{"id":18011,"date":"2026-07-10T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shortshorts.org\/content\/?post_type=news_en&p=18011"},"modified":"2026-07-10T17:28:01","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T08:28:01","slug":"short_drama","status":"publish","type":"news_en","link":"https:\/\/shortshorts.org\/content\/news_en\/biz\/short_drama\/","title":{"rendered":"\u3010Submissions Open Today\u3011Win \u00a510 Million in Production Funding! Short Drama Pitch Contest in Collaboration with Yasushi Akimoto Launches Today\u00a0\u301cA Creator Discovery Initiative\u00a0for the Web3 Era, Presented by SSFF & ASIA \u00d7 Nihonchokuhan \u00d7 LIFE LOG BOX\u301c"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA), an Academy Awards\u00ae-accredited and one of Asia\u2019s largest international short film festivals, has officially launched the call for entries for the “Short Drama Pitch Competition presented by Nihonchokuhan Inc.<\/u><\/strong> ” 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/app.lifelogbox.com\/event\/festival\/nihonchokuhanshortdramapitch\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

  This competition is a global pitch contest seeking innovative short drama proposals from around the world. The Grand Prize winner will receive \u00a510 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Background of the “Short Drama Pitch Contest”  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 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\u2019s rich expertise as an international film festival with “LIFE LOG BOX”\u2014a next-generation creative data management platform for the Web3 era\u2014this alliance is fully committed to empowering creators to thrive internationally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Submission Guidelines<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Item<\/strong><\/td>Details<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
Contest Name<\/strong><\/td>Short Drama Pitch Competition presented by Nihonchokuhan Inc.<\/u><\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Submission Period<\/strong><\/td>Friday, July 10, 2026 \u2013 Sunday, August 9, 2026<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Theme & Genre<\/strong><\/td>Open Theme \/ All Genres Welcome<\/strong>  <\/strong> (All formats are welcome, including live-action, CG, animation, VR, etc.)<\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Eligibility<\/strong><\/td>Open to all creators worldwide (individuals or teams)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Rules & Language<\/strong><\/td>\u25cf Must be an original proposal by the applicant\/team<\/strong> \u25cf Submissions accepted in Japanese or English only<\/strong> \u25cf Generative AI tools are permitted (Applicants must disclose specific AI-generated sections in the submission form)<\/em><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Entry Fee<\/strong><\/td>\u00a55,000 per submission<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Results Announcement<\/strong><\/td>Expected in December 2026<\/strong>  on the official festival website (Subject to change).<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u3010Required Submission Materials\u3011 (You do not need to submit all of the following)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Storyboard or script for a short drama under 10 minutes<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Logline (A one-sentence summary of the project)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Plot summary (Approx. 500 characters\/words)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Visual\/mood boards or concept photos<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Demoreel link of past work \/ Applicant profile (Bio, portfolio)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Suggested soundtrack\/music ideas, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    \u25a0 Premium Benefits for the Selected Project<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Production Support: The chosen project will be fully produced and adapted into a short drama work with \u00a510 million in funding, guided by professional editors.\n
        \n
      • Note: The winner\u2019s 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 \u00a51 million is guaranteed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Official Credit: The winner will receive a prominent “Original Story\/Concept by” credit upon the film’s release.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Profit Sharing<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • : The creator will receive a share of the profits (royalties) based on commercial performance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Web3 Integration: Issuance of a blockchain-powered “Participation Certificate” (VC: Verifiable Credentials).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        \u25a0 Timeline & How to Apply<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • July 10 (Fri) 14:00 JST: Submissions Open<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • August 9 (Sun) 24:00 JST: Submission Deadline<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • December 2026 (Tentative): Results will be announced on the official festival website.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • .<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          How to Apply: <\/strong>Please apply via the dedicated submission form on the LIFE LOG BOX platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \u25a0Yasushi Akimoto Comment Video: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n