Directing Change Student Film Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Directing Change

Intro / Who this is for The Directing Change Film Contest invites youth ages 12–25 to use filmmaking and storytelling to raise awareness about mental health, suicide prevention, substance use, and other important topics affecting their communities. Eligibility and ownership basics - Participants must be between 12 and 25 years old. - All entries become co-owned with the contest organizers when release forms are signed. You retain the right to use your work, and we may also display submissions (for example, on the contest website and social media). - If a participant is under 18, a parent or legal guardian must also sign the release. How to enter — step-by-step Step 1 — Choose and register an adult advisor - Every youth participant needs an adult advisor who must register first. Advisors can be teachers, parents, friends, social workers, or any trusted adult. - If you don’t have an advisor, contact the contest staff and they can connect you with a mentor. - See the contest rules for full information about the advisor’s responsibilities. Step 2 — Sign release forms - All youth entrants (and parents/legal guardians for minors) must complete release paperwork. - Signing these forms establishes the shared ownership described above and grants the contest permission to use the submission in its promotional channels. Step 3 — Create a youth profile - After your advisor has registered and the release forms are signed, each youth contributor must create a profile to be eligible to submit. - During profile creation you will upload the signed release form and you will need the advisor’s unique code. Step 4 — Pick a submission category - Choose the category that fits your project. Each category has its own prizes, content rules, and submission requirements. - There is no cap on how many entries a youth may submit. - Make sure every cast and crew member creates a youth profile and signs the release form — you cannot submit a film until everyone listed has completed this step. Step 5 — Submit your entry - The annual submission deadline is March 1. - Designate one team member to submit the entry form. To submit you will need: 1) the advisor’s code and 2) to select every person who worked on the film from the provided list. Only individuals who have a youth profile registered under the same advisor will appear as selectable. Step 6 — Judging and awards - Directing Change is a statewide competition. For some categories, entries are judged first at the regional level based on the county of residence; winners then move on to statewide judging by industry professionals and public figures. - Past judges have included actress Kristen Bell and award-winning writer/director/producer Angela Cohen. - Statewide winners are honored at a red-carpet awards ceremony. Questions or help If you need assistance finding an advisor, completing forms, or understanding submission requirements, contact the contest team and they will help you get started.