AI Filmmaking - CapCut AI

For over a century, ADC has been a stage where creative work is seen. Every idea, every inspiration finds room here - respected, recognized, and given a way to reach an audience. Since 1921, each new era of craft has premiered on this platform. The tools change. The desire to put an idea in front of the world does not.

Today, CapCut AI  takes that stage further than ever before. Through a premier partnership with ADC, the AI Filmmaking - CapCut AI category puts Solo Agency into action: giving one creator the power to bring an idea to life without being limited by the size of their budget or crew.

As Presenting Partner of the ADC 106th Annual Awards, CapCut AI puts an entire studio in your hands, from writing and AI generation to editing, VFX, motion, color, sound, and distribution, so creators can take an idea from concept to final cut and onto the big screen, all on their own.

One creator. One complete creative team. That’s Solo Agency.

Please thoroughly read the information and instructions for entering below before submitting your entry.

INFORMATION & INSTRUCTIONS

The Fee

The AI Filmmaking - CapCut AI category is free to enter.

The Entry Opening Date
Tuesday, October 13, 2026 (GMT-5)

The Deadline to Apply for CapCut AI Credits
Saturday, February 20, 2027 (GMT-5)

The Deadline to Enter
Regular Deadline: January 22
Extended Deadline: February 12
Final Deadline: March 5

The Prizes
1 First Place Gold Prize: $6,000
3 Second Place Silver Prizes: $4,000 each
6 Third Place Bronze Prizes: $2,000 each
1 Social Impact Award: $2,000
One additional $2,000 award will be given to the Gold, Silver, or Bronze winning film with the strongest social performance.

The Brief: Imperfection
Core Idea: What if a filmmaking agency could be one person, too? CapCut AI invites creators to become their own agency: writer, director, cinematographer, generator, editor, sound designer and distributor. With CapCut AI Video Studio as your creative engine, make a film with the ambition of the big screen: short in length, blockbuster in spirit.

Problem: The holiday season is the closest the world gets to a shared screening room. For decades, films made for that kind of attention required big crews, big studios, and bigger budgets. AI puts the tools of an entire production within one creator’s reach. Now, the challenge is simple: make something people genuinely want to stop scrolling and watch together.

Opportunity: With CapCut AI, creators can write, generate, edit, sound-design and package an original film. This holiday season is the perfect stage to prove what solo agency actually looks like: one auteur making a holiday movie the whole family will stop to watch together. Through CapCut’s AI ecosystem and potential streaming network, standout films could move beyond the feed to real streaming and big-screen destinations , turning “one person made this” into “one person made this, and you can watch it tonight.”

Ask: Write it, make it, cut it, and package it like it just dropped on a streamer. Bring the craft, storytelling and ambition of a studio holiday film, in whatever form best fits your vision. Build it to travel on social media. Prove two things at once: the craft is real and big-screen-worthy, and the film is impossible to scroll past.

The Deliverables
1. Submit an original film of at least 1 minute. Any genre, tone, or story is welcome. Make something with a distinct voice, a story worth watching, and the ambition of the big screen. 
2. Social Post: Submit a public social media link to your film on Instagram, YouTube, X, or TikTok, using the hashtags #CapCutAI #ADCawards #SoloAgency.
3. CapCut Project: Submit your CapCut Video Studio project link by copying the project URL from your browser, or submit a screen recording of your CapCut Video Studio project.
4. Entry Title: English translations are required for titles that are not in English.  
5. Client Name: The entry system will ask for a client name. Please enter “CapCut AI competition” in this field.
6.. Description & AI Workflow: Submit a 300–500 word description covering your film’s concept, creative approach, AI workflow, and how you used CapCut Video Studio to bring the film to life. English translations are required for descriptions that are not in English.
7. Concept Explanation: Submit a 300–500 word explanation of the creative concept and the story behind your film. English translations are required for explanations that are not in English.  
8. Optional: BTS clips or a short creator story video.

The Rules
1. The AI Filmmaking - CapCut AI Category is open to professional filmmakers, animators, VFX artists, motion designers, creative technologists, studios and other creators. 
2. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
3. Students are not eligible. Students may consider entering the Young Ones - CapCut competition.
4. CapCut Video Studio (web or desktop) must be used as the primary creation platform, with at least 60% of the film created in Video Studio and meaningful use of its AI generation, editing, motion, color, and sound capabilities.
5. Each entrant or company is limited to submitting no more than three (3) entries into the category.

HOW TO ENTER

Step 1: Register on Both Platforms
1. Create a free account on CapCut Video Studio if you don't have one. Click here to access the website.
2. Register as an entrant on the ADC Awards official entry portal. Click here to register and begin your ADC Entry.

Step 2: Start Your Entry
1. Login to the ADC entry system.
2. Navigate to and officially start an entry for the "AI Filmmaking - CapCut AI" category. The system will ask for an entry title and client / brand name. Please write "CapCut AI competition" in the client / brand name field. For the entry title, if you have not decided on an entry title at the time of entry creation, please feel free to enter a placeholder in the entry title field until you are ready to go back and add the official title.

Step 3: Complete Your ADC Entry
1. Complete your AI Filmmaking - CapCut entry through the ADC Awards system.
2. The entry system will lead you through the steps to provide the deliverables listed above.
3. When your entry is complete, click Proceed to Payment. Note that this category is free to enter, and no entry fee is required. Once you have proceeded through the payment page, your entry will have been successfully submitted.

Important Notes:
Using CapCut Video Studio to create your project:
1. Apply for 30,000 free credits here before you start creating. Credits will be added to your account within 2–3 business days after you apply.
2. Please first check on your own whether you have received the credits; if you confirm you have not received them or have questions about the credit issuance, you can send an email to jinwei.711@bytedance.com. When providing feedback, please mark the subject as "CapCut AI × ADC Competition Credit Inquiry" and provide your CapCut account UID and ADC account ID for quick verification.

The Terms and Conditions
1. The ADC 106th Annual Awards Terms and Conditions apply.
2. Entry fee and publication date requirements do not apply for the AI Filmmaking - CapCut category .
3. CapCut is not a legal promoter of the competition and therefore not responsible for its administration and operation.

ENTER NOW

AIF-101: AI Filmmaking - CapCut AI
Regular Deadline Fee: $0.00

As Presenting Partner of the ADC 106th Annual Awards, CapCut AI puts an entire studio in your hands, from writing and AI generation to editing, VFX, motion, color, sound, and distribution, so creators can take an idea from concept to final cut and onto the big screen, all on their own. One creator. One complete creative team. That’s Solo Agency. Entrants are asked to respond to the brief found on the information page. Participation is free and cash prizes will be awarded. Entrants are limited to a maximum of 3 entries. Please thoroughly read the information and instructions for entering before submitting your entry.
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