Simsovision Song Contest Rules

1. 1

   Simsovision is a nonprofit, community-driven music video contest inspired by the Eurovision Song Contest and set in the creative universe of The Sims.

2. 2

   The contest is organized exclusively for cultural, creative, and community purposes and is operated on a volunteer basis.

3. 3

   Simsovision does not pursue commercial objectives and does not generate profit.

1. 1

   Participants create original staged performances using The Sims series of games published by Electronic Arts and, where applicable, related 3D tools.

2. 2

   The contest combines music, storytelling, and machinima as its core creative formats.

3. 3

   Simsovision does not provide, grant, or authorize licenses to software, audio, video, or other third-party materials used by Participants.

1. 1

   Simsovision is an independent fan-based initiative.

2. 2

   Simsovision is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or otherwise connected to Electronic Arts Inc., Maxis, the Eurovision Song Contest, or the European Broadcasting Union.

1. 1

   Simsovision operates as a private, nonprofit, community-driven cultural initiative governed by these Rules and the Participation Agreement.

2. 2

   These Rules shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the principles of artistic freedom, creative expression, parody, transformative creativity, and nonprofit fan participation commonly recognized within European cultural and legal frameworks.

3. 3

   Nothing in these Rules shall be interpreted as limiting or overriding the rights of third-party intellectual property holders or the applicability of mandatory laws, platform policies, or copyright enforcement mechanisms.

4. 4

   Simsovision does not claim any governmental, sovereign, or regulatory authority and operates solely as a voluntary private community project.

5. 5

   Participation in Simsovision is voluntary and subject exclusively to the internal rules, procedures, and decisions established by the Organizer in accordance with these Rules.

1. 1

   All works created and submitted for participation in Simsovision remain the intellectual property of their respective creators.

2. 2

   By submitting works to the Contest, the Producer grants Simsovision a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, and sublicensable solely for organizational and technical purposes license to use, reproduce, display, communicate to the public, publish, archive, distribute, technically adapt, edit for formatting or broadcast purposes, and promote such works solely in connection with the organization, presentation, broadcasting, documentation, archiving, historical preservation, and promotion of Simsovision.

3. 3

   The license granted under this Article includes the right to use excerpts, screenshots, clips, promotional materials, and technically adapted versions of contest entries in future Simsovision productions, anniversary programs, recaps, promotional campaigns, documentaries, archival publications, and related official content.

4. 4

   Technical, editorial, formatting, or broadcast-related adaptations made in accordance with this Article shall not be deemed distortion or misrepresentation of the work.

5. 5

   The rights granted under this Article shall survive withdrawal, disqualification, resignation, sanctions, termination of participation, deletion of community accounts, or any subsequent dispute concerning participation.

6. 6

   The license granted under this Article shall remain irrevocable with respect to materials already published, archived, or incorporated into official Simsovision productions.

7. 7

   Producers retain the right to use and publish their own works outside Simsovision, subject to embargo obligations and any applicable participation restrictions under these Rules.

8. 8

   Prior to official publication by the Organizer, submitted works and related materials shall remain subject to embargo in accordance with Article 6.

9. 9

   Producers acknowledge that the use of third-party music or materials may be subject to copyright enforcement, regional blocking, demonetization, muting, removal, or other platform restrictions.

10. 10

    Producers are solely responsible for the materials they submit and for obtaining any permissions reasonably necessary for their intended use within the Contest.

11. 11

    Simsovision reserves the right to remove, restrict, replace, mute, edit, or technically modify published materials where reasonably necessary due to copyright claims, platform restrictions, legal risk, technical failure, or enforcement actions by third parties.

12. 12

    Simsovision does not grant, transfer, clear, or guarantee any rights relating to third-party music, recordings, publishing rights, trademarks, or other protected materials used within contest entries.

13. 13

    Simsovision acknowledges and respects the intellectual property rights of Electronic Arts and any other applicable rights holders.

14. 14

    Organizer is responsible for crediting the author(s) of submitted works, except where the author(s) expressly request anonymity.

15. 15

    Requests for removal of credits shall apply prospectively and shall not require modification of already published archival materials where such modification would be unreasonable or technically impracticable.

