Get your GIFs ready.
GIPHY, a major GIF search engine, is hosting the first ever GIPHY Film Fest where filmmakers will screen micro-films that are 18 seconds or less.
"Within 18 seconds or 6 seconds you can have a full horror movie, a romantic comedy or a melodrama," GIPHY spokesperson Tiffany Vazquez told Quartz. "The first films ever made were microfilms, and they didn't have sound."
Vazquez also spoke about a more recent way storytellers have used short clips to put together a piece.
"One of the biggest things to come out in recent years is Vine," she continued. "People were telling stories and entertaining themselves in six seconds. There’s really no reason why filmmakers can’t give us compelling, entertaining, profound art within that amount of time, too."
Although Vine, aka the app that let you upload videos six seconds or less, is long gone, GIPHY is keeping the idea alive. GIPHY's site says creators can submit up to three films in the categories of narrative, stop-motion, animated, experimental, or wildcard/other. The submissions must also be loopable, in HD, and in mp4 format with 16:9/1080p specs. It can have sound or no sound as well. However, all micro-film creators must be U.S. residents and over 18.
The film festival, which will be held in New York this November, will also award a grand prize winner with $10,000, a five-year Squarespace website subscription, and the chance to guest curate an official playlist on Spotify. The submission window opened on Aug. 15 and will last until Sept. 27. The films will be screened digitally at the festival on Nov. 8. Those interested can submit their entry here.
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