Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By creating an account, participating in any competition, or otherwise accessing or using FilmFights.AI, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree to all of these Terms, you may not access or use the Service. By using the Service, you also consent to receive communications from FilmFights.AI electronically, including via email, and agree that such communications satisfy any legal requirement that communications be in writing.

2. Eligibility

Participation: FilmFights.AI competitions are open to individuals worldwide who are at least 18 years of age (or the age of legal majority in their jurisdiction, if higher) at the time of entry, except where prohibited or restricted by law. By registering for an account, you confirm that you meet these eligibility requirements. FilmFights.AI competitions are void in all jurisdictions where prohibited.

Prize Eligibility — U.S. and International Participants: Cash prizes are available to eligible participants in the United States and internationally, except where prohibited or restricted by applicable law. Winners may be required to provide information necessary to verify eligibility and process payment. Payment methods, processing times, and available currencies may vary by location. Winners are responsible for any applicable taxes, fees, or reporting obligations in their jurisdiction.

Employees Excluded: Employees, contractors, officers, and directors of FilmFights.AI and their immediate family members are not eligible to win prizes.

3. Account Registration & Security

To enter competitions, you must register for an account. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information; maintain the security of your password and accept all risks of unauthorized access to your account; and notify us immediately if you discover or suspect any security breaches related to the Service. You must be a human individual to register — accounts registered by bots or automated methods are not permitted. By entering a competition you agree that all information submitted is true, current, and complete. FilmFights.AI reserves the right to request proof of age or identity at any time and to terminate accounts that cannot be verified.

Mailing List: During registration you may optionally join the FilmFights.AI mailing list to receive marketing and promotional emails such as fight announcements, winner reveals, and community news. Joining is not required to use the Service or enter competitions. You may withdraw your consent at any time via the unsubscribe link in any marketing email or the mailing list toggle in your account Settings, and we will honor opt-out requests promptly. Withdrawing from the mailing list does not affect transactional emails (such as account security, entry confirmations, and prize notifications) that are necessary to operate the Service.

4. Competition Rules

FilmFights.AI hosts periodic filmmaking challenges ("Fights"). Each Fight may have specific rules regarding theme, genre, duration, specifications, or technical requirements that will be provided in the Fight rules. No purchase is necessary to submit for a Fight.

Submissions: Participants must submit original short films created specifically for the designated challenge. Films must be created after the official launch date of the relevant Fight. Films created prior to a Fight's launch date are not eligible, even if they otherwise meet the Fight criteria. Any limit on the number of entries a participant may submit will be clearly stated in the Fight rules.

Mandatory AI Generation: All submissions to FilmFights.AI must incorporate AI-generated video content. A majority of the pixels in any given shot must be generated or substantially altered by AI tools. Human-captured live-action footage may be used as an underlying layer provided that the core visuals and composition of the final output are generated or materially transformed by AI. Traditional live-action footage presented without AI transformation does not qualify.

Permitted Hybrid Techniques: Subject replacement tools, rotoscoping combined with AI-generated environments, and AI-modulated or AI-generated audio (including voiceover) are all permitted. Green screen or keyed footage is permitted provided the background and surrounding visual environment are AI-generated.

Publicly Available Tools Only: For fairness to all participants, submissions must be created using AI tools that are publicly available to any registered user at the time of the Fight. Tools in closed beta, private alpha, or otherwise restricted access are not permitted.

Proof of Generation: FilmFights.AI reserves the right to request documentation of the AI tools and methods used to generate any submission, including screenshots, prompt logs, or project files where available. Failure to provide reasonable proof of AI generation upon request may result in disqualification.

Rights Warranty: By submitting, you represent and warrant that you have reviewed and complied with the terms of service of any AI platform used in creating your submission, and that to your knowledge your submission does not infringe any third-party rights. You accept sole liability for any claims arising from your use of AI-generated content.

Modification: We reserve the right to modify, cancel, terminate, extend, or suspend a Fight in whole or in part, at our sole discretion, if it believes a Fight is not capable of being conducted as specified in these Terms or in the event of a virus, computer bug or unauthorized human intervention or any other cause that is beyond our reasonable control that we believe could corrupt or affect the administration, security, impartiality, or normal course of the Fight.

