Have Your Anti-Bullying Public Service Announcement Aired on Logo

We at OneSeventeen Media are joining the fight to prevent bullying and are so pleased to announce that MTV’s television network, Logo, is in search of some of the best anti-bullying public service announcements in what it’s calling “Logo’s Anti-Bullying PSA Contest”.  The contest runs through November 28 and any U.S. resident can submit 25-second videos that convey messages of anti-bullying. The best part? They are looking for amateur filmmakers, everyday people like you and me to fulfill this order. Professional filmmakers are actually explicitly excluded from entering.

“Bullying is wrong. It needs to end. And you can help,” the tagline for the contest reads.

The hope is that, not only will people who may have not previously engaged with this topic enter into the discussion because they like the media aspect of it, but they will also discuss it with others, spreading the word about anti-bullying without overtly meaning to. The contest will generate buzz that extends beyond just those participating, not to mention the exposure that the actual aired PSA will get. People channel surfing with only the intention of being entertained will be hit with this all-important message. News stories and the “It Gets Better” campaign, among other recent coverage, has brought much-needed attention to the issue of anti-gay bullying, but people need to seek that out to some extent in order to learn about it. A television spot could be the most successful way to reach more passive consumers of media.

 

Registration in the 2010-2011 Young Minds Digital Times Competition is Open

The Third Annual Young Minds Digital Times Competition presented by KidThrive.org, encourages students in grades 6-12, for free, to create short films, documentaries, and public service announcements. Registration is now open!

“The competition is a way to honor the amazing work kids are generating in the digital creative arts,” says Jaclyn Bell, Competition Director, “This is the next wave of digital education; not just knowing the tools, but being able to use them well and manipulate their boundaries to produce something relevant, meaningful, and in our opinion, beautiful. Plus, we have some surprises and further opportunities coming up for students once registration is underway.”

The competition features two tracks: Young Filmmakers “Doing Good” and Young Filmmakers Freeform. In the “Doing Good” Track, students are invited to create public service announcements relating to social issues the public should be informed of, or relating to an organization that works towards social good. In the Freeform Track, students can enter films on any topic into six different categories: documentary, short film, animation, music video, non-moving movie, and comedic creation.

A Grand Prize Winner from each track receives a prize package to attend the 2012 South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas. First place winners in each category and age division (6-8 grades and 9-12 grades) take home $200 and Judges Choice honorees receive $100. The school with the most student film entries that make it pass the Public Voting Stage will also win $1000.

The chance for the public vote will end March 30th, and the films that make it to the second round will be viewed and critiqued by industry directors, actors, filmmakers and producers.

Competition registration runs from October 4th, 2010 to February 18, 2011, with films due by March, 19, 2011. Films enter a three tiered voting process, beginning with public voting March 22-30, 2010. Winner announcements will be posted May 20, 2011 on the Young Minds Digital Times website.

Stand Up To Cancer Strikes a Cord with Teens

Did you know that 1 in 2 men and 1 out of three women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes. In fact, there’s not a person that exists that has not been affected in some way by cancer. Stand Up To Cancer ‘s one-hour, commercial-free telecast aired on Friday, September 10, 2010 on over a dozen channels  and over 30 online streaming partners like AOL, Yahoo! and YouTube. The SU2C broadcast was dedicated to the over 12 million U.S. cancer survivors illustrating how groundbreaking research can change the tide in the fight against the disease. Since 2008, Stand Up To Cancer has raised more than $100 million for cancer research.

The all-star line-up of presenters, performers and phone operators who gave up their time to help raise funds for cancer research charities and awareness about the killer disease included teen stars Naya Rivera, Vanessa Hudgens, Brenda Song, and Logan Lerman. The goal is to raise awareness and funds for research but, more importantly, to inspire, inform, and support young adults face to face with cancer and build an understanding of what is happening to them and their family; acknowledging the sense of uncertainty and introduce healthy ways of dealing with feelings and changes.

Many teens are at a time in their lives when they are trying to break away and be independent from their parents. When a parent has cancer, breaking away can be hard for them to do. They may become angry, act out, or get into trouble.

