Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who can participate?
A: Students, faculty and staff from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus. Library employees are not eligible to participate in this contest.

Q: How do I enter?
A: Begin by registering online at on our website. (click here to register)
Upon registration you will receive a packet of information including the story line for the project. Create a video with your own perspective using the given storyline. You may use any originally created or public domain audio and video footage.

Q: What happens if I register then don't submit a video?
A: Nothing, don't worry about it. You must be registered to submit a video so if you're even considering doing a video go ahead and register. If something comes up and you can't complete your project it is not a problem.

Q: What do I use for my video?
A: You can use video or audio that you create yourself. In addition, you may use media from the public domain in your project. Be sure to complete the required certification and reserve a camera if you need to check-out a camera from The Studio to shoot your footage.

Q: What is the deal with the story provided?
A: The story, "What a day!" is the story that you tell in your video. You may interpret the story how you wish as long as all parts of the story are represented in your project. You may take a liberal interpretation of the story. This is your opportunity to be creative. Go nuts and have fun!

Q: How long does my video need to be?
A: The video must not exceed 5 minutes. As long as you are under 5 minutes it can be as short as you want.

Q: How should I make my video?
A: Begin by thinking about how you're planning to tell the story and shoot whatever video you'll need to do that. Once you have your footage, you are free to edit with whatever equipment and/or software you prefer. If you work in The Studio, you will probably be using iMovie if you are a beginner or Final Cut Pro if you are more advanced.

Q: What if I need help?
A: If you plan to work in The Studio or to use iMovie or Final Cut Pro, please be aware that we have a collection of tutorials and reference books for both programs. We also offer short instructional courses for both programs (see our schedule here). In addition, you can ask for assistance by a staff member on duty or even set up a consultation appointment.

Q: Do all parts of the story have to be told in order?
A: No, often narration is not done sequentially, like in movies such as Pulp Fiction or Memento. As long as all parts of the story are represented, you can tell the story in whatever style or fashion you choose.

Q: Can I use animation?
A: Feel free to use animation. As long as you submit your video as a dv file, on miniDV tape or on a DVD then you can create your video however you like.

Q: How can I store my project while I'm still working?
A: If you are working in The Studio and need to save your project you'll need to plan on storage in some form. We have long term (3-week) storage available for checkout on a first-come, first-served basis. You may also bring personal storage such as an external firewire hard drive, a laptop, an iPod, etc. to move your project to.

Q: When are submissions due?
A: Submissions are due March 27 by 11:00pm in The Studio

Q: How do I submit my video?
A: You may submit your video on miniDV tape, DVD, or a dv file to The Studio. Details for submitting a dv file will be coming soon.

Q: How are the winners chosen?
A: The rules for the contest are fairly open. Although specific criteria for the judges is still being worked out, preference will be given to those who embrace the theme, push the boundaries of working in narrative form, use original and create footage to tell their story, and whose perspective engages the audience.

Q: Who will judge the entries?
A: Once the judges are chosen their names and bio will be posted on our Contest Details page.

Q: When and where will the prizes be awarded?
A: After the entries have been selected and judged, there will be a festival to show the top entries as well as to announce winners and award prizes. The date is not set yet but please check back at our Contest Timeline for updated information.

Q: What happens to my movie after the contest?
By submitting your work you agree to give UT Libraries a non-exclusive license to use your work. All submitted work will be given a Creative Commons license known as Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. This means that you keep all the rights to your work, but we can use it. For more information on this license please visit: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/.

Your work will be featured on this contest website and most likely on related websites. We will make a DVD of the submissions which will be part of the Library's Media Center collection.