Entry Guide

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2024-25 Entry Form

We’ve streamlined the Third Coast Competition entry form to be as straightforward as possible, while still capturing a comprehensive picture of your entry. If you ever have any questions about how your entry information will be considered, please reach out to us.

Keep in mind: while there is no limit to the number of entries one organization/entity/show/individual can make to the Third Coast Competition, our entry form only allows for the submission of one entry at a time.

We strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the 2024-25 Third Coast Competition and prepare your materials in full before beginning the entry form. Below, we've outlined everything you'll need to read, consider, and gather before you fill out the entry form, and send in your best work.

Review the Categories

The best way to complete eligibility and entry requirements for each entry is to read through the page for the category (or categories!) that you’re interested in entering.

On each category page, you’ll find detailed FAQs specific to submitting in that category. If you have further questions, we suggest you read through the General FAQ.

Note: Every single piece entered into the Third Coast Competition will be considered for the Directors' Choice category, regardless of length or language.

Understand our Process

As we continue to expand our vision for the independent Third Coast Competition, we want to make sure you know what makes this program unique to the audio industry. Learn more about what the first-ever independent Third Coast Competition offers entrants, and about our unique listening & judging process for honoring Third Coast Winners & Finalists.

Find Your (Collectively Priced) Rate & Familiarize Yourself with Deadlines

You may want to familiarize yourself with the breakdown of this year’s entry rates before diving into the process. (Note: scroll all the way down on this page for more information about rates for both Non-English language entries and entries from outside the U.S.) The entry form will also guide you through these same considerations in order to identify the rate(s) that are right for you. If the collectively priced rates are still cost prohibitive for you, please reach out to us.

Note: Our lowest rates apply only through the “We Need Third Coast” Flash Sale Deadline of December 17. The Call for Entries is open from now until March 20, 2025. Please mark your calendar with our full schedule of deadlines:

  • Flash Sale Deadline: December 17, 2024
  • Early Deadline: January 14, 2025
  • Regular Deadline: February 20, 2025
  • Late Deadline: March 20, 2025

Use the Basic Entry Checklist

Below, we've listed the essential information needed for each entry. Please note that some categories require additional materials. For complete, category-specific information about eligibility and all required materials, please see the individual categories page.

Please note: Once you've begun to fill out the form, you won't be able to save your progress and return to it at a later date.

While there is no limit to the number of entries one organization, entity, show, or individual can submit to our Competition, note that our entry form only allows for the submission of one entry at a time.

Basic Contact Information

  • We ask that you designate one person on your team as the point person for your entry for the duration of the 2022-2023 Competition process. If you are submitting an entry on behalf of someone else, please make sure that the point person for your entry is prepared to answer any follow-up questions that Third Coast may have. (After you’ve submitted your entry, if this contact person is no longer able to be the point person, we ask that you email us to update that contact.)

Audio File

  • If applicable, please remove any redundant host ledes or introductions; the audio portion of your entry should consist only of the actual story.
  • If applicable, please remove any preroll or midroll ads in your entry. (This is crucial, and it saves us hundreds of hours in our judging process.) Ads or promos that appear in the final credits are fine to leave in.
  • Each entry should be exported as an audio file in the .mp3 format (.wav files are also accepted, but .mp3 is preferred). If you are submitting multiple audio files for a serialized entry, please label and number them in the correct sequence: 01_EntryTitle, 02_EntryTitle, etc. If possible, we ask that each audio file is under 100mb in size.

Written Materials

  • Each entry should include a text summary (150 words maximum).
  • Each entry should include a list of any explicit language, preferably with time codes for each instance.
  • Each entry should include a short description of any content warnings for your piece, with time codes when applicable.
  • Each entry should include a comprehensive credits list.
  • For entries primarily in a language other than English: Entries not in English should include a translated transcript according to the guidelines for the Best Documentary: Non-English Language category.
  • For entries in English: We strongly request that each entry include a transcript of your entry.

Category-Specific Materials

Optional Materials

  • We're interested in learning more about you and your team in order to make our Competition more accessible. The entry form will prompt you with a few options to tell us about the demographics of your production team, the intentions and process behind your work, and any challenges you encountered while making your entry. Providing this information is strictly voluntary and will only be used in attempting to better serve our community of makers in future Competition cycles.

After you’ve gathered your materials in full, please expect the submission process to take upwards of 10-15 minutes to complete for each piece of work you’re entering.

If you have any questions as you go, please check out our General FAQ, or see each individual category page (below) for category-specific FAQs.

Ready to enter? Here is our 2024-25 Entry Form.

Still have questions? Email us directly: competition@thirdcoastfestival.org.