Recent polling suggests that many Americans have a fuzzy idea about how we source, distribute and utilize energy. That’s why Dialogue Earth is using this video project to set the stage for a larger, forthcoming "Dialogue Earth Media Challenge," which will consist of 10 video projects solely pertaining to energy related topics. The goal for both this video, and the larger Media Challenge is to offer more people a basic understanding of energy. Period.

Create a 60-90 second Video on the topic of energy. We're not looking for something that conveys every last detail about energy, but rather, a video that describes in very general terms:

    * where we get energy from (source)

    * how we move it around (distribute)

    * how we use it (utilize)

--Target Audience & Approach:

Your video should engage your peers, so think about how you would you initiate such a conversation or what they would find appealing. Keep in mind that your video will serve as an introduction to, or first chapter of, a suite of videos on energy, but only implicitly. Dialogue Earth is not looking for people to outline/mention the larger energy challenge and this video should stand on its own as an intro to the broader topic. You want to hook the viewer, but please keep it informative. The goal is not to persuade people to take actions, like switching energy sources, changing appliances, etc, but just to further people’s understanding of energy.

This project will be worth a total of $15,000 and consist of three phases. Also, this tournament style process will progress differently from previous projects, so be sure to read the following information carefully.

PHASE 1: CONCEPT - In 250 characters or less, tell us your Concept for the Video. Remember, a Concept is not a detailed script; it is a brief synopsis or distillation of what will happen in the Video. While not required, it would be a plus to work the idea of efficiency, i.e., that there are lots of energy losses during generation, transport, and use into your Concept. Another creative challenge will be to develop one or more analogies from every day life to help tell the story. This is not an absolute requirement, but we believe it will help people better relate to the topic. As always, concepts should be clever, engaging, and fun. Winning Concepts will receive a 5% residual payment of every winning Video they are used to generate.

PHASE 2: PITCH – Using text (500 characters or less), images (storyboards), video, and/or external links (to other supporting assets, i.e., your reel, etc.), give us your Pitch for how YOU would go about producing this Video based on one of the five winning Concepts from the previous Phase. The three most compelling Pitches will be selected and the creators of those Pitches will receive a $500 production budget to produce their Video. Those winners will also be GUARANTEED to place in the subsequent Video Phase. So, if you’re Pitch is selected, you will earn a minimum of $1,500 (minus residuals) with a 1-in-6 shot at the $5,000 first place video prize. Remember your Pitch can include any, and all, of the assets mentioned above with storyboards being a particularly effective way of conveying your take. Alternatively, even if you don’t win the Pitch Phase, you will still have the opportunity to create a Video based on either one of the five winning Concepts from Phase 1, OR, to create a “Wild Card” Video completely of your own creative devices in the subsequent Video Phase. To avoid information cascades, all Pitches will remain private until after the video winners of the subsequent phase are announced.

PHASE 3: VIDEO – Pitch winners of the previous phase will submit their Videos while all other creators are invited to select either one of the 5 winning Concepts as the basis for their 60-90 second Video, OR, enter a “Wild Card” submission that’s not based on any winning material from the previous phases. Obviously, this is a riskier enterprise, as the Project Judges will not have vetted any of base material. However, if you’ve got a wholly original take that you think will knock the Judges socks off, give it a shot! No matter whether you’re a Pitch winner, someone making a Video based on a Concept, or a Wild Card submitter, your video should conclude by setting the stage for the forthcoming Dialogue Earth Media Challenge--a series of 10 projects all about energy that will begin later this year.

--Music: MusicRevolution.com, an online marketplace for royalty-free production music, is making professional tracks available to Tongal members at no charge for a limited use comp license for their submissions to the Dialogue Earth “Energy” Video Project. MusicRevolution has preselected tracks specifically for the Project available via download link in the Excel spreadsheet on the Project Files section of this page. Tongal members are being provided with a royalty-free license at no charge or obligation, limited for use only in connection with a submission to the Dialogue Earth “Energy” campaign on Tongal. Before downloading a MusicRevolution track, please read the License Agreement. Any use of a MusicRevolution track in connection with a submission will be subject to the terms of such License Agreement. Use of any MusicRevolution track outside of Tongal is strictly prohibited. Beyond the preselected tracks, Tongal members are encouraged to browse the entire MusicRevolution catalog available here (https://www.musicrevolution.com/). If interested in using a track from the MusicRevolution library that has not been preselected, solely for use in the Dialogue Earth “Energy” campaign on Tongal, please email music@tongal.com for a download link to a specific track.

--Please refer to the Dialogue Earth blog for a post with additional background material (http://bit.ly/gN65rt)

--You should also check out this School House Rock video which is entertaining and touches on a number of relevant issues (http://bit.ly/fZ2Sqq). Note, however, that this video was designed to promote energy conservation, which is not the goal of this project. Also the School House Rock video tracks changes in energy use over time, but this is not a requirement for winning videos in this project.

--This Union of Concerned Scientists website provides useful background reading on energy, although it is presented as a context for UCS's agenda on promoting clean energy (http://bit.ly/gPJEVK).

1. Videos MUST not exceed ninety (90) seconds in length.  Preferred format is HD 1280 X 720, 16x9.  Acceptable file formats are .mov, .avi, .mp4, .wmv.  Acceptable codecs are H.264 (MP4), MPEG-4, H.263, MPGV, WMV, DivX.

2. All work must be your own and free of any copyrighted material.

3. Videos are not required to mention Dialogue Earth or show Dialogue Earth's logo in the video.

4. Videos cannot contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Dialogue Earth.

5. Videos must be in the English language or subtitled.

6. Limit 2 submission(s) per member, per phase.

7. You must be at least thirteen (13) years or older to enter.

8. Minimum ten (10) Videos or the project will repost for fourteen (14) days.

9. See OFFICIAL RULES for additional contest information, terms and conditions.