16. 16

    Nothing in this Article shall be interpreted as a transfer of ownership of intellectual property rights to Simsovision.

1. 1

   All materials created within the framework of participation in Simsovision shall be subject to mandatory embargo until their official publication by the Organizer.

2. 2

   The embargo applies, without limitation, to:

   1. athe fact of participation in the contest;
   2. bAct artworks;
   3. ccontest videos;
   4. dAct biographies;
   5. evoting results and voting data;
   6. fany additional media created in any form in connection with the participation agreement.
3. 3

   Participants and creators shall not publish, disclose, distribute, or otherwise make such materials available to third parties prior to official publication, unless explicit authorization is granted by the Organizer.

4. 4

   This prohibition shall not apply to private sharing reasonably necessary for production, collaboration, technical review, or submission purposes within the scope of participation in the Contest.

1. 1

   Simsovision shall be governed by publicly available rules and procedures that apply equally to all Participants.

2. 2

   Any amendments to the rules shall be publicly announced in advance and shall not have retroactive effect.

1. 1

   The definitions set out in this Title apply to all subsequent Titles, Articles, and provisions of the Simsovision Rules.

2. 2

   Terms defined herein shall be interpreted consistently throughout the document, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

For the purposes of these Rules, the following terms shall have the meanings set out below:

1. 1

   Simsovision — The nonprofit, community-driven music video contest defined in TITLE I of these Rules.

2. 2

   Contest — The complete competitive process organized under the name Simsovision, including application, production, presentation, voting, and publication of results.

3. 3

   Organizer — A natural person or group of persons responsible for administering Simsovision, maintaining its official platforms, issuing binding decisions within the scope of these Rules, and ensuring their consistent application.

4. 4

   Volunteer — A person assisting the Organizer with defined tasks related to the operation of the contest, without decision-making authority unless explicitly delegated.

5. 5

   Producer — A user, or a group of up to three users acting jointly, who submits an application and assumes responsibility for the creation, submission, and compliance of a contest entry.

6. 6

   Producer Team — A group of Producers acting jointly under a single application for one contest entry.

7. 7

   Act (Contest Participant) — A fictional character or group of fictional characters created within The Sims universe and presented as the primary on-screen subject of a contest entry.

8. 8

   Contest Entry — The complete audiovisual work submitted for participation in Simsovision, including the staged performance and all materials officially designated as part of the competitive submission.

9. 9

   Audience Member — Any user who follows the contest and participates in public voting, where such voting is provided.

10. 10

    Expert — A former Producer who has participated in the Contest at least three times, or a machinima creator whose works are available to the public, or a professional in the fields of CGI, 3D animation or Performing Arts.

11. 11

    Jury Member — A Producer participating in jury voting in accordance with the voting procedure established by these Rules or an Expert acting in lieu of a Jury.

12. 12

    Creator — A user who provides supporting creative assets or assistance to a Producer, including but not limited to objects, animations, clothing, or artwork, without being listed as a Producer unless the conditions for such listing are met.

13. 13

    Guest — A fictional character appearing in non-competitive segments of Simsovision, including interval acts, opening acts, or closing performances.

14. 14

    Participation Agreement — The set of binding obligations arising between the Organizer and a Producer upon acceptance of an application into Simsovision. The Participation Agreement consists of these Rules, including the Ground Law, and any additional instructions, requirements, or materials formally issued by the Organizer for the purposes of participation in the relevant season.

15. 15

    Confidential Information — Any information not intended for public disclosure prior to official publication, including but not limited to participation status, contest materials, voting data, internal procedures, unpublished results, and any information designated as subject to embargo under these Rules.

16. 16

    Embargo — The mandatory restriction on disclosure and publication of materials defined in Article 6 of TITLE I, applicable until official publication by the Organizer.

1. 1

   Scope of Anonymity — Anonymity within Simsovision applies exclusively to public disclosure. It refers to the non-disclosure of the real-world identity of a Producer, Organizer, Volunteer, Jury Member, or Expert to the public.

