Award Structure

SimsFilmFest used to have multiple award designs, but with Season 13 we revamped the award appearance to fall in line with the new site and new image.

Best-Film-1st  TM-Most-Unique-Machinima

Viewer’s Choice Awards:
These are the awards voted on by the Sims Community.

  • Best Promotional Trailer
    1st, 2nd, 3rd
  • Best Promotional Poster
    1st, 2nd, 3rd
  • Best Music Video
    1st, 2nd, 3rd place
  • Best of the Masters
    1st, 2nd, 3rd place
  • Best Film
    1st, 2nd, 3rd place
  • Best Series – New and Established
    1st, 2nd, 3rd place
  • Best MEP
    1st, 2nd, 3rd place (if there are enough entries)
  • Best Male Voice Actor
    Best Female Voice Actor
    There is such a great number of voice actors involved in the Sims Machinima Community, and the machinimas that make it into SimsFilmFest, that we encourage directors to submit their  voice actors, and for voice actors to submit themselves.
  • Best Foreign Film (when there are entries)
    (to be included if there are any films spoken in a language other than English and presented with English Subtitles)
  • Best Adaptation (when there are enough entries)
    This is for best machinima adapted from a book, movie, or manga.
    1st, 2nd, and 3rd place

Technical Merit Awards:
Renamed from “Special Recognition Awards” because these awards are given out for the technical aspects of the submitted machinimas. These awards are chosen by those directors in the Masters category. Generally, we award one person per category for their technical merit, but due to the inconsistent nature of nominations for each category and voting, more or none may be awarded in any given season.

  • Best Title Design
    (introduction and logo graphics design)
  • Best Storyline
    One for Masters, one for Non-Masters
  • Best Choreography in a Music Video (when there are entries)
  • Best New Director
    This winner represents exceptional potential for a really new machinma maker. In order to be nominated this director must have no more than 5 machinima’s previously made, be making machinima for no more than 1 year, and has not entered SIFF more than one time before this season.
  • Best Cinematography
    One for Masters, one for Non-Masters
    Cinematography is the use of interesting camera angles, camera perspective and it represents the art of film theory. For this award we will be looking for those moments where the scenery or the camera work makes us say WOW!
  • Best Post Production
    One for Masters, one for Non-Masters
    Originally this award was only given out to Masters but we decided it was time to expand that and also give it out for Non-Masters.Exceptional Cinematography
  • Best Sound Editing
    One for Masters, one for Non-Masters
    One of the most important parts of a really good machinima is the use of music and sound effects to portray the story and the ambiance for the genre. For this award we are looking for film makers that show a special talent for this skill.
  • Best Dialog
    One for Masters, one for Non-Masters
  • Best Costume Design
    One for Masters, one for Non-Masters (starting with Season 15)
  • Best Set Design
    One for Masters, one for Non-Masters  (starting with Season 15)
  • Best Soundtrack
    One for Masters, one for Non-Masters  (starting with Season 15)
  • Most Original Machinima
    Given for the most original machinima – that one machinima that stands out above the others in creativity showcasing a director who can think outside the box and going where no other machinima has gone before.
  • Lifetime Achievement Award
    SimsFilmFest has finally been around long enough to look back at all the machinimators that have entered and honor them for their commitment and accomplishments over the years. We decided this will be the season the Lifetime Achievement Award is going to be introduced to recognize this people. The Award is given to a machinimator who continues, season after season, to impress by creating technically outstanding and creative machinima.
  • New Masters