roles are filled to produce the final product, and provide a cast/crew list to enable proper communication.
- Must make sure all rules, and guidelines are followed.
- Must make sure to make film footage available to all cast and crew.
- Will submit all receipts to the Challenge Leader
- Will be the liaison for their team with the Challenge Leader
- Must create an IMDB page for your film
Crew Requirements:
- The AD MUST produce a one-liner schedule, and a callsheet to be given to the whole crew, and submitted to the Challenge Leader.
- Directors must create a shot list and submit it to the Team leader and Challenge Leader.
- DPs must submit a Storyboard to the Team Leader and Challenge Leader
- Casting is the responsibility of the Producer and Director.
- Each team MUST have a crew member assigned to BTS. Video, and Stills need to be taken including both vertical and horizontal. BTS will be submitted at the end of the Challenge along with your final film submission.
- There should not be any exchange of money for anyone contributing to the film
Equipment:
- There can be only ONE camera in use at all times.
- You can NOT RENT or BUY equipment
Timeline:
August 7-13, 2026 – Team announcement to Launch day:
- Teams will decide on when they have their meetings, whatever is best for their team.
- Asset meeting: discuss what each person has access to
- Lock in locations with potential of shooting there
- Lock in cast with potential to use them
- Decide what lunch options you have as a team
- Acquire crew/extra help that is needed
August 13, 2026 – Launch Day 12pm:
- Theme Announced for 2026 Challenge
- Teams receive genre
- Elements for film given
- Scriptwriting can commence after the Launch and elements are given
August 17, 2026
- Script NEEDS to be locked and finalized with team leader, director, writer, and producer in agreement.
August 17-19, 2026
- Tech Scouts
- Acquire Props/Art design elements needed
- Lock in cast
- Lock in Locations
- Director/DP creates shot list
- Director rehearses with Actors
- AD creates schedule/callsheet
August 19-23, 2026
- Callsheet to be sent out to cast/crew
- Loose ends to be dealt with
- Production shooting begins
- Editing start once 1st card, or once files are available for the editor to start the rough cut process
August 23-30, 2026
- Final Editing
- Final Film Submission by 11:59pm on August 30 , 2026
Film Submission:
Final films to be submitted Sunday August 30, 2026 at 11:59pm
All films will be .mov file codec H.264
FilmArtwork:
Your official movie poster should accompany your film submission as well
- Vertical 2:3 aspect ratio as a .jpg (This is for printing. Actual printing size is 20x30in and is required to be 300 dpi)
- Horizontal 16:9 aspect ratio as a .jpg
Both variations are required
- Vertical movie poster credit must include “Steel Tongs”font traditional Movie poster font. (Download here)
- All poster must include “Beyond Film School presents” in the billing credits. (Does not need to be on the poster a 2nd time outside of the credits)
Other items to submit:
- Your film must have an official logline.
- Crew/Cast List that includes ig handles
- Also selected BTS taken during the Film Challenge should also be submitted by sharing a link to any BTS Albums
Editors CAN NOT submit a film until the Team Leader, Producer, and Director have signed off to submit it. They must see the final edit before submission. If this occurs your team will be disqualified from the the Challenge.
Showcase:
All cast, crew, sponsors, and family and friends of those involved in this Film Challenge will be invited to the film screening.
We will have 3 Film Professional Judges that will provide feedback on all films. They will have a score sheet, and the highest amount of points will determine the best over all film.
Awards:
- Best Film
- Best Cinematography
- Best Screenplay
- Best Director
- Best AD (Callsheet, schedule, lunch, first shot, and first shot after lunch, and camera wrap time must be submitted)
- Best Editing
- Audience Choice
There will be a filmmaker Q&A for each team.
The entire showcase will be live-streamed as well on thr Beyond Film School Youtube Channel.
The Showcase this year will be held at Nitehawk Theater in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY on August 19, 2025 @630pm
After the Challenge:
The winning teams will have bragging rights and a little Trophy to prove it!
Beyond Film School will ask all participants for feedback to make the next Beyond Film School Short Film Challenge better and more improved.
You can use all footage for reels, and websites, and it is to be shared among your team. The Producer of each team will make sure all Beyond Film School Alumni and crew have access to the short film file for their needs.
You are allowed to submit to film festivals – knowing that you can’t apply for a world premiere because Beyond Film School and the showcase would serve as your world premiere.
Each Short Film will be posted on the Beyond Film School Youtube channel, along with the live stream of the showcase.
Where does your movie go?
Each Movie is for the team to do whatever they want with it. Want to enter it into film festivals? Totally fine. Beyond Film School will NOT hold exclusive rights to your short film.
Each short film to be featured on the Beyond Film School website, Youtube Channel, Facebook, and Instagram with alumni, and crew information in descriptions.
All short films will be screened at the Film Challenge Screening on August 19, 2025.