A new and creative way to engage your students.
Looking for a fresh way to spark creativity? Mosaic Mobile, Mosaic Education's annual mobile short film competition, invites high school students to shoot, edit, and submit original films—all from their mobile devices. Teachers and students alike will find a meaningful, hands-on creative challenge here, with student filmmakers competing for more than $2,000 in cash prizes.
Film Criteria
Films tell a story in only 2-3 minutes. Shot and edited entirely on a mobile device. Must incorporate the annual theme, prop, and saying. The criteria are intentionally left open-ended to encourage student’s interpretation and creativity.
Prizes
More than $2,000 in cash prizes is awarded to students each year, the largest prize awarded to student filmmakers. Mosaic Mobile is open to any Michigan high school student.
Film Screening
Mosaic Mobile winning films are screened at a special event hosted by Mosaic Film Experience on May 6, where student filmmakers are celebrated by hundreds of their peers and professionals.
Mosaic Mobile encourages students to tell their unique stories in innovative ways, celebrating creative thinking and discovery while exploring the diverse world in which we live.
2026 Requirements
Theme
Creating Change
This year's theme invites students to explore the power of art as a tool for connection, expression, and community—telling stories about the change they see, feel, and want to create in the world around them.
Prop
String or Yarn
Include string or yarn somewhere in your film. It can appear as a physical prop, in a photo, or within video.
Use it in any creative way that helps tell your story.
Saying
"Through art, we see each other"
Use this phrase in your short film. It can be spoken, written, or displayed however you choose.
Competition Dates
Submissions Open: Monday March 30
Submissions Close (Extended Deadline): Sunday April 26 at 11:59 p.m. EST
Judging: April 21-28
Top Ten Announced: April 29
Rick Wilson Judging (Public Voting) Begins: April 29
Winners Announced: May 6
Resources
Enrich your students' learning experience with these media literacy and filmmaking resources. We will continually update our content to keep you informed of the latest trends and best practices in the ever-evolving landscape of digital media and film education.
Questions? Email Elizabeth Merriman.
Media and Digital Literacy and Filmmaking Resources
Why Mobile?
Mobile devices have transformed the way we tell stories and who gets to tell them. In a world where a single video can reach millions, the most powerful storytelling tool is already in your students' hands. Mosaic Mobile channels that creative energy into something deeper: films with intention, craft, and something real to say.
Mobile devices level the digital storytelling playing field but the device is just the beginning. What moves people is the story behind the screen. Whether a student has never shot a video or has been creating content for years, Mosaic Mobile challenges them to go beyond the scroll and craft something that truly connects.
Because every student has a story worth telling.
Check out our 2024 winners
1st Place ($1,000) & The Rick Wilson Award Winner:
"The K?Y | Official Trailer HD"
by Jeremiah Davison, Potter's House High School
2nd Place ($500):
"That's Just Me"
by Jack Hendrix & Emmett Williams, City Middle/High School
3rd Place ($250):
"The Uses of a Paperclip"
by Annabelle Sutherby, Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy