2023 HIGH SCHOOL VIDEO CONTEST

Use your talents to create a public service announcement video about voting in Washington. Register by April 30, 2023, then submit your video by June 1, 2023.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three teams!

Contest Rules, Submission Process, and Ownership Rights

Contest Rules

1. Students may reside anywhere in Washington state.
2. Students must currently be in grades 9 to 12 as of January 2023.
3. Students may work together in groups of 2 or 3 or submit entries as individuals.
4. All entries must be submitted either in English, or, if in another language, include English subtitles. Entries using foreign languages are welcome.
5. Each video needs a Lead Producer to serve as the main point of contact. However, recognition will be given to all participants.
6. The length of the video must be a minimum of 30 seconds, and no longer than 60 seconds (one minute).
7. Entries must be based on one of the themes/ideas provided by the LWVWA.
8. No professional assistance is allowed. Adults, including teachers, parents, and friends, may assist with production but are limited to verbal guidance only. Adults are allowed to be actors or camera operators but not script writers or technicians.
9. There is no entry fee. Register at www.lwvwa.org/video2023/ until April 30, 2023.
10. Entries will be judged anonymously. Decisions will be made based on the LWVWA judging criteria (e.g., quality of content, presentation, creativity, strength of message). The judges' decisions are final.
11. The only compensation for submitting a LWVWA contest video is the opportunity for the individual or team to be awarded a prize if the entry wins. LWVWA will pay filmmakers no additional compensation nor be liable to the filmmaker under any circumstances.
12. Cash awards of $600 each will be provided to 3 winning video teams.

Video Submission Checklist

• All criteria must be met in order to be eligible for cash prizes.
• You must register here on or before April 30, 2023 in order to be eligible to submit.
• • Students must include parent/guardian email address. Once the contest committee receives this information, an online permission form will be sent to the student's parent/guardian for permission.
  • Students must also include a teacher's or supervisor's email address. Once the contest committee receives this information, an online verification form will be sent to the student’s teacher/supervisor to confirm originality.
• In addition to uploading your video to YouTube, your submission needs to include the following items:
• • Introductory summary of what idea they chose and why.
  • All necessary forms signed
  • Names and contact info of all participants/team members and school.
  • Signed talent consent forms (if applicable)
  • All registration and permission forms MUST be completed when you upload your video for it to be eligible. 
  • All entries must be submitted here in digital format before midnight on June 1, 2023. All entries must be submitted through YouTube as "Unlisted." Information on how to post to YouTube can be found here.
• All information presented in the video must be cited and uploaded to the "documents" section at the bottom of the submission form, giving credit to the original source. Plagiarism of any kind will result in disqualification.

Ownership Rights of Video Submissions

The League of Women Voters of Washington (LWVWA) will own exclusively all right, title, and interest in and to any video content upon submission to this contest. All submissions, in part or in whole, along with their corresponding intellectual property, script, and release forms, must be submitted to LWVWA via the submission portal cited above. The copyright will belong solely to LWVWA. At their discretion, LWVWA will have the right to edit, delete, or append content to the video contest submission in the final creation of the video.

To the extent that any such submissions do not fall within the specifically enumerated works that constitute "works for hire" under United States copyright laws, and to the extent that any deliverables include materials subject to copyright or other proprietary right protection, contestants shall irrevocably assign to LWVWA all their rights and interests that may be deemed to have in and to any and all content in contest videos.

• Retain a digital copy of your submission video and associated documents.
• The LWVWA will grant back to the contestants a license in perpetuity to show their original submission or the finished LWVWA-branded video for single use exhibition, short film festivals, academic or resume submissions, or other similar non-commercial uses.
• Entrants grant the LWVWA the right to use, reproduce, reprint, distribute, perform, and/or display the entrant’s project video at any time without further compensation or notification to the entrant.
• Submitters agree to hold LWVWA harmless against any and all claims and/or liability arising out of use of videos at any time. Entrants agree to be bound by the official contest rules and decisions of the judges.