PRESS RELEASE

Public Affairs Section
United States Embassy
Rabat, Morocco
2, Avenue Mohamed El Fassi – Rabat
Tel: 037 66 82 66 – Fax: 037 66 82 84
Web:  http://rabat.usembassy.gov


Rabat, December 11, 2008

 

INTERNATIONAL DEMOCRACY VIDEO CHALLENGE
 

The U.S. Embassy in Rabat invites you to participate in an international video challenge on democracy.At the end of the competition, six winners representing the six participating geographic regions will travel to the United States to claim their prize.  The prize will be:

· An all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., New York and Hollywood
· Gala screenings of the winning videos in Hollywood, New York and Washington
· Exposure to filmmakers and the U.S. film and television industry
· Meetings with democracy advocates from government, media and civil society

Video submissions must be uploaded to the YouTube website by midnight GMT January 31, 2009.  Three semifinalists from Morocco will be selected by an independent committee formed by the U.S. Embassy in Rabat.  The videos of these three semifinalists will then be forwarded to Washington where another independent jury will proceed to select the finalists at the international level. 


General requirements:

1. Video submissions must complete the phrase, “Democracy is…”
2. Video submissions may be no more than three minutes in length, including titles.
3. Video submissions may use any narrative and technical style, including documentary, fiction, live action or animation.
4. Each contestant may submit only one video submission.
5. Video submissions must be in English or have English subtitles. Contestants may use an online translation tool such as translate.google.com to create the English text. Most video editing software includes a titling tool, but free titling software is also available on the Internet.  The video can also be without language at all.
6. Video submissions must be uploaded to the YouTube Contest site at www.youtube.com/democracychallenge.
7. Once a video is uploaded to the YouTube Contest site it is considered final and may not be modified or edited.
8. Finalists will be expected to provide Contest Sponsors with a broadcast-quality copy of their video submissions on tape or DVD, an electronic copy of the video transcript and a shot list in order for the Submission to be aired on television and distributed on DVD.
9. No video submissions will be returned.


The challenge is open to contestants who are 18 years or older at the time of submission of their video.

The following American institutions and organizations have partnered to organize this international video challenge under the general theme of democracy:  the Center for International Private Enterprise, the Directors Guild of America, the International Youth Foundation, NBC Universal, the National Democratic Institute, the International Republican Institute, Motion Picture, the Association of America, New York University, the University of Southern California and the U.S. Department of State.  YouTube will provide the video platform for the competition.

For all the details regarding contest rules, video uploading, the selection process, the juries, partners, etc., please visit the Contest’s official website:  www.videochallenge.america.gov.