Outstanding visual craft or cinematography in an AI-driven commercial.

Award Type: Advertising
Eligibility: Work commissioned on behalf of the featured brand. Max 5 mins
Entry fee: £20

Description: 
This award celebrates the overall look and feel of a branded film. Whether it’s stylised animation or live action, we’re looking for strong creative direction. Entries should show bold design choices, such as distinctive worlds, unique styling, or classy cinematography. The AI can either play a leading role, or subtly enhance the backgrounds and effects. If your film pops because of its visuals, this is the place to show it.

Judging Criteria:

• Bold or distinctive visual choices that grab attention.
• Consistency of design across scenes, characters, or worlds.
• Smart use of AI to help enhance the style and execution.
• How the visual style supports the idea or brand message.

Strong narrative in a branded film, from sharp scripts to clever copywriting.

Award Type: Advertising
Eligibility: Work commissioned on behalf of the featured brand. Max 5 mins
Entry fee: £20

Description: 
This award celebrates powerful narrative thinking in a branded film, whether it’s a tight 30-second product ad or a sweeping mini-drama to showcase the brand. We’re looking for entries where the human-crafted story shines through: clear structure, strong pacing, and memorable moments. AI will have played a role in the creative visualisation but the storytelling must feel deliberate, compelling, and right for the client.

Judging Criteria:

• Narrative structure with a clear arc (ie beginning, middle, end).
• Effectiveness of the story in landing the brand message.
• Pacing and emotional rhythm of the film.
• Use of AI to create visual elements that support the story.

Branded video fronted by a creator where onscreen presence drives the idea.

Type: Advertising
Eligibility: Work commissioned on behalf of the featured brand. Max 5 mins.
Entry fee: £20

Description:
Here we recognise branded content by an influencer who sits at the heart of a campaign. Whether it’s a stylised sketch or a punchy POV concept, we’re looking for bold work that delivers a brand message with creative flair. The AI must help shape the final output but this can be subtle. For instance, simple background enhancements or editing glitz. Even if the tech is light-touch you must explain how it adds to the viewer’s experience. Ultimately, it’s the creator's performance or their ideas that will win this category.

Judging criteria:

• Creator’s performance and imagination as a means of impact.
• Authenticity of the creator-brand relationship.
• Originality of the format (e.g. sketch, interview).
• Smart or distinctive use of AI to enhance the concept.

Spectacular moving artwork, whether it's created for social channels or as a large-scale installation.

Type: Advertising / Experimental
Eligibility:  Motion artwork that does not need to have been shown in public. Max 5 mins.
Entry fee: £20

Description:

This category celebrates AI artists who create motion artwork for digital screens of any kind. From short-form social visuals and experimental loops right through to digital-out-of-home (DOOH) installations.

We welcome casual creators who use experimental artwork to express a strong visual style or emotional tone.

Work may be purely artistic or commercial in nature but the emphasis is on aesthetics rather than narrative. Entries should primarily communicate through the artistic composition, movement and use of colour.

Music or sound design may be used to add atmosphere. Dialogue should be kept minimal.

Judging criteria:

• Strength and distinctiveness of the visual style.
• Emotional impact and sense of mood.
• Use of motion, rhythm and pacing.
• Creative use of AI tools within the workflow.
• Overall craft and suitability for the intended screen.
  

Incredible short film or animation where AI plays a meaningful role.

Award Type: Experimental
Eligibility: Original creative short film. Max 15 mins
Entry fee: £20

Description:
Let’s celebrate the pocket rockets: great short films, made with AI as a key part of the creative toolbox. We’re looking for emotional depth and visual ideas that linger, whatever the genre and style. Strong storytelling and memorable characters matter just as much as slick cinematography. Whether you explore surreal worlds or human truths, this is the moment to show creative vision and technical craft. Surprise us.

Judging Criteria:

• Coherent storytelling with a clear creative voice
• Strong character development or narrative drive
• Thoughtful and intentional use of AI in the filmmaking process 
• Directorial confidence in tone, pacing, and execution
  

Teaser or concept episode you created to demo an idea for a TV show or feature film.

Award Type: Experimental
Eligibility: Original creative work. Max 15 mins
Entry fee: £20

Description: 
Here is your chance to pitch a world. From a new Netflix drama to a surreal talkshow, we want to see a fully AI-generated pilot that helps to sell the concept of a bigger format. That might mean a gritty cowboy epic or a docu-series designed for social channels. This doesn't need to be an official project and you don’t need a huge cast but you will need a strong sense of tone, character, and story arc. The goal is simple: make us believe that this show should exist.

Judging Criteria:

• Clearly defined concept and format
• Strong character presence or voice
• Effective use of AI to create tone, world, or pacing 
• Narrative or structural rhythm that feels series ready
  

Speculative advert made for either a real or fictional brand. You decide.

