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Enter now: RIBAJ/Future Architects Film Competition 2025

Words:
RIBA Journal

Do you have something to share with the profession and beyond? We're open to entries until 7 April

RIBAJ / Future Architects Film Competition 2025.
RIBAJ / Future Architects Film Competition 2025. Credit: RIBA Journal

Are you a student or early career professional? Have you got something to share with the profession and beyond? If so, you’re in luck. The RIBA Journal is giving you the chance to enter a short-film competition run in collaboration with RIBA Future Architects, a community established to inform and inspire emerging architects.

It is open internationally to entrants studying for, or in between, Part 1, Part 2 or Part 3, and aims to showcase the best up-and-coming visual communicators in architecture.

In past years, this has been a writing competition. But given the increasing importance of film in capturing, promoting and understanding the built environment, we’ve flipped the script. This year, we’re asking you to turn your hand to filmmaking and produce a video of less than two minutes that would be suitable for social media platforms. Films could be lo-fi or crisp, witty or serious in tone and feature long pans or fast cuts. Pick up your camera, phone or stylus and start creating.

Choose one of three themes:

Making buildings

How can film be used to reveal what goes into the realisation of architecture, or the material and spatial qualities of buildings? Submissions might focus on details, the design or construction process, or getting under the skin of a building.

After architects

How can a story of inhabitation enhance our understanding of architecture? Entries might explore how buildings and public spaces are used in expected or surprising ways, or show how the use of space could inform future design.

In practice

What stories about architectural practice could engage an audience, either within the profession or beyond? Can you reveal something about the creative process or the qualities of a studio? Can you communicate urgent issues facing architects in their working lives?


Criteria and evaluation panel

The judges hope to see a wide range of approaches and will be looking for visual interest, an engaging choice of subject, strong storytelling and inventive use of the medium.

Edmund Sumner
Architectural photographer and filmmaker

Silvia Tossici
Project Director at Squint/Opera, a Journey Studio, artist and filmmaker

Rob Fiehn
Communications consultant and co-founder of architecture and film series Site & Sound

Chair: Flo Armitage-Hookes
Assistant editor, RIBA Journal

Our competition deadline is Monday 7 April 2025, 2pm and the winning film(s) will be showcased by The RIBA Journal. There is a prize of £200 for the winning film and £100 for two runners-up.

Enter Now

  • Judges: Edmund Sumner, Silvia Tossici and Rob Fiehn.
    Judges: Edmund Sumner, Silvia Tossici and Rob Fiehn. Credit: © Jae w v Kim / courtesy of Journey / Robert Shiret
1

COMPETITION CONDITIONS

1. Competition promoter

The competition is being run by the RIBA Journal in conjunction with the RIBA Future Architects.

2. Eligibility

The competition is open internationally to architecture students and early career professionals (part 1, part 2 or studying for part 3).

No member or employee of the promoting body, the evaluation panel, or any partner, close associate or employee of them is eligible to compete or assist a competitor.

3. Competition format

This is a single-stage competition.

4. Judges’ decision

The judges’ decision as to winners and commendations is final. Judges reserve the right to declare no winners if entries are of insufficient quality.

5. Evaluation panel

The evaluation panel is expected to be:

Edmund Sumner

Architectural photographer and filmmaker

Silvia Tossici

Project Director at Squint/Opera, a Journey Studio, artist and filmmaker

Rob Fiehn

Communications consultant and co-founder of architecture and film series Site & Sound

Chair: Flo Armitage-Hookes

Assistant editor, RIBA Journal

In the event of an evaluation panel member being unable to continue to act through illness or any other cause, the RIBA reserves the right to appoint an alternative panel member.

6. Competition timetable

The anticipated programme, which may be subject to variation, is as follows:

Competition launch:

24 January 2025

Submission deadline:

07 Apr 2025 2pm UK time

Evaluation of designs with panel and winners agreed:

30 Apr 2025

Result announced:

14 May 2025

7. Disqualification

Submissions shall be excluded from the competition:

  • If an entrant improperly attempts to influence the decision
  • If received after the latest time stated under the submission method (below)
  • If, in the opinion of the evaluation panel, it does not fulfil the requirements of the competition brief
  • If any of the mandatory requirements of the brief and conditions are disregarded.

8. Submission requirements

Entrants must complete the Microsoft Form and provide a link to download their film from a file sharing platform.

  • Film

Length: 2 minutes maximum
Format: MP4 or MOV
Dimension: 1080x1920 pixels (portrait or landscape)

9. Evaluation criteria

  • Engaging choice of subject
  • Visual interest
  • Strong storytelling
  • Inventive use of the medium.

10. Notification of result/publication and publicity

Entrants must not release their films for publication to any third parties until after the result has been officially announced and permission has been granted from the RIBA. Entrants should note that by entering the competition they are expected to honour the request for confidentiality.

The RIBA reserves the right to publicise the competition, any film and the result in any promotional activity, including all social media channels.

You and your collaborators grant to the Royal Institute of British Architects permission to reproduce the material supplied in all formats, in all media and on all platforms in perpetuity, in whole or in part without payment.

11. Copyright

The ownership of copyright will be in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 – ie copyright rests with the author of the submitted material.

Films are to be made of original material and permission must be granted by the copyright owner for any non-original material.

12. Post competition

Winning and commended films will be published across RIBAJ social media channels and be showcased on RIBAJ.com. A write-up of the results will be published by the RIBA Journal. The winner will receive £200 and two runners-up £100.

13. Enquiries

All enquiries relating to the competition should be directed to: competitions.ribaj@riba.org

14. Data

Data will be held by RIBA for the purposes of recording participation in the Future Architects film competition. The data will be kept throughout the duration of the competition for the purpose of contacting entrants with updates for the competition. This information will not be shared with any third party without the express and prior consent of the author. Read the RIBA’s privacy policy.

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