Merrell Brand-Supported Storytelling Program

“It Starts Outside” is a creative brief challenge to filmmakers presented by Sundance Collab and Merrell Global Brand Storytelling, which will result in the creation of short videos by five (5) chosen filmmakers based on their winning creative brief highlighting the power of being outside (“Program”).  

By entering a submission into the Program, you accept these terms and conditions (“Official Rules”) and acknowledge that you fulfill all eligibility requirements. The Program is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. No purchase necessary, and void where prohibited by law. 

Sponsors: 

The Program is jointly sponsored and administered by Sundance Institute, PO Box 684429, Park City, UT 84068 USA, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation (“Institute”) and  

Wolverine World Wide Inc., 9431 Courtland Drive NE, Rockford, MI 49351 USA (“Merrell”) (together, “Sponsors”)

Eligibility:

The Program is open to international and U.S. participants. Submissions to the Program must be in English; final films may be in any language but must include English-language subtitles. 

Applicants must be 18 years of age or older at time of submission. There is no fee or purchase required to participate in the Program, you only need a free Sundance Collab account.

Limit of one (1) entry per person for the duration of the Submission Period. Multiple or repeat submissions will not be considered and will be disqualified. Due to the volume of submissions, we cannot accept any requests for revisions of submissions after submitted.

Employees, officers, directors, representatives, and agents of Sponsors, and their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, marketing or promotion agencies, participating judges, and all and any of their immediate family (spouse, parent, child, sibling, and their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) and household members (whether or not related), are not eligible to enter a Submission or be chosen for the Program. 

Sponsors reserve the right in their sole discretion to reject any Submission that does not comply with these Official Rules.

Submission Period:

Submissions will be accepted online starting on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 at 4:00 PM PDT and ending at 11:59 PM PDT on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 (the “Submission Period”). 

To Enter a Submission: 

During the Submission Period, visit Merrell Brand Supported Storytelling Program to complete a required application and submit a written creative concept, with optional pitch deck, and proposed schedule and budget for a 60-90 second, vertical film that complies with the requirements below (“Submission”). 

• Theme: We are looking for an emotionally resonant story rooted in the "simple power of being outside" where the outside acts as a catalyst for change. The Submission should reflect the “It Starts Outside” themes of transformation, connection, and human truth. 
  
  
• Language: Submissions must be in English and general English proficiency is required to participate in the Program. Resulting filmed content can be in any language, but must be accompanied by English subtitles. 
  
  
• Application Questions/Length of Submission:
  • Email Address
  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • Phone Number
  • Current City of Residence
  • Bio (up to 200 words)
  • Work Sample as Director
  • Password (if applicable)
  • How would you approach this brief? (up to 500 words)
  • Link to pitch deck (optional) (no more than 10 pages)
    • Password to pitch deck (if applicable)
  • How would you schedule and budget to produce and deliver your concept between October and December with $20,000 USD? (up to 500 words)
  • What are your goals for the coming year? (up to 100 words)
  • Why will this Intensive help you reach those goals? (up to 100 words)

Submission Restrictions:

• Submissions must be your original work, and must not violate any applicable law or any third party’s intellectual property, privacy, or publicity rights. 
• Submissions cannot be modified, amended or supplemented prior to judging. Sponsors reserve the right to follow-up for additional information during the Submission Period. 
• No AI-generated content is permitted in the Submission or any consumer-facing materials. 
• Only individuals may enter a Submission; no joint, group, team or collaborative Submissions will be accepted.
• No competitor products should be depicted in Submissions.

Rights and Waivers to Sponsors: 

By entering a Submission to the Program, you grant to Sponsors a perpetual, irrevocable, and non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, display, publish, distribute, and otherwise exploit your Submission and any additional materials provided to Sponsors in connection with the Program by you or generated in connection with the Program or related activities. You further warrant and represent that you are the sole creator and owner of all rights, title, and interest in your Submission, that you have the full rights to grant the license and rights to the Licensees as set forth herein, and that none of the elements in your Submission will violate the rights of any third party (including copyright). You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Sponsors and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claim arising from your Submission.  

Submissions are the property of the Sponsors and will not be acknowledged or returned. Sponsors are not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, or otherwise misdirected submissions. Sponsors are also not responsible for technical difficulties or service issues which might affect the ability of a website visitor to enter a Submission. 

You acknowledge and agree that Sponsors may receive many Submissions in connection with this Program and/or other programs staged and/or instituted by Sponsors, and that some of those applications may be similar or identical in theme, idea, format or other respects to your Submission. You further recognize that others may be exposed to your Submission (“Third Parties”), that those Third Parties may also engage in creating, developing, and producing scripts, screenplays, and stories, and that such materials may parallel, resemble, or appear similar or identical to any information submitted by you, and that the Third Parties may have an independent legal right to use those ideas and elements. 