Award Type: Advertising
Eligibility: Original work NOT commissioned on behalf of the featured brand. Max 5 mins
Entry fee: £20 

Description:
This one celebrates self-initiated ads, made without a formal client brief. The brand can be real or fictional but the concept should feel believable and creatively sharp. Whether you’re spoofing a product spot or showing what you’d do if a real brand gave you the reins for a concept film, we’re looking for a clear and original vision with flawless execution. Generative AI can be used for the visuals, the voice work, or both. We’re looking for something that feels like the real deal: smart and unforgettable.

Judging Criteria:

• Concept strength and suitability for the chosen brand
• Imaginative use of AI tools to bring the idea to life
• Clarity and polish of the overall execution
• Effectiveness as a stand-alone piece of advertising
  

A short AI-powered social clip that looks exceptional and spreads fast.

Award Type: Experimental
Eligibility: Original content. Max 120 seconds.
Entry fee: £20

Description: 
This is the award for bite-sized brilliance. We’re hunting for a sharp viral idea, created with a technical flourish that feels unmistakably part of the AI era. It could be a brand stunt, a creator experiment or a piece of pure mischief. Entries can either be fully generated video or real footage, enhanced with AI effects. The winning piece will hook viewers instantly and keep them enthralled by any means necessary. Most of all it should feel impossible to scroll past without thinking: how do I share that?

Please include audience stats (ie views or shares) in your supporting materials as the judges will consider these.

Judging Criteria:

• Polished visuals and inventive use of AI tools.
• Original and clear concept in a short format.
• Viral hook (eg humour or visual spectacle).
• Flows tightly and stands up to repeat views.
  

Social content where a creator uses AI to enhance an idea and fulfil their vision.

Award Type: Craft
Eligibility: Original content. Max 10 mins
Entry fee: £20

Description:
This category celebrates onscreen creators who use AI to elevate the quality of their social content, in whichever way they choose. What really matters is the unleashing of the human imagination. Perhaps you designed a virtual set or wild background effects. We’re also open to more subtle or behind-the-scenes techniques, such as motion tracking, clever transitions and sound design. So long as AI plays a clearly explained role in shaping the viewer’s experience, it’s OK. Visually slick, or plain-strange ideas: you decide. This is pure, creator-first content, smartly amplified.

Judging Criteria:

• Originality of the concept and format 
• Inventive use of AI to enhance this content
• Strong onscreen creator performance
• Overall entertainment value
  

Excellent audio design that shapes the meaning of a film or advert.

Award Type: Craft
Eligibility: Original content. Max 15 mins
Entry fee: £20

Description:
It’s time to recognise the craft of audio. That might mean glitchy sound design to evoke ambience or playful dubs with voice clones. Here, we’re looking for the AI to play an active role in audio, from unnatural soundscapes to synthetic scores. But as this is Bionic, the video must also involve at least some generative visuals, even though it does not need to be a fully generative video. Focus on how the sound steers emotion, builds tension or lands a joke. Most of all, show us that you’ve obsessed over the audio.

Judging Criteria:

• Inventive use of AI in audio (eg voice clones or soundscapes)
• How sound contributes to the tone, emotion, or narrative
• Quality and creativity of the mix or overall sonic execution
• How well the audio elevates the full viewing experience
  

Stunning music video, set to a piece of original music or commissioned by the artist.

Award Type: Craft
Eligibility: Original music video. Max 5 mins.
Entry fee: £20

Description:
This one celebrates music videos (or promos) where AI helps to push the creative vision. The focus is on the visual storytelling and the chemistry between sound and image. Entries might be fully AI-generated, enhanced live-action, or a sexy hybrid. We know not every video will involve a superstar, so we’re open to self-produced projects as well as directly commissioned work. This can involve an underground act, a friend’s band, or even a music-library track. Any music that you have the right to use commercially is cool. Just give us your best shot.

Judging Criteria:

• Polished execution in visuals, editing, and AI integration.
• Strong connection between music and imagery.
• Distinctive creative direction that elevates the track.
• Lasting impact as both a film and a promo.
  

Standout piece of AI-powered work from a UK-based creator or team.

Award Type: Any
Eligibility: Any project already submitted to Bionic that was led from the UK
Entry fee: £20

Description: 
It’s time to spotlight the AI talent already thriving within the UK. This category is unusual because it’s judged on a single piece of work and is open to every Bionic format, no matter whether it’s an advert, short film, music promo, or art installation. Indeed, you are welcome to enter the same project that you’ve featured elsewhere in this year’s awards. This one exists to recognise local creative leadership, even if it’s a collaboration that spans borders.

Judging Criteria:

• Overall craft, including AI integration and production
• Originality of the concept or execution
• Creative strength in storytelling, design or technical direction
• Clear, confident delivery from start to finish