Grand Prize
$1,500The jury's strongest film across story, direction, and craft.
AION3 Technologies presents
Enter ON3FILM ↗
AION3 TECHNOLOGIES PRESENTS
ON3FILMAI Short Film Contest
Season 1
Make the film only you could direct.
Submissions close in
90 SEC-3 MINOriginal short film$3,000Guaranteed awards10 OCT 202623:59 BangkokGLOBALOpen call
Co-organized by DTC Group + Connecting The Dots
01 / WHAT ON3FILM IS
The production barrier is falling.
The creative bar is rising.
ON3FILM is a recurring, story-first AI short-film competition by AION3 Technologies. It is built to discover creators who can use new tools with taste, direction, and a point of view.
AI has changed how quickly an idea can become moving images. Story, judgment, editing, sound, performance, and emotional impact still decide whether the work matters.
StoryDirectionOriginalityCraftTransparency
02 / PRIZE & AWARDS
Great stories.
Meaningful rewards.
The guaranteed Season 1 base pool is USD 3,000. Any future partner-supported awards will be announced separately and will not reduce these four awards.
Best Story
$750For the film with the clearest voice and emotional impact.
Best AI Craft
$500For purposeful, transparent, and well-directed use of AI.
Audience Choice
$250Chosen separately by the public from the Season 1 finalists.
03 / HOW IT WORKS
From idea
to audience.
Seven clear steps. One original film. Your ownership stays with you throughout.
- 01
Create
Direct an original AI-powered short film between 90 seconds and 3 minutes.
- 02
Use AI meaningfully
AI can support the production, but your story, direction, edit, and judgment lead.
- 03
Disclose your workflow
Tell us which tools you used and how they contributed to the finished film.
- 04
Submit
Send your film and supporting details before 10 October, 23:59 Bangkok time.
Check the entry requirements → - 05
Eligibility review
We check duration, access, rights, disclosures, and entry requirements.
- 06
Jury & finalists
The independent jury scores eligible films; Audience Choice runs separately.
- 07
Winners
Awards are revealed on 15 October and the films remain part of the ON3FILM archive.
04 / WHAT WE MEAN BY AI FILMMAKING
AI can change the stack.
You still direct the film.
AI may support visual generation, animation, VFX, voice, sound, previsualization, or other production steps. The entrant remains responsible for the concept, direction, edit, permissions, and honest disclosure of the workflow.
- Use generative tools meaningfully—not decoratively.
- Keep records of tools, source material, and human decisions.
- Secure rights for music, voices, likenesses, footage, and collaborators.
- Put the story before the spectacle.
05 / CONFIRMED JURY
Creative judgment.
Independent outcome.
Only confirmed judges appear here. Sponsors cannot influence the Grand Prize or any core jury award.
Meet the jury and read the jury philosophy →
JUROR · CONFIRMED
Kris Szumowski
Creative leader · AppleBringing an exacting perspective on story, craft, culture, and technology to the Season 1 jury.
Profile ↗06 / AI FILM JUDGING CRITERIA
Story leads
the score.
The core jury uses a transparent 100-point rubric. Audience Choice is a separate public award and does not alter the jury result.
Story & emotional impact
Clarity, meaning, structure, and what stays with the audience.
Originality & voice
A distinctive point of view rather than a familiar visual exercise.
Execution & craft
Direction, edit, image, sound, performance, and overall finish.
AI integration & transparency
Meaningful use of generative tools with an honest workflow disclosure.
Rights & technical
Eligibility, permissions, delivery requirements, and responsible production.
JURY INDEPENDENCE
Judges disclose conflicts. Sponsors may support the property, but they do not control core eligibility, scoring, or winners.
07 / SEASON 1 TIMELINE
One season.
Every date clear.
All deadlines use Bangkok time (ICT / UTC+7). The optional Demo Day is not confirmed unless separately funded and announced.
Season 1 launches
The brief, rules, resources, and submission form go live.
Submissions close
23:59 Bangkok time (ICT / UTC+7). Late entries cannot be accepted.
Eligibility & jury
Entries are screened, verified, and evaluated by the independent jury.
Finalists & audience choice
Finalists are revealed and public voting opens for Audience Choice.
Winners revealed
Season 1 awards and winning creator stories are announced.
Optional Demo Day
Only if separately funded and formally announced.
08 / CREATOR RESOURCES
Make the film.
Show the thinking.
Season 1 resources are organized around the decisions that improve completion, trust, and entry quality.
Direct the idea before the image
Start with character, intention, conflict, and a reason the audience should care.
Build a transparent workflow
Keep notes on prompts, iterations, human decisions, source material, and final editorial choices.
Clear every creative ingredient
Confirm permissions for music, voices, likenesses, footage, images, collaborators, and third-party tools.
Use the stack with purpose
Choose tools because they solve a production problem—not because they can generate the loudest frame.
09 / BUILD IN PUBLIC
The work starts
before the premiere.
During Season 1, opted-in creators may share story intentions, process notes, and workflow diaries. Participation creates no jury preference; it simply helps audiences understand how new filmmaking practice is evolving.
Volunteer for a creator diary ↗10 / PARTNERS
HOSTED & OWNED BY
CO-ORGANIZED BYDTC Group
+ Connecting The Dots
+ Connecting The Dots
Partnership means action,
not permission to place a logo.
Confirmed partners are recognized for what they contribute. AION3 remains visibly above every commercial and ecosystem lane.
Presenting Partner
The single largest sponsor position after AION3, with lead billing, the largest partner logo, an agreed category lane, and launch-to-awards integration.
Major Partners
A limited second tier for award, technology, production, or media partners delivering a substantial creator benefit or campaign activation.
Supporting Partners
The broadest tier and main logo field for tools, education, community, media, credits, access, hardware, services, and distribution support.
11 / FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Know before
you submit.
Read every entrant question →Who can enter?+
Season 1 is open worldwide to individuals and teams. Entrants must be 18 or older, or participate with verified consent from a parent or legal guardian where permitted by law.
What counts as AI filmmaking?+
Generative AI must make a meaningful contribution to one or more production steps, such as visual development, animation, VFX, voice, sound, or previsualization. The entrant remains responsible for the concept, direction, edit, rights, and disclosure.
Can the film include live action?+
Yes. Live action, animation, hybrid work, and fully generated approaches are welcome as long as the film is original, rights-cleared, and AI plays a meaningful disclosed role.
What language can I use?+
Films may use any language. English subtitles are strongly recommended for dialogue that is not in English so the international jury and audience can follow the story.
Who owns my film?+
You do. Entrants retain ownership. ON3FILM receives only the limited, non-exclusive rights needed to administer, screen, archive, and promote the competition. Any separate commercial use requires a new agreement.
Can sponsors influence the winners?+
No. Sponsors cannot influence the Grand Prize or core jury outcome. Any sponsor-supported special award must be clearly separated from the independent core jury awards.
Your film does not need a traditional production stack.