Alaska Injury Prevention Center is proud to announce the Seventh Annual Reality Media Awards “Through Our Eyes” contest – an opportunity for students to demonstrate their creativity by producing a persuasive work of art. The focus of the artwork is to convey a powerful peer-to-peer message about making healthy choices.

The two categories of art are;

1. Print (example: bumper sticker, poster, storyboard, magazine ad),
2. Video (example: TV commercial, music video),

Teachers: If a student from your class wins, you will receive a gift Certificate also!!!

The purpose of this competition is to creatively challenge students to “be the advertiser”. The term “media literacy” means to have the ability to understand how advertisers sell products and concepts to our society. Many of the media campaigns promote unhealthy lifestyles (examples; alcohol, tobacco use, promiscuity) and physical beauty at the cost of one’s health (examples; botox, breast enlargements, fast foods and weight loss products). These campaigns persuade us to believe that it is more beneficial to use their product than to be healthy. Other media campaigns convince us to spend money on things that have no value (examples are; bottled water; plug in room deodorizers, chia pets).

Media literacy is the ability to critically consume and create media and is an essential skill in today’s world. Now you can compete with big marketers by designing messages that either encourages your peers to make healthy decisions by promoting a healthy concept (i.e. using seatbelts, not smoking) or create an anti-ad that analyzes unhealthy marketing! Create your own media message and win great prizes. All entrants will receive recognition at the awards ceremony.

Previous Winners:

Fill out the Reality Media Awards “Through Our Eyes” competition application.  Review the category list to decide where your artwork should compete. Make sure you credit the members of your creative team, so that they will be recognized properly in press releases and winner publications.  Submission of entries acknowledges the right of the Reality Media Awards partners to use them for publication, exhibition and marketing of the Reality Media Awards “Through Our Eyes” program.  Be sure to include signed media releases for everyone who participated in producing your piece.

Deliver your entries by 4pm March 31, 2010 to Alaska Injury Prevention Center, 3701 E. Tudor, Suite 105, Anchorage, AK 99507. (907) 929-3939
Your entry may be mailed in or hand-delivered, but must be in by the deadline. There will be no exceptions. All entries must follow guidelines outlined in this guide.  There is no entry fee for this competition.

Age groups:

• 7th - 8th grades
• 9th - 12th grades

Entries that are created in a language other than English should include a translation in English. Translations should be attached to the entry form. Video entries created in a language other than English should include a translation of any spoken language in the form of English subtitles or spoken English voice-over. A written translation is not preferred, but will be accepted. Audio entries created in a language other than English should include a translation of any spoken language. Translations should be attached to the entry form.

Entry Deadline- March 31, 2010

Judging will be conducted in accordance with the guidelines outlined in this document by The Reality Media Awards judges.  Decisions of judges including eligibility, qualifications and appropriate category placement are final.

1. Clear - Clarity of the message communicated in the entry.
2. Attention Grabbing - How effectively the entry will attract the target audience’s attention.
3. Peer Persuasion- How effectively the entry will influence beliefs, attitudes and behaviors of the target audience.
4. Technical Merit - Appropriate use of transitions, titling, background music, special effects, quality of images, etc (where appropriate).
5. Accuracy - Precision and accuracy of information in message.

1. By entering the competition, the entrant warrants that an entry is an original work created by the entrant and that the use or reproduction of the entry by the sponsors will not infringe the copyright or any other intellectual property of any third party.
2. CD entries must be submitted on cross-platform CD-ROM and in QuickTime format. One media selection per CD.
3. You may enter in as many different media categories, as you like; however, each ad can only be submitted once.
4. Video entries must be two minutes or under in length.
5. The Reality Media Awards partners may disqualify any entry deemed inappropriate within their sole discretion. (Shoot for a "G" rating!). Entries must comply with the Commercial Television Code of Practice guidelines for program material receiving a General (G) rating. The G rating permits mild visual depictions of and restrained verbal reference to illegal drug use, if justified by the story line or program context. But the program must not promote or encourage illegal drug use. An entry that does not comply with these guidelines will be deemed ineligible for judging.
6. Media submissions must be received no later than 4pm March 31, 2010, at AIPC.
7. Release forms for everyone in your media selection must be submitted with the ad entry and listed on your media entry form. Release forms must be submitted for anyone in your entry, including voices, actors, and photographs.
8. Any copyrighted work; music, logos, video clips and images must have the appropriate written permission attached.
9. By submitting an entry, the contestant(s) give The Reality Media Awards partners the right to publish the ad in part or in whole in any medium.
10. Copyright of the entry will remain with the entrant.
11. Web Site entries must be submitted on CD with one screen print, along with the URL if applicable.
12. Follow format guidelines listed below
    
    
    1. Print: Category ideas include (but are not limited to) a magazine or newspaper advertisement, a poster, a brochure, photography, CD cover, a painting, etc. Mount all single entries on black foam core or matt board. If you need more than one board for your entry, securely hinge/fasten the boards together. Affix the entry form to the back of the mounting board the in upper right hand corner.
    2. Video Entries: Category ideas include (but are not limited to) commercials, music videos, etc. Movies must be submitted on cross-platform CD-ROM and in QuickTime format or on a DVD. One movie per CD or DVD.
       
       

Media Literacy and technology training sessions will be available this fall.  Check out www.ourreality.org for more information.

1. Seat Belt Usage
2. Underage Drinking
3. Alcohol and other Drugs
4. Health Issues relating to DWI/DUI
5. Graduated Licensing
6. Tobacco Use Prevention
7. Nutrition
8. Physical Activity
9. Violence Prevention
10. Relationships & Sexuality
11. Body Image
12. Diversity
13. Environmental Issues
14. Bike Helmets

Your Goal:
As a teen you know what impacts teens better than most adults.  So put that knowledge to use and design an ad that will appeal to your peers.  Start simple; what message do you really want to get across for example:  “drinking isn’t cool” or “wear a seatbelt.”

Your Concept:
Once you figure out your message, spice it up, and build on the idea.  For example, “Wear a seatbelt: road rash is ugly.”

Use Persuasive Techniques
You may have learned about media literacy in school.  You can also get tons of advice from the web.  Basically, media literacy teaches persuasive techniques that are used in ad campaigns.  Use them for your entry. 

Please Avoid:
Avoid typos, adult ratings (PG rating or entry can be disqualified).

New Mexico Media Literacy Project                    NMMLP@NMMLP.ORG

Media Education Foundation                               WWW.MEDIAED.ORG

National Institute on Media and the Family           WWW.MEDIAFAMILY.ORG