Trying  to get teens to talk about their feelings is already difficult. Telling them as much as they want to know about cancer is a start. Asking their opinions and, if possible, letting them help make decisions  is also helpful.

Teens may want to talk with other people in their lives. Friends can be a great source of support, especially those who also have serious illness in their family. Other family members, teachers, coaches, and spiritual leaders can also help. Encouraging teenage children to talk about their fears and feelings with people they trust and feel close to is essential. Some towns even have support groups for teens whose parents/family members have cancer.

Stand Up To Cancer raises funds to hasten the pace of groundbreaking translational research that can get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives. The show is over but Stand Up To Cancer is still accepting donations online at http://www.su2c.org.  100% of the funds received from the public go to research.

National Day of Service and Remembrance: 5 Ways to Volunteer

September 11th marks our “Patriot Day” to honor both the victims and heroes of the September 11 attacks, and highlighted the spirit of service by launching USA Freedom Corps. In 2008, President Bush amended the Patriot Day proclamation to specifically include “volunteering” as an appropriate form of remembrance. A year later, the U.S. Congress, in a bi-partisan action, passed the Serve America Act, which for the first time authorized the President of the United States to formally designate 9/11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. President Barack Obama subsequently launched United We Serve, a national service initiative that culminated on September 11, 2009. President Obama amended the Patriot Day proclamation on September 10, 2009, to officially and permanently make 9/11 a National Day of Service and Remembrance, as requested by Congress and the 9/11 community.

With so many recent natural disasters affecting millions of people all over the globe, the constant calls for donations from celebrities and aid organizations can be overwhelming. Especially in difficult economic times, donating to relief efforts may not be practical, even for the most empathetic.

The good news is, your time can make as big an impact as monetary donations. This September 11 will not only be a day of remembrance, but also a National Service Day. The National Day of Remembrance and Service proclamation asks Americans to make volunteering and service part of their way of life.

To help you get started and get inspired, consider some of these do-it-yourself ideas and tips from the government organization United We Serve for volunteering in your community:

• Organize a book drive: It is documented that students who score high on achievement tests have easy access to books in the community at large, in well-stocked libraries and schools with many textbooks. Studies show that low-income neighborhoods offer, on average, one book per 300 children. Make an impact in your community by organizing a book drive to help increase reading achievement and literacy.

• Start a walking team: Health care costs may change for some in the coming years because of recent health reform, but one of the main problems with the system — people’s health — can’t be regulated by Congress. Something as simple as walking 30 minutes a day can make a real difference for long-term health. Organize your neighbors to take brisk, half-hour walks more than five days a week to reap benefits for yourself and your community.

• Organize a clothing drive: Thanks to the economy and housing crises, not only families but also entire neighborhoods have been devastated by foreclosures, blight and loss of income. In order to support your community in these lean times, provide for your less fortunate neighbors’ most immediate needs by organizing a clothing drive. By collecting gently used clothes from family and friends, you could help someone land a job, stay warm this winter and regain some dignity.

• Learn how to “Glean”: Collect excess fresh foods from farms, gardens, grocery stores, restaurants and other sources, in order to provide it to those who need it most. It is estimated that in 2009 up to 20 percent of the country’s food supply went to waste. With 49 million people (including 16 million children) in danger of going hungry, the excess food you collect could make dramatic improvements in peoples’ health and save lives.

• Help prepare your community for disasters: Floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires prove every year that the awesome power of nature can wreak massive devastation. Whether or not you live in a part of the country known for experiencing extreme weather, it’s important to know how to stay safe in the event of a disaster, especially for those with disabilities. Learn how to be prepared in your own home, neighborhood, business or school and share that knowledge with others.

How will you mark National Service Day? Share what you’re pledging to do for your community to impact your world, and rekindle the energy, passion and connectivity experienced after the attacks of 9/11.  MyGoodDeed.org, in partnership with HandsOn Network, The Corporation for National and Community Service, and the 9/11 Memorial are great places to start.

