Ohio Union Television will be holding a contest this month that will showcase the creativity that exists on the Ohio State campus.
The Creative Film Showcase will allow students to submit videos, approximately five minutes long, which creatively incorporate the contest theme, “Time and Change.”
The theme, which finds inspiration in the OSU Alma Mater “Carmen Ohio,” will not require participants to create OSU-themed videos. A strict set of rules, banning the presence of nudity, alcohol and profanity, has been implemented to encourage students to push the limits of creativity and use their imaginations to produce original content.
Ashley Sinram, Ohio Union Television member and a third-year in international studies, told The Lantern in February that the organization provides a new perspective on creativity and entertainment.
Allie Feinstein, creator and president of Ohio Union Television, said the group saw a need to create an organization that offers students with passion in video, media and entertainment opportunities to share their passions in a non-academic format while gaining hands-on experience.
The Creative Film Showcase takes the organization’s goals a step further — opening the door for all, even people who do not necessarily share those passions, to get involved.
“This contest will give participants a platform to express themselves creatively while having fun at the same time,” said Jessica Ostrau, content coordinator for Ohio Union Television.
The free contest will be open to current OSU students and alumni who graduated within the last year.
Ostrau, a second-year in journalism and international