Contest Hints: Gateway to Creativity Video Contest

Hints, and They're Good Ones

Seriously interested in trying to win? These hints will be a big help, and because some folks might be too dense to read this page (bless their hearts), you'll have an advantage!

1. Choose a topic and present it in a creative way. Lots of people just create a video hoping it will be good. Eesh. A little bit of planning makes a big difference!
2. Start early enough, remembering that there are a few things to submit: the video and a form: teacher entry form. Remember that all materials must be in by the deadline.
3. Gather the photos, footage, and any audio (music and/or sound effects) you need, collecting the citation information as you go. Save yourself time by putting all the citation information (examples here) in the file name of the piece of media. A key piece of this contest is properly citing your sources, remembering that we are pointing you to specific sites for anything you do not create yourself.
4. Check again that you used copyright-friendly material from the specified sites - ignoring this rule may be the easiest way to be disqualified from the finalist round.
5. When you have finished the first draft of your video, watch it with one or more colleagues to get as much feedback as possible.
6. Print out this checklist of the requirements and make sure you followed them all before submitting your video.

If using online tools for your video, you may want to take a look at Richard Byrne's ebook on making videos on the web.

If you have time and the desire to do so, make and submit more than one video! All videos submitted to this contest will be added to the online library at NextVista.org (if of acceptable quality). What you make could help dozens, hundreds, or thousands of students around the world more effectively learn something.

In addition to its contests, Next Vista for Learning annually recognizes all creators who submit five or more videos of acceptable quality for inclusion in the online library. Those who do so receive the Distinguished Content Creator Award, and this can be in the name of an individual student, a program at a school, or an entire school. Those who meet the deadlines for this contest with five or more entries (of sufficient quality for inclusion in the libraries) will earn this award.

Anyone who creates a video of insufficient quality may revise the video after the contest and request that it be considered for inclusion in the online library. Final decisions regarding quality and inclusion in the online library are the sole discretion of Next Vista for Learning.