Think Green, Act Green: Teens are the biggest advocates for Green Living

These days, most people are concerned about protecting the environment and “going green.” Individuals are recycling, reusing and reinventing more than ever. There seem to be thousands of eco-friendly tips and techniques out there for earth-conscious adults to use, but today’s teenagers are also looking for new ways to be green.

Today’s teens are more wired up, plugged in, worldly and savvy than ever. Many care deeply about the threats facing our environment, and are committed to making difference. To help in this earth-friendly endeavor, here are some green lifestyle tips geared to teens and tweens.

Green Garments

To help save the environment and their budgets, teens are purchasing distinctive, stylized clothing from area resale stores. Getting  bargains on name brands and gently worn clothing at a fraction of the cost, teens are being economically responsible and following fashion trends.  Their one-of-a-kind garments, accessories, and jewelry can really make a fashion statement and add personal style to their wardrobe. Plus, they are saving thousands of garments from ending up in landfills.

Green Products

Teens are looking at product labels now more than ever, looking for “green” alternatives. The purchases they make on their beauty, hair, or personal care products,  feature all-natural or organically certified ingredients. Many commercial shampoos, conditioners, skin cleansers, moisturizers, makeup and other products contain a host of chemicals, additives and generally bad-for-the-environment ingredients. Natural and organically certified personal care products do not contain these harmful ingredients and still come in all of the fresh, fruity scents, colors and shades that teens like. In fact, many are made from recycled, reclaimed or organically grown materials and are manufactured using methods that save natural resources.

Green Grades

When toting school supplies, teens are  choosing an earth-friendly backpack or tote made from reclaimed or organic fabric. There are countless styles out there, from stylish messenger bags to traditional slingback bags. Also think about the supplies that are put in those bags. Notebooks, paper, pencils, pens, markers, rulers, folders and book covers are all available in green versions that have been recycled, reclaimed or revamped in some way to save resources and materials.

Green Careers

As teens start thinking about their future, they are considering pursuing a green careers. Now more than ever, many different career fields are expanding to include green branches or offshoots for environmentally conscious individuals. Eco-friendly careers include environmental biologists, sociologists, social movement organizers, earth-friendly business owners, environmental attorneys, public relations professionals, educators, science teachers, green construction builders and architects, green city planners, environmental fundraisers and grant writers, community affairs managers and foresters, to name just a few.

Global warming is at the forefront of serious issues concerning America and the World, and topics such as alternative fuels, recycling, and environmentally friendly products are being discussed more and more. Although environmental issues are a serious matter, it seems that they will affect future generations more than any others. Teens are becoming more familiar with the “green” movement and developing opinions of their own about the state of the environment. The above tips, and more, are ways teens are beginning to “Go Green”.

For more on how teens can go green, check out Teens Turning Green.

Amazing Kid: Teen Helps Break the Chains of Poverty Through Literacy

Riley Carney is just 16 years old, but she realized early on the link between literacy and poverty. At 14, she founded Breaking the Chain, an organization that strives to provide educational opportunities for children living in poverty, both in the United States and abroad. Her activism has helped to build two schools in Africa and create a literacy center for children in a battered women’s shelter in her hometown of Englewood, Colo.

Riley, who has raised more than $90,000 for her charitable projects, is a Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes finalist. Now in its seventh year, the program recognizes outstanding kids for their contributions and community service by awarding 10 children a $7,500 scholarship each and another $2,500 to donate to their pet charitable causes.

Riley accomplished this by making two different videos to create awareness about literacy, which she showed at her high school/middle school. Also she began selling T-shirts which she designed herself, and by conducting a “jeans day” at school — students paid to wear jeans for the day — and by mailing out a large number of letters to members of the community. Today, her fund-raising efforts, and the two novels she has written, shows how much Riley, and literacyTee has changed the world.

“I’ve always been concerned with the welfare of children, since they can’t advocate for themselves.” says Riley. ” There are so many tragic things that happen to children around the world and they have no control over their own destinies. The cycle of exploitation and poverty can be broken through education, and the most important thing we can do to help children take control over their own lives is to provide them with the ability to read. Because there is a correlation between literacy and poverty, creating literacy opportunities is the key to eradicating poverty and exploitation.”

