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total recut video remix contest challenge


Who?
This contest is open to anyone of any age from any part of the world. The judges are Larry Lessig, Henry Jenkins, Pat Aufderheide, JD Lasica, Kembrew McLeod, Mark Hosler, Luminosity and Matt Mason.

What?
Create a short transformative video remix using the theme: “What is Remix Culture?” You may use whatever video footage you choose including Public Domain and Creative Commons licenced footage. Please refer to the fair use guidelines published by the Center for Social Media for further information on sampling copyrighted material.

The theme: “What is remix culture?” may be interpreted however you choose. We want your entry to be transformative, creative, educational and entertaining and it must not be longer than 3 minutes in duration. The video must remix previously published video footage to create new meanings, however it is acceptable to combine found footage with original footage, imagery, effects, computer game engines or typography, however you see fit.

Where?
The contest will be hosted on TotalRecut.com and it is open to anyone from any country.

When?
The contest will begin in May ’08 and will be open for 2 months (deadline extended). Public Voting will begin in July and will remain open for 2 weeks, after which the best 10 videos will be put forward into the final and the Judging Panel will vote on each one. The winner will be announced in August ’08.

Why?
This contest is being run to promote awareness of remix culture in an educational capacity and to encourage the fair use of a wide variety of content, as well as to create a new pool of work that explains to the general public what remix culture is.

How?
Contestents will source video footage, re-edit and transform it in such a way that it creates new meanings that communicate a clear message. This message will answer the question ‘What is Remix Culture?’

How do I enter?
Upload your video to TotalRecut.com and fill in the contest entry form.

Suggested Process:   1. Brainstorm an idea.    2. Find some footage.    
3. Download / Rip it.     4. Mix / Recut it.    5. Upload it to Total Recut.  

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How long should the video be?
Your video should be between 30 seconds and 3 minutes in duration, but no longer than
3 minutes. Videos longer than 3 minutes will not be considered for the final.

Where can I find material to use in my video?
You can find a huge amount of Public Domain and Creative Commons licenced video in the 'materials' section of TotalRecut or in the Internet Archive and on Blip.tv.

Where can I find out more about Remix Culture?
You can find information and videos about Remix Culture on TotalRecut here.

Can I use copyrighted material in my video?
Fair Use and Fair Dealing are provisions in copyright law that enable the use of copyrighted material for various purposes, including education and criticism or review. Not all uses of copyrighted material may be considered fair use. To find out more about Fair Use click here.

Can I attach a Creative Commons licence to my work?
If the material you have remixed is Public Domain, Creative Commons licenced or your own original content, then yes, you can attach a Creative Commons licence to it. If you use any copyrighted material in your entry, however, you do not have the right to attach a Creative Commons licence to it without permission from the copyright owner.

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How do I create a video remix?
To create a video remix for the web, we suggest a few simple steps. 1) Come up with a good idea. Brainstorm, sketch, storyboard. 2) Find footage. You can download video from the web, record your own video, use game engines to act out scenes or rip clips from dvds. 3) Convert your video into files that can be edited on your computer e.g. Quicktime movies or AVIs. 4) Import footage into your editing program and edit it. You can use the editing software that comes with your computer i.e. iMovie or Windows Movie Maker or if you have a more sophisticated program like Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro or Avid, you can use that. Alternatively, you  could edit your video online using Eyespot, Jumpcut or Photobucket, for example. 5) Export video and upload it to TotalRecut.com

Do I have to credit each clip I use?
Yes. For the purposes of this contest, all video and audio clips used must be attributed in the final credits sequence at the end of the clip.

Can you tell me if my video follows copyright law?
We cannot offer legal advice on individual projects, however you can read guidelines on what you can and can't do here.

I want to use a copyrighted song in my video. Is this an infringement?
It may be permissable to use a short sample from a copyrighted song, but it would probably not be acceptable to use a song in its entirety without permission. For further info, please see the Fair Use guidelines here. You can also find a huge amount of Public Domain and Creative Commons licensed audio content in the Internet Archive and on ccMixter.org

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How do I submit my video?
Simply upload your video or submit your URL to TotalRecut and fill in the entry form, which will be added to the contest home page when the contest launches in May 2008.


Can I submit more than one video?
Yes! You can submit as many as you like.


What video format should the video be in?
You may upload a video in most formats, but Quicktime, AVI or FLV are best. You may need to convert your video before uploading it. You can do this using SUPER.


What do I get if I win?
The prizes are as follows: 1st) A Laptop Computer.  2nd) A Digital Camcorder. 3rd) A Digital Media Player.  Runners up will receive a T-Shirt, DVD, CD or Book.

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How will the judging work?

Entries will be accepted between May 1st and July 1st 2008. After this, there will be 2 weeks of public voting. The 10 best videos will be put forward into the final where a judging panel will select the best three videos by rating each one out of 100%. The judging criteria will be based on 50% for overall impact, 25% for creativity and 25% for communication.


How are the finalists chosen?
Voting will be cast by the public. A unique email address must be provided and only one vote per entry per unique email address will be counted in the final voting tally to select the finalists.


I’m not a U.S. Citizen. May I enter the contest?

Yes. This is a global contest and is open to everyone.


Do I have to live in the U.S. to enter?
No.


How old do I have to be to enter?
The contest is open to people of all ages.


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