Challenge participants from past years have created incredible films. Watch the winning films to inspire your creativity for the next challenge. Learn more about the genres and themes, as well as the required props and locations from previous challenges.
These requirements, which change each year, include choosing at least two of the year’s required props and featuring a minimum of one of the listed settings.
Genre: Superhero
Theme/Motif: Unsung hero or Anti-Hero
Required props: a blue shirt, a hat, a photograph, a cell phone, a calendar or a clock.
Setting: an apartment/house, a recreational area, such as a park, a backyard, a garage, a storage unit or warehouse.
Best Film presented by Warner Bros. Discovery to Sommer Carbuccia for “Mac & Cheese”
Best Director presented by NBCUniversal to Amanda Pinto for “Mac & Cheese”
Best Actor Award presented by IMDbPro to Natalie Trevonne for “Seven”
Best Editor Award presented by Adobe to Jake Nathanson for “Mac & Cheese”
Best Writer presented by Netflix to Christine Bélanger, Liz Whitmere for “Superhero Inc.”
Best Awareness Award presented by Prime Video to Jennifer Montzingo for “ILY”
Genre: Mockumentary or documentary style short film.
Theme/Motif: A tribute. This theme celebrates and pays tribute to a subject.
Required props: a hat, a photograph, a calendar or a clock, a cell phone. (Each film must feature one of these props.)
Best Film presented by WarnerMedia to Emily Pascal for “Dwarfo-psychosis”
Best Director presented by WarnerMedia to Maria DiDomenico for “Dwarfo-psychosis”
Best Actor Award presented by IMDbPro to Natalie Trevonne for “Nay Nay Too Bomb”
Best Editor Award presented by Adobe to Dani Bowman for “The Home Office (The Making of Cartoon HQ)”
Best Awareness Award presented by ViacomCBS to Anna Pakman for “Social Fitness”
Genre: Documentary Short
Theme/Motif: Tell your story. What does disability mean to you?
Required props: a blue shirt, a photograph, hand sanitizer or hand wipes, something that tells time or the date (a clock, newspaper, calendar, etc.)
WarnerMedia Best Awareness Campaign Award to Rachel Handler for “How Much Am I Worth?”
WarnerMedia Best Editor Award to Scott Klumb for “Autism Ability”
Adobe Best Film Award to Jennifer Msumba for “The Fish Don’t Care When It Rains”
Genre: Science Fiction
Theme/Motif:
- Exploring the unknown
- Changing history
- Learning from an unsuspecting teacher
Setting: an apartment/house, a recreational area, such as a park, a backyard, a garage, a laboratory
Required props: a phone, a book bag or satchel, a spoon, the number ‘100’ as a prop or in spoken dialogue
BEST FILM
“Parents Inc.”, by Amy Hopper
BEST ACTOR
Nicole Evans, “Human Helper”
BEST DIRECTOR
Carl Hansen, “I/O”
BEST AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
“The Vanished”, by Rachel Handler
Genre: Buddy Comedy
Theme/Motif:
- Rivalry
- An unlikely couple
- Dynamic Duo
Setting: an apartment/house, a recreational area, such as a park, a backyard, a garage, a warehouse, a storage room
Required props: a hat, coffee cup, watch or clock, glasses, a journal, keys, or a ring
BEST FILM
Carl Hansen – “Check Mate”
BEST ACTOR
J.B. Abajian – “Visibility”
BEST FILMMAKER
Day Daniells – “Hit On”
BEST AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
David Tenenbaum – “Footloose”
Genre: Family Comedy
Theme/Motif:
- The new normal
- Wrongful accusation
Setting: living room, family room, kitchen, garage, car, backyard or park
Required props: a hat, a family heirloom, a photograph, an apple, a calculator, glasses, or a towel
BEST FILM
Cory Reeder – “Best Friend”
BEST ACTOR
Jamie Brewer – “Whitney’s Wedding”
BEST FILMMAKER
Jonathan Johnson – “Siblings Liebencrantz”
BEST AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
Cory Reeder –“Best Friend”
Genre: Mystery
Theme/Motif:
- Righting a wrong
- Cracking the code
Setting: a living room, driveway, parking lot, the woods, or a park
Required props: coffee cup, bowl, clipboard, floss, hand sanitizer, umbrella
BEST FILMMAKER
Rosser Goodman – “{In}visible”
BEST AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
Antonio Quistian Jr. – “Minority Effect”
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Theme/Motif:
- Being reunited / a reunion of some kind
- A first encounter
Setting: a living room, driveway, parking lot, the woods, or a park
Required props: bow tie, comb/hairbrush, lollipop, loose change, balloon
BEST FILM
Jenna Kanell – “Bumblebees”
BEST ACTOR
Steve Way – “Spanish Love 101”
BEST FILMMAKER
Dickie Hearts – “Passengers”
BEST AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
Stephen Saux – “I Understand You”
Genre: Dramedy
Theme/Motif:
- Underdog
- An unlikely couple
Setting: an apartment/house or a recreational area
Required props: flowers, popcorn, hat, hand wipes, mirror
BEST FILM
John Lawson – “Hands Down”
BEST ACTOR
Rachel Handler – “Disabilidates”
BEST FILMMAKER
Justin Possenti – “Wheelz”