This award is designated for student sound designers of participating and associate entry KCACTF productions. The overall purpose of this award is to provide student sound designers with feedback and critiques from working professionals. The KCACTF Sound Design competition is focused on ideas that support a production and its concept, and not on the equipment in the original venue.

Requested Sound Design Materials for Presentation and Limitations

1. Statement of Intent (design concept/approach-one page maximum) should be prominently displayed in presentation.
   
2. Script w/cues and notes from meetings with the director. Display representative production photos showing the world for which the sound was created. An image book, collage, or sources of inspiration may be included. NOTE: All photos should be properly annotated describing the scene from the play along with its accompanying sound cue and/or effect.
   
3. List sound choices with pertinent recording information, artists, recording dates, and background. If sound cues were engineered by the designer, explanation of methods and types of equipment would be helpful for the respondents to understand the student’s design process. NOTE: Process can be best documented by illustrating how cues were built. Samples of layering one effect upon another can easily communicate procedure.
   
4. Paperwork such as sound plot, board hook-up, speaker placement, etc., illustrating how the design was implemented is critical. All drawing and schedules should be prominently displayed (see below.) Sound effects may have been recorded using any medium: CDs, minidiscs, etc. However, playback for display purposes is LIMITED to Discman type (CD), portable minidisk, laptops, or small boom box players (CD or cassette tape) via headphones or with no more than two small external speakers. (These speakers must be driven by the headphone jack.) Presentations must fit in a 24” deep x 4’ wide table space. Additionally, a 4’ x 4’ wall space may be provided for display panels (photographs, collages, concept statement, paperwork, etc.) No racks will be permitted for display. Tables will be provided. NOTE: Failure to comply with the above limitations will be grounds for disqualification. The presenter will need to provide their own equipment which will be kept at the Design Expo Exhibit. (The room will be secure).

Eligibility: KCACTF National or Regional

1. KCACTF National: Only student designers from KCACTF participating and associate productions are eligible to participate in the KCACTF competition for consideration in the national competition. Schools entering productions will inform the regional chair and/or respondent of any student designers prior to the production. If a student sound designer is nominated by a respondent or faculty member, he/she may enter the regional sound design competition. Please provide the respondent with email and contact information for all student designers. NOTE: Student sound designers may enter for the regional festival regardless of whether or not the production is selected for the regional festival. Student designers will be notified of their eligibility to enter for the regional competition according to procedures of the region, at the time of the initial screening by the respondent OR by the regional design chair prior to the regional festival.
   
2. Regional only: Any individual who qualifies as a bona fide student (see below) may enter their sound design as a regional entry if the production has not been registered as a participating or associate entry
   
3. Only bona fide students are eligible for this award. A bona fide student is the one who, during the initial time of screening was either (a) an undergraduate registered as a full-time student as designated by their home institution; (b) a graduate student registered as a full-time student as designated by their home institution; or (c) a continuing part time student enrolled in a regular degree or certificate program.

Set-up and transportation.

1. All design materials must be labeled with: Title of production, act and scene, and the designer’s name. The designer’s address, phone # and email address should be included on cases of CDs or minidiscs. Make sure any equipment is properly labeled (have serial and model numbers for your protection.) It is the designer’s responsibility to provide the necessary insurance for any equipment used in the presentation. KCACTF and its staff will not be responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged equipment.
   
2. The student designer will send or transport the design materials requested to the host of the regional festival prior to the festival. Personal transport of sound design materials is preferred. If a designer chooses to ship work, he/she is responsible for developing a suitable method of shipping to the regional festival. Return postage and packaging must be included for the work to be returned via mail.
   
3. Students must be present for the open critique session. The respondents will have a better feel for your process if you can discuss your ideas with them. You will be able to sign up for respondent times at the designated set-up times.

For more information on your regional design award programs, contact your regional design chair.