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NightCafe Select

A competition for AI storytellers

Submit a Body of Work that tells a story from start to finish. Be reviewed by expert judges, and compete for a $1,000 grant and a feature in Prompt Magazine.

Free to enter · Open worldwide · Judged on skill · Entries close 12 July

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submitted an entry to NightCafe Select

PRO
Posted 3 days ago

[Sprocket's Strange Tales]

[Sprocket’s Beginnings
The little rusty robot, who eventually became Sprocket, was born on May 22, 2026, as an entry for the Daily Challenge #1317 ‘When metal objects become fuzzy’. The theme of the challenge was somewhat lost in translation to me so I just imagined a little robot, with a fur coat (the fuzzy bit), waking up in a junkyard, looking lost, surrounded by rusty, discarded ‘things’ like himself.
I fell in love with him the moment he appeared on my computer screen. He didn’t do well in the challenge; I decided anyway to create more prompts featuring him in different situations.
I was overjoyed to see the same dear face and surprised/lost expression appear over and over again in the images AI created for me whenever I mentioned him. The little rusty robot was becoming my very first consistent character.
For his groovy name I have to thank Rey Izain, creator of the ‘Shopfront Magic’ template. On May 28, when I introduced my newly created character to his template, it came out with shopfronts featuring the name Sprocket on the main sign. It sounded perfect. What can I say, the rest is history.
At the personal level Sprocket came into my life during a difficult period of ill health, old age catching up with me and making me feel depressed and, at times, lost. Sprocket has helped revive my child-like imagination (when I was little my favourite doll was a robot, after all), with moments of calm joy and pure fun.
Note on the structure of the story. To make sense of the many different situations I imagined featuring Sprocket I inserted extra frames between the images, to describe in words the strange sequence of events in Sprocket’s life; in a similar fashion as it was done in silent movies.
I hope you will enjoy my Sprocket’s Strange Tales. I have certainly enjoyed creating them. Cheers 💖⚙️💖
]
Anonymous User
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@PaolaEmna

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Edition 1 Theme

The Architecture of Feeling

Pick a feeling - (wonder, longing, awe, the quiet kind of joy, it's up to you!) - and build a Body of Work that tells a story about it. Tell one story from start to finish, as a collection of images and/or videos, or as a single edited video. Think short film or mini exhibition, not a single image, clip, or mood board.

We want to feel it, not just see it.

Full competition details

Key Dates

Entries open

Jun 15, 2026

Entries close, judging begins

Jul 12, 2026

Winners announced

Jul 20, 2026

Entries close in 10:10:52

Awards & Prizes

  • 🏆
    Best Overall$1,000 USD grant + 30,000 fast credits + feature in Prompt Magazine
  • 📖
    Best Storytelling15,000 fast credits + feature in Prompt Magazine + verified Select portfolio
  • ✨
    Most Creative15,000 fast credits + feature in Prompt Magazine + verified Select portfolio
  • ❤️
    Community Favourite15,000 fast credits + feature in Prompt Magazine + verified Select portfolio
  • 🎖️
    Highly Commended (×10)2,400 fast credits each + print copy of Prompt Magazine + Highly Commended badge

Full prize list

Judging Panel

Angus Russell

Founder, NightCafe

Sarah Impey

AI Community Manager, Runware

Marco Pittarello

Founder, Prompt Magazine

Gully Ahmed

Gully Ahmed

NightCafe community member

About the panel · How it's judged

FAQ

Discuss NightCafe Select

PRO
@PaolaEmna

  • 0Creations
 
View Profile

Key Dates

Entries open

Jun 15, 2026

Entries close, judging begins

Jul 12, 2026

Winners announced

Jul 20, 2026

Entries close in 10:10:52

Judging Panel

Angus Russell

Founder, NightCafe

Sarah Impey

AI Community Manager, Runware

Marco Pittarello

Founder, Prompt Magazine

Gully Ahmed

Gully Ahmed

NightCafe community member

About the panel · How it's judged

Discuss NightCafe Select

PRO
@PaolaEmna

  • 0Creations
 
View Profile

Edition 1 Theme

The Architecture of Feeling

Pick a feeling - (wonder, longing, awe, the quiet kind of joy, it's up to you!) - and build a Body of Work that tells a story about it. Tell one story from start to finish, as a collection of images and/or videos, or as a single edited video. Think short film or mini exhibition, not a single image, clip, or mood board.

We want to feel it, not just see it.

Full competition details

Key Dates

Entries open

Jun 15, 2026

Entries close, judging begins

Jul 12, 2026

Winners announced

Jul 20, 2026

Entries close in 10:10:52

Awards & Prizes

  • 🏆
    Best Overall$1,000 USD grant + 30,000 fast credits + feature in Prompt Magazine
  • 📖
    Best Storytelling15,000 fast credits + feature in Prompt Magazine + verified Select portfolio
  • ✨
    Most Creative15,000 fast credits + feature in Prompt Magazine + verified Select portfolio
  • ❤️
    Community Favourite15,000 fast credits + feature in Prompt Magazine + verified Select portfolio
  • 🎖️
    Highly Commended (×10)2,400 fast credits each + print copy of Prompt Magazine + Highly Commended badge

Full prize list

Judging Panel

Angus Russell

Founder, NightCafe

Sarah Impey

AI Community Manager, Runware

Marco Pittarello

Founder, Prompt Magazine

Gully Ahmed

Gully Ahmed

NightCafe community member

About the panel · How it's judged

FAQ

Discuss NightCafe Select

Edition 1 Theme

The Architecture of Feeling

Pick a feeling - (wonder, longing, awe, the quiet kind of joy, it's up to you!) - and build a Body of Work that tells a story about it. Tell one story from start to finish, as a collection of images and/or videos, or as a single edited video. Think short film or mini exhibition, not a single image, clip, or mood board.

We want to feel it, not just see it.

Full competition details

Awards & Prizes

  • 🏆
    Best Overall$1,000 USD grant + 30,000 fast credits + feature in Prompt Magazine
  • 📖
    Best Storytelling15,000 fast credits + feature in Prompt Magazine + verified Select portfolio
  • ✨
    Most Creative15,000 fast credits + feature in Prompt Magazine + verified Select portfolio
  • ❤️
    Community Favourite15,000 fast credits + feature in Prompt Magazine + verified Select portfolio
  • 🎖️
    Highly Commended (×10)2,400 fast credits each + print copy of Prompt Magazine + Highly Commended badge

Full prize list

FAQ