Anyone can participate in Film Score Fest for free, including novice filmmakers/animators and all types of music-makers (not just orchestral composers).

The Details

  1. Sign up by October 20, 2024 to participate. It’s free!
  2. Filmmakers and composers/music-makers are randomly paired up to work together on an under-5-minute film (or you can sign up with a partner).
  3. Filmmakers have 3 months to create their film and send it to their composer partner.
  4. Composers have 1 month to write music for the film and submit their score.
  5. A panel of judges reviews the films & scores.
  6. The chosen films are screened at History Theatre in Saint Paul with our orchestra performing live, plus any guest musicians/composers performing their own score.

Guidelines for Filmmakers/Animators

  • Video must be under 5 minutes (including credits)
  • All styles welcome (narrative, documentary, animation, drama, comedy, abstract films, phone videos…)
  • Based on this year’s theme: “perspective“
  • .mp4 or .mov format
  • By January 19, 2025: Send your film to your composer (cc info@filmscorefest.org)
  • By February 23, 2025: Submit your final film here along with your composer’s score materials (see below).

Guidelines for Composers/Music-Makers

All music-makers are welcome to sign up, even if you don’t write sheet music. You can:

  • Write sheet music for the orchestra
  • OR get paired with an orchestrator who can help write sheet music
  • OR create music live on stage yourself
  • OR write music for a guest musician to perform live
  • OR any combination of the above! If you’re planning to do something other than write for the orchestra, we’ll reach out after you sign up to make sure your performance idea is doable.

This year’s featured instrument is accordion. You don’t need to write for accordion, but it’s an option!

  • If you’re writing for the orchestra, you may use any or all of these instruments, with one player per instrument:
    • flute
    • oboe
    • Bb clarinet
    • saxophone (alto or soprano)
    • bassoon
    • French horn in F
    • Bb trumpet
    • trombone
    • tuba
    • drum set
    • piano (electronic)
    • violin
    • viola
    • cello
    • double bass
    • percussion – one player to play:
      • marimba – 4.3 oct
      • crash cymbals (18″)
      • suspended cymbal
      • crotales – high octave (struck or bowed)
      • 3 Chinese small opera gongs (8″)
      • triangles
      • tambourine (hand or mounted with foot pedal) 
      • woodblocks
      • vibraslap
      • claves
      • shakers
      • finger cymbals
      • 6 temple bowls (not singing bowls)
      • mark tree
      • bamboo wind chimes
      • doumbek
      • djembe
      • frame drum
      • bongos
      • cajon
      • high pitched bird whistles

In addition to standard accordion, one of our Film Score Fest participants, Signe Lisadotter, will be performing on a homemade “see-saw” accordion, which you can write music for too!

Watch it in action here.

From Signe:

The accordion see-saw has some limitations in so much as each time it shifts directions, there are a different set of notes it can play.

As the high end goes up, it can play B5, F5, D5, B4, A4, F4 and D4.
Simultaneously, as the low end goes down it can play C3 and C4

Then as the low end goes up it can play G2 and G3
while the high end going down can play A5, G5, E5, C5, G4, E4 and C4.

Note: the low end also has an air valve if you want a ‘note-less’ breathy sort of sound.

Reach out to Signe if you have questions: signeye99@gmail.com

If you sign up to perform your own score or write for guest musicians, we’ll be in touch to talk through the logistics of your plan.

By February 23, 2025: Submit your score and final film here and include:

  • The final video with your score demo audio (for the judges)
  • The final video WITHOUT your score demo audio (for the video playback)
  • 8.5″ x 11″ PDFs (vertical layout) of your score and parts if writing for the orchestra
  • A metronome click track that fits the timing of your score (for the conductor to listen to during the performance). Include 2 measures of click before the start of the score.

Need Help?

Here’s a presentation from our 2019 kickoff that includes helpful composing and filmmaking tips for your submission. If you have more questions, feel free to email info [at] filmscorefest [dot] org.

You can also join our Facebook group to learn from other participants.

2019 Videos for Reference