I’m sharing my experience with the recent ReelShort contest because I’m genuinely trying to understand whether I’m missing something.
I entered the contest hoping to catch ReelShort’s attention and potentially pitch an original series. That’s why I submitted projects across different genres.
Although there was a public voting phase, the rules stated that the final decision would be made by a professional jury.
Some of you supported my entries here—thank you. For those who haven’t seen them:
https://tinyurl.com/16suspense
https://tinyurl.com/49beyondgenres
https://tinyurl.com/48beyondgenres
After reviewing the final results, I noticed that the top entry in the Suspense category violated two stated rules: it wasn’t vertical, and it wasn’t a complete work—it was a pilot episode.
Judge it yourself: https://tinyurl.com/1suspense
Meanwhile, my project Shadows of the Departed was rejected twice for being a pilot, forcing me to rewrite and change the ending just to be accepted.
While my entries placed 48 and 49 in Beyond Genres, I was surprised to see very amateur submissions ranking higher—such as the 16th-place entry, which consisted of a camera set against a computer monitor displaying a PowerPoint presentation as a background, with simple paper cut-out figures mounted on sticks moved in front of the lens. The result felt almost like a narrative device one would expect in a comedy script, where the protagonist puts in genuine effort only to be outperformed by something deliberately absurd.
See for yourself: https://tinyurl.com/16beyondgenres
More than a month after the winners were announced, the prize I was told I had won still hasn’t been paid, which only adds to my concerns. I also contacted ReelShort’s PR department and have not received a response so far.
I genuinely want feedback. If you think I’m wrong, tell me. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
Congratulations on your entries placing 48 and 49 in Beyond Genres, Erik Diaz! I think it's wrong that the top entry in the Suspense category violated two stated rules, but your project was rejected twice for being a pilot. And I think it's wrong your prize still hasn’t been paid, but it depends on what it says in the rules about the prize.
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The rules say: Prizes Sent Out: Starting November 18, 2025 (00:00)
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Well I think that they might say the winner in suspense "technically" is a vertical because they sized it down to fit into the vertical even though it's clearly.... you know, standard 16:9. All I can say is welcome to two sketchy worlds crossing: social media platforms and privately controlled contests... Sorry about your experience, but take it as a lesson you cannot trust reelshort.com
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While the widescreen content is placed within a vertical frame, this does not make it visually vertical in any meaningful or practical sense, as the purpose of vertical video is to fully occupy the mobile screen. Even if one were to accept this as technically compliant, the more fundamental issue remains: the work is not a completed piece. My own entry was rejected on the grounds that it was a pilot and therefore did not qualify as a completed work under the contest rules—yet the first-place entry is itself a pilot.
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A complete work can be considered a pilot episode with the outlines etc. that go with it - but I didn't read the rules so I may in that particular instance be wrong.
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When I submitted my pilot episode, I assumed that a pilot would qualify too. The rules state: “Only fully completed submissions that meet all submission requirements will be eligible for awards.” However, my entry was rejected twice.
When I asked for clarification, I received the following response:
“After speaking with the team, they let me know that the reason for rejection was that the show was not completed. If you're submitting just one episode, please make sure that it is a completed work. If you’d like to submit a pilot, you could consider adjusting the ending so it feels more like a standalone story.”
For reference, this is the exact wording from the contest rules regarding format: “Aspect Ratio: 9:16 (vertical video).”
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Erik Diaz Well I do agree with you. But I say take this as a lesson about reelshort.com - having done my thing in film festivals years ago and still attending them with films I have worked on, I can tell you there is no rhyme or reason to decisions that will satisfy you. Especially a corporate festival is looking to reward a production that for some reason it wants to succeed or may even be connected to. Regardless of the quality of the competition. That applies to many film festivals as well. One reason to be very careful and selective in festival strategy, if actual recognition is important to your production.