MIT AI for filmmaking hackathon
"Space I call home"
An exciting journey to finish a short film with the help of latest AI technology.
An exciting journey to finish a short film with the help of latest AI technology.
We have a network dinner and a entire day hackathon with panels, screening, and the awarding ceremony.
We have an amazing list of speakers and panelists, from Hollywood directors, to top researchers, to big tech managers, to rising startup founders.
We have an amazing list of sponsors in 2024! Contact us if you are a company in the AI or film industry for sponsorship.
Our first hackathon in Jan, 2023 was a huge success.
Every film is a canvas for our deepest stories, offering a glimpse into an array of thoughts and experiences. However, filmmaking has traditionally been intricate and expensive; translating the complex weaves of our imagination into digital form was a formidable task—until now. Recent innovations in deep learning have lowered the barriers for filmmaking as an expressive medium.
The MIT Filmmakers Association’s annual AI for Filmmaking Hackathon assembles a vibrant mix of MIT students, faculty, and distinguished speakers and judges, encouraging beginners and seasoned filmmakers alike to explore AI tools for film production. In our previous iteration, themed "Tell me your dream," approximately 70 participants produced 8 short films in just one day. We were honored to host luminaries such as television producer Greg Daniels, director David Rogers, MIT Media Lab researcher Pat Pataranutaporn, Brown University's Assistant Professor in AI James Tompkin, and content strategist Ben Relles, formerly YouTube's head of comedy.
Our theme for 2024, "Space I Call Home," invites us to consider the many facets that make a space feel like home, be it the décor and furniture that facilitate living, the cherished memories with family, or the environmental and cultural symbols that foster a sense of belonging and peace.
We expect participants may use a variety of cutting-edge AI tools for 3D object modeling, motion capture, image and video generation, segmentation, music composition, sound design, and video editing. We look forward to seeing how filmmakers use these technologies in innovative ways to craft compelling films.
Registration for our upcoming hackathon before 23:59pm February 13, 2024 EST. Upon successful registration, we will grant free credits for various tools to accounts associated with the email you provide. Therefore, please ensure you create accounts using this email beforehand to facilitate a seamless upgrade to your account. Please complete the registration process by filling out the Google Form at the following link: https://forms.gle/HpEuvmqFyy1gkv2k8
Complimentary credits will be given to participants by Feb 17.
Participants must submit a team form in order to participate in our hackathon. Please ensure that your team, consisting of up to 6 members, is formed by 8:30 PM EST on February 17. Team leaders should complete your team registration using the following form.
While teams may have more than 6 members, please note that a maximum of 6 gifts will be awarded per team in the event of winning any prize.
Teams are required to submit their films in MP4 format, with a minimum resolution of 1080p and a duration exceeding 2 minutes. The deadline for remote participants is 2pm EST, for in person participants is 5:30pm EST. See detailed agenda at https://engage.mit.edu/FMA/agenda/
We plan to host our submission on FilmFreeWay. See the submission guideline below.
Our events welcome both participants and the general audience (attending the panels and screening).
Best Film
Qualification:
All films are automatically eligible for Best Film. No further action needed.
Judging criteria:
1. Artistic Merit: This encompasses various aspects like the film's originality, storytelling, cinematography, editing, acting, directing, and overall impact.
2. Technical Excellence: The quality of sound design, visual effects, production design, and other technical aspects contributing to the overall experience.
3. Cultural Impact: The film's ability to resonate with audiences, spark conversation, and leave a lasting impression.
4. Emotional Resonance: The film's ability to connect with viewers on an emotional level and evoke feelings.
Video generation
Qualification:
Your film should contain parts made with AI image/video generation tools.
Judging criteria:
1. Visual appeal and artistic quality of the video produced.
2. Consistency and flow of frames within each clip.
3. Contribution of the visuals to enhancing the story's narrative.
3D generation
Qualification:
Your film should contain parts made with AI 3D generation tools.
Judging criteria:
1. Visual appeal and artistic quality of the 3D objects/scenes.
2. Contribution of the 3D assets to enhancing the story's narrative.
Character (acted by human/created by AI)
Qualification:
Your film should contain one or more consistent character. They could be either made with AI or acted by human/animals.
Judging criteria:
1. Character's ability to express emotions and appear authentic and relatable.
2. Character's uniqueness, without relying on existing intellectual property.
3. Effectiveness in embodying or conveying the story's central themes.
Music/Sound (human/AI)
Qualification:
Your film must contain original music, either created by human or AI. You must describe which part of the music was original. eg. 0:00-0:30 created by human; 1:04-1:18 created by AI.
Judging Criteria:
1. We look for films with original music that are emotionally resonating and tailored to the film’s style and mood.
AI Voiceover
Qualification:
1. Your film should contain parts made with AI voiceover tools.
2. You must describe which part of the voiceover was created with AI. eg. 1:04-1:18 created by AI.
Judging Criteria:
1. Assess whether the AI voiceovers can emotionally resonate and accurately reflect the character's personality.
XR film
Qualification:
Your film must be made for the XR device. But here, you should submit the video version of it.
Judging criteria:
1. Whether this film take advantage of the XR system and tells an appealing story.
Creative usage of AI
Qualification:
Your film should leverage AI technology beyond standard commercial tools. For instance, you developed your own AI model. You used LLM to create scripts for Unity. You manipulated AI robotics for acting purposes. You must clearly describe which technology do you use in the submission form.
Judging criteria:
1. Evaluate the effectiveness of AI technology in enhancing the storytelling.