MFF 2026 COSTUME DESIGN CONTEST
2026 Mindfield Film Festival Costume Design Rules and Submission
The Mindfield Film Festival has merged with Enchantment FX4 to present this very successful and one-of-a-kind competition. Participants will design a trio of costumes based on characters in a given 2026 FILM SCENARIO. (Scenario is also below). There is no age restriction for designers.
Entrants will submit a virtual MOOD BOARD containing specified elements by the entry deadline. They will then be reviewed by our selection panel and the top three (3) entries will be selected as finalists. Finalists will then build their costumes and the costumes will be modeled and acted out on stage at the Mindfield Film Festival Awards Ceremony Sunday August 30th, 2026.
Cash prize information can be found under the Rules.
APPLICATION SUBMISSION FORM
Rules:
- All entries for the 2026 competition must be designs that fit into the 2026 film scenario EARTH: OFF LIMITS.
- They also must withstand a short action scene during the runway competition.
- All entries must be received by July 10th, 2026
- Notification of finalists will be on or before July 17, 2026.
- Mood Boards must accompany a fully completed entry form and entry fee.
- Fees are:
- Early Bird Special Deadline June 10th, 2026 …. $25.00
- Regular deadline, July 10th, 2026 ……………….$35.00
- Fees are:
- Mood Boards must contain the following elements:
- Sketches of the three costume designs.
- Designs should be captioned with a brief explanation and/or pitch for why each design is appropriate to the mock film’s scenario.
- Mood Boards must also have virtual swatches (photographs) of the materials, any additional materials list, and color palettes.
- Entrants may also want to include elements that further present their vision of the world in the 2026 film scenario.
- A MOOD BOARD SAMPLE will be provided for your reference.
- Designs are head-to-toe for all characters.
- This competition is designed to reflect a real world design scenario for a low budget, independent film.
- Therefore:
- A design budget is part of the competition.
- The total of the three designs must not exceed $300 ($100 per character).
- Cost efficiency will be considered in the judging of the costumes, so the more cost effective for a film, the better.
- NOTE: Mindfield Film Festival does not provide a monetary budget for the finalists.
- Finalists will be provided a Shared Google Drive. You will be expected to use this drive for all receipts of purchases, any other documents relevant to your designs. This drive will be accessible to both Finalists and Mindfield Film Festival.
- All receipts must be in the Shared Google Drive by end of the day Saturday August 29, 2026, in order to be calculated for the contest.
- Models for Your Designs
- Mindfield will cast their own action-actor-models similar to production casting actors for a project.
- We will send you their measurements and digital photos as soon as each designer is selected as a finalist.
- Additional requirements specific to measurements of models and final presentation will be made available to finalists.
- Fittings are pre-scheduled and non-negotiable
- Fittings will be in Albuquerque, NM
- First Fitting: Friday Evening July 31, 2026
- Final Fitting: Saturday Late Morning August 29, 2026
- Costumes should be durable enough for runway modeling, character posing, and a short action sequence, as they would be similarly workable for a set production.
- Designs must be original, built from purchased, recycled, or available materials, and may not use rented, or commercially made costumes.
- We encourage thrifting, but items need to be deconstructed and redesigned.
- As a budget concession, footwear may make use of coverings… be creative!
- All designs must reflect a family-friendly film environment.
- Finalists will be announced by the end of the day July 17th, 2026, and construction should begin.
- Designers will have full costumes ready, and submitted by August 30th, 2026 (day of contest.)
- Any out-of-town submissions must have their designs shipped and delivered NO later than August 28th, 2026, at shippers expense.
- PRIZES:
- Each chosen Final Design is eligible for a cash prize of:
- Best GLIXEN – $100
- Best KOHLTAX – $100
- Best SHAMBOR – $100
- Best Ensemble:
- 3rd Prize- $100
- 2nd Prize- $200
- 1st Prize- $400
- Finalists have a chance to win up to $700
- The winning designs will be featured in the short independent film set to start production in 2027. Non-winning designs may or may not also be used in the short independent film. Designers of any of the designs used in the short independent film will be given film credit for their design/s, but will not receive any further compensation.
