Submission Guidelines for Knights in Focus

Showcase your research or creative work and share in the Knights and Focus Video Competition. Open to all currently enrolled UCF graduate students, this is your chance to share how UCF has shaped your journey. The top three videos will receive scholarships and be featured on the College of Graduate Studies social media platforms.

Eligibility

The competition is open to all currently enrolled master’s and doctoral students at UCF.

Submission Requirements

• Length: Keep your video to 30 seconds or less.
• Introduction: Include your name, academic program, and area of research or creative focus.
• Visuals: Use clear, steady footage (no blurry or pixelated shots).
• Approved Equipment: Use a DSLR, mirrorless camera, or smartphone. Do not use webcams and Zoom recordings.
• Audio: Make sure your voice is clear and easy to understand.
• File Formats: Submit your video as an MP4 or MOV file. Use at least 1080p at 30 frames per second (fps) for resolution (higher quality is encouraged).
• Need gear? Check out cameras, microphones, and other equipment from the UCF John C. Hitt Library.

Content Highlights

• Feature your research or creative work.
• How has UCF influenced your academic or professional journey?

Avoid sharing confidential information or addressing topics that are sensitive, offensive, or potentially controversial.

Preparing to Film

Join our workshops at the Graduate Student Center to help sharpen your message and finalize an idea. Topics will cover:

• Perfecting your pitch
• Delivering your message effectively
• Best practices for video creation

Judging Criteria

Videos will be evaluated based on:

• Clarity – Is your message clear and easy to follow?
• Delivery – Are you confident, authentic, and engaging?
• Relevance – Does the content align with the competition theme?
• Impact – Does your story leave a strong impression?

Tip: Think about what would resonate with future students, fellow researchers, or alumni watching your story online.

All initial submissions will be evaluated by a panel of UCF Staff, Faculty, and Students. The finalists will be shared on the College of Graduate Studies social media platforms, and graduate students will vote for their favorites through Qualtrics.

Awards

The Top 3 winners will be awarded $6,000 in scholarships, divided among them.

$3,000 – Winner
$2,000 – Runner-up
$1,000 – People’s Choice

• The top videos will be shared on the College of Graduate Studies’ official social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and X, giving your work an outlet to shine.
• Join us for a viewing party during UCF Student Research Week, where we’ll celebrate and showcase our best submissions.

Disqualification Rules

• Violation of competition guidelines
• Inappropriate content
• Discussing highly controversial topics or sensitive information
• Violation of copyrighted material or intellectual property
• Submission exceeds time limits
• Failure to submit a completed model release form
• Content submitted after the deadline

Confidentiality and Intellectual Property

The presentation of research in Knights in Focus will be publicly accessible. (i.e., in the public domain.) The presentation of the research will not affect any pre-existing rights following the competition, except as stated below:

• Due to the nature of the competition, we will not ask judges, reviewers, staff or the audience to sign non-disclosure statements. If your research is being/has been conducted under contract with an outside sponsor, students should discuss the related contractual terms of confidentiality and intellectual property with their supervisor before participating in this competition.
• Videos submitted to this competition are open to the public at large, and may be posted to a public website or platform.
• Any data or information discussed or presented in video submissions should be considered ‘public’. If your research includes confidential or culturally sensitive material we advise that you discuss your competition entry with your supervisor(s) before entering Knights in Focus.

Permissions and Releases

When you submit your video, you:

• Confirm that you created all content and did not violate any third-party rights.
• Grant the College of Graduate Studies a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual license to use, publish, and share your video in print, digital, and promotional formats.
• Must sign and submit the attached Model Release Form. We will not consider entries submitted without this signed form. (Contingent upon a signed release)

You will retain full ownership of your work.

Deadline

Send your final video to graduate@ucf.edu by January 30 at 11:59 PM (EST). Late submissions will not be accepted. For more information, contact us at the same address.