Deadlines: Submissions received after the posted deadline will not be considered for prizes. No exceptions will be made for late submissions regardless of circumstance.

Entry Submissions: Participants will receive a message confirming entry into a Fight. We are not responsible or liable for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft, destruction, alteration of, or unauthorized access to entries, or entries lost or delayed whether or not arising during operation or transmission as a result of server functions (including but not limited to security functions by software used by us or any third party), virus, bugs, or other causes outside our control. Any entries which are incomplete, incorrect, inaudible, incomprehensible, or not received by us by the posted deadline will be void. In the event of any fault, mistake, misunderstanding or dispute concerning the correctness or acceptability of the entry, or the operation of any part of the competition or network, our decision shall be final.

Judging Criteria: Each Fight will have specific, weighted judging criteria published before the submission period opens. Criteria may vary by Fight but will always be made available to participants prior to entry. All judging decisions are final. FilmFights.AI is under no obligation to provide rationale for individual judging outcomes beyond the published criteria. Judging includes subjective artistic considerations, and winners are selected at the sole discretion of the designated judges for each Fight.

Community Voting: FilmFights.AI may incorporate community voting as part of the competition experience. Community voting is a non-binding engagement feature and has no effect on prize outcomes, except that in the event of a judging tie on scored criteria, community vote totals may be used as a tiebreaker at FilmFights.AI's discretion.

5. Cash Prizes

Winning a Fight may entitle a participant to a cash prize, where indicated. The following conditions apply to all prizes:

Discretion: Prize amounts and the selection of winners are at the sole discretion of FilmFights.AI, subject to the published judging criteria for each Fight.

Tax Responsibility: Winners are solely responsible for all applicable federal, state, local, and international taxes associated with the receipt of any prize.

Prize Fulfillment & Tax Documentation: Prizes are distributed through a third-party payment platform. Winners will receive a notification via email with instructions to claim their prize and select their preferred payment method. As part of the claiming process, winners will be required to complete applicable tax documentation (e.g., IRS Form W-9 for U.S. residents) directly through the payment platform. FilmFights.AI will issue or facilitate the issuance of IRS Form 1099-MISC for any prize winnings totaling $600 or more in a calendar year, as required by law. Prize fulfillment typically occurs within 30 to 60 days following the announcement of results and completion of required documentation. FilmFights.AI shall not be liable for delays caused by a winner's failure to complete required documentation, force majeure events, or circumstances beyond FilmFights.AI's reasonable control. FilmFights.AI's maximum liability in connection with any prize shall not exceed the stated prize amount.

Void Where Prohibited: All competitions are void where prohibited or restricted by law. It is the participant's responsibility to ensure that participation is legal in their jurisdiction.

Clawback: FilmFights.AI reserves the right to seek repayment of any prize if, following prize fulfillment, it is determined that: (a) the winning submission violated these Terms or the specific Fight rules; (b) the winner provided false or misleading information in connection with their entry or prize claim; (c) the winning submission is found to infringe any third-party intellectual property rights; or (d) the winner's use of AI tools in creating the submission violated the terms of service of any relevant AI platform. In the event of a clawback, FilmFights.AI will provide written notice to the winner and the winner shall repay the full prize amount within thirty (30) days of such notice. Any participant who enters or attempts to enter a competition in a manner which we believe is contrary to these Terms or is unfair to other entrants may be removed from a Fight (or future Fights) in our sole discretion.

6. Intellectual Property

Ownership: You retain all ownership rights and copyrights to the films you submit to FilmFights.AI. Nothing in these Terms constitutes a work-for-hire arrangement or transfers your copyright to FilmFights.AI.

License Grant: By submitting a film, you grant FilmFights.AI a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable, and transferable license to use, display, reproduce, distribute, and promote your submission in connection with the Service and FilmFights.AI's marketing efforts across all media formats and channels. This license is perpetual and irrevocable with respect to submissions already made, but does not affect your ownership of the underlying copyright.