2. 2

   Disclosure to the Organizer — Anonymity does not apply in relation to the Organizer. Producers and other participants shall disclose all information reasonably required by the Organizer for the purposes of administration, verification, communication, and enforcement of these Rules and the Participation Agreement.

3. 3

   Obligation of Accuracy — All information disclosed to the Organizer under the Participation Agreement shall be complete, accurate, and kept up to date for the duration of participation in the contest.

4. 4

   Public Representation — Where anonymity is requested and accepted, the Organizer shall ensure that public-facing communications, publications, and presentations do not reveal the real-world identity of the anonymized person prior to official disclosure or consent.

5. 5

   Limits of Anonymity — Anonymity does not exempt any person from compliance with these Rules, including obligations relating to embargo, conduct, voting integrity, and sanctions.

1. 1

   Participation in Simsovision is open to users who submit an application within the application period announced for the relevant season and whose application is accepted by the Organizer.

2. 2

   Participation is subject to full acceptance of these Rules and the Participation Agreement.

3. 3

   The Organizer may request additional information necessary to verify eligibility and compliance with these Rules.

1. 1

   An application may be submitted by a single Producer or by a Producer Team consisting of no more than three Producers acting jointly.

2. 2

   A Producer may participate in only one Producer Team per season.

3. 3

   All members of a Producer Team shall be declared at the time of application and shall be jointly responsible for compliance with these Rules.

1. 1

   Upon acceptance of an application, the Participation Agreement shall enter into force for the duration of the Producer’s participation in the relevant season.

2. 2

   The Producer shall be responsible for ensuring that all persons involved in the creation of the contest entry on their behalf comply with the Participation Agreement, including Creators and any other collaborators.

3. 3

   Any breach of the Participation Agreement shall be treated as a breach of these Rules.

1. 1

   Each contest entry shall feature an Act consisting of one or more fictional characters created within The Sims universe.

2. 2

   Acts shall be original and shall not consist of default or minimally modified default characters.

3. 3

   Acts shall not be direct or recognizable representations of real persons, real artists, public figures, or characters protected by third-party intellectual property rights.

4. 4

   The Producer retains ownership of the Act and associated creative materials, subject to the license granted under TITLE I.

1. 1

   Each application shall include the materials and information specified by the Organizer, including at minimum:

   1. athe fictional city from The Sims universe represented by the Act;
   2. bthe name or stage name of the Act;
   3. can unedited in-game screenshot clearly showing the appearance of the Act, submitted for internal reference only;
   4. dthe artist name and title of the song intended for use in the contest entry.
2. 2

   Application materials shall be accurate and complete at the time of submission.

1. 1

   Producers may select any song that, in their creative judgment, represents the Act and the chosen city.

2. 2

   A song previously used as a contest entry in any prior season of Simsovision shall not be reused.

3. 3

   Songs previously performed at the Eurovision Song Contest may be used, provided that the contest entry constitutes an original creative interpretation and does not replicate the staging, choreography, visual design, or narrative of the original performance.

4. 4

   Producers shall be responsible for ensuring that the selected song can be included in official contest publications without technical blocking or removal.

1. 1

   Simsovision operates as a general-audience cultural event with a PG-16 content rating. Contest entries shall be suitable for viewers aged sixteen (16) and above.

2. 2

   Simsovision supports freedom of expression, parody, and creative experimentation within the boundaries of the PG-16 rating.

3. 3

   Contest entries shall not include content that:

   1. aincites violence, hatred, or discrimination against individuals or groups;
   2. bconstitutes harassment, intimidation, or abuse;
   3. cincludes material that is unlawful under generally applicable European legal standards;
   4. dcontains explicit sexual content, graphic violence, or other material exceeding the PG-16 rating.
4. 4

   Mild or implied themes, non-graphic references, artistic nudity without sexualization, and non-explicit language may be permitted where consistent with the PG-16 rating and the artistic context of the entry.

5. 5

   The Organizer may request translations, explanations, or contextual information relating to lyrics or visual elements in order to assess compliance with this Article.

1. 1

   Organizer may participate in Simsovision as a Producer under the same Rules and Participation Agreement applicable to all other Participants.

2. 2

   Due to the operational nature of Simsovision as a community-driven project, Organizer participating as Producers may have access to non-public production, technical, voting, or administrative information necessary for the administration of the Contest.

3. 3

   Such access shall not in itself constitute a violation of these Rules.

4. 4

   Organizer shall exercise their authority in good faith and shall not deliberately manipulate voting procedures, sanctions, publication decisions, technical processes, or enforcement measures in a manner intended to unfairly advantage or disadvantage any Participant, including themselves.

5. 5

   Decisions of the Organizer relating to contest administration, production, technical operation, publication scheduling, voting integrity, embargo enforcement, and sanctions shall remain valid notwithstanding the participation of Organizer as Producer.

1. 1

   The same Act may not participate as a primary contest entry for more than two consecutive seasons.

2. 2

   Following two consecutive primary participations, the Act shall observe a one-season break before returning as a primary contest entry.

3. 3

   This limitation shall not apply to secondary or non-competitive appearances, including background performers or guest roles.

1. 1

   Submission of an application does not create an entitlement to participate.

2. 2

   The Organizer may accept or decline applications in order to ensure the technical feasibility, creative diversity, and balanced composition of the contest.

3. 3

   Decisions on acceptance shall be applied consistently and without arbitrary discrimination.

1. 1

   All official communication between Producers and the Organizer shall take place exclusively through communication channels designated by the Organizer for the relevant season.

2. 2

   Communications conducted outside designated channels shall not produce legal or procedural effects unless explicitly acknowledged by the Organizer.

3. 3

   Producers are responsible for monitoring official communications and complying with instructions issued by the Organizer.

1. 1

   Upon acceptance of an application, the Organizer shall provide Producers with official materials required for the production of the contest entry, including stage assets and technical instructions.

2. 2

   Official materials are provided exclusively for the purposes of participation in Simsovision.

3. 3

   Producers shall not redistribute, publish, sublicense, or otherwise make official materials available to third parties.

4. 4

   Official materials shall not be used for purposes unrelated to Simsovision.

1. 1

   Producers may customize the provided stage using additional decorative elements and creative modifications, provided that the fundamental structure of the stage is not substantially altered.

2. 2

   Prior to commencing production, Producers shall submit visual documentation of the configured stage to the Organizer for approval.

3. 3

   Production shall not commence until approval is granted.

4. 4

   Failure to obtain approval may require resubmission or re-production of the contest entry.

1. 1

   The primary responsibility of the Producer is the creation of the contest entry in accordance with these Rules and the Participation Agreement.

2. 2

   The contest entry shall represent a staged live-style performance consistent with the artistic concept of Simsovision.

3. 3

   Full or substantial replication of an existing music video, live concert performance, or previously published staging is prohibited.

4. 4

   Detailed technical and artistic requirements may be issued by the Organizer as binding instructions.

1. 1

   Producers may engage Creators to assist with the production of assets, including objects, animations, clothing, or artwork.

2. 2

   Producers shall ensure that Creators are informed of and comply with the Participation Agreement, including embargo obligations.

3. 3

   If a Creator performs tasks that constitute core production of the contest entry, such Creator shall be declared as a Producer in accordance with TITLE III.

4. 4

   Producers may act as Creators for other Producers.

5. 5

   Any breach of these Rules by a Creator shall be attributed to the Producer.

1. 1

   Throughout the production period, all materials related to the contest entry shall remain subject to embargo in accordance with TITLE I.

2. 2

   Producers shall not publish or disclose, in whole or in part:

   1. astage configurations;
   2. bcostumes or visual concepts;
   3. cproduction screenshots or footage;
   4. dnarrative or staging details.
3. 3

   Producers shall take reasonable measures to prevent unauthorized disclosure by collaborators and Creators.

1. 1

   Contest entries shall be submitted within the deadline specified by the Organizer.

2. 2

   Entries submitted after the deadline may be excluded from the contest.

3. 3

   Technical delivery specifications, formats, and submission methods shall be defined by the Organizer as binding instructions and specified in the Participation Agreement.

1. 1

   Contest entries shall not be published, uploaded, streamed, or otherwise made publicly accessible prior to their official publication by the Organizer.

