READY TO TAKE THE GAUNTLET OF GLORY?
Thirty years ago, Betrayal at Krondor took the world of computer role-playing games by storm, winning several industry awards including Best Game of the Year before finding a place in the Computer Gaming World Hall of Fame in 2001. All these years later, BAK continues to inspire new generations of game developers, authors, artists, Twitch streamers, and other creatives. To celebrate the anniversary of its launch on June 23rd, we're tossing down the proverbial gauntlet to find the filmmakers who can best capture the spirit of this beloved and highly influential RPG.
Submissions will open on Film Freeway on March 11th and run through May 12 of 2023. The top films picked by our select panel of expert filmmakers, original game developers, and BAK fanatics will be shown at our anniversary meetup in Eugene, Oregon (Betrayal at Krondor's birthplace) and be featured during our worldwide online celebration event on June 24th.
Are YOU up to our fan film challenge?
Quick Overview
Developed by Dynamix in Eugene, Oregon and published by renowned games publisher Sierra Online, Betrayal at Krondor was an officially licensed role-playing game based on the popular fantasy novels of Bestselling New York Times author, Raymond E. Feist. Even after thirty years, it remains a game highly lauded for its storytelling, and its unique "interactive novel" format.
One of the first RPGs to utilize a fully 3D game engine, BAK also featured a proto-open world design, predating games like Grand Theft Auto. It was also the first major role-playing game to be released on CD-ROM, allowing the developers to release a soundtrack that took full advantage of the new format's superior sonic capabilities.
How Do I Learn More?
If you aren't already familiar with the game, it is very easy to find Let's Play videos of Betrayal at Krondor on YouTube. Several can also be found by searching Twitch.
Krondor's lead writer (and challenge creator) Neal Hallford also has an extensive, in-depth history about the making of the game on his blog that can be found at http://NealHallford.com. He also has a YouTube playlist containing a series of Betrayal Bits covering background trivia and history about the game. These can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Ticktok with the hashtags #BAK30 and #Krondor30. New Betrayal Bits will be published every week until the anniversary meetup on June 23rd.
If you want to play Betrayal at Krondor for yourself, you can buy the game online at GOG.com.
The Game
Your Challenge Team
.jpg)
The Betrayal at Krondor Fan Film Challenge is a production of Swords & Circuitry Studios, owned and operated by Neal Hallford & Jana Hallford. Our panel of judges have a breadth of experience as filmmakers, festival directors, and game industry professionals.
Submission Requirements
1. The primary focus of your short MUST reference the content (i.e. characters, storyline, gameplay) of the game Betrayal at Krondor. This can take the form of re-enactments, dramatizations, or personal editorials regarding that content. Films that are unrelated to the content of Betrayal at Krondor will NOT be considered or screened for this challenge.
2. The genre / narrative format of your film is entirely flexible, so long as you stick to Rule #1. Action, comedy, horror, romance, fan art reel, mockumentary, music video ... all of these could be acceptable takes on what you submit for the challenge. Be creative!
3. The entire runtime of your film MUST be between 3 and 5 minutes in order to be considered for screening. Films that are shorter or longer may be excluded from consideration.
4. You may submit your film in any language, but if the language used in your submission is not in English then English subtitles MUST be provided for the consideration of the judges.
5. Your film CANNOT have been publicly screened, streamed, posted on social media or otherwise shown in any other contest or festival prior to June 24th of 2023.
6. Submissions of your film MUST be completed on Film Freeway (link provided below) NO LATER than midnight on May 12th, 2023.
7. No imagery, footage or music from movies or games (other than Betrayal at Krondor) should be used within your short. If you include music or footage that you did not create yourself, you MUST obtain written permission from its creator prior to submission to our contest in order for your short to be considered and shown.
8. We recommend that you NOT include extensive or explicit profanity, gore, or sexual content in your short. You should also NOT include content that could be construed as defamatory to any race, religion, creed, sexual orientation or gender identification. We want to be able to share these with as wide an audience as possible, so your self-restraint in this regard would be greatly appreciated.
9. Challenge participants are invited to join our in-person screening of our Official Selections at the Betrayal at Krondor 30th Anniversary Meetup on June 23rd, 2023 in Eugene, Oregon, during which the challenge winner will be announced. Any challenge participants who choose to join us for this event will be solely responsible for their own travel, transportation, lodging, and other associated expenses.
10. Submitting your film for this challenge does not guarantee that it will be screened during Betrayal at Krondor's anniversary events. Only a handful of Official Selections, picked by our panel of expert judges, will be shown to our audience. Following the conclusion of our events on June 25th, all challengers will be free to submit their entries to other film festivals, or share them on the social media platforms of their choice. If your film is shot on a mobile phone, we suggest submitting your entry for the 2024 International Mobile Film Festival which is sponsored in part by the Betrayal at Krondor Fan Film Challenge organizers, Swords & Circuitry Studios.
You May Begin Submitting Films On or After March 11, 2023!
Join Us During the
Anniversary Event
All Challengers are welcome to join us for our special meetup event during which all the Official Selections will be screened. Join the the guest list so we can include you in our anticipated headcount, and so YOU can keep up with all the other events tied to this anniversary celebration!
Betrayal at Krondor Fan Film Challenge
Announcement on 3-4-23
(The IntelleXual Podcast with David Dawson)
NOTE: During the interview, Neal accidentally misspeaks the URL that you need to submit your completed film on FilmFreeway . The CORRECT URL is http://FilmFreeway.com/KrondorFFC (no additional .com is added after Krondor FFC).