Entry Rules: Audiovisual Works

Our mission

The mission of the Japan Prize is to contribute to the advancement of the quality of educational content around the world, and to foster mutual understanding between societies and cultures, by recognizing works that make innovative use of visual media. Since its establishment in 1965, the competition has supported the power of the media by awarding outstanding works that foster people’s aspirations to further learn, reflect, empathize, and take action for the betterment of the world.

Important Dates – 2024

March 8th, Friday

Call for entries open

June 6th, Thursday

Final deadline for all entries
All required materials (including the completed Entry Form, movie file in the correct specifications, etc.) should arrive at the Secretariat by 11:59 pm, June 6th, 2024 Japan Time.

August 7th, Wednesday

Announcement of Finalists

September 25th, Wednesday

Announcement of Best Works and Special Prize
(Winners will be invited to Japan to present their works at the Japan Prize Festival in November).

November 18th, Monday - 21st, Thursday

Japan Prize Festival and Awards Ceremony
(Announcement of the winners of the Grand Prix Japan Prize and the Proposal Pitch).

Entry Fee

There is no entry fee.
However, entering organizations are responsible for any fees that may arise in connection with entries, such as communication fees.

Divisions

• Please make sure the target age of your entry corresponds to that of the division. Entry in the inappropriate division will be a disadvantage to the entry as the judging criteria requires suitability of the entry to the target audience.
• Since 2023, the digital media division has been integrated into the target-age divisions. If you are submitting a digital media work (e.g.: Mobile app/Web game/Console game/Application software/Cross-media content/website/VR/AR etc.), please be sure to enter it into the correct target age group. Please submit a walk-through demonstration video (duration up to 10 minutes) or written documents (for example, describing the experience, wireframes, game mechanics and content roadmaps), explaining how the game/application/content works.

Prizes

• The Grand Prix Japan Prize
  Selected from among the Best Works across the 4 divisions
• Award for the Best Work in each division
• Award of Honor (Runner-up) in each division
• Special Prize
• Jury Commendation
  The final jury members may grant a Jury Commendation to an excellent work.

Entry Eligibility

(1) Who Can Enter

Entrants must be established organizations* that either produced, broadcast, or own the copyrights to the entry content. Eligible organizations include the following:

• Broadcasters/Streaming platforms
• TV/Film production companies
• Digital content production companies
• Educational research institutions
• Established non-governmental organizations or non-profit organizations etc.

*Individuals are not eligible to enter.

(2) Number of Entries

• An entering organization may submit up to four entries to the Japan Prize. For example, an entrant may submit a maximum of four entries to the same division, or distribute them across different divisions. Please ensure you submit your entry to the division that best matches your target audience. Entry in an inappropriate division will be a disadvantage to the submission, as the judging criteria requires suitability of the entry for the target audience.
• An entering organization may not submit the same title to multiple divisions.
• For a series, an entering organization may submit only ONE episode in a given competition year (content that holds the same title and characters is considered series content). If the entering content consists of several episodes, the entering organization will be asked to choose one episode for submission.
• Where the content spans across multiple media, e.g. TV, web, app, etc., the same title may only be submitted to one division. Please be sure to note on the entry form that the entry has additional content on other media so that the jurors can also take that into consideration.
• No past Japan Prize-winning content may be submitted. Submissions of a new episode from a past winning series are welcomed, but bear in mind that jurors will be looking for something new. Please be sure to clarify the points of innovation from the past series in your entry form.
• In the event the same title is submitted by more than one entrant, for example by multiple co-producers, it is up to the entrants to decide which submission should be accepted.
• If the program submitted is an adapted format - meaning inspired by an original piece of content existing elsewhere in the world or on another platform - entrants should declare this and notify the Japan Prize that it is an adapted format on the entry form.

(3) Date of Broadcast or Release & Language Requirements

If your entry to any of the divisions is a digital media work (e.g.: Mobile app/Web game/Console game/Application software/Cross-media content/Website/VR/AR etc.), please submit a walk-through demonstration video under 10 minutes in duration, or a document explaining how the content works. Include any information or documents that will help jurors understand game play, user experience and content. If you have a promotional code that will allow the jurors to play or experience your content, please specify this in the entry form.

(4) Rights Clearances

• The entering organization shall take full responsibility for, and cover all costs associated with, the clearances of rights required for the use of its entry content and required materials as stipulated under Use of Entry below.
• The entering organization assumes full responsibility for notifying the other copyright owners/ co-producers/ production partners/ distribution partners of its entry content and required materials, when submitting the entry to the Japan Prize.
• The entering organization shall take full responsibility for any issue that may arise in connection with the use of its entry content and required materials by the Japan Prize Secretariat and NHK.

Entry Procedure

1. 1. Read through the Entry Rules
2. 2. Complete and submit an online Entry Form
3. 3. Receive an email from the Secretariat indicating an Entry ID and content submission procedure
4. 4. Upload movie file via designated URL
5. 5. Receive a confirmation email of your uploaded movie file
6. 6. Entry complete

DEADLINE: Thursday, June 6th, 2024 11:59 pm (Japan Standard Time)

Required Materials for the Preliminary Judging

In addition to filling out the Entry Form, please submit the required materials listed below to complete the entry.
The entry may be disqualified if any of the required materials are missing or if there are any technical problems that prevent access or play of the entry.