Teen Philanthropy is on the rise. Youth voice, youth involvement, youth participation, youth-centered programs, community youth development, meaningful youth engagement, youth civic engagement, child-friendly communities… Each of these titles are meant to summarize initiatives that are active, empowering, and democratic experiences for young people as they create change in their own lives, as well as the lives of others in the organizations, institutions, and communities they belong to. Stories such as Riley’s are not only inspiring, but prove that big change is possible.

Creating the Perfect PSA

What do you want the world to know? That’s the central question asked when you are creating a public service announcement (PSA), which is any message promoting programs, activities or services of federal, state or local governments or the programs, activities or services of non-profit organizations.

Often in the form of commercials and print ads, PSAs are created to persuade an audience to take a favorable action. PSAs can create awareness, show the importance of a problem or issue, convey information, or promote a behavioral change. Whether you have a cause of your own or you are an educator, PSAs create a forum for learners to actively participate in a project that allows them to become stewards of — and advocates for — social change.

PSAs came into being with the entry of the United States into World War II. Radio broadcasters and advertising agencies created a council that offered their skills and facilities to the war effort, creating messages such as, “Loose lips sink ships,” “Keep ‘em Rolling” and a variety of exhortations to buy War Bonds.

Today that same council, the Advertising Council, now serves as a facilitating agency and clearing house for nationwide campaigns that have become a familiar part of daily life. “Smokey the Bear” was invented by the Ad Council to personify its “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires” campaign; “A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste” raised millions for the United Negro College Fund; the American Cancer Society’s “Fight Cancer with a Checkup and a Check” raised public awareness as well as funds for research and patient services.

Yet the most recognized PSA consisted of only an egg, a frying pan and these 15 words: “This is your brain. This is drugs. This is your brain on drugs. Any questions?”

This PSA, created in 1987, went on to be named one of the top one hundred television advertisements of all time. Its message could be seen printed on t-shirts, being  parodied on television and in films, and it even spun  a sequel nearly a decade  later staring actress, Rachel Lee Cook. This only goes to show the massive impact PSAs have on our culture and our society. You can make an impact too!

Getting Started

1. Choose your topic. Pick a subject that is important to you, as well as one you can visualize. Keep your focus narrow and to the point. More than one idea confuses your audience, so have one main idea per PSA.
2. Time for some research – you need to know your stuff! Try to get the most current and up to date facts on your topic. Statistics and references can add to a PSA. You want to be convincing and accurate.
3. Consider your audience. Are you targeting parents, teens, teachers or some other social group? Consider your target audience’s needs, preferences, as well as the things that might turn them off. They are the ones you want to rally to action. The action suggested by the PSA can be almost anything. It can be spelled out or implied in your PSA, just make sure that message is clear.
4. Grab your audience’s attention. You might use visual effects, an emotional response, humor, or surprise to catch your target audience. Be careful, however, of using scare tactics. Attention getters are needed, but they must be carefully selected. For example, when filming a PSA about controlling anger, a glass-framed picture of a family can be shattered on camera. This was dramatic, but not melodramatic. Staging a scene between two angry people to convey the same idea is more difficult to do effectively.
5. Create a script and keep your script to a few simple statements. A 30-second PSA will typically require about 5 to 7 concise assertions. Highlight the major and minor points that you want to make. Be sure the information presented in the PSA is based on up-to-date, accurate research, findings and/or data.
6. Storyboard your script.
7. Film your footage and edit your PSA.
8. Find your audience and get their reaction. How do they respond and is it in the way you expected? Your goal is to call your audience to action. Are they inspired?

Through a Public Service Announcement you can bring your community together around a subject that is important to you. Will your PSA be on education, poverty, drunk driving, or maybe even Haiti disaster relief? For ideas and examples, check out the Ad Council and the Ad Council Gallery. Keep your message clear and simple, and target your intended audience. Take advantage of your interests, and practice important critical thinking and literacy skills because you will be spreading important social, economic, and political topics.

