"Mobile Video Interview" Contest

Written by: Murray Suid

Visiting Wikipedia isn’t the only way to find answers to questions. A more creative method is to produce a video interview of an expert in your life. All it takes is a mobile device, someone willing to share information, and some curiosity. Put these elements together and you could win a prize in Mobile MovieMaking Magazine’s latest contest.

The Challenge

Interview an expert on any topic. The expert could be a professional—a doctor, a lawyer, a plumber, a musician—or an amateur, for example, a 10-year-old who overcame the fear of jumping off a high diving board. If you want to interview yourself—a selfie interview—that would be fine.

Production Guidelines

Running time: The interview can run no longer than 15 minutes. We do welcome short entries, especially in the 2 to 5 minute range.

Title: You should include a title for the interview, for example, “The Omelet Genius”

Questions: The interviewer’s voice can ask the questions, or the questions can be printed on title cards, or the questions can be implied by the interviewee’s comments.

B-roll: You may include B-roll clips (video examples that refer to what the interviewee is saying) but doing so is not required. That is, the entire video can focus on the interviewee.

If you’re new to video interviewing, you can find some basic tips and hints here.

You’ll find the online entry form HERE.

See below for the complete list of contest rules. If you have any difficulty entering, or if you have questions, write info@mobilemoviemaking.com

Contest Rules:

EQUIPMENT: Your entry must be shot on a smartphone, tablet, drone camera, or GoPro—or a combination of mobile devices. You may edit the video using a computer or any other device.
RUN TIME: Your movie must run no more than 15 minutes including title and credits.
APPROPRIATE CONTENT: The video may not denigrate any racial, ethnic, gender, or religious group. In our team’s opinion the video must be rated no higher than PG13 (no nudity and no profane language of the sort bleeped on network TV shows).
ORIGINALITY: At least 90% of the visuals must be taken by you or your team. You may use up to 10% stock footage, for example, old photos or clips obtained from a stock footage company.
COPYRIGHT: You must have written permission for any copyrighted music or other protected material. You should also have written permission from any individuals who can be identified in the video with the exception of people seen briefly in crowd scenes. You will not be required to submit the written permissions at the time of entering your video, but you agree to send us copies of the permissions if we request them.
HOSTING YOUR VIDEO: Prior to submitting your entry, you must upload your video to Vimeo.com or YouTube.com and set it to “public” with permission for us to use the link that you will insert into our submission form. There is NO submission fee. This is a free-to-enter contest.
JUDGING: Professional filmmaker Allen Bronstein and the MobileMovieMaking.com staff will choose the winners. The criteria used by the judges are: value of the information, technical excellence (is the sound clear and the camera work solid?), and creativity (unusual location, use of props, etc.).
ELIGIBILITY: This contest is open to people of all ages and in all locations except for inhabitants of places that prohibit this kind of competition or places in which U.S. companies are prohibited from doing business. Our team, advisors, and employees of sponsors cannot compete for prizes in this contest. If you are not old enough to make a contract (typically under 18 years of age in the U.S.), email the name of your guardian and the name of your video to info@mobilemoviemaking.com.
PRIZES: The top prize winner will receive $100 worth of gear or $100 in cash plus detailed notes on a screenplay. The notes, valued at $500, will be provided by a produced screenwriter who also directed a prize-winning short comedy). Up to 10 runners-up will receive a book about moviemaking. The video that gets the most comments–posted on that entry’s page–will receive $100 in gear or cash. Each comment must say something specific about the video, indicating that it comes from a person and not a robot. Popular voting will end on September 30, 2017. In case of ties, prizes will be shared. An entrant may win only one prize.
OWNERSHIP: You retain all rights to your video but grant MobileMovieMaking.com permission to display your video on our site and on our social media sites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, and our YouTube channel). You also permit us to reference your video in MobileMovieMaking.com press releases and promotions.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Your entry must be uploaded by the end of August 31, 2017, Pacific Coast Time, USA. We reserve the right to extend the deadline by one month. Winners will be announced within 30 days after the final deadline.