Openfilm » Help & Info

Openfilm is the place for "user-generated films" – original, high quality videos and animation with high production values and artistic merit, from shorts and web series to feature-length films.

Openfilm provides a venue for users to watch premium video content in high resolution, as well as for filmmakers to exhibit their works, and to enjoy a full-featured, social networking forum between viewers and creators, reviews and blogs, coverage of industry events, and online databases of film festivals.

We concentrate more on quality of films than quantity. We strive to make sure that every title you find on our site is worth watching. Whether you are in the mood for new series, a great short film or animation, Openfilm is your destination.

This totally free site is currently available in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian. For a more detailed overview of the website, please visit the Quick Tour section.

2. What can I expect from Openfilm?

Viewers' benefits:

Only original user videos and animation with high production values;
Large, High Definition video player displaying resolutions from 640x360 pixels up to full-blown HD at 1280x720;
Prescreening, selection and custom encoding all submissions to preserve the highest possible quality;
Content from film festivals and film schools from around the world;
Advanced search filters in the sections: Videos, Channels, People, Blogs, Reviews and Festivals;
Convenient features of Viewing History, Quicklist and Playlists;
Video recommendations and reviews by Openfilm editors;
Staff blogs;
All standard video sharing features including Favorites and Playlists, star ratings and comments, and many others;
Custom-made optional subtitles in English and Spanish;
Multiple sharing tools.

Filmmakers' benefits:

Custom encoding of all videos;
Accepting site uploads, FTP transfers or mail-in DVDs;
No limits in file size or runtime;
Thumbnail selection & production stills;
Complete cast & crew credits;
Photo gallery for each video and each channel;
Custom designed flash banners, logos and pictures;
User-friendly dashboard menu;
Transcription of subtitles, translations;
Comprehensive database of film festivals;
50/50 revenue sharing;
Limited amount of selected content will enable the best producers' works to stand out.

3. Why should I register on Openfilm?

Having a free account on Openfilm lets you create your own Channel, upload videos and photos, interact with others by commenting and rating videos and channels, subscribe to your favorite creators, send and receive messages from other users, create your video collections - playlists, quick list, favorites, and many other things which help you explore and have fun on Openfilm.

4. Does Openfilm produce its own content?

Yes, we do. At our production facilities, in Greenwich Studios, Miami, FL, we produce a variety of web shows (known as "Openfilm Originals") which are published alongside user content. All of our shows can be viewed by going to the Videos section and selecting Openfilm Originals in the Categories menu. Our filmmaker staff members also publish blogs where they cover news from the world of film and web video as well as share technical knowledge. These blogs are available in the Blogs section.

5. Is Openfilm free?

Yes, having an Openfilm account doesn't cost anything. Create one now.

6. How do I make money on Openfilm?

Every content contributor is eligible to make money on Openfilm. Once your video is accompanied by advertisements Openfilm will split revenue with you 50/50. You can find more detailed info about our revenue sharing program in our Member Agreement.

Return to topSubmitting Content

1. How can I submit content on your site?

In order to post your original video, you must submit it for review. You can do that by logging in, clicking SUBMIT in the main menu or Submit Video in My Videos section of your Dashboard menu. You have three Submit Options: direct upload, FTP transfer or mail-in DVD.

If you want to submit file up to 2GB choose "Upload", select the file and fill in all the required fields in the upload form.

To upload video files larger than 2GB safely you may use a "FTP transfer". Access to your Openfilm FTP space is the same as your account login.

We also accept submissions via "Mail-In DVD". This may be DVD Videos or DVD ROMs with video files on them. To be accepted, you must also fill out form with the video info.

2. What types of videos can I post?

You can submit any original films, documentaries or animation. We also encourage Web Series with multiple episodes as they tend to develop an audience and encourage professional social networking. Feel free to submit any type of applicable work for review.

3. What file formats does Openfilm accept?

We accept all commonly used video formats including.avi, .mpg, .mpeg, .mov, .wmv. If you have a file format which you believe our system does not accept, you can write us at review@openfilm.com or simply mail us your DVD.