By entering a Submission, you agree to hold Sponsors harmless and not responsible or liable for any similar or identical works that have been or will be created by Third Parties, and releases Sponsors from any claims relating to infringement of your intellectual property by any Third Parties. You further waive any and all claims that any Submission and/or other works accepted, reviewed and/or used by the Sponsors (or its respective designees) constitute infringement by Sponsors on your rights because such Submission is similar, or that any compensation is due to you in connection with such Submission or other works accepted, reviewed, and/or used by Sponsors. You agree to hold Sponsors harmless from any third-party claims alleging that the Submission infringes on any third-party rights (including intellectual property and rights of publicity or privacy) or constitutes defamation.

Judging and Prizes:

All Submissions will be judged by a panel selected by Sponsors (“Judges”) on a scale of one (1) to ten (10) on the following criteria:

• Creative Vision & Brief Interpretation (30%)
• Craft & Storytelling Ability (30%)
• Artistic Integrity & Perspective (20%)
• Intentionality & Growth (15%)
• Feasibility & Professionalism (5%)

The Submissions receiving the highest scores will be selected as winners. All judging decisions are final and not subject to appeal. In the event of a tie, an additional judge will review the tied entries per the above criteria. 

Upon conclusion of the Submission Period, five (5) Submissions will be selected by the Judges (“Winner(s)”) to participate in an online program in September/October 2026 designed to learn about collaborating with a brand, and each Winner will receive Twenty Thousand Dollars USD ($20,000) from Merrell to make and deliver their creative concept. Winners will also be invited to join the Merrell team at the Sundance Film Festival in 2027 in Boulder, Colorado, with paid hotel accommodations for each Winner (all food, travel and other expenses will be responsibility of Winners). Sponsors are not responsible for any tax consequences of the prize and Winners will be issued an IRS Form 1099, as required by law. The approximate retail value of proceeds to each Winner is $20,000.00 Twenty-thousand Dollars. The receipt of the above is subject to Winners entering into agreements with the Sponsors in forms acceptable to each regarding Winners participation in the Program. 

Winners will be contacted at the email address provided in the Submission and must furnish valid proof of age and respond to the email correspondence within five (5) calendar days of the initial email with the appropriate requested information. Failure to timely respond or comply within the stated period will result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. 

Privacy:

Any personal information collected in connection with the Program will be used by Sponsors in accordance with their respective privacy policy, at Merrell Privacy Policy and Sundance Institute Privacy Policy. 

By participating in the Program, you hereby agree to Sponsors’ collection and usage of your personal information and acknowledge that you have read and accepted Sponsors’ privacy policies. If you access from the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Asia, or any other region of the world with laws or other requirements governing personal data collection, use, or disclosure that differ from applicable laws in the United States, then through your continued use of the website, you are transferring your data to the United States, and you expressly consent to have your data transferred to and processed in the United States. The Program is governed by the laws of the United States. 

General Conditions:   

By entering a Submission, you:

(a) agree to totally and completely release and hold harmless Sponsors and other released entities from any and all liability for any loss, harm, damages, costs or expenses, including without limitation property damages, personal injury and/or death arising out of participating in the Program, or the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of any prize, and claims based on publicity rights, defamation or invasion of privacy and merchandise delivery, regardless of whether any claim(s) for loss or damage under this paragraph, or knowledge of the facts constituting such claim(s), exist at the time of submission to the Program or arise at any time thereafter;

(b) acknowledge and agree that Sponsors and the other released entities have neither made nor are responsible or liable for any warranty, representation, or guarantee, express or implied, oral or written, in fact or in law, relative to any prize, including but not limited to its quality, mechanical condition, or fitness for a particular purpose; 

(c) agree to fully comply with these Official Rules;

(d) agree that Sponsors’ decisions related to the Program and the distribution of winnings is final; and

(e) agree that, by participating in the Program, Sponsors and its official partners may use the winner’s name in any medium for promotional purposes without additional compensation, including posting in a winner’s list, except where prohibited by law, and agree that Sponsors may be required to disclose the winner’s name and address to federal or state regulatory authorities.

(f) agree that the Program is governed by the law of the State of Michigan, without regard to conflict of laws principles. Any dispute will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Kent County, Michigan.  

If any provision of these Official Rules is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, it shall be replaced by a substitute provision that most closely approximates the intent of Sponsors and is valid, legal and enforceable. The invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability of any given provision shall not affect the remainder of these Official Rules.