2. 2

   This prohibition applies to all platforms, including private or restricted-access platforms or services, except where such sharing is reasonably necessary under Article 6(4).

3. 3

   Following official publication, Producers may share the contest entry in accordance with instructions issued by the Organizer and subject to attribution requirements.

1. 1

   Producers may be requested to submit additional materials for presentation, promotion, or editorial purposes, including interviews or still images.

2. 2

   Such materials shall be subject to the same embargo and confidentiality obligations as the contest entry unless explicitly released by the Organizer, except where such sharing is reasonably necessary under Article 6(4).

1. 1

   Producers shall submit character files required for official productions, including parades, green rooms, or award ceremonies, within deadlines specified by the Organizer.

2. 2

   Submitted character files shall accurately reflect the appearance of the Act as presented in the contest entry.

3. 3

   Failure to comply may result in exclusion from non-competitive segments.

1. 1

   Acts participating in Simsovision may be required to provide presentation and editorial materials for the purposes of official contest presentation, communication, and publication.

2. 2

   Presentation and editorial materials form part of participation in the contest and fall within the scope of the Participation Agreement.

1. 1

   Presentation and editorial materials may include, but are not limited to, visual materials, biographical information, interviews, and other non-competitive media related to the Act.

2. 2

   Such materials may be used by the Organizer solely for purposes connected with the organization, presentation, documentation, and promotion of Simsovision, in accordance with TITLE I.

1. 1

   Presentation and editorial materials are subject to embargo and confidentiality obligations in accordance with TITLE I and TITLE II.

2. 2

   Producers shall not disclose or publish such materials prior to official publication by the Organizer unless explicitly authorized.

1. 1

   The specific scope, mandatory or optional nature, formats, deadlines, and technical requirements of presentation and editorial materials shall be defined in the Participation Agreement for the relevant season.

2. 2

   Compliance with such requirements shall be a condition of continued participation in the contest.

1. 1

   The outcome of Simsovision shall be determined through a combined voting system reflecting public preference and jury evaluation.

2. 2

   Voting procedures shall be consistent, reproducible, and uniformly applied to all Acts.

3. 3

   Any form of coercion, coordination, or manipulation of voting is prohibited.

1. 1

   The final result shall be calculated using the following voting components:

   1. aPublic Vote — sixty percent (60%);
   2. bJury Vote — forty percent (40%).
2. 2

   Each component shall be calculated independently before aggregation into the final result.

1. 1

   Public voting shall be conducted through official platforms designated by the Organizer.

2. 2

   Audience Members shall rank Acts in accordance with the method defined for the relevant season.

3. 3

   Rankings shall be converted into points using a predefined points scale published prior to the opening of public voting.

4. 4

   Producers and any persons bound by the Participation Agreement shall not participate in public voting.

5. 5

   Producers and persons acting on their behalf shall not solicit, coordinate, encourage, or organize public voting in a manner intended to artificially influence the outcome of the Contest, including through mass requests for votes, coordinated voting groups, non-organic audience mobilization, or voting by persons with no genuine engagement with the Contest.

6. 6

   The Organizer may investigate patterns of coordinated or artificial voting activity and may annul affected votes, adjust results, impose sanctions under TITLE VII, or disqualify an Act where manipulation is reasonably established.

1. 1

   The Jury shall consist of Producers participating in the relevant season, or Experts acting in lieu of Juries.

2. 2

   Jury Members shall evaluate all eligible Acts except their own.

3. 3

   Jury Members shall perform evaluations independently and in good faith.

4. 4

   Each Jury Member shall score every eligible Act on every criterion defined in ANNEX I.

5. 5

   Failure to complete jury voting in accordance with this Article may result in sanctions under TITLE VII.

1. 1

   Jury evaluation shall be based exclusively on the criteria defined in ANNEX I.

2. 2

   All criteria shall be scored using a uniform numerical scale defined in ANNEX I.

3. 3

   Jury Members shall not omit, selectively score, or disproportionately emphasize individual criteria.

1. 1

   The Jury Vote shall be calculated using an adaptive weighting system applied to the evaluation criteria defined in ANNEX I.