4. What is the file size limit?

There is none. You can submit videos of any size or runtime. Files up to 2 GB can be uploaded through the standard upload form. If you wish to submit files larger than 2 GB, you can use an FTP client to access a special FTP server with your Openfilm login there you can place submissions of any size and length. To be accepted, you must also include a filled out form with the video info. You can also mail us a DVD through conventional mail. For more details, please email us at review@openfilm.com.

5. What is the recommended format and encoding to achieve the best quality on your site?

Use the highest-quality version of your video and make sure the file is in a "standard" format with appropriate settings. We use the term "standard" to refer to formats most commonly installed on Mac & PC systems, such as Quicktime Movie, Video for Windows, Windows Media Video. The video must have a minimum resolution of 640x360, but there is no limit to how high it can be. Feel free to submit HD files.

You can read more details about our file formats, aspect ratio, resolution and bitrate on

http://www.openfilm.com/dashboard/upload_help/

6. Is there maximum number of videos I can post?

No. We do not limit your creativity or ability to produce or submit. The more you submit, the higher the earning potential!

Return to topContent Selection and Processing

1. Do you prescreen all submissions?

Openfilm welcomes all submissions, but screens each video for technical quality, production quality, and potential violations of our Terms of Use, before publishing the video to the site.

2. How do you determine that a video is good enough for Openfilm?

1. We check that your submission has appropriately high picture and sound quality.

2. We determine how complete and substantial the submission is. Cool short films, web episodes, reports, art and music videos will usually be approved. A 10-second clip of an exploding statue of a squirrel set to a popular song and shot in poor focus will probably be rejected.

3. How long does it take for my submission to be processed and published?

We strive to screen videos as fast as possible, but due to overwhelming amount of submissions it can be as long as 24 hours before your video is published. If you don't see your video within 24 hours and have not received a response from us, please write us to review@openfilm.com.

4. Will Openfilm alter my video or description information?

No. We believe in freedom of self expression, but if we suspect you made a mistake in your submission, we will notify you with our proposed changes which you can accept or decline.

5. What does "custom conversion" mean?

We provide this feature for videos that have some visual or audio defects. Our team can perform sophisticated corrections to fix quality problems. In some cases, we can also do tasteful censoring of mature content. All of this is ONLY done with the consent of the author.

6. Can I object if my video has been rejected?

Yes. Please send your concerns to review@openfilm.com.

7. How can I make sure my videos don't get removed?

Do not violate our Member Agreement and Copyright Notices.

Return to topSearching

1. How does the search bar work on Openfilm?

When you click on the drop-down menu of the search bar at the top of any page, you can choose to search for videos, channels, people, reviews, blogs or festivals. You may press Enter or click on the magnifying glass icon to start your search.

2. How do I refine my search results?

When results are displayed you have many filtering options on the left to find exactly what you're looking for. You can narrow results by Runtime, Type, Categories, Subtitles or Dialogue as well as sort them by Editor's Picks, Most Popular, Top Rated and Most Recent. You can also switch between any of the filtering options – Videos, Channels, People, Reviews, Blogs or Festivals - without starting a new search.

Return to topVideo Playback

1. What information can I find on a typical video playback page?

The video playback page provides you with user profile details, cast and crew information and detailed video description. You can also find custom production photos, More Videos and More Channels sections and manage selected videos. And the most significant part of the page is our large video player with plenty of cool features, described below.

2. What settings can I change in the video player menu?

You can change video size from player menu. You have three options available: normal, big (default) and full-size (640x360 and 920x518 for SD videos with 16:9 aspect ratio, 640:480 and 690x518 for SD videos with 4:3 aspect ratio and 1280x720 for HD videos). Please, note that changing resolution may be disabled for certain videos which in rare cases do not have a higher resolution version. The player also has "From This Channel", "Related Videos", "Playlist" and "Editor's Picks" menus inside for convenient browsing.

3. How can I share Openfilm videos?

We provide you with an embed code to post our player elsewhere on the Internet. You can also share any video quickly through 12 common social networking platforms or e-mail it to your friend, using the player menu.

4. Where can I find information about a video?

The player menu provides you with a brief description of the current video. You can also find more information about the video in the "About this video" section below the player on the playback page, including Cast & Crew, Statistics and Description.

5. What is the "HQ" button for?

"HQ" activates high resolution mode for videos in HD. Combine that with full-screen display and enjoy superior video quality!