- Designers are given free passes to the entire Film Festival, and encouraged to attend the Film Festival the weekend of August 28-30th, 2026.
- Each chosen Final Design is eligible for a cash prize of:
- All Finalist Designs are chosen during the contest on August 30th, 2026
- ALL Costumes will become the property of Mindfield Film Festival.
- Designers have the option to present their designs to the judges from the podium with a slideshow presentation of their mood boards, and answer questions about their artistic choices, processes, etc.
- Designers don’t need to be present. Out of town finalists may present their slide show remotely.
- Runway Show & Awards Ceremony on Sunday August 30th, 2026 is a Free Event! All are welcome to attend, so invite your family and friends!
- We are looking for creativity, both in design and use of materials to fit within a budget.
We look forward to seeing your vision. Any questions or inquiries may be made to: info@divasperfectproductions.com
FILM SCENARIO- EARTH: OFF LIMITS
The following is a synopsis of the film. A copy of the full script is available by request and signing of a Non Disclosure Agreement . It is recommended to review the full script so that a full understanding of the characters and their unique situations are fully understood.
Two young aliens, Glixen and Tamorous, have escaped from a prison planet where their entire race is forced to live. This planet is not their own world. Their people were forced into quarantine here, after an interplanetary war, which was the result of an infectious disease outbreak which their people carried.
The disease has long since been cured, and quarantine is no longer necessary. But the interplanetary laws that allow for capture and relocation of the “Taludoes” people are still in place. For the pursuers of those Taludoes who attempt to leave the prison planet, hunting down escapees is almost more sport than politics. Most feared of the pursuers, are the Osedjadeez. They are skilled hunters and have creatures known as trackers. Trackers are humanoid but behave more like robotic hunting dogs. The Osedjadeez hunters themselves are smart, tenacious, and surprisingly erudite. Most of them are from Royal lineage.
The young pair of escapees are helped by Shambor, whose people object to the ongoing quarantine, and help Taludoes escape to seek freedom in outlying places. They are sort of an “Interplanetary Underground Railroad”.
There are strict rules as to how hunters, escapees, and their helpers must adhere to. These rules are backed by interplanetary laws and are enforced and adjudicated by “Monitors” whose rulings are final and absolute. To the humans of Earth, this all seems to be a sick sport, with the Taludoes, as mere pawns.
The two young escapees find themselves, along with their protector guide, on Earth. They have inadvertently landed in a private academy full of young kids apparently the same age as our two refugees. They are being pursued by a particularly skilled hunter. The two sides converge on the Academy, where students attempt to help the two young refugees hide by blending in. The confusion of having earth people involved causes the Monitors to be called in and make a ruling on the situation. The monitors must act quickly before any societal contamination occurs on Earth. How will they end this?
The three characters we will be concentrating on for initial costume design and our contest are:
GLIXEN – young (high school age) female refugee of the Taludoes race. Originally from the planet Arkomoes, her race was banished to a quarantine prison planet called Keelack. She and her brother have escaped together from Keelack with the help of Shambor. Her outfit is somewhat utilitarian, but not as flashy as Kohltax or Shambor. The outfit is, however, quite alien. Earth kids approaching Glixen and her brother think they are cosplaying. Note – Taludoes have spotted patterns running down their necks and on the temples and forehead. This is not a make up contest so it is not necessary to include these markings on models.
KOHLTAX – A male of the Osedjadeez race. A hunter from the planet Osedjad. He is from the Royal lineage. Kohltax is visibly dangerous, commanding, and a little flamboyant. His outfit is much like a military dress uniform, with upper crust individuality. He must be able to move comfortably for fight choreography, and the costume should be durable.
SHAMBOR – from the planet Wreylon. His people are mostly peaceful, but object to the forced resettlement of the Taludians. They covertly help Taludians escape and relocate to places out of reach from the Osedjadeez. He is a guide and protector. Quite capable of physical defense of himself and his refugee charges. His costume has a paramilitary feel, that denotes readiness, and utility. His outfit must be easy to move in for fight choreography, as well as being durable.