2. 2

   Adaptive weighting shall be based on the relative differentiation and correlation (CRITIC method) of jury scores for each criterion across all eligible Acts.

3. 3

   Criteria demonstrating greater differentiation between Acts shall receive proportionally greater weight, while criteria demonstrating limited differentiation shall receive proportionally lesser weight. Criteria with high correlation shall be given less weight to avoid redundancy.

4. 4

   The weighting methodology shall be objective, uniformly applied to all eligible Acts, and implemented without selective manual adjustment.

5. 5

   The combined weight of all evaluation criteria shall equal one hundred percent (100%).

1. 1

   The adaptive weights shall be calculated after all jury votes are cast.

2. 2

   Following publication of results, the final weights applied to each criterion for the relevant season shall be disclosed.

3. 3

   Disclosure of criterion weights shall not require disclosure of numerical jury scores before weighting.

1. 1

   The Public Vote and Jury Vote results shall be normalized where necessary and aggregated according to the weights specified in Article 36.

2. 2

   The aggregation formula shall be published prior to the opening of voting and shall not be modified thereafter.

1. 1

   In the event of a tie in the final aggregated result, priority shall be given to the Act with the higher Public Vote score.

2. 2

   If the tie persists, priority shall be given to the Act with the higher Jury Vote score.

3. 3

   If the tie still persists, priority shall be given to the Act with the greater number of highest-value Public Vote point allocations.

4. 4

   If the tie still persists, priority shall be given to the Act with the greater number of highest-value Jury Vote point allocations, starting from 12 and downwards.

5. 5

   If the tie remains unresolved, the Organizer shall determine the final ranking by random draw conducted through a neutral and uniformly applied method.

1. 1

   Following the official announcement of results, the Organizer shall publish:

   1. afinal aggregated scores;
   2. bPublic Vote results;
   3. cJury Vote results;
   4. dcriterion weights applied for the season.
2. 2

   Individual Jury Member identities and individual score breakdowns may remain anonymous to the public.

3. 3

   Any representational or theatrical elements used during the result presentation shall not affect the actual voting data.

1. 1

   The Organizer may audit voting data to ensure compliance with these Rules, where it is reasonably necessary to protect voting integrity.

2. 2

   Verified violations of voting integrity may result in score adjustment, annulment of votes, or disqualification in accordance with TITLE VII.

3. 3

   The Organizer may use behavioral, technical, statistical, or contextual indicators in assessing potential voting manipulation.

1. 1

   In the event of disqualification of an Act, all points awarded to that Act shall be annulled.

2. 2

   The ranking of remaining Acts shall be adjusted accordingly without recalculation of individual votes.

1. 1

   The Organizer may take any reasonable technical, procedural, editorial, or administrative measures necessary to protect the integrity, continuity, security, fairness, or operational stability of Simsovision.

2. 2

   Such measures may include, without limitation:

   1. adelaying, rescheduling, suspending, or modifying publication schedules, voting periods, or contest procedures;
   2. btemporarily restricting access to materials or platforms;
   3. cre-uploading, replacing, muting, editing, geo-restricting, or technically modifying contest materials;
   4. dchanging publication platforms or technical delivery methods;
   5. einvalidating compromised materials or corrupted submissions;
   6. ftemporarily suspending participation pending investigation of potential violations.
3. 3

   The Organizer may take measures under this Article in response to, including but not limited to:

   1. aembargo violations or unauthorized disclosures;
   2. btechnical failures or corrupted files;
   3. ccopyright claims, strikes, removals, or platform restrictions;
   4. dsecurity incidents, unauthorized access, or platform abuse;
   5. ecoordinated manipulation, mass reporting, or malicious interference;
   6. fforce majeure events or circumstances outside the reasonable control of the Organizer.
4. 4

   Measures taken under this Article shall not in themselves constitute sanctions under TITLE VII unless explicitly designated as such by the Organizer.

5. 5

   The Organizer shall not be required to disclose internal moderation procedures, audit methods, anti-manipulation systems, technical enforcement mechanisms, or confidential investigative information where disclosure could reasonably compromise the integrity or security of the Contest.

