2021 Teen Video Challenge (TVC)

2021 Teen Video Challenge!

Do you have a passion for reading or libraries? Do you want to share your video or performative skills with teens across the country? The Teen Video Challenge is for you!

Five winners will be chosen and will receive: a $200 cash prize, and $50 worth of summer reading materials for their library!

The Teen Video Challenge is an annual video contest and is open to all teens (librarian and teacher support is encouraged). The challenge is for teens to create a public services announcement-type video that shows their unique interpretation of the 2021 CSLP slogan “Tails and Tales”. Videos are to be no longer than 60 seconds and should promote libraries and reading.

Videos will be accepted June 1 through August 6, 2021

Attention librarians and teachers!

Looking for an easy program to share with your teens? The 2021 TVC is a fun, simple summer program for teens to create and submit!

  • There will be 5 national winners. Just have your teens submit a link to their video and complete a simple online form.
  • The program will accept submissions June 1-Aug 6, 2021, so that the program can be incorporated into summer programs (it’s still a great opportunity to partner with schools with video production classes or clubs; students can produce the videos as a class project and submit them in June!)
  • Videos will be limited to 60 seconds, making this a doable project for small teams.
  • Permission and model release forms will only be required from the winning entries (completing the forms is a requirement to receive prizes and acknowledgement).
  • The TVC Ad-Hoc Committee will convene a judging panel from CSLP partners and members.
  • Teens can upload to the social media outlet of their choice.

Resources:

For more information about the 2021 Teen Video Challenge, please contact CustServ@cslpreads.org

CSLP Teen Video Contest

The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) provides an outlet to allow teens to show their directorial, acting, writing and videography talents in a nationwide contest called the Teen Video Contest (TVC). Teens are invited to create a public services announcement-type video that shows their unique interpretation of the 2021 CSLP slogan “Tails and Tales.” Five winning videos produced in any participating state, island, territory will be named as the CSLP 2021 Teen Videos to promote libraries and reading nationwide. The winning video creators’ public libraries will receive a gift certificate from CSLP. The winning teen/teen team will receive a cash prize of $200.

While creating a video can seem daunting, participating can be easily adaptable to all experience levels, budgets, and equipment needed. For those who use this as program within the library, this program can be a great way to partner with local schools, organizations or a nearby university with staff that can share expertise in how to create, direct, and edit a video; it’s also a great activity for a library’s teen advisory board. Library staff can also encourage teens to create their own videos if they prefer or if the library’s resources are limited.

Materials needed:

All equipment may be supplied by the public library, a school, nonprofit organization, or participating teens themselves.

  • Recording Technology-camera, phone, tablet or other recording device
  • Editing App or Software-example: iMovie, Adobe Premiere, FilmoraGo, Shakr, etc.
  • Greenscreen (optional)
  • Lighting Equipment (optional)

Space needs:

  • Teens can produce their videos anywhere within or outside the library

Contest Rules:

All videos should:

  • Be no longer than 60 seconds
  • Promote public libraries and reading
  • Be designed for use at any library
  • Be appropriate for viewing by audiences of all ages
  • Adhere to copyright laws

Books

Nonfiction

Filmmaking for Teens: Pulling Off Your Shorts, 2010, by Troy Lanier and Clay Nichols (Gr. 9 +)

How to Shoot a Video that Doesn’t Suck, 2011, by Steve Stockman (Gr. 9 +)

Rebel without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker with $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player, 1996, by Robert Rodriguez (Gr. 9 +)
The Filmmaker’s Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age, 2012, by Steven Asher and Edward Pincus (Gr. 9 +)

Web Resources

5 Tips for Video Composition (San Francisco State University). https://online.sfsu.edu/rtknow/pdf/ Five%20Tips%20For%20Video%20Composition.pdf. Get the shots that tell your story best. This illus¬trated guide has easily understood tips for follow¬ing the action, adding to the drama and avoiding shaky footage.

10 Tips for Kids Who Want to be Filmmakers! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol51d7JekJ4. Indie producer Russell Hasenauer has down to earth tips for the 12-14 set who want to be film-makers, but have no idea how to do it.

Best Interactive Video Apps and Websites https:// www.commonsense.org/education/top-picks/best-interactive-video-apps-and-websites. This site from Common Sense Education reviews apps (most of them FREE!) for video production, from animation to editing your footage.

Learn About Film. https://learnaboutfilm.com. This site has definitions and step-by-step advice for everything from pre-production to special effects editing. There’s even a section with advice on equipment for children and teens, including use of iPods and mobile devices.

How to Enter:

1. Video Submissions

  • Teens should create a public service announcement-type video that shows their unique interpretation of the 2021 CSLP slogan “Tails and Tales” in 60 seconds or less in an original video and submit as a URL link to CSLP TVC Submission Form found on: https://www.cslpreads.org/programs/teen-program/2019-teen-video-challenge/.
  • Video submissions will be accepted beginning June 1, 2021, 12:01 am EDT through Friday, August 6, 2021, 11:59 pm EDT.
    Multiple entries are permitted.
  • Submission of a video signifies agreement to the CSLP Terms of Use.

2. Selection Process

  • Five winners will be determined by members of the TVC Ad Hoc Committee and collaborating partners from submissions by each state and/or from general entries submitted to CSLP.
  • The five winning videos will be announced in mid October 2021, and will be featured on the Collaborative Summer Reading Program website. Winners will be notified by email and permission slips from parent/ guardian will be required at this time for prize eligibility.

3. Prizes

The top five winners will receive:

  • The winner’s local public library will receive $50 gift certificate from CSLP
    Winning Teen/Team ($200 cash prize)
  • Video will be posted on CSLP Website/ YouTube Channel for public viewing
    Winners will be notified by email.

4. Terms and Conditions

Participants of the CSLP Teen Video Contest agree to the CSLP Terms of Use.
Entrants may only submit their own original works.
Video submissions will be accepted beginning June 1, 2021 12:01 am EST through Friday, August 6, 2021 11:59 pm EST.
CSLP employees and their family members may participate, but are ineligible to win.
For optimal video upload guidelines visit the YouTube® website.
All submitted videos are subject to approval and may not be accepted if they are found to be offensive or in violation of copyright. This includes the use of copyrighted music, digital, movie, or printed works.
CSLP reserves the right to use winning videos on various publications, websites and in other pro-motions, including but not limited to the CSLP channel on YouTube and cslpreads.org.

Please contact CustServ@cslpreads.org with any questions.