Tallahassee filmmakers have a new platform to showcase their work following a partnership between Tallahassee Filmmakers and the Tallahassee Film Festival, according to an announcement from Tallahassee Filmmakers. The organizations have joined forces to launch Tally850, a short film competition designed to celebrate independent filmmaking across the 850 region.
How the Tally850 Competition Works
According to Tallahassee Filmmakers, participating teams have 90 days to produce a short film after registering for the event. Registration is open for $35, with the registration window running from April 25 to May 25. Completed films must be submitted by July 25.
A panel of expert judges will score all qualifying films. The top 10 ranking entries will be named Official Selections of the Tallahassee Film Festival and will advance to compete for awards and cash prizes, as stated by Tallahassee Filmmakers. All competing teams will receive two complimentary tickets to the Tally850 premiere on Saturday, October 10. Official selections will also receive two complimentary passes to the festival’s Filmmaker Brunch and Award Ceremony on Sunday, October 11.
Competition Rules and Guidelines
To maintain eligibility, participants must follow specific production and legal guidelines outlined by the organizers. According to Tallahassee Filmmakers, all cast and crew members must sign a crew deal memo or talent release form, alongside necessary location and artist release forms.
Additional rules for the competition include:
- Length: Maximum of nine minutes, including credits.
- Rating: PG-13 rating restriction, which prohibits nudity and limits adult language.
- Artificial Intelligence: No use of AI permitted in production.
- Footage: Scripts do not need to be new material, but all footage must be freshly shot for the competition.
- Premieres: Films cannot be screened or publicly shown prior to the festival premiere.
- Copyright: No copyrighted material is allowed without proper licensing or usage agreements.
Furthermore, any board member of Tallahassee Filmmakers or Tally850 programming staff who serve above the line or in a principal cast role are ineligible for awards, according to the organization.
Participants can also optionally register to compete for the “Best use of Theme” award. The 2026 theme is “Challenger,” allowing filmmakers to decide independently whether to incorporate it. Those wanting to contend for the Best Screenplay award must consent to share a PDF copy of their shooting script when submitting their final media file on July 25.
Festival Schedule and Preparation
The timeline for the inaugural event leads up to screenings in October:
- April 25 – May 25: Tally850 registration open
- July 25: Film submission deadline
- August 1: Official Selections announced
- September 1: Festival packages due
- October 8: Tallahassee Film Festival begins
- October 10: Tally850 premiere
- October 11: Award ceremony
According to Tallahassee Filmmakers, organizers will offer optional workshops titled Script to Screen and STORY to help production teams prepare before the official competition window opens.