6. 6

   Technical interruptions, platform restrictions, third-party enforcement actions, accidental disclosures by third parties, or events outside the reasonable control of the Organizer shall not in themselves invalidate the Contest, voting process, or published results.

7. 7

   The Organizer shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or reputational damages arising from technical failures, platform outages, corrupted files, data loss, third-party enforcement actions, unauthorized access, or circumstances outside the reasonable control of the Organizer.

1. 1

   Compliance with these Rules and the Participation Agreement is mandatory for all persons participating in Simsovision.

2. 2

   Sanctions are applied solely for the purpose of protecting the integrity, fairness, and proper functioning of the contest and its community.

3. 3

   Sanctions shall be proportionate, transparent, and applied without discrimination.

1. 1

   A violation occurs when a person bound by these Rules or the Participation Agreement:

   1. abreaches any provision of these Rules;
   2. bbreaches the Participation Agreement;
   3. cviolates embargo or confidentiality obligations;
   4. dundermines the integrity of production, voting, or presentation;
   5. eengages in conduct that materially harms the contest or its participants.
2. 2

   Violations may be procedural, technical, or behavioral in nature.

1. 1

   Simsovision applies a three-step sanction system:

   1. aNotice;
   2. bFinal Notice;
   3. cBan.
2. 2

   Sanctions escalate in the order listed unless the severity of a violation warrants immediate application of a higher-level sanction.

3. 3

   Sanctions and their effects shall be recorded internally by the Organizer.

1. 1

   A Notice is issued in response to a first or minor violation.

2. 2

   The Notice shall specify:

   1. athe nature of the violation;
   2. bthe rule or obligation breached;
   3. cthe actions required to resolve the violation;
   4. dthe deadline for resolution.
3. 3

   If the grounds for the Notice are resolved within the specified timeframe, the Notice shall have no effect on contest results.

4. 4

   If the grounds for the Notice are not resolved, ten percent (10%) of the Producer’s Public Vote component shall be deducted prior to final aggregation.

1. 1

   A Final Notice may be issued in the event of:

   1. aa repeated violation following a Notice; or
   2. ba single serious violation.
2. 2

   A Final Notice constitutes a final warning prior to the imposition of a Ban.

3. 3

   If the grounds for the Final Notice are resolved within the specified timeframe, ten percent (10%) of the Producer’s Public Vote component shall be deducted prior to final aggregation.

4. 4

   If the grounds for the Final Notice are not resolved, twenty percent (20%) of the Producer’s Public Vote component shall be deducted prior to final aggregation.

5. 5

   Deductions under this Article apply exclusively to the Public Vote component and shall not affect Jury calculations.

1. 1

   A Ban constitutes the removal of the Producer from competitive participation in Simsovision.

2. 2

   A Ban may be imposed in the event of:

   1. aa violation following a Final Notice; or
   2. ba single exceptionally severe violation that fundamentally compromises the integrity of the contest.
3. 3

   Upon imposition of a Ban:

   1. athe Participation Agreement with the Producer shall terminate with immediate effect, without affecting any surviving rights or obligations under these Rules;
   2. bthe Producer’s Act is disqualified from competition;
   3. call competitive results associated with the Producer for that season are annulled;
4. 4

   A Ban requires the Producer to abstain from participation for one full subsequent season of Simsovision.

5. 5

   During the abstention season, the Producer may remain present within the community in a non-participatory capacity, subject to continued compliance with these Rules.

6. 6

   Following the abstention season, the Producer may be reinstated only if the Organizer determines that the Producer has demonstrated compliance with community standards and these Rules.

7. 7

   Reinstatement following a Ban is discretionary and does not constitute an entitlement.

1. 1

   Where continued participation poses an immediate risk to the integrity of the contest, the Organizer may impose interim measures, including temporary suspension, pending a final decision.

2. 2

   Interim measures shall not in themselves constitute a sanction under this TITLE.

1. 1

   Any sanction imposed under this TITLE shall be communicated to the affected person.

2. 2

   The Organizer shall provide a brief statement of reasons for the sanction and, where applicable, the conditions required for resolution.