19 Days and Counting

Only 19 days left to register for the Young Minds Digital Times Student Film Competition. We have fantastic prizes for our winners, including two Grand Prize packages to attend the 2011 South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas. Other first place category winners will take home $200 in cold, hard cash. The teacher with the most student film entries, and the school with the most student film entries in Track One: Young Filmmakers Doing Good, will each win $1000! But you have to register first!!

Registration is open until February 19th. The competition is free to all student filmmakers grades 6-8 and 9-12. Film entries are due March 19th. And check the rest of our blog posts for filmmaking tips and tricks.

Filmmaking: No Budget, No Problem

One of the biggest misnomers about filmmaking is that you have to have a budget and expensive equipment, yet educators and filmmakers alike can spark creativity and innovation without spending a dime.

That means that the excuses of “I don’t have the equipment” or “I don’t have editing software” aren’t allowed anymore.

You Don’t Even Need a Camcorder

With the variety of footage now available from archives, remixing is becoming the new filming. From advertisements to film trailers, from short films to art installations, films made almost entirely from existing footage are now seen everywhere.

This trend began in the same way as audio remixes, with illegal mixes created by talented individuals on the edges of the law. However, today these innovators are now urged on by huge companies such as Viacom and General Motors to re-edit their advertisements. This technique was also chosen by New Line Cinema to remix the trailer of the recent Antonio Banderas film, Take the Lead, the first ever sanctioned audiovisual film remix by a Hollywood studio.

Cell Phone Cinema

Cell phones have also become a useful tool in the filmmaking process because they offer a cheap, easy alternative to camcorders. Mobile-as-movie cameras are breaking the motion picture mold, putting a touch of Hollywood into amateur filmmakers’ hands. How-to workshops have sprung up from Boston to Abu Dhabi to Rio de Janeiro, and Paris just held its fourth film festival devoted exclusively to movies shot with cell phones.

Even decorated director Spike Lee is jumping on the cell phone film bandwagon. He’s creating his own films with a Nokia N95 and the help of his son.

“He’s 10 years old, and he’s much more technologically advanced than I am,” Lee told Advertising Age. “The filmmakers who are going to take advantage of [mobile filmmaking] are the people who think ahead of everybody else, the visionaries. This stuff is really uncharted territory, so who knows where these devices and technology is going to take us in the future.”
Free Online Editing Tools

Once the visuals are compiled, editing must commence, but surely video editing is too resource-intensive to be done over the Web, right? Wrong! Many free online services allow you to do things like scene transitions, cuts, splices, loops and audio overlays. Most of them offer online editing and enable easy control of the video experience with the ability to send your creations to friends via e-mail and/or by embedding films online. Here are some tools to consider:

Cuts
Eyespot
Motionbox
One True Media
VoiceThread
PhotoStory

While none of these free services are going to put installed editors such as Pinnacle Studio, Adobe Premier or Final Cut Pro out of business, they do offer a way for filmmakers to have fun manipulating their multimedia digital content.

In my classroom, with no budget for film equipment and software, a group of students created an award-winning short film using nothing but Paint, a stock Windows OS drawing program, and PowerPoint to complete their timing and editing. Expensive tools are not necessary – all you need is a little innovation.

Once you think of an idea for producing a film, investigate the options you already have available to you before you let a price tag hold you back. Free and accessible tools are available and user friendly. Hollywood is just starting to grasp the conce, and you can too.

Countdown to Young Minds Digital Times ’09-’10!

The second year of the Young Minds Digital Times Film Competition (YMDT) is just days away!  Starting September 28, students can register to participate in the ’09-’10 Competition.  This year’s competition is co-sponsored by KidThrive.org and Converge magazine.  As always, there’s no fee to participate.  You’ll find all the details live on the YMDT website starting on the 28th.  Some exciting improvements to this year’s competition based on your feedback:

• Expanded time line — films due in February 2010
• Larger cash prizes for students
• $1000 cash prizes for the teacher and school with the most entries
• Two new categories to show off your work

Be sure to check back September 28 for all the details!  We can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to!

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