Submission Categories

Feature Documentary

Feature Documentary: Individual, stand-alone documentary, more than 40 minutes in length; or, two-part documentary. Submissions in this category are eligible for Best Feature, Pare Lorentz, ABC News VideoSource Award, and Creative Recognition Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Original Music Score, Best Production, Best Sound Design, and Best Writing. (see section 4). Features or two-part documentaries in this category may be available by broadcast or online, or may have been produced specifically for a web portal.

Short Documentary

Individual, stand-alone documentary, less than or equal to 40 minutes in length. Submissions in this category are eligible for Best Short and Pare Lorentz. 

Best Music Documentary

A feature-length documentary where music is pivotal to the storytelling and is a central subject, character or theme of the documentary. This category does not recognize the original music score. Projects wishing to be considered for Best Music Score should submit in the Best Feature category and select the Best Original Music Score creative recognition category.

Creative Recognition Awards

Only projects submitted in the Feature category are eligible for Creative Recognition Awards. On-screen credit must be given for a film to be eligible for a Creative Recognition Award in that category (e.g., a film without a credited writer is not eligible for the Best Writing award). There is an additional submission fee charged for each recognition category.

Best Cinematography: The IDA Documentary Award for Best Cinematography is given to the credited cinematographer(s) or director(s) of photography whose work represents artistic or technical excellence or innovation and is a notable contribution to the documentary's artistry and storytelling

Best Editing: The IDA Documentary Award for Best Editing is given to a credited editor or editors to recognize exemplary work that is a notable contribution to the documentary's form, artistry, and storytelling.

Best Original Music Score: The IDA Documentary Award for Best Original Music Score recognizes exceptional use of originally composed music and scoring in a film. The Best Original Music Score Award is given to the person(s) credited with “Original Score by,” “Composed by,” “Original Music by,” or equivalent credit. A film must contain that credit onscreen to be considered. Applicants in this category will be required to submit a music cue sheet which will be presented to the Best Original Music Score Judging Committee.

Best Production: The IDA Documentary Award for Best Production recognizes the team of credited producers, whose work in a particular area of production (e.g., scheduling; fundraising; selection of protagonists;, managing risk and access; archival)  was notable and exemplary. A film must contain that credit onscreen to be considered. Executive Producers do not qualify.

Best Sound Design: The IDA Documentary Award for Best Sound Design is given to the credited sound designer(s) or sound mixer(s) whose work in building the sonic world of the film represents artistic or technical excellence or innovation and is a notable contribution to the documentary's artistry and storytelling.

Best Writing: The IDA Documentary Award for Best Writing recognizes exemplary skill and craft in writing through plotting and guiding the narrative path of the film. This may be through narration or developing an outline for the film carried out in the editing. The Best Writing Award will be awarded to the person(s) credited with “Written by,” “Writer,” or equivalent credit. A film must contain that credit onscreen to be considered.

Additional Awards

We may also consider submissions in primary categories for one or more special category awards. Nominations for these additional sponsored awards are recommended by awards judging committees and may include prize money or cash honorariums. If your project is nominated for consideration in an additional awards category, we will notify you and may request additional information or credits. If you believe your project is eligible, submit your project to the Best Feature, Best Short, or Best Music Documentary category, then check one or more of the additional awards in the special awards section to be considered. There is no additional submission fee for these awards. 

Pare Lorentz Award: Given to a feature or short documentary that reflects the spirit and tradition of Pare Lorentz’s work. A successful candidate for the Pare Lorentz Award will demonstrate one or more of Lorentz's central concerns—the appropriate use of the natural environment, justice for all, and the illumination of pressing social problems—presented as a compelling story through skillful filmmaking. A Pare Lorentz Award exhibits the highest production values and artistry in its directing, writing, music composition, camera work, editing, and research, and exemplifies the spirit and tradition of Pare Lorentz’s work—his passion for people and the land and his quest for a more fruitful coexistence between the two. Entries in the Feature and Short categories are eligible for this award. Please submit your project to the Feature or Short Documentary category and then check "Pare Lorentz Award" in the special awards section. The Pare Lorentz Award is not connected to the Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund.

ABC News VideoSource Award (Sponsored): This award recognizes a feature documentary that uses news footage as an integral component of the storytelling. "News footage" is defined as factual footage, contemporary or historical, shot for use in contexts such as newsreels, news specials, magazines or nightly news. "Integral component" is defined as footage central to the structure, meaning and impact of the work. PRIZE: $5,000 cash honorarium. If there is more than one award recipient, the cash prize will be split equally between them. Please submit your project to the Best Feature category and then check "ABC News VideoSource" in the special awards section.

Documentary Series

These categories are updated for the 2024 IDA Documentary Awards. See details of changes here. Documentary series are eligible for three awards categories: Best Curated Series, Best Episodic Series, Best Limited Series. Other forms of unscripted programs such as talk shows, reality, competition programs, or programs that consist primarily of news reporting are not eligible.

Best Curated Series: 

An ongoing documentary series in which each episode stands on its own, created by different producing teams, and is unified by a high-level theme (e.g., Independent Lens; POV Shorts; 30 for 30; The New York Times Op-Docs). Episodes can be any duration in length. The series may be created without an end date and can return season after season. Series in this category may be available by broadcast or online, or may have been produced specifically for a web portal.

Best Episodic Series: An ongoing or single-season documentary series comprising episodes that are conceived and produced as part of the series, not as stand-alone entities. Each episode can be any duration in length, produced with continuity of production supervision, and unified through a topic, approach, characters or narrative (e.g., The Enfield Poltergeist; How To With John Wilson; Planet Earth; Couples Therapy). Two-part documentaries intended for broadcast may submit to this category instead of the Best Feature Category, if preferred. Series in this category may be available by broadcast or online, or may have been produced specifically for a web portal.

David L. Wolper Student Documentary Award

A short or feature-length documentary produced by a registered, degree-seeking student(s). This award recognizes exceptional achievement in nonfiction film and video production at the university level.

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