GRADflix

Clapperboard on yellow background

Grow your communication skills and share your research.

GRADflix is a research communication opportunity for graduate students where participants create a video, moving slide show, or animation of no longer than 60 seconds (one minute) that describes their research to a non-specialized audience. 

GRADflix is generously supported by graduate students through the Graduate Studies Endowment Fund.

The 2025 GRADflix competition has launched! Fill out the intention to compete form by Monday, November 18 to participate.

Why participate?

  • Learn a new skill: use digital narrative to explain a complex idea and develop your "elevator pitch" while doing so!
  • Expand your network: having a video about your research will make it easier to network online. Add the video to your LinkedIn profile or add a link to your resume. In addition, the GRADflix showcase event will allow you to network with other students, judges, and faculty members. 
  • Broaden your communication skills: this competition will be developing your research communication skills, while teaching you how to communicate to non-specialist audiences. 
  • Gain greater exposure for your research: video is an accessible, easy-to-share format for telling your research story. 
  • Win prizes: you'll have the chance to win a monetary prize.
  • Apply the skills you learn through this competition to your teaching: many professors use technology in the classroom, and video is one way to integrate technology into your teaching.
  • Enter more competitions: depending on your field of study and funding source, your video may meet the criteria for submission to SSHRC's Storytellers competition or NSERC's Science Action! competition.  Consider submitting your video to other competitions, too!
Remote video URL

Competition information

Important dates

Eligibility and rules

To be eligible to participate in GRADflix, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a University of Waterloo graduate student who is registered in a research-based master's (thesis or MRP) or PhD program at the time of the GRADflix competition. 
  • Master's and PhD students who have degree completed, but have not yet convocated, are eligible to participate.
  • You must be willing to allow your video to be made public and provide a photo and short biography if you are selected as a finalist. Your photo and biography will also be made public. 
  • By submitting your video, you are agreeing that your submission is an original work created by you, and that you have all necessary rights in and to the submission. 
  • You must attend the in-person showcase to be eligible to win a prize or have a delegate who can accept the prize on your behalf. If you are a finalist and not able to attend or arrange a delegate, you must be willing to work with Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs to ensure there is someone in attendance, such as a department or faculty representative, who can accept a prize on your behalf.
  • Previous finalists who did not win first prize are eligible to compete again if the video submission is materially different, as determined by Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA), from that of their previous submission. GSPA is happy to provide guidance, so please reach out to us at gradventure@uwaterloo.ca.

Video requirements

  • Videos can take many forms, but must include: movement (slide transitions, zoom, or a subject moving on video) and sound (voice over, sound, and/or music).
  • Your video may be less than 60 seconds but may not be longer than 60 seconds.
  • Your video must focus on research conducted for your thesis, MRP or dissertation in your current graduate program at University of Waterloo.
  • If your video is selected, you may be asked to submit a script for closed captioning purposes. If your video is selected and you advance to the next round of the competition, closed captioning will be required as the winning videos will be uploaded to YouTube. Participants may submit a video in another language other than English. If your video submission uses a language other than English, you will be asked to submit multiple scripts (one providing an English translation and one in the other language used in your video).  
  • When creating your video, keep copyright in mind. As your video will be made available online, you need to make sure that you are using third party content properly. If you want to avoid copyright complications, take a look at the resources provided by the Univeristy of Waterloo's Copyright and Licensing Librarian, Lauren Byl.
  • Abstracts, oral descriptions, slides, pictures and videos can all constitute public disclosure and affect intellectual property rights and patentability. If this may be a concern, consult with your supervisor, the Office of Research or the Intellectual Property website for further information.

  • You also agree that this submission does not infringe upon or violate any laws or any third party rights, including, but not limited to, copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret or other proprietary rights and must not constitute material that would be considered libelling, defamatory, a privacy violation, tortious or a contract breach.

Judging criteria

Communication (50%)

Your ability to communicate your research effectively and efficiently to a general audience through language and visuals. A strong video will demonstrate:

  • Ability to explain complex ideas to a non-specialist audience
  • Well-designed script with clear language and terminology
  • Good pacing and sequencing of information (i.e. easy to follow)
  • Audio and visuals that add information, clarify ideas, or complement the message
  • Clear explanation of contribution(s) to research/scholarship

Note: The GRADflix competition will be judged in English. For videos that include a language other than English, judges will base their assessment on the English transcript or subtitles, provided with the video.

Creativity (30%)

Your ability to present your research in a unique and thoughtful way. A strong video will demonstrate:

  • Creative use of (limited) time
  • Novel and interesting presentation of information
  • Engaging format that captures audience interest

Technical quality (20%)

Your ability to produce a video with quality visual and audio components. A strong video will demonstrate:

  • High quality sound and images
  • Integration of appealing audio/visual elements

Note: By submitting your video, you are agreeing that all sounds, images, information, etc. are cited or credited in the video, as required. See submission details for further information.

Prizes

  • 1st place prize: $750
  • 2nd place prize: $500
  • 3rd place prize: $250 
  • 4th place prize: $250
  • Finalist's choice award: $250

Examples

Wondering what we're looking for in terms of style? You have lots of options! Check out some of the following examples on YouTube of grad student videos. Notice that some are animations, others are video-recorded, and some are made with PowerPoint or sketches. 

