Entries close at 11.59pm Singapore time on 31 July 2026. Long-form films must run five to 10 minutes in landscape; short-form entries run 90 seconds to three minutes in vertical. English subtitles where required and a clean export without watermark are part of compliance.
Start with the decision table
| Situation | Decision signal |
|---|---|
| Story needs five to 10 minutes | Use long-form landscape |
| Concept works in 90 seconds to three minutes | Use short-form vertical |
| Dialogue is not English | Prepare accurate English subtitles |
| Music or archive lacks permission | Do not submit until cleared |
| Export has a platform watermark | Create a clean master |
Choose form before shooting
Competition terms makes orientation and duration category conditions. A horizontal project cannot be rescued by a rushed vertical crop without loss.
The theme needs evidence
Esplanade competition page centres Singapore’s DIY music culture. Identify people, places, artefacts and practices that reveal how the scene is built.
Consent is more than an interview yes
Get written releases for contributors and locations where needed, including possible public screening.
Clear every sound and image
Track composer, recording, performance, archive and artwork rights separately. Original music still needs permission from its rights holders.
Plan for finalist delivery
The page lists finalists on 20 August and additional deliverables by 25 August. Keep project files, masters, captions, credits and releases.
Worked application
A 12-row compliance sheet covers category, duration, aspect, resolution, subtitles, watermark, credits, music, archive, releases, filename and upload confirmation. A second person watches the export before 31 July.
Action checklist
- Select form before production
- Write to the DIY theme
- Collect consent
- Clear all rights
- Create subtitles
- Export a clean master
- Submit early and keep confirmation
Keep a decision record another person can audit
The reader task is specific: choose the correct category and submit a compliant film before the deadline. Create a short file showing the controlling fact, when it was checked, the evidence retained and who owns the next action. A changed date, amount, person, address, service screen or eligibility result can alter the outcome even when the broad rule stays the same.
| # | Control | Evidence | Failure signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Select form before production | Authority readback | Choosing orientation after editing |
| 2 | Write to the DIY theme | Dated statement or screen | Using unlicensed music |
| 3 | Collect consent | Calculation inputs | Assuming social footage is free |
| 4 | Clear all rights | Written approval | Missing subtitles |
| 5 | Create subtitles | Receipt or reference | Uploading a watermarked export |
| 6 | Export a clean master | Photo or versioned document | Choosing orientation after editing |
| 7 | Submit early and keep confirmation | Outcome check | Using unlicensed music |
The two original tools in this guide—a 12-row export compliance sheet and a rights ledger separating permissions—do different jobs. The first structures the choice; the second tests it against a concrete case. Neither should be copied into another case without refreshing every input and recording the extraction date.
What the primary sources establish
| Source | Claim used | Freshness control |
|---|---|---|
| Esplanade competition page | Theme, deadline, categories and finalist schedule. | Checked 2026-07-18; re-open before acting |
| Competition terms | Duration, format, subtitles, watermark and rights requirements. | Checked 2026-07-18; re-open before acting |
These sources are linked beside the claims they support. If a live service, formal notice, contract or officer’s written response differs from a general page, keep both and ask which newer fact or rule produces the difference. Do not choose the more convenient answer without resolving that conflict.
For adjacent questions, continue with our art competition submission guide and arts activity guide. Each serves a separate next-step intent.
Run a final verification before committing
Start with the first decision signal in the table: Story needs five to 10 minutes. Confirm whether the present facts really support “use long-form landscape”. Then test the opposite edge case—Export has a platform watermark—because that is where an apparently simple plan can fail. Write the answer in plain language and attach the dated evidence; do not leave an unspoken assumption in a spreadsheet cell.
Next, ask another adult or colleague to reproduce the worked application without seeing the result. Give that person only the source links and inputs. If the answer changes, identify whether the difference comes from arithmetic, definition, timing or judgement. Recalculate using the live figure, retain both versions and state why the later one controls. This check is especially important when the choice depends on Esplanade competition page and Competition terms.
Finally, rehearse the first three actions—select form before production; write to the diy theme; collect consent—and set a stop point before any payment, filing, booking, upload or irreversible instruction. The stop point is reached if a required approval is absent, a source has changed, the named person cannot confirm the facts, or the downside in “choosing orientation after editing” is still possible. This makes the guide usable under pressure and gives the next person enough context to continue without guessing.
Errors that change the outcome
- Choosing orientation after editing
- Using unlicensed music
- Assuming social footage is free
- Missing subtitles
- Uploading a watermarked export
Keep the dated authority pages, calculation inputs, confirmations and advice used for the decision. This article applies public information to a general fact pattern and does not determine an individual application, contract, tax position, medical need or legal dispute. Recheck the primary source immediately before acting.
Questions readers ask
Deadline?
31 July 2026 at 11.59pm Singapore time.
Long form?
Five to 10 minutes in landscape.
Short form?
Ninety seconds to three minutes in vertical.
