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Resources/Tips
From the Experts
IT'S THE IDEA THAT COUNTS
Do your best with the production but
it's the idea that counts. If your idea
is a winner, you'll get plenty of help
upgrading your commercial for air.
BE UNIQUE
Think outside the box. There are
so many new technical ways to create a
video, as well as different styles too.
Claymation or animation, writing poetry
or a song, creating a rock video or a
movie trailer - just to name a few.
However, sometimes simple is better.
YOUR MESSAGE
Often students associate underage
drinking with car crashes causing death.
However, there are so many other
messages that can be shown such as
losing a limb, teen suicide, teen
pregnancy, going to jail, having your
driver's license suspended, alcoholism,
depression or other health issues.
It's up to you to come up with a message
that will impact the middle school
student judges.
DON'T FORGET THE FUN FACTOR
Even if your idea is deadly serious, you
can still have a lot of fun producing
your spot.
PUT TOGETHER A TEAM
All team members must be United States
citizens attending a United States high
school. You can have as many as five
team members or you may work as an
individual. Pick a team captain.
Please remember that scholarship money
will be divided among all team members.
GET THE FACTS
Learn about the problem. Talk to people
about it. Go to the library. Find out
how big a problem it is and about some
of the bad things that happen when kids
drink alcohol. There are hidden
facts provided by our own expert on each
page of this site to get you started,
located on the bottom right side of your
screen.
DEVELOP SOME IDEAS
Based on what you find, write down some
short notes on what you could make your
commercial about. Just simple one or two
line descriptions, like: "We'll show
Tiger Woods competing in Olympic events
with his golf club and he'll lose them
all but win a Buick Regal." Write as
many as possible.
TALK TO YOUR TARGET
Run your ideas by some middle school
kids. Get them talking. Then listen.
Listen very carefully, because they will
give you clues. After talking to them,
take another look at your ideas, and
make up some new ones. Look at
previous winners
and read actual quotes from middle
school students about the winners.
PICK YOUR WINNERS
Get your team together, look at your
ideas and see if you can make them
better. Pick your top two or three
ideas. Choose based on how well you
think the ideas will get the attention
of the kids and change their minds too.
Oh, and make sure it is something you
actually can produce with a little
imagination.
BLOW 'EM OUT
Make up some
storyboards. They don't have to be
fancy or detailed. You just need to
combine the words and some stick figures
to plan how to get your idea across.
PLAN THE PRODUCTION
Remember, it has to be 30 seconds or
less so that it can air on TV. You can
use your family video camera. Or you
might have one available at your school.
You can also contact your local access
cable station and inquire about
equipment they have available. Look at
your storyboard and make some production
notes:
CHECK THE RULES AGAIN!
Be sure to check the rules again, or your
video may be disqualified.
Click
here to view the rules.
MAKE THE SPOT
Leave enough time for shooting and
reshooting if necessary. Don't try to do
everything at once. You may want to
separate the acting, if you have any,
from background and scenery shots.
Whatever works for you is OK.
MEET THE DEADLINE
The deadline is Wednesday, February 11, 2009. Your entry must either be submitted online or postmarked by this date.
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