Participation Guidelines

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, 2026 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, which will be announced September 20
• .mp4 or .mov format
• By January 24, 2027: Send your film to your composer (cc info@filmscorefest.org)
• By February 28, 2027 at 11:59pm: Coordinate with your composer partner to 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 may:

• 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.

Submission Requirements

Coordinate with your filmmaker partner to submit the following materials here by February 28, 2027 at 11:59pm.

If you’re writing for the orchestra:

1. PDFs of your score and parts – 8.5″ x 11″, vertical orientation. Please read our tips on formatting your score.
2. A metronome click track that fits the timing of your score – WAV or AIFF format (for the conductor to listen to during the performance)
3. The final video with your score audio demo (for the judges)
4. The final video without score audio demo (for the film screening, if selected)

If you’re planning to perform the score yourself, or with non-orchestral guest musicians:

1. The final video with your score audio demo (for the judges)
2. The final video without score audio demo (for the film screening, if selected)

Orchestra Instrument List

If writing for our orchestra, you can use any of the following instruments. You don’t need to write for all of them. Note that we have one performer for each instrument, including strings.

Flute
Oboe
B♭ Clarinet
Bassoon
Alto Sax
French Horn
Trumpet
Tuba
Piano
Drums
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

This year’s featured instrument will be announced on September 20.