You can enter in one or both of these categories:

• Graphics - Graphic images front-projected onto a screen or surface. Primarily representational images such as drawn animation frames and computer graphics.
• Abstracts - Abstract, non-representational images — no graphics allowed.

Not allowed: beams, lumia, diffraction gratings, or other effects or devices. [This is a change from the April-May 2020 Offline contest Abstract category which did permit some lumia and diffraction effects. They are NOT permitted for this May-June 2020 Offline-Connected contest.]

A person can enter any number of times in each of the two categories. For non-members, there is a $5 fee for each entry.

All entries must be created with a single laser X-Y projector (e.g., one set of scanners), without any other effects.

To create your shows, you can use any software or hardware equipment you want. You are not restricted to one manufacturer or system.

You cannot use old shows that you simply tweaked to go with the new music. Of course, elements of the show such as frames or animations can be from your pre-existing library. But the show itself needs to be composed specifically for this contest.

ILDA is providing the following frame to be used at the start and end of your show:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5j9dxsna4824ms4/Connected.ild?dl=0

It looks like this:

This means the first and last frame will be the same.

Do not apply any changes such as sizing, fades, transitions, effects, different colors, etc. to the start and end frame. It must be the exact frame that you downloaded from ILDA.

If you want, you can use this frame elsewhere in your laser show. You can change it, fade it, transition it, etc. — as long as you do not change the first and last frame of your show.

People voting cannot know who entered which show.

For this reason, do not post your show or the entry name of your show, on any public or social media until after voting is completed (date to come).

Also, as stated elsewhere, your entry videos must be anonymous. Do not add any titles, logos, etc. to the video.

Entries must be your own material or be properly licensed.

Material you create yourself is fine. If you are using "artware" or "showware" or frame libraries from a third party, including from the laser software company, then you must have permission to use the material.

It is up to you to be sure you have permission and/or legal rights to use the third-party material. By entering, you hold ILDA harmless from claims of copyright or intellectual property violations.

The music must be at least 1 minute long, and no longer than 3 minutes. If necessary you can make cuts (if permitted by the music copyright holder's license) or fade out.

ILDA will be chaining together the winning entries, and selected other entries, into a single show that flows from one entry into the next. This video will be posted by ILDA to YouTube and possibly other services such as Vimeo. YouTube will remove or replace audio that violates copyrights or otherwise is not allowed by YouTube.

Therefore, please use free, public domain music which has been specifically created for others to use in projects like this contest.

If you have any potential concerns, upload a video with your desired music to YouTube. Do not allow monetization. Wait 24 hours and log into your YouTube account to see if YouTube removed the video or otherwise objected to the music. If so, choose another piece and test again.

When ILDA goes to upload the winning entries, if YouTube removes, replaces or otherwise objects to a winning entry's music, then that entry will no longer be a winner, and entries at that level and below will move up in placement.

ILDA does not "own your FX"; for one thing, entries are on video so we would have no access to your software's frames, effects, files or data.

You will keep the rights to your video, and by entering you assign the following limited rights to ILDA for judging, awards presentation and promotion purposes.

ILDA will be posting your unmodified video entry on Vimeo, with no restrictions on viewing (anyone on the internet may view your video). If your entry wins, ILDA may play the video at the ILDA Conference or otherwise present winning entries to ILDA Members and the public. ILDA will post winning videos at YouTube or similar online services; if so, we will add superimposed titles that are visible during the entire video (contest name and year, winning place and category, name of entry, name or person or company submitting).

Because entries will be public on Vimeo, and on YouTube or similar if the entry wins, do not enter if you have concerns about your video being seen, misused, or misappropriated.

Current ILDA Members (those who have paid 2020 dues by the entry deadline date) can enter for free. Current Members are listed here.

This includes all Member categories: Individual, Hobbyist, Student, Nonprofit and Corporate.

RULES FOR NONPROFIT AND CORPORATE MEMBERS

Nonprofit and Corporate Members can enter under the organization or company name (a group effort). If the entry wins, the ILDA Offline trophy or certificate will have only the name of the Member, such as "XYZ Lasers." There can be only one such group effort entry per category.

In addition, employees of Nonprofit and Corporate Members can submit their own entries under their own name(s), such as "Jane Krantz, XYZ Lasers." If the entry wins, the ILDA Offline trophy or certificate will have the name of the employee plus the Member's name.

The rest of this section is for employees of a Nonprofit or Corporate Member who want to enter under their own name.

DEFINITION OF "EMPLOYEE"

For purposes of this contest…

• …"employee" means a full-time or regular part-time employee (such as working 20 hours weekly). It does not mean freelancers or similar persons hired intermittently or for short periods.
• ..."employee" also includes persons who were full-time or regular part-time employees of a Nonprofit or Corporate Member earlier in 2020 but are not employed by them when they enter this contest.

NONPROFIT & CORPORATE ENTRIES

For Nonprofit and Corporate Member entries, please specify when submitting if 1) the entry is for the entire Member organization or company (group effort) or if 2) it was done by one or more employees individually (not an organization/company group effort) who are employed by the Member.

MULTIPLE ENTRIES FROM EMPLOYEES

For Nonprofit and Corporate Members, in each category you can have only one organization/company (group effort) entry such as "Entry from XYZ Lasers".

In each category you can also have multiple individual employee entries such as "Entry from Jane Krantz, XYZ Lasers" and "Entry from Herman Smith, XYZ Lasers." But there can be only one entry per employee in each category. For example, Jane Krantz of XYZ Lasers could not enter the Beam category twice.

EMPLOYEES CAN ENTER AS NON-MEMBER INDIVIDUALS

There may be employees of an ILDA Nonprofit or Corporate Member who did work on their own equipment and time, so that the Member is really not involved. In such a case, the person can enter as a non-member. As a non-member entrant, 1) they must pay the $5 non-member entry fee and 2) if they win, the ILDA Offline trophy or certificate will list only their name — not the ILDA Member company they work for.

QUESTIONS? CONTACT ILDA

If there is any question about an entrant's status for purposes of this contest, contact ILDA.

For non-members, there is a fee of $5 per entry. Go to the ILDA store page to pay your entry fees.

If two or more non-members collaborated on an entry, list each person when submitting your entry.

Non-members cannot enter under a company name, only under your personal name(s). If the entry wins, the ILDA Offline trophy or certificate will list your name(s).

After June 21, you can apply your entry fees towards an ILDA Membership if you wish. Contact ILDA if you wish to do this.

VIDEO SPECIFICATIONS

Submit your entries with the following digital video specifications:

• QuickTime MP4 (H.264, MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC, MPEG-4 Part 4) or MOV video files. Submit as individual files, one video file per entry. We do not accept any other formats such as AVI or WMV files – only MP4 or MOV files.
• The video pixel dimensions must be 1920 x 1080 or smaller. Do not submit any larger sizes.
• The video file size must be 500 MB or less. For a 4-minute 1920 x 1080 video at reasonable compression, this is possible. If you are over 500 MB, use more compression or resize the video to smaller pixel dimensions.

VIDEO RULES

No fake lasers or digital enhancements: You cannot use simulated laser displays such as “preview windows”. All lasers must be actual real, coherent light sources recorded with a video camera or phone, and must look approximately as the eye would see them.

Keep entries anonymous: Do not add any titles, logos, etc. This is done so that entries are anonymous during judging.

You can view the four Graphics entries here: https://vimeo.com/showcase/7273496

You can view the two Abstract entries here: https://vimeo.com/showcase/7273504

If you received an email with the "Vote" link to the ballot, please view all entries and jot down your favorites before going to vote.