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RULES and Guidelines Deadline for Entries: May 1, 2011 Attention young Spiebergs! Submit your 3-minute video and you could win a laptop computer!
For technical assistance you can consult your building level Technology or GAT (Gifted and Talented) person. They are excellent resources for technical help and inspiration. Almost every school has a video camera or access to one. But these days, most cell phones and still cameras record video. Access to a video camera should not be a large impediment. Once again, consult your IT person. Step 1. Log on to the Dubuque Community Schools Website, www.dubuque.k12.ia.usd/kiddeos. Read this page carefully. Step 2: Shoot your video. Make sure it's no longer than 3 minutes.
*Attention: If you can't upload your movie to YouTube for some reason (like it can't be done within the school district for security reasons, but most can do this from any home computer attached to a high-speed network or Internet service), then your school building's Information Specialist or Tech Mentor will upload it to your school building's Web site. Just indicate on your entry form where the video can be obtained on the Internet and we're good.
It's important to get your parent’s or guardian’s signature on the entry form because it is also a release form allowing us to show your video on our our cable television channel and link to it from our Website. Also we need to know how to contact you in the event you are a winner. Step 5. Tell your friends and fans about your video! They will be involved in the judging. The contest extends over a nearly five month period, so you have some time unless, of course, you're reading this in May. There will be a ceremony and awards in late May. The boundaries of "good taste” Topics are not limited, however there are boundaries in good taste and appropriateness. That being said, it might be a good idea to talk with your teacher or your building representative before embarking on a subject that may exceed the boundaries of good taste. "So what do I win?" How about a laptop computer completely tricked out with video editing software? That's the Grand Prize. There will be other awards and prizes as well, so stay tuned to this Website for details as they become available. Topics are not limited, however there are boundaries in good taste and appropriateness. That being said, it might be a good idea to talk with your teacher or your building representative before embarking on a subject that may exceed the boundaries of good taste.
They can be any length up to 3 minutes. Kiddeos must not exceed three minutes in length. All Kiddeos will be subject to editing.
We are going to have prizes. The first year you could win a laptop computer tricked out to edit video! Sweet! Kiddeos Q & A: Q: Our school is going to form teams of students to produce videos. If we win who gets the laptop computer? Are wall all going to get laptop computers? A: We wish! We only have one thanks to the generous support of our sponsor. In the event a team of students win the grand prize, it goes to the school and will be supported by the media specialist in that school. This will enable all students to share it. We liked your idea about multiple laptop computers, though. Good question. Q: We're thinking about doing an animation. Are you accepting animations? A: Are you kidding? Of course we're accepting animations! Please enter animations! Q: I'm using my cell phone to shoot my video. Will that be good enough quality? A: Cell phone video is what it is, nothing more, nothing less in terms of quality. There have been some exciting videos shot with cell phones. In fact some historic ones. We wouldn't sell short the quality of cell phone video. Depending on the phone, it's generally okay if not pretty good. But audio could be a problem for you. You have to get within 5 to 6 feet of your subject to get good audio quality, and that's important. The further you are away from your sound source, the less quality becomes. We suggest you experiment if possible. Find out where the optimal distance is for your camera phone and record some audio. You'll figure out what's best. Q: Does it have to be 3 minutes or can it be less? A: Excellent question. It can't be more than 3 minutes that's for sure, but it certainly can be less. It can be just a few seconds if it's successful in making its point. Have a question? Email it to us right now! We'll post the question and answer here here so everyone can benefit from it. Tips on Production: As you can see in the left column there are numerous suggestions on how to approach your Kiddeo project. Remember that you have the conform to the rule that the length can be no more than 3 minutes. The easiest videos to produce are ones that can be shot in a single take with minimal requirement for post editing. But in the event you require editing, there are all kinds of video editing programs out there. In fact, Windows equipped computers have Windows MovieMaker which is fairly easy to use. Macs have similar operating system features that allow you to edit videos. Windows MovieMaker allows you to edit your movie clips on a timeline, add music, do insertion edits, and special effects transitions like wipe, disolves and fades. You can also add titles, graphics, etc. Editing your video can enhance its entertainment value, drama, comedy, or what have you.
The proverbial wisdom is "If the video quality is good but the audio is poor. the video is unwatchable." This is so true. If sound is critical to your production, and all you have is the microphone on the camera, then you must get as close to your subject as possible with that camera for the best audio. If you're recording a concert from the back of an auditorium, it's not going to be as good as one shot closer to the performers. Did you know you can use your video camera as a high quality voice recorder? You can record your narration as a separate clip and combine it with the video portion of your show you shot before (or after).
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Sometimes the smallest, most simple things are the best subjects for a video clip. Homer Simpson once aimed a video camera at a box of puppies, and it became a cable television sensation. A student of ours took her video equipped telephone, mounted it in a stationary position aimed at a sidewalk on which she and her friends drew an elaborate mural in colored chalk, recording the process the whole while. Then, after she transferred the video to an editing program on her computer, she sped up the playback super fast. It was magnificent to see the mural take shape right before our eyes in under 3 minutes, a project that actually took the girls more than a day.
We have to have guidelines. This is an educational enterprise for heaven's sake. So be advised, dangerous stunts and physical activities that pose any form of risk to life and limb are prohibited. We don't want you or anyone you may have talked into doing something for the camera hurt in any way. Also we don't want to see anything that diminishes one's self esteem in any way. 
Television is an education resource that has tremendous value. As we all know, television has become so much more than just television! It's now on-line and on-demand for the world to see. Video content represents the most popular content on our district website. And now, with inexpensive cameras and even our cell phones capable of shooting video, there are tons of opportunities for self-expression. 
Step 3. Upload your 3 minute video to YouTube.com.* This is where all videos will be submitted ans stored. Once your video is posted, you will receive a URL (Universal Resource Locator or Web address) where the video can be seen. Submit this URL to the competition on the official entry form links to which are listed below.