Video type Example
Animation
Video recording
Stop motion
Mixed media

Knowledge translation (KT) in health research is significantly important. If we are not able to describe what we are investigating in research world, the change at practice level will not be easy to achieve. KT is the way to connect the research world to the practice world. What's the point of doing all the research if we can't make any changes at the practice level?

Sadaf Faisal, GRADflix winner

GRADflix resources

Submission details

The deadline to submit your video for the 2025 competition is January 12, 2025.

Please ensure you are familiar with the following submission requirements and instructions: 

Send the video (saved as an MP4) to gradventure@uwaterloo.ca using Sendit. By submitting your video, you agree that your submission is an original work created by you and that you have all necessary rights in and to the submission. You also agree that this submission does not infringe upon or violate any laws or any third-party rights, including, but not limited to, copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, or other proprietary rights, and must not constitute material that would be considered libeling, defamatory, a privacy violation, tortious or a contract breach.

In addition to your video, you must fill out and submit the GRADflix participant information form by the competition deadline. The form will request you provide the following information: 

  • your preferred name (as you would like it written on the webpage if you are selected as a finalist)
  • your pronouns
  • the name(s) of your supervisor(s)
  • a short biography of approximately 60-100 words - this may include past degrees, research areas or interests, current program, research labs, interests or hobbies outside of research, etc. and we also encourage you to add some fun facts about yourself (e.g. your pets, favourite food or music, etc.)
  • a good quality portrait or headshot photo
  • contact information to be listed with your video
  • your availability to attend the in-person showcase on February 4, or willingness to arrange (or work with Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs to arrange) a delegate to attend if you are selected as a finalist

If you have any questions about submission requirements, please email gradventure@uwaterloo.ca.

Information session

The 2025 GRADflix information session will take place on Wednesday, October 23 from 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM and will provide an overview of GRADflix and how to participate. At this session, you will also have the chance to hear from Paul Sherk, last year's first-place winner. 

Registration for this event is now open.

Training session

The GRADflix training session will take place on Thursday, November 7 from 1:00 - 2:30 PM and will provide information on how easy it can be to make a great video – even if all you have is a smartphone. The session covers all the tools you need to create a 60-second video, including GRADflix guidelines, copyright guidelines, video best practices, scripting, technology tools, software options, other resources, and communicating for a non-specialist audience. 

Registration for this event is now open.

Drop-in sessions

The Writing and Communication Centre offers ongoing drop-in sessions for graduate students to refine their work. Attending one is a great opportunity to help you create or finish your GRADflix submission. Staff are available to provide feedback and answer any questions you may have about communication best practices. Check out the Writing and Communication Centre's website for more information.

Copyright

When creating your video keep copyright in mind. As your video will be made available online, you need to make sure that you are using third party content properly. If you want to avoid copyright complications, take a look at the resources provided by the University of Waterloo's Copyright and Licensing Librarian, Lauren Byl.

Creating copyright conscious videos:

Equipment loans

To help you create a quality research communication video, GSPA has several pieces of equipment available for short-term loan that can be useful for capturing stable video and clear audio. These devices will make it easier to produce high-quality work using just your phone as a video camera.  

GSPA has the following equipment available upon request:

  • Gimbal (Electronic stabilizer)
    • A Gimbal is a handheld device that reduces the shakiness of handheld footage and is particularly useful if you are planning to walk or move around with your camera while filming to create smooth footage. 
  • Gorillapod with cellphone holder
    • A Gorillapod is a compact tripod that can be used with your cellphone. This is particularly useful if you want to film one set area or person to ensure that the footage stays stable.
  • Lapel microphone
    • A lapel microphone is a small, clip-on microphone to capture audio. Camera or computer microphones can record good audio, but a lapel microphone may be useful if you're recording in areas with more background noise to ensure a quality listening experience. 
  • Miniature shotgun microphone
    • A miniature shotgun mic attaches directly to your cellphone and increases the quality of audio recording. This is particularly useful if you're recording someone who is somewhat further away from your camera and may not be close enough to connect to the lapel mic.

To sign out any of these devices, please contact gradventure@uwaterloo.ca. Be sure to specify in your e-mail what equipment you want to borrow, and what date(s) you need it for. Only one of each device is available, and all equipment is loaned out on a first-come, first-served basis. 

You will be able to borrow the equipment for a period of two weeks, after which you must return it to GSPA so that it can be made available for other participants. Further details about when and where you can pick up and drop off this equipment will be provided by e-mail once you have submitted your request. Instructions for how to use the equipment will also be provided when you borrow it. 

GRADflix showcase

The 2025 GRADflix showcase will be held on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. At this event, you will see the creations of the 2025 GRADflix finalists come to life on the big screen before we announce the winners. Light refreshments will be available. Registration is now open. All are invited to attend.

Previous GRADflix showcases

Interested in previous years' showcases? Check out our playlists of video submissions on YouTube, as well as our GRADflix alumni webpage.