X Prize CompetitionsPresented by River Tech

01 Inaugural short film challenge

A Future
Worth Building

Imagine a brighter future for everyone. Make a short film that shows one change that makes life better for your community or the world.

Choose your category
Cash prize per category
$100
Film length
60–90 sec
Entry deadline

Imagine your younger sibling asks, “What will the world be like when I grow up?” Answer with a short film. Show them how life could get better for the people around them. Give them something to get excited about, something to look forward to, and a reason to dream big.

01 The categories

One challenge.
Two ways to enter.

Open to River Tech students and the homeschool community. Pick the way you want to tell your story. Each category has its own winner.

Category 01

AI-Generated Film

Generate the visuals for every shot with AI. Show us a place you couldn’t easily film with a camera, like the first day of school on Mars. You direct each shot and edit the clips into a story.

$100Best AI-Generated Film

Category 02

Traditionally Filmed

Shoot your story with a phone or camera. Try actors, props, miniatures, or stop-motion. Use filmed or handmade visuals and recorded or licensed audio in the finished movie.

$100Best Traditionally Filmed Short
Tools you can use

Generate shots. Try Runway or Grok Imagine for the AI category. An adult can also help generate shots you design using Gemini’s video tool.

Plan your story. ChatGPT and Gemini can help brainstorm or plan shots in either category. An adult can demonstrate Claude for story development.

Use tools and features available for your age and account, with parent permission where required.

Three quick filmmaking tips

  • Check the lip sync. When a character speaks, make sure their mouth moves with the words.
  • Set the scene. Show us where we are early, and keep the lighting consistent between shots in the same scene.
  • Make movement believable. Watch for sliding feet, floating props, or objects that seem to have no weight.

02 Entry details

Get your film ready.

Entries due
Go to the entry form

  1. Make your film

    Make an original film that runs at least 60 seconds and no more than 90 seconds, including titles and credits.

    Keep it G or PG. Could your younger sibling watch it? Leave out swearing, graphic violence, and other mature material.

  2. Tell us how you made it

    Name your category and include one five-sentence paragraph explaining why you chose this future and how you made your film. If you used AI tools, describe what they helped you do.

  3. Check what you used

    Use music, images, and footage you made or have permission to use.

Submit your film

A parent or legal guardian must fill out and submit this form for entrants under 18.

How are you submitting your film?
Your five-sentence paragraph

Tell us why you chose this future and how you made your film. Include what any AI tools helped you do.

Permission to share the film

With your permission, any entry, including films that don’t win, may be featured on River Tech’s website or official social media.

I give River Tech School permission to publish this film or excerpts from it on its website and official social media to showcase the competition, whether or not the film wins. The creators keep their rights in the film.

I confirm that I have permission to share the music, footage, and other material used in the film. I also have permission from anyone whose face or voice is identifiable, or from their parent or legal guardian if they are under 18.

03 The panel

Meet the judges.

The first X Prize competition

Now’s the time to jump in.

Future challenges will call for longer, more ambitious films and offer bigger prizes. For this first one, you have about a month to bring one good idea to life.