What Counts as a Made by Kids Film
The line is about creative authorship, not just who is holding the camera.
Made by Kids celebrates films and media created by children and young people. Films in this program are created entirely or primarily by young filmmakers under 18, and are made for other children and youth.
The categories reflect different kinds of work: animation, documentary, experimental or creative film, short films by children under 12, and short films by teens aged 13 to 17.
The question is who made the creative decisions. A film starring a talented young actor but directed and edited entirely by adults is not a Made by Kids film, even though a child is at its centre. Adult support, such as a parent helping with equipment or a teacher helping with editing software, is welcome as long as the core creative authorship stays with the young filmmaker.
When judging Made by Kids, creativity, originality, imagination and authentic youth voice matter more than technical polish, and achievement relative to available resources is taken into account.
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