Required Materials for All Entrants

• (1) One digital promotional photo (JPEG, GIF, PNG, up to 1 MB)
• (2) English movie file of the entry content (up to 5GB)

• Entry content must be either dubbed/subtitled in English without commercials and/or promotional materials and must have its original content as it was first broadcast or released (English subtitles are recommended, also for original English language content).
• If there is any technical difficulty in uploading the movie file, please contact the Secretariat.
• If your entry is digital media (e.g.: Mobile app/Web game/Console game/Application software/Cross-media content/Website/VR/AR etc.), please submit a walk-through demonstration video under 10 minutes in duration, or a document explaining how the experience or content works. You will be able to upload up to 3 movies and/or documents.
• If your entry is digital media and you have a promotional code that will allow the jurors to play or experience your entry, please specify this in the entry form.

Recommended Specifications for Entry Movie Files

Required Materials for the Final Judging

The finalists will be announced on the Japan Prize website on Wednesday, August 7th 2024. The Secretariat will contact each finalist after the announcement with details on further requirements for the final judging stage. Finalists must then send the additional materials, as detailed below.

Please make sure that all of the required materials arrive at the Secretariat on time. If the materials do not arrive by the deadline, the entry may lose its eligibility for the final judging stage.

Required Materials for Finalists

• (1) Master quality movie file (with English subtitles)
  Content must be identical to what was submitted for the Preliminary Judging stage.
• (2) Two digital high-resolution promotional photos (JPEG, GIF, PNG)
• (3) Full script in English with time-codes
  Script must include all dialogue, narration, subtitles, time codes and credit lists in text. If the credits are not included in the script, please send the list separately.

Required Materials for Prize Winners

The Japan Prize Secretariat will request additional materials below in order to make either a Japanese subtitled version or a Japanese dubbed version for its use in the Japan Prize (please see Use of Entry below for details).

In the event that the entry content wins a prize, NHK may negotiate for broadcast on its domestic broadcasting service including internet live streaming and 7-day on-demand catch-up services. Live streaming and on-demand catch-up services will be geoblocked. The aim of this broadcast is to further promote Japan Prize and the quality of the content on offer to the general viewing public in Japan. In case NHK decides to broadcast the prize-winning program, NHK will contact the winning organization to negotiate the terms and conditions for broadcast in Japan. Prize winners are requested to negotiate in good faith.

In the case of broadcast, the film may be edited to meet NHK’s programming requirements and broadcast guidelines.

The entrant shall be responsible for all rights clearances necessary for the broadcast above. With regards to the musical rights, the entrant warrants that the performing rights in all musical compositions and sound recordings contained in the Program(s) are: (i) controlled by the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers ("JASRAC") and/or an affiliated collection society; (ii) in the public domain or; (iii) controlled by the entering organization.

Required Materials for Winners

• (1) Clean picture (textless) movie file
  Content must be identical to what was submitted for the final judging stage
• (2) Audio files of (1)
  Separate audio tracks (for narration, music, etc.) before mixing
• (3) Script in the original language (if the original language is not English)
• (4) Music cue sheet (for broadcast copyright clearance)

Use of Entry

Entering organizations and all copyright holders for the entry content must acknowledge that upon submission to the Japan Prize, they will be granting NHK the right to use the entry content and the required materials including videos and photos, free of charge, for the purposes below:

• (1) Promotion of the Japan Prize
  NHK reserves the right to use the entry content for the promotion of Japan Prize, which will include the following:
  
  • Use of excerpts of entry content during the Japan Prize Awards Ceremony.
  • Use of excerpts of entry content on NHK’s broadcast (both domestic and international), website, social media, and print.
• (2) Public Screening
  NHK reserves the right to screen all or part of the entry content during the Japan Prize festival and at other admission-free Japan Prize-related events organized by NHK, both within and outside of Japan.
• (3) Japan Prize Festival Platform
  NHK reserves the right to stream all or part of the entry content on the Japan Prize Festival Platform for a limited term, including the Japan Prize festival week. The access to this platform is limited to registered delegates and requires an individually issued ID and password to log in and view the content.
• (4) Japan Prize Library
  NHK reserves the right to archive prize-winning and excellent content in the Japan Prize Library. The Japan Prize Library lends out copies of the films to schools/researchers/producers for educational purposes upon request. Commercial use and broadcast are strictly prohibited.

<For inquiries>

Japan Prize Secretariat

Our mission

The mission of the Japan Prize is to contribute to the advancement of the quality of educational content around the world and to foster mutual understanding between societies and cultures, by recognizing works that make innovative use of visual media. Since its establishment in 1965, the competition has supported the power of the media by awarding outstanding works that foster people’s aspirations to further learn, reflect, empathize, and take action for the betterment of the world.

All entries will be judged based on the following criteria:

Educational Value

With respect to the context of the target audience’s culture and society:

• Does the entry challenge the target audience’s assumptions and preconceptions, and contribute to a positive transformation of the way they understand themselves, others, and the world?
• Is the entry effective in helping/heightening the target audience’s learning and understanding of others, and/or practice of empathy for others?
• Does the entry offer effective suggestions for problem-solving?
• Does the entry generate educational impact in the target society/community, with the potential to inspire the audience to take action for the betterment of society?
• For digital media content, does the entry actively and meaningfully engage the audience? Does it leave room for the audience to think and form their own views?

Production Value

With respect to the economic and financial background of the production:

• Is the idea of the entry original and innovative?
• Does the entry demonstrate creative and artistic value, displaying ambition and/or courage in directing, acting, and/or storytelling?
• Is the length, format, platform and style of the entry appropriate for sustaining and heightening the interest of the target audience?
• Is the entry available on a device or platform that enables it to reach its intended audience?

NOTE

No jury member may participate in voting for any entry submitted by an organization to which they belong, or for any entry in whose production they or their organization have been involved.