POV’s 2015 Call for Entries is Officially Open!

We are thrilled to announce that the POV Call for Entries is now open! Films submitted to this open call will be considered for the 2015 broadcast season and beyond. The deadline for submission is Monday, June 30, 2014.

POV continues to accept digital content delivery via download-enabled links or content on flash drives. It is not required but we strongly encourage every filmmaker who can deliver digitally to do so. Why? About 1,000 entries will be considered in this submission round and digital submissions help us be more efficient. Digital submissions allow us to work with pre-screeners across the country and around the world, and enables the programming team to travel a bit lighter.

If you submit a link, the video MUST BE DOWNLOAD ENABLED. If you don’t feel comfortable enabling download, then please submit your film on a DVD. You can password protect to ensure the privacy of your link, but don’t forget to send POV the password (look for the password field on the form).

Our updated Call For Entries Guidelines explain everything you need to know about how to submit to POV, no matter what format you choose. POV will still accept DVDs and flash drives this year for those who can’t make the jump to streaming video.

Please don’t send us a fancy thumb drive, because it will not be returned. Additionally we cannot accept uncompressed, full HD files for submission. Our digital specs are similar to DVD specs in order to keep the playing field (and our servers) level.

We are excited to see what filmmakers from around the world have been working on! The full Call For Entries cycle at POV begins with the June 30, 2014 deadline and lasts about six months — thanks in advance for your patience!

Have questions? Please send an email to cfe[at]pov.org and thanks, as always, for your interest in POV.

If you want better idea of whether the film you’ve made is a good fit for POV and to learn more about what POV looks for in a film during our selection process, check out a past blog post from 2007, “For Filmmakers: What Does POV Look For in a Film?”. If you want to inquire with someone who is currently in our programming department, drop us a line at cfe[at]pov.org or call 212-989-8121 x380.

Go to the POV Call for Entries online submission system »

For specific tips on how to navigate our online form, read on…

• Standard: Finished films, or films that are at rough/fine cut stage. (Will be ready for broadcast in 2015.)
• Shorts: Finished films, or films that are at rough/fine cut stage AND whose final running time is 30 minutes or less. (Will be ready for broadcast in 2015.)
• Early Introduction: This category is exclusively for projects that are either too early in development or production to be considered in POV’s highly competitive selection process. If you plan on submitting to our open call in the future but would like to introduce your project to POV’s programming team now, this is the way to do it.

If you’re ready to begin your application please visit http://cfe.pov.org, read the guidelines, then follow the instructions to complete the entry form. Please note, if you are a previous applicant you will need to register again.
Here is a quick primer on how to use the online POV submission form:

1. Add cfe[at]pov.org to your email address book so that none of our correspondence to you is lost in a spam folder.
2. Make sure your browser will accept pop-up windows, and visit http://cfe.pov.org.
3. Click either of the two “Register” links (at the top and middle of the page) and complete the registration page.
4. Check your email for your registration confirmation. The confirmation email will usually arrive instantly, but may take up to 24 hours. Check your spam folder as well.
5. Click on the link within the confirmation email to activate your account. This is an obvious, but important step.
6. Once you’ve activated your account, log in at http://cfe.pov.org to complete your application. Enter your film’s title and click the button that says “Create New Call for Entries form.”
7. And that’s it! You’ve started a new entry! The rest of the form is pretty self-explanatory.

All films must be submitted through our online submission system. The arrival deadline is June 30, 2014. We grant extensions on a case-by-case basis. If you need an extension please email cfe[at]pov[dot]org with the subject line “Extension.”