【Submissions Open Today】Win ¥10 Million in Production Funding! Short Drama Pitch Contest in Collaboration with Yasushi Akimoto Launches Today 〜A Creator Discovery Initiative for the Web3 Era, Presented by SSFF & ASIA × Nihonchokuhan × LIFE LOG BOX〜
Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA), an Academy Awards®-accredited and one of Asia’s largest international short film festivals, has officially launched the call for entries for the “Short Drama Pitch Competition presented by Nihonchokuhan Inc. ” via the LIFE LOG BOX platform today, Friday, July 10, 2026. This initiative is part of the Web3 entertainment venture “AYET Project” spearheaded by Nihonchokuhan Inc.
This competition is a global pitch contest seeking innovative short drama proposals from around the world. The Grand Prize winner will receive ¥10 million in production funding and the ultimate opportunity to bring their vision to life under the guidance of professional editors. Yasushi Akimoto, General Producer of Nihonchokuhan, will serve as a member of the judging panel. This provides an exceptional opportunity for promising visual creators.
■ Background of the “Short Drama Pitch Contest”
The contest was officially unveiled last month during the “SSFF & ASIA 2026 Award Ceremony” held on June 10. Key figures took the stage to announce the project, including Akitaka Mizutani, Representative Director of Nihonchokuhan; Kumi Sasaki, Ambassador for the AYET Project; and the official SSFF & ASIA ambassadors “SHOW-WA” (Jun Aoyama and Masaki Shiota). Furthermore, General Producer Yasushi Akimoto expressed his enthusiasm
in a video message, stating, “We aim to create an environment where young talent can actively break into filmmaking, and I eagerly look forward to receiving a vast array of submissions.” With Nihonchokuhan fully funding the production, this contest represents a grand initiative to launch original IP onto the global stage. By combining SSFF & ASIA’s rich expertise as an international film festival with “LIFE LOG BOX”—a next-generation creative data management platform for the Web3 era—this alliance is fully committed to empowering creators to thrive internationally.
■ Submission Guidelines
| Item | Details |
| Contest Name | Short Drama Pitch Competition presented by Nihonchokuhan Inc. |
| Submission Period | Friday, July 10, 2026 – Sunday, August 9, 2026 |
| Theme & Genre | Open Theme / All Genres Welcome (All formats are welcome, including live-action, CG, animation, VR, etc.) |
| Eligibility | Open to all creators worldwide (individuals or teams) |
| Rules & Language | ● Must be an original proposal by the applicant/team ● Submissions accepted in Japanese or English only ● Generative AI tools are permitted (Applicants must disclose specific AI-generated sections in the submission form) |
| Entry Fee | ¥5,000 per submission |
| Results Announcement | Expected in December 2026 on the official festival website (Subject to change). |
【Required Submission Materials】 (You do not need to submit all of the following)
- Storyboard or script for a short drama under 10 minutes
- Logline (A one-sentence summary of the project)
- Plot summary (Approx. 500 characters/words)
- Visual/mood boards or concept photos
- Demoreel link of past work / Applicant profile (Bio, portfolio)
- Suggested soundtrack/music ideas, etc.
■ Premium Benefits for the Selected Project
- Production Support: The chosen project will be fully produced and adapted into a short drama work with ¥10 million in funding, guided by professional editors.
- Note: The winner’s exact role in the production process will be decided upon consultation. Should the winner choose not to directly participate in production and instead sell the project rights to Nihonchokuhan Inc., a minimum buyout fee of ¥1 million is guaranteed.
- Official Credit: The winner will receive a prominent “Original Story/Concept by” credit upon the film’s release.
- Profit Sharing
- : The creator will receive a share of the profits (royalties) based on commercial performance.
- Web3 Integration: Issuance of a blockchain-powered “Participation Certificate” (VC: Verifiable Credentials).
■ Timeline & How to Apply
- July 10 (Fri) 14:00 JST: Submissions Open
- August 9 (Sun) 24:00 JST: Submission Deadline
- December 2026 (Tentative): Results will be announced on the official festival website.
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How to Apply: Please apply via the dedicated submission form on the LIFE LOG BOX platform.
■Yasushi Akimoto Comment Video:
■ Message from Tetsuya Bessho, President of SSFF & ASIA
As an Academy Awards®-accredited international short film festival, we have gathered exceptional short films from across the globe here in Japan, showcasing the future landscape of cinema under the pinnacle of our George Lucas Award. We are absolutely thrilled to launch this new Short Drama Pitch Contest in partnership with Nihonchokuhan, which will serve as a vital stepping stone for visual creators building their careers.
Most notably, by utilizing innovative frameworks such as Web3, blockchain, and tokens, and linking them with our digital platform, LIFE LOG BOX, we aim to greatly expand the possibilities available to filmmakers. Under the oversight of Yasushi Akimoto and through the globally expanding AYET project, we look forward to seeing the world converge in Japan through the medium of short film.
【LIFE LOG BOXについて】
LIFE LOG BOX is a Web3-era creative data asset management platform seamlessly linked with SSFF & ASIA, which boasts a vast global network of over 100,000 creators. In an era where smartphones, social media, and streaming services empower anyone to become a content creator and publisher, LIFE LOG BOX provides a secure data storage system that anchors services designed to amplify creator success. It allows filmmakers to publish portfolios, showcase works to global audiences, fans, and businesses, and seamlessly connect to an NFT marketplace to monetize viewing rights, ensuring that profits are fairly funneled back to the creators themselves.
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