1. 1

   Decisions taken under this TITLE are final.

2. 2

   No appeal mechanism is provided unless explicitly introduced by the Organizer in the Participation Agreement.

1. 1

   This Annex defines the evaluation criteria used in Jury voting for Simsovision.

2. 2

   The criteria set out herein shall be applied uniformly to all eligible Acts in the relevant season.

Each Jury Member shall evaluate each eligible Act based on the following criteria:

1. 1

   Artistic Concept — The quality, clarity, and distinctiveness of the artistic concept of the performance, including the meaningfulness of creative decisions, stylistic cohesion, interpretation of the material, and the extent to which the performance establishes its own unique artistic identity.

2. 2

   Staging — The quality and effectiveness of the staging concept, including the use of space, scenography, props, lighting, blocking, and the overall composition of the performance environment.

3. 3

   Animation — The quality, expressiveness, and appropriateness of character animation, including movement, choreography, gestures, timing, and synchronization with the music.

4. 4

   Cinematography, VFX, and Editing — The quality of the visual presentation, including camera angles, framing, camera movement, shot selection, editing continuity, and the quality and appropriateness of transitions and visual effects.

5. 5

   Visual Progression and Cohesion — The quality of the visual storytelling and progression through which the performance constructs a coherent and meaningful visual narrative, including scene development, transitions between segments, atmospheric progression, the appropriateness of visual decisions, and the overall cohesion of the audiovisual presentation.

6. 6

   Overall Impression — The overall artistic impact of the performance, including originality, memorability, emotional effect, and its overall success as a complete audiovisual work.

1. 1

   All criteria shall be scored using a uniform numerical scale from 1 to 10, where:

   1. a10 — exceptional execution of the criterion;
   2. b8-9 — strong execution;
   3. c6-7 — competent execution;
   4. d4-5 — below-average execution;
   5. e2-3 — limited execution with noticeable shortcomings;
   6. f1 — absence or near-absence of meaningful execution.
2. 2

   Jury Members shall assign a score for every criterion for every eligible Act. Partial or selective scoring is not permitted.

1. 1

   Jury Members shall evaluate Acts based solely on the criteria defined in this Annex.

2. 2

   Personal relationships, prior collaborations, public opinion, or external factors unrelated to the content of the contest entry shall not influence evaluation.

3. 3

   In cases where there is reasonable doubt that an evaluation was improperly influenced, the Organizer may require justification of a given score or, where a Jury Vote is deemed biased, annul such vote and appoint an Expert in lieu of the Jury Member for re-evaluation.

1. 1

   Scores assigned under this Annex shall be processed in accordance with the jury voting method defined in TITLE VI.

2. 2

   The application of weighting, normalization, or aggregation mechanisms shall not alter the definition or scope of the criteria set out herein.

1. 1

   The Participation Agreement is a binding agreement between the Organizer and the Producer governing participation in a specific season of Simsovision.

2. 2

   Acceptance of participation constitutes acceptance of the Participation Agreement in force for the relevant season.

1. 1

   The Participation Agreement shall be subordinate to these Rules.

2. 2

   In the event of conflict, these Rules shall prevail over the Participation Agreement.

The Participation Agreement shall define, at minimum:

1. a

   seasonal timelines and deadlines;

2. b

   technical and formatting requirements;

3. c

   communication channels;

4. d

   scope of mandatory and optional materials;

5. e

   embargo enforcement procedures;

6. f

   consequences of non-compliance.

1. 1

   The Participation Agreement applies only to the season for which it is issued.

2. 2

   In the event of termination or invalidation of the Participation Agreement, all works submitted prior remain licensed and any active embargos remain in full effect.

3. 3

   A new Participation Agreement may be issued for each season without amendment of these Rules.

1. 1

   The Participation Agreement may be amended by the Organizer prior to or during a season, provided that:

   1. aamendments are communicated clearly;
   2. bamendments do not have retroactive effect to the detriment of Producers.

1. 1

   Breach of the Participation Agreement constitutes a breach of these Rules.

2. 2

   Sanctions for breach shall be applied exclusively in accordance with TITLE VII.