Varsity and Novice Contests
Contests marked “Novice” (N) are open only to students, regardless of grade level, who are in their first semester of a high school video / film / media course in the fall of 2026. The means the NOVICE events are for students who have been in a video class for about three months. Help us keep the playing field level.

Novice students may compete in Varsity contests if they wish.

Contests marked “Varsity” (V) are for students who have completed a high school video / film / media course, or are currently in their second semester of a video/film/media course.

Varsity students may not compete in Novice contests.

Shooting and Editing Locations

All contest entries must be edited in the PSU Ballroom at your school’s designated tables. Entries edited off site will be disqualified.

Teams can not shoot any on-site contest on the campus of their own high school. The 76-hour contests may be shot anywhere unless otherwise specified in the individual contest rules or prompts.

All on-site contests will be able to be completed on the campus of Missouri State University. The 4-State staff does not require or encourage projects to be shot off-site. Students may shoot their projects anywhere they wish (including off-site) under the direction and with the permission of their teacher.

How to Submit Entries

Slate
All video entries must begin with 5 seconds of white text on a black screen featuring the following:

School Code (Not School Name), Title of Entry, and Names of every student on the entry (no more than the maximum number allowed by rules). 

The 5 second slate will not be counted as part of the work and will not count against the time limit of the piece. Un-slated entries may be disqualified. Podcast entries must include a thumbnail of some kind that does not identify your school. Podcast entries may not include video, just audio with the thumbnail. They must begin with a slate stating the same information listed above.  If in doubt, just refer to it as “The 4-State Podcast.” 

File Name Requirements

Name your video file according to the following naming convention:

EventCode_SchoolCode_EntryName.mp4 (or .mov)

For example, if your entry is for Earlybird Madness and your school code is “55” and your project is called “Cool Film” you would name your file:

EBM_55_CoolFilm.mp4

Entry Submission
All entries must be submitted on a flash drive or memory card that can be read by a Mac computer. All flash drives and/or SD cards  will be returned. All entries must be delivered in Quicktime (.mov) or .MP4 (preferred) format (H.264 compression preferred). The file must be labeled with your school code.  NOTE: There is a possibility we will have a new upload system in place that will not require flash drives. We will know in plenty of time to clarify the process if we do move to online uploading instead of flash drives.

Deadlines
The clock in the big editing room is the official clock. 

Pre-Production

Interviews and story subjects are not to be scheduled ahead of on-site contest start times. For example, it is against the rules to schedule an interview or lock in a story a week before the conference. Contests are intended to be impromptu in nature. Stories found to be planned ahead of time will be disqualified.

On-site contests must be created during the event. Any content created beforehand will be disqualified. The only exception to this is non-copyrighted music, sound effects, and graphic templates. Entries that include music or content that the student or school does not have the rights or permission to use may be disqualified.

Content
Entries must meet all the criteria of the entered contest (i.e. themes, formats, category, etc.)

Stock footage and stock photography is not allowed in any contest at 4-State. AI images and videos are not allowed. 

Students are reminded to create content that is appropriate for screening in front of an audience of students and teachers. Gratuitous use of profanity, violence, suicide, and/or sexual content may result in disqualification. No guns. 

Judges will determine content that crosses the line for a general, student and teacher audience.

Teacher Assistance
While ASB allows teachers to advise and teach their students as needed, any teacher seen editing or shooting for their kids may cause that entry to be disqualified.

In other words, during the course of producing a video, teachers can not touch the camera, or the editing software. The only exception to this rule is the Earlybird Madness contest, where teachers can participate in any way they want.

If your students see a teacher shooting or editing, please take a photo and send it to the4state@gmail.com.  You may also reach out to Dave Davis, the event manager.

Copyright Violations
Students must be able to show proof of permission/license if using copyrighted material such as music, sound effects, and graphic templates in their entries. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.

Sweepstakes

The traveling sweepstakes trophies (one for varsity, one for novice) will be won by the schools that accumulate the most “points” in eight selected contests for varsity, four selected contests for novice. Those will be announced in August. First place is worth 3 points. Second place is worth 2 points. Third place is worth 1 point. Tie-breaker events will be announced in September. NOTE: The Earlybird Madness contest is never a sweepstakes event.

Disclosure

All contests at the 4-State Video Competition (including all contest rules and prompts) are being planned and executed without the assistance of, input from, or inside knowledge of any teacher or student attending the conference. A few attending teachers may assist with the logistics of the non-contest parts of the conference, but they will in no way be involved in the planning or judging of contests, or the interpretation of contest rules.

Rules Questions and Clarifications

Teachers may ask rules questions and clarifications inside the official 4-State GroupMe.  

Students are not allowed to ask rules questions. All rules questions must come from teachers.

The Contest Coordinator, Jan Sobbe, will answer rules questions as quickly as possible in the GroupMe. The Contest Coordinator, or her assistant, are the only ones who can clarify rules or answer rule questions.

In the event of unclear or undefined rules, the 4-State event manager’s decision will override any published or assumed rules.

Important Dates

August 17

Registration opens

October 9
Registration Closes at Midnight CDT. Submit your final head count so we can invoice you. If your district is slow to process payment, please submit your final head count in time to meet the Payments Due deadline.

October 30 Payments Due–not postmarked–in our hands in Springfield.

November 2 Submit your student names and contest entries. This is FINAL.

November 4, 9:30 a.m.
76 Hour Prompts will be sent to the teacher’s email you registered with.

Friday, Nov 6 at 4 PM
Doors open at the Plaster Student Union. Time to move in and set up your “home base.”

Friday, Nov 6 at 4 PM
Earlybird Madness prompt drops.

Saturday, Nov. 7, 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.  Check-in and move in continues for Saturday arrivals.

Saturday, Nov 7, 9:30 – 9:45 a.m. Welcome/Announcements/76 hour contest deadline

Sunday, Nov. 8, 6PM – 7 PM
Awards Ceremony, Plaster Theater

What to Bring

Enough production equipment (camera, microphones, lights, batteries, tripods, etc.) to facilitate the contests your students have entered.

Enough computers and editing software to facilitate the contests your students have entered. You will need editing equipment Friday (for Earlybird Madness, if you enter), Saturday, and Sunday.

Enough extension cords to reach computers and charge batteries.

Flash drives to use for your entries (you get them back). Note: Remember, we might have a new, online upload procedure for the event. Details coming this summer.

Decorations for your table!  We encourage schools to have some fun with their home base.

Event Location

4-State 2026 Venue:
Plaster Student Union
Missouri State University
1110 E Madison St, Springfield, MO 65897

Each school is responsible for securing their own lodging for the weekend. See the lodging link for some suggestions.

Food and Restaurants

4-State attendees are responsible for their own food while at the event. There are a number of fast food options inside the Plaster Student Union. Other food options around Walnut and South Streets (i.e. The Mudhouse, Gailey’s, Nonna’s, Black Sheep Burger, etc.) are a 25-minute walk from Plaster.

Transportation/Parking

You will be emailed parking passes. A parking map will be available to download on this site later this fall.

School Codes

When submitting entries, label your flash drives and file names with your school code, not your school name. Teachers will receive school codes on October 11 or 12 via e-mail. Note: Again, we might have a new uploading platform in use. We will advise.