Reel Research

Deakin's Reel Research competition

Reel Research is a short-form storytelling competition for Deakin graduate researchers. Turn your idea into engaging digital content, showing why it matters.

What is Reel Research?

Reel Research is a short-form digital content storytelling competition that supports graduate researchers to distil and communicate a single compelling idea about their research, discipline or field. Participants are challenged to identify one idea - a concept, insight, method, question, or observation - that captures why their work is interesting and worth paying attention to. It is coordinated by Deakin’s Researcher Development Academy as part of our researcher development program “The Engaged Researcher”.

Find out more and register in sessions as part of The Engaged Researcher program.

Create something shareable and impactful

Storytelling is a powerful format for bringing your research to life and communicating with audiences beyond academia. Reel Reseach challenges you to do this with a 45–60 second digital story that can be shared via social platforms (e.g. LinkedIn).

Why enter Reel Research?

Ready to transform your idea into something unforgettable?

Reel Research is your chance to showcase the brilliance behind your work in a way that truly resonates.

Here's what makes Reel Research unmissable:

Develop essential communication skills

In today's world, the ability to articulate your research significance isn't just valuable, it's essential! Reel Research challenges you to distil your work into its most compelling core, developing skills that will serve you throughout your graduate research and beyond. Plus you'll create something tangible that you can use to elevate your research.

Celebrate your curiosity and creativity

This isn't about fitting into a box. Reel Research invites you to explore the intellectual and communicative process at the heart of great research: identifying significance, shaping meaning, and developing an authentic academic voice that's uniquely yours. It's an opportunity to showcase the depth, creativity, and genuine curiosity that drives your work.

Capture your participation in your individual learning plan (ILP)

Participation in the workshops and webinars as part of The Engaged Research program can be included in your Individual Learning Plan.

female student eith audio visual euipment

The bottom line

Reel Research isn't just a competition. It's an investment in yourself, a chance to develop skills, celebrate your passion for research, and share your intellectual journey with the world.

Are you ready to make your research seen?

Prizes

Finalists will be showcased at the 2026 Deakin University Three Minute Thesis (3MT) and Reel Research Grand Final. The audience will vote to determine the “Reel Research People’s Choice” winner, who will receive $1000.

Who is eligible to enter?

The Reel Research competition is open to all currently enrolled graduate researchers (including students enrolled in Master Philosophy, Masters by Research, PhD or Professional Doctorate programs) at any stage of their candidature.

You are not eligible to enter the competition if you are:

a Masters by coursework student
a graduate researcher on a leave of absence (i.e. inactive and not attending)
a lapsed candidate
a graduate researcher employed by the university who may have, or may be perceived to have, influence over the competition outcome, or an otherwise unfair advantage over the other entrants from the university.

How to enter

Register to participate Reel Research byself-enrolling in the CloudDeakin Reel Research site. Here you will find the entrant pack containing competition rules and judging criteria.The site also has support and advice plus training news and updates to help you craft your Reel Research entry. It is also where you will submit your final entry.

You can self-enrol right now! (Deakin only)

Submisison requirements and judging criteria

Entries will be evaluated by a panel of academic and communications experts based on interest, engagement, and impact (see judging rubric). Finalists will have their digital stories showcased and celebrated at the Grand Final Event on August 18.

Submission requirements

General

You may use any combination of audio, video, images, text, music or other digital storytelling elements.
Ensure that you have permission or a license to use any elements that are not created by you (e.g. stock elements or genAI)
Any elements used to create your entry, including AI use, must be correctly referenced in an attached Word (.docx) document
File size should not exceed 300MB
File type should be either MP4, MOV
Files must be high definition (e.g., 1080p). Videos can be landscape, portrait, or square (depending on the social network you’re developing for).
Only submissions through the Reel Research CloudDeakin site will be accepted.

Copyright

All entries must be copyright compliant. If you are using other people’s work in your entry or have sourced images, software or AI, you will need to consider whether the material is copyright compliant. For additional support please visit:

Artificial intelligence (AI)

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools can be used and must be referenced appropriately. Before using genAI, ensure your use aligns with Deakin’s genAI framework and principles.

Judging rubric

Category	Criteria	What Judges Are Looking For	Weighting
Interest	Clarity and intrigue of the idea	The entry clearly communicates a single idea that is interesting, surprising, or intellectually compelling. The idea feels focused rather than broad, and invites curiosity rather than explanation of an entire project.	/5
Interest	Significance beyond the discipline	The idea is framed in a way that makes it meaningful to people outside the presenter’s field, without oversimplifying or losing intellectual substance.	/5
Engagement	Engaging storytelling and structure	The digital story holds attention through effective pacing, structure, and narrative choices. The format (video, animation, voice-over, etc.) supports the message.	/5
Engagement	Communication style and presence	Concepts are communicated with clarity, confidence, and authenticity. Tone and language are appropriate for a broad professional audience.	/5
Impact	Meaning and takeaway	The entry leaves the audience with a clear takeaway: a new way of thinking, a reframed question, or a memorable insight.	/5
Impact	Potential to shift understanding or conversation	The idea has the potential to shape how people think about a topic, issue, or field, even in a small way.	/5
Total			/30

Combined Reel Research and 3MT grand final

Selected finalists will have their submission screened as part of the 2026 Deakin University Three Minute Thesis (3MT) and Reel Research Grand Final. The event showcases our brilliant graduate research candidates as they compete to be the best research communicators.

Details:

Tuesday 18 August
Melbourne CBD
Event registration to open at a later date

Feeling curious or inspired?

Watch all the 2025 VYT presentations on our Deakin Research YouTube channel or for more information email the Researcher Development Academy.