After the application period closes
How we plan to handle the unknowable number of Submissions we will receive:
ES is committing to reviewing up to 60 applications and their associated Video submissions in each of the 4 Creative Categories, or up to 240 total submissions in this inaugural round. ES is constrained in committing to review more than those numbers in this initial round due to the simple math of how long it takes to review each video, the number of volunteer Screeners with expertise in each Sub Genre that ES has recruited at this time, and the fact ES plans to open another round for additional Submissions hopefully starting around mid-July 2020. If ES receives a much greater number of submissions than 60 in any Category, then to make sure each submission is selected blindly for the first round review, ES has a computer randomizer selection process to randomly select only 60 videos from each such Category for review this round. If more than 60 videos are submitted in a Category, (and/or more than 240 total), but not so many more such that ES Screeners determine they can not review them all, then ES’s Screeners will see if they can handle a small excess above 60 per Category, (or even a small number above the 240 total) in this first round. But ES can not at this time commit to reviewing more than the 60 per Category and 240 total this first round.
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Once the winners are announced for this first round, Applicants who did not win will also be notified whether or not they were reviewed. So it’s possible that not winning does not mean you lost! If an Applicant’s Video was not able to be reviewed in the first round, their Video will automatically be re-submitted for the next round review, unless the Applicant decides to Opt Out of that next round. If an Applicant decides not to Opt Out, they won’t have to do anything in order to be in the pool of submissions in the next round. All the same review processes will be used for the next round. By then, hopefully ES will have a better sense of how many Screeners are likely needed for each Category and Sub Genre so that ES can handle both all the additional Submissions over 60 per Category from the first round as well as new submissions for the second round. If for some reason the number of submissions in the next round again exceeds the capacity of ES to review them, the random selection process will be repeated. And this cycle will be repeated as long as ES can raise funding and keep going for additional subsequent rounds.
Applicants’ Requirements During the Finalists’ Stage: Once the Screeners have evaluated the Videos and identified potential Finalists, ES will contact each potential Finalist after which they will go through a verification process. ES will use the cell phone number the Applicant submits in their Application to contact them. If an Applicant does not reply in a timely manner as determined solely by ES, ES reserves the right to eliminate the Applicant and move on to other potential Finalists or choose a different Finalist to replace them. Assuming Applicant does reply in a timely manner, the answers the Applicant provided in their Application will be verified. Part of that verification process, will include but not be limited to the following: i) the Applicant will have to submit a photo ID confirming identity, age, and residence in the DC Metro Area defined above, and ii) the Applicant will have to pick a mutually acceptable time with ES within the following 72 hours to recreate via Zoom, solely for ES personnel, the 5 minute performance content submitted in their Video and using the same performers. The quality of this particular Zoom performance will not be the primary criteria for final selections but it will be used in evaluating Finalists.
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Announcement of Winners, Honorees, and Release of Others: ES hopes and plans to announce the winners in a broadcast that will show at least clips of the winning Videos if not whole Videos. At a subsequent date ES plans to host broadcasts of the full Videos. Before that, ES may be able to offer winners (and potentially some honorees even if not chosen for the $500 microgrants), the chance to re-shoot their videos to achieve better quality for the full broadcast of videos. As noted above, if any submissions were unable to be reviewed due to time or resource constraints, such unreviewed Applications will automatically have the right to have their Application and Video resubmitted for consideration in the next round or to Opt Out. Any Applicant who was reviewed but not selected as a winner will be released from most of the constraints on the Video and material in it that applied during the ES review period. See the License Agreement that shows under what conditions ES’s continued Non-exclusive could still provide losing Applicants the opportunity to participate in Royalty Pools if used in certain specific way. In general though, Applicants reviewed but not chosen as winners will be released to put the Video or material in the Video they submitted on any Social Media, websites, etc. and they can enter the Video or the material in it into other contests, other agreements, etc. as specifically detailed in the terms of the License Agreement.