You need talent, time, and effort (okay, and money, too) to craft a film from start to finish, but one thing that you just can't do without is a good story. Not only does DJI know that there are great stories out there just waiting to be discovered, but they want to give those storytellers the tools that can help them capture their vision.

So, DJI's first international screenwriting competition is their way to not only celebrate the excellent stories -- the hidden gems, but also the launch of their new handheld gimbal stabilizer, the Ronin-M. Maybe you remember our coverage of the gimbal when it was unveiled at NAB, but if you don't, the Ronin-M is a stabilizer that, like its big brother Ronin, features three separate operational modes, which let you maneuver your camera in virtually any way you can imagine. Unlike the Ronin, which is geared toward large format cameras, the Ronin-M was specifically designed with DSLR shooters in mind -- compact, lightweight, and easy to use. Not only that, but it won't break the bank of most filmmakers on tight budgets with its $1400 price tag.

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Participating in the screenwriting competition is easy and straightforward. There isn't a particular genre DJI's looking for, but they are asking writers to submit 5-minute scripts that center on "innovation". The five chosen will then be produced into a real short film and screened in LA on August 13th. Winners will be announce on the website prior to screening,

Prizes

  • Grand Prize: Ronin-M, Inspire 1 with Single Remote, Sony Alpha α7S, Paralinx Triton
  • 1st Runner-up: Ronin-M, SmallHD 502 HD, Paralinx Triton
  • 2nd Runner-up: Phantom 3 Professional, Manfrotto Phantom backpack, Ronin-M
  • 3rd Runner-up: Ronin-M and Phantom 3 Advanced
  • 4th Runner-up: Ronin-M

Top entries will be made into a video production and screened at a special event in Los Angeles.

If you want to get an idea of what DJI's looking for in a great submission, check out this short film, LIFTED, which shows what can be done with both a great script and DJI's products. 

If you need something a little bit more solid to go off of, here's what DJI says a winning screenplay will consist of:

  • Theme of innovation
  • Understanding of story told
  • Ability to produce into a film (DJI is limited by budget and time so it cannot be too extreme in terms of set and costume)

If you want to learn more about DJI's screenwriting competition (or if you're ready to submit!), click here to go to the site. For more information about these systems, check out the links below:

Source: DJI Ronin Film Competition

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