Exclusivity Window: For a period of thirty (30) days following the official announcement of results for any Fight in which your film placed in the Heavyweight category ("Exclusivity Window"), you agree not to: (a) submit the film to any other competition or festival; (b) license or sell the film or any rights therein to any third party; or (c) make the film available on any commercial streaming, distribution, or licensing platform. Personal sharing of the film on your own social media channels or personal website is expressly permitted and encouraged at all times. Upon expiration of the Exclusivity Window, all restrictions in this paragraph shall terminate automatically. Non-Heavyweight submissions are not subject to any exclusivity restriction.

6A. First Look Right

Spirit: FilmFights.AI believes in creator ownership. This section exists to give us a short, structured opportunity to collaborate with standout creators before they take their work elsewhere — nothing more.

Scope: FilmFights.AI has a first look right with respect to any film that wins first place in the Heavyweight category of any Fight ("Qualifying Submission"). This right does not apply to any other submissions or Fights.

Trigger: If you wish to pursue commercial development of a Qualifying Submission — including series adaptation, licensing, co-production, or sale of underlying IP — you agree to notify FilmFights.AI at admin@filmfights.ai before signing any agreement with a third party.

Window: FilmFights.AI has fourteen (14) days from receipt of your notice to express interest in good-faith collaboration discussions. During this window, you are free to continue conversations with any third party — you simply agree not to execute a binding agreement until the window has closed or FilmFights.AI has declined in writing, whichever comes first.

No Obligation, No Encumbrance: If FilmFights.AI does not respond within 14 days, or declines, this right expires automatically with respect to the Qualifying Submission and you are free to proceed however you choose. There are no ongoing restrictions, no right of approval, and no claim on future terms. This section creates no option agreement and confers no ownership interest of any kind on FilmFights.AI.

Collaboration Terms: Any collaboration entered into pursuant to this Section shall be governed by a separate written agreement negotiated in good faith between the parties.

7. Content Guidelines

You are solely responsible for your submissions. You agree not to submit any content that is defamatory, obscene, pornographic, or offensive; infringes on any third-party intellectual property, privacy, or publicity rights; promotes illegal activities or violence; or contains malicious code, viruses, or any programming routines intended to interfere with the Service or any other system.

FilmFights.AI reserves the right, but not the obligation, to remove any content or disqualify any entrant at its sole discretion, including after a prize has been awarded, in which case the clawback provisions of Section 5 shall apply.

7A. Likeness and Voice Rights

You may not use the visual likeness, voice, or other identifying characteristics of any real, living person in your submission without that person's prior written consent. This prohibition applies to AI-generated depictions that are intended to resemble or could reasonably be mistaken for a specific real person, including but not limited to AI face-swapping, voice cloning, or style mimicry targeting a specific individual.

Submissions that include unlicensed likeness or voice use may be disqualified at FilmFights.AI's sole discretion, including after a prize has been awarded, and the clawback provisions of Section 5 shall apply.

8. Disclaimer of Warranties & Limitation of Liability

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind. FilmFights.AI does not guarantee that the Service will be uninterrupted or error-free. The Service may include beta or early-access features that are provided without warranty and may be modified or discontinued at any time without notice.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, FilmFights.AI shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising out of your use of the platform or participation in competitions, even if FilmFights.AI has been advised of the possibility of such damages. FilmFights.AI's total liability to you for any claim arising under these Terms shall not exceed the greater of (a) the prize amount you received, if any, or (b) one hundred dollars ($100).

9. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless FilmFights.AI, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, or expenses (including attorneys' fees) arising from your submissions, your violation of these Terms, your infringement of any third-party rights, or your use of any AI tool in connection with your submission.

10. Community Conduct

FilmFights.AI is a creative community built on constructive feedback and mutual respect. All participants agree to engage with other community members in good faith. You agree not to harass, threaten, or demean other participants or their work; post feedback that is deliberately malicious rather than constructive; engage in any coordinated effort to manipulate voting, judging, or community perception; make defamatory statements about other participants, judges, or FilmFights.AI staff; or impersonate any other participant, judge, or FilmFights.AI staff member. FilmFights.AI reserves the right to remove participants who violate community standards, with or without prior notice.

11. Governing Law

These Terms and any disputes arising out of them shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Minnesota, USA, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Subject to the arbitration provisions of Section 12A, you agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of the courts located within Hennepin County, Minnesota for the resolution of any disputes not subject to arbitration.

12. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by revising the "Last Updated" date at the top of this document or via email. Your continued use of the Service after such changes constitutes acceptance of the new Terms.

12A. Dispute Resolution and Arbitration

Informal Resolution: Before initiating any formal dispute, you agree to contact FilmFights.AI at admin@filmfights.ai and provide a written description of the dispute, your desired resolution, and your contact information. The parties agree to attempt to resolve the dispute informally for a period of thirty (30) days from receipt of such notice. If the dispute is not resolved within that period, either party may proceed to binding arbitration as described below.

Binding Arbitration: Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms, the Service, or any competition — including questions of arbitrability — shall be resolved by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, except as modified herein. The arbitration shall be conducted in English, and the seat of arbitration shall be Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Class Action Waiver: You agree that any arbitration shall be conducted solely on an individual basis and not as a class, collective, or representative action. You expressly waive any right to bring or participate in a class action lawsuit or class-wide arbitration. If this waiver is found unenforceable with respect to any claim, that claim shall be severed and proceed in court while all remaining claims proceed in arbitration.

Exceptions: Nothing in this Section prevents either party from seeking injunctive or other equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction where necessary to protect intellectual property rights or confidential information pending arbitration.

Costs: AAA filing fees shall be allocated per AAA Consumer Arbitration Rules. FilmFights.AI will not seek attorneys' fees in arbitration unless the arbitrator finds your claim to be frivolous.

13. Copyright and DMCA

FilmFights.AI respects intellectual property rights and expects its users to do the same. If you believe that content appearing on the Service infringes your copyright, please send a written notice to our designated DMCA agent containing the following: (a) a physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or authorized agent; (b) identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed; (c) identification of the material claimed to be infringing, with sufficient detail to allow FilmFights.AI to locate it on the Service; (d) your contact information, including name, address, telephone number, and email address; (e) a statement that you have a good faith belief that the use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and (f) a statement, under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notice is accurate and that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.

Designated DMCA Agent:
FilmFights.AI Legal
Email: admin@filmfights.ai

FilmFights.AI reserves the right to terminate the accounts of users who are found to be repeat infringers in appropriate circumstances.

14. Termination

By FilmFights.AI: FilmFights.AI reserves the right to suspend or terminate your account and access to the Service at any time, with or without notice, for conduct that FilmFights.AI determines in its sole discretion violates these Terms, is harmful to other users or the community, or is otherwise objectionable. If your account is terminated while a Fight is active, your submission may be disqualified and any prize eligibility forfeited.

By You: You may terminate your account at any time by contacting us at admin@filmfights.ai. Termination of your account does not affect FilmFights.AI's license to content you have already submitted, which shall survive termination.

Effect of Termination: Upon termination, your right to access the Service ceases immediately. The following Sections shall survive termination of these Terms: 5 (Cash Prizes, including clawback), 6 (Intellectual Property), 6A (First Look Right), 8 (Limitation of Liability), 9 (Indemnification), 11 (Governing Law), 12A (Arbitration), and 13 (DMCA).

15. General Provisions

Severability: If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, or severed if modification is not possible, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

Time-Barred Claims: Any cause of action with respect to the Services or any Fight must be commenced by you within one year of the date any claim or cause of action arises.

Waiver: FilmFights.AI's failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by an authorized representative of FilmFights.AI to be effective.

Assignment: You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without FilmFights.AI's prior written consent. FilmFights.AI may assign these Terms or any rights hereunder without restriction, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or substantially all of its assets.

Force Majeure: FilmFights.AI shall not be liable for any delay or failure to perform its obligations under these Terms — including prize fulfillment — due to causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, pandemic, war, civil unrest, government action, internet or infrastructure outages, or third-party platform failures.

Export Compliance: You represent that you are not located in a jurisdiction subject to U.S. export controls or economic sanctions, and that you will not use the Service in violation of any applicable export control or sanctions laws or regulations.

Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any Fight-specific rules, constitute the entire agreement between you and FilmFights.AI with respect to the Service and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, and communications on this subject.

16. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us at:

FilmFights.AI Support
Email: admin@filmfights.ai