Southern Shorts Awards

How We Score

Every film submitted to Southern Shorts Awards is evaluated by three industry professionals using our 10-criteria scoring system. Each criterion is scored on a 1–10 scale for a maximum of 100 points per judge. Your composite score is the average of all three judges.

The 10 Scoring Criteria

1
Overall Quality
The holistic impression — does this film work as a complete piece?
2
Originality
Fresh concepts, unexpected approaches, a distinctive voice.
3
Screenplay
Story structure, dialogue, pacing, and narrative coherence.
4
Direction
The director's vision and how well it is realized on screen.
5
Acting
Performance quality, believability, and range.
6
Cinematography
Visual composition, framing, lighting, and camera work.
7
Sound Design
Dialogue clarity, ambient sound, and overall audio quality.
8
Editing
Pacing, rhythm, transitions, and narrative flow.
9
Music
Score, soundtrack choices, and how music serves the story.
10
Production Design
Sets, props, costumes, and overall production value.

Award Thresholds

Composite ScoreFilm AwardIndividual ScoreIndividual Award
70–79Award of Merit7.0Award of Merit
80–89Award of Excellence8.0Award of Excellence
90–95Award of Distinction9.0Award of Distinction
96–100The Orson Award9.6+Master of the Craft

Individual Achievement Awards

Individual cast and crew members are scored separately on the same scale. Directors, lead actors, supporting actors, cinematographers, editors, sound designers, composers, and production designers can all receive individual recognition — even if the film's overall score falls below the festival award threshold. Individual awards are included in the entry fee at no extra cost.

All submissions receive full scoresheets.

You receive written feedback from all three judges regardless of your score — this is included in the entry fee and is what makes SSA unique among film festivals.