Use this matrix after obtaining the current rules for the specific award and category. It helps the entry owner decide what existing footage can contribute, what needs other evidence and whether an additional edit is worth discussing. It does not predict judging outcomes.
Read the actual category requirements
Record the award, category, year and version of the conditions. Confirm eligibility, permitted media, length or file limits, submission method and any restrictions on links or supplementary material. Use the organiser's current official documents and authorised clarification process.
Do not assume that a previous entry or another category's rules still apply. If the conditions are ambiguous, mark the question for clarification before commissioning a version that may not be accepted.
Identify the entry owner who is responsible for compliance. The production team can respond to an accurate brief but should not be expected to infer a competition's requirements from its name.
Translate criteria into evidence questions
For each criterion, write what the entry needs to establish. Distinguish an explanation of an approach from evidence of a result. A participant may explain a decision clearly while a claimed outcome requires records beyond the film.
Then inspect the existing approved material. Record the sequence and what it genuinely supports. Avoid using an impressive shot as a substitute for evidence simply because it is visually related to the criterion.
Where a criterion cannot be addressed with available footage, identify the appropriate written record, data or authorised statement. The right answer may be to keep that part of the entry outside the film.
Map the material without forcing a narrative
Use the film where it adds understanding: spatial context, first-hand explanation or a visible project detail. Do not repeat the same general claim under several criteria unless the evidence truly serves each one.
Check whether the story needs a new order or an additional explanation for assessors unfamiliar with the project. Any new edit should preserve the original context, contribution boundaries and necessary qualifications.
Confirm rights and approvals for the awards use, including any organiser terms concerning screening or promotion. This article does not determine what rights the organiser requires; the actual conditions and relevant permissions govern.
Copy this awards evidence matrix
| Criterion and official reference | Question to establish | Existing film/sequence | What it supports | Other evidence needed | Permission or format issue | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Above the table, record category eligibility status, submission deadline, accepted media requirements and official clarification contact. Below it, list proposed edit changes, unverified claims and the person authorising the final entry.
A blank evidence field is useful information. It tells the entry team where more work is needed instead of disguising a gap with confident narration.
A fictional example: a design account without outcome records
A fictional team enters a category that asks about both its approach and a demonstrated result. Its project film explains why a particular decision was made, but does not contain the records needed to support the result.
The entry owner uses the relevant sequence for the approach and obtains the appropriate evidence separately. It does not rewrite the participant's words to sound like a measurement. This invented example describes an evidence distinction, not the rules of a real award or a successful entry.
Review the entry as a combined submission
Check the film, written answers, image captions and supporting material together. Project names, quantities, dates and contribution descriptions should agree. If the film was made earlier, verify whether its statements remain accurate for the entry's reporting period.
Test the submission route according to the organiser's requirements. A link opening for an administrator does not establish that assessors can access it. Keep confirmation of the submitted version and any approved changes.
Bring the official requirements and completed matrix to a production discussion. Ask what can be achieved from existing material and what would require additional scope. A film can strengthen an explanation, but it should not be asked to manufacture evidence or guarantee recognition.
Sources and editorial note
- The specific award's current official rules must be supplied and checked before applying this worksheet. No named award, eligibility rule or judging preference is asserted here.
- Live Images services — extra versions and additions require scope discussion. The criterion-to-evidence method and fictional example are original planning guidance.
Prepared with AI assistance for Live Images. This is original general planning guidance; the relevant owners and written production scope determine the arrangements.