Rules & FAQ

Competition rules

  1. The Animation15 competition opens for entries on Monday 15 September 2014. The deadline for submitting entries is midnight on Friday 20 March 2015. Prizewinners will be notified in early-Summer 2015.
  2. The competition is open only to students aged 7-19 who are enrolled at schools, colleges and other educational institutions in the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). SSAT schools outside of the UK, since these are inspected by OFSTED, are also eligible to enter. Home-educated students are eligible. Students studying at University are not eligible.
  3. An entry can be from an individual, or a group. The maximum number of people in a group is 4.
  4. Eligible software packages.
    1. Animations must be created using one of a number of approved software packages listed here. We cannot accept entries made using other programs. We have taken this decision in order to create a balance between establishing some consistency between entries, while at the same time allowing for some diversity. We realise that schools may use other packages, but we restrict entries to the Competition to the packages mentioned above. These packages provide a known set of capabilities, and judges are able to make decisions about animations based on these. If we accept movies authored in other packages, they may have been created using features that the judges are not aware of and unable to account for while making their decision.
    2. A special note about Flash. If you submit a Flash .swf file, that file must have been authored using Adobe Flash/Serif/KoolMoves/SWiSH Max (called below “the eligible Flash software”). We cannot accept swf files have been created using other authoring systems. If you use the eligible Flash software, it is acceptable to use any other programs to create assets that are later imported into the eligible Flash software, provided that the eligible Flash software is used to structure, compose, and author the final animation in swf format. It is not acceptable to use the eligible Flash software merely as a method of importing and converting a complete pre-existing animation, created using arbitrary other software, into swf format.
    3. A special note about stop-frame animation. Animations which comprise 100% stop-frame techniques are not eligible for the Competition. However, it is permissible to use stop-frame techniques if they are used as part of an animation created using other computer animation techniques.
    4. Ineligible packages. We are often asked if the following packages are eligible for creating entries to be submitted to the competition, and we regret that they are not: 2Simple 2animate, I Can Animate, iStopMotion, Logotron’s Revelation Sight & Sound. This is not an exhaustive list.
  5. We cannot accept animations which are interactive. In other words, the animation must run, standalone, without any user input. In particular, interactive games are not eligible. We have nothing against interactive animations but we have to impose a time limit on each animation in order to make the judging process manageable and interactive entries do not fit within such a structure.
  6. Entries can only be accepted if submitted on-line using the official competition entry form webpage, which will be open when the competition launches.
  7. Your animation can be about anything you want, with one constraint: it must be inspired by material from the taught curriculum. It might tell a story, or explain or demonstrate something – the only limit is your imagination!
  8. Entries must be original works created by the individual or team submitting the entry. However we do realise that it is entirely appropriate that children entering may receive professional support from teachers/classroom assistants, as part of the usual teaching and learning process.
  9. The duration of an entry must be no more than 1 minute. There is no minimum length.
  10. There is no restriction on the number of separate entries an individual or team may make. However, if an individual or team submits multiple entries, the content of each entry must be substantially different.
  11. If your entry incorporates music, sound samples, text, or images, you must own the rights to use that material, and you will be asked, during the submission process, to confirm that you own the rights. For ideas about sources of freely-usable music, this article from The Guardian has lots of pointers. Entries which contain copyright-controlled material may be rejected.
  12. We reserve the right to reject any entry which, in our view, contains inappropriate material.
  13. When you submit an entry you grant The University of Manchester permission to make unrestricted use of the entry in future, for educational or publicity purposes. In such use, the University will ensure that the author/school is clearly acknowledged.
  14. Submitted entries may be exhibited at the annual Animation Festival, and displayed on webpages hosted by The University of Manchester, which will also contain entrants’ and schools’ names (but no contact details).
  15. The University of Manchester will keep your contact data confidential and will not release it to any other parties.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What are the prizes?
    Each year we offer various prizes such as laptops, tablets, music players and Amazon vouchers. Prize-winning schools receive glass trophies. All entrants receive a certificate of entry.

  2. How do I submit my entry to the competition? Entries are made using our submissions webpage. We regret we cannot accept entries submitted by any other method, such as CDs, etc.
  3. How many people can be in a team? Minimum 2, maximum 4.
  4. I am older than 19 – can I enter? The 19 limit is meant to ensure that we don’t have any mature students entering — the competition is aimed at young people, not adults. There would be nothing to stop a 19+ student assisting with creating an entry (in the same way that we would not wish to prevent parents or teachers assisting) but we regret that we would not be able to accept an entry from a group which contained a member as being older than 19, nor from an individual whose age was greater than 19.
  5. I am aged 7-19 but not at school – can I enter? Yes, as long as there is a responsible adult who can register for the competition, and take responsibility for your entry. Examples might include a parent or guardian for a young person educated at home, or a certified Youth Worker for a young person from a Youth Club.
  6. Can I make a film about anything I want? Your animation can be about anything you want, with one constraint: it must be inspired by material from the National or taught curriculum. It might tell a story, or explain or demonstrate something – the only limit is your imagination!
  7. How will the judges know whether my film has any relevance to the National or taught curriculum? We are hoping that teachers will support students in their choice of curriculum theme and use their professional judgement to determine whether the content is educationally relevant.
  8. My film is longer than 1 minute. Will it be considered? Only the first 60 seconds will be considered. Anything after this will be disregarded.
  9. Can I use copyrighted material such as music or images in an animation? Sure, as long as you own the copyright to that material i.e. you have obtained a copy legally. If your entry incorporates music or sound samples, or images, or any material you have obtained from some other source, you must own the rights to use that material. If you don’t have rights to use the material, then, if you win a prize in our competition, and your work is displayed publically, you may find yourself in breach of copyright. This will cause big problems for you, and for us (The University of Manchester). For ideas about sources of feely-usable music, this article from The Guardian has lots of pointers.
  10. Can I use any program to make my animation? No, you must use software from this list. Animations created using any other system are not eligible for the competition. We have taken this decision in order to create a balance between establishing some consistency between entries, while at the same time allowing for some diversity.
  11. Can I export Flash from any program? If you submit a Flash .swf file, that file must have been authored using Adobe Flash/Serif/KoolMoves/SWiSH Max (called below “the eligible Flash software”). We cannot accept swf files have been created using other authoring systems. If you use the eligible Flash software, it is acceptable to use any other programs to create assets that are later imported into Adobe Flash/Serif, provided that the eligible Flash software is used to structure, compose, and author the final animation in swf format. It is not acceptable to use the eligible Flash software merely as a method of importing and converting a complete pre-existing animation, created using arbitrary other software, into swf format.
  12. Can I submit stop-frame animation? Animations which comprise 100% stop-frame techniques are not eligible for the Competition. However, it is permissible to use stop-frame techniques if they are used as part of an animation created using other computer animation techniques.