6. Do all videos have subtitles?

We are working on transcribing ALL user videos to make them more accessible. Subtitles in English and Spanish are already available on many videos. Some foreign videos also have subtitles that translate the audio from its native language. You can activate subtitles and choose English or Spanish simply by clicking the "CC" button.

7. What can I do with my favorite videos?

You can rate videos (5 star rating), add them to the Playlist or Favorites and comment on the video's playback page. You can also reply to the comments of other users on your video playback page or channel by clicking "Reply".

Return to topDashboard

1. What options can I get from the Dashboard?

Our dashboard allows you to control your profile, check your Inbox or compose messages, edit or change channel info, upload a user picture and photos, review your subscribers and subscriptions, viewing history, video views and channel average rank statistics, manage your favorites, quicklist and playlists. Using the section My Videos, you can easily check if the video you submitted has been accepted and published or is still awaiting approval. You can also edit video info or a thumbnail, and upload new videos.

2. Why should I specify my account type?

This way you help users to find your videos easier and faster. "Standard" is the default option, but we recommend you choose another type (Animator, Comedian, Director, Musician, Film Festival or Film School), according to the nature of the videos, you plan to submit.

3. How do Favorites and Playlists work?

When you see a video you like and want to recommend it to others, you can add it to a list of Favorites. This list is displayed in your profile for public view. You can also add videos to your Playlist. The Playlist is similar to favorites except that no one but you can see it unless you indicate it as a public playlist.

4. What is Quicklist?

Quicklist is a kind of Playlist you can easily add videos to by clicking on the bottom right corner of any video. This is a great way to mark a bunch of videos you don't have time to watch for viewing at a later time. You can manage your Quicklist in the Dashboard.

5. How do I create and edit my descriptions?

You can easily update your profile and change your channel description, by selecting the "Channel info" section in the Dashboard.

6. How can I manage my e-mail settings?

Click Email Options in My Account section of the Dashboard. Select the email notifications you want to receive.

7. How can I remove my own video?

You can remove your content anytime going to the My Videos section in the Dashboard, and selecting Published Videos. Click "Edit" next to the video and then click "Remove". You can also send a removal request to us by writing to remove@openfilm.com.

8. How can I delete my account?

My Account section of your Dashboard allows you to delete your account. After clicking on Delete Account you will need to confirm your password and specify the reason for deleting your account.

Return to topSocial Networking

1. What is in the Reviews section?

In this section, we take a look at some of the most remarkable contributions to Openfilm and give them constructive reviews. We hope to provide some insight into the filmmaking process and highlight the creativity of our contributors. Read and enjoy!

2. What kind of stuff can I find in Blogs section?

You can get to know some of the individuals that make up the Openfilm Team here through our staff blogs. Whether we're sharing some sought-after production knowledge, covering an industry news item or just plain venting about life, we hope you enjoy our articles and leave comments!

3. What is the Film Festivals section designed for?

We strive to keep you aware of what's going on in the independent film industry and provide you with the most recent events coverage. If you are a creator, you can gain valuable information and schedule your production to participate in festivals. You can also use Modify button to help us keep the info updated or suggest a new entry if you know film festival which is not in the database so far.

4. How can I communicate with content providers?

Communication tools are located below each video on the Video Playback, Channel and Profile page. Every member has a profile. Using the communication tools, you can send them personal messages, subscribe to their videos or post comments. Other users can reply to you privately or post answers next to your comment or question. Or you can also send messages from the Dashboard.

5. What are these cool stick figure characters on your informational pages?

These little guys are small sculptures created by an Australian artist and photographer named Jenny Rollo.

Return to topCopyright and Licensing

1. Do I retain the copyright and other legal rights to my videos?

Yes, we do not ask for exclusive rights. All we need from you is a limited license to display your content. You can find more detailed information in our Member Agreement.

2. Can I post my video if it's already licensed for distribution elsewhere?

Yes, as long as it doesn't violate any agreements with other distributors.

3. How does copyright work?

If we find or are notified that you post videos that contain someone else's copyrighted material we will remove it. Your account/profile is also subject to suspension or deletion in cases of multiple copyright violations.

4. What if I have been falsely accused of copyright infringement?

Please email us at review@openfilm.com.

5. What if I have a question that was not covered here?

Please email us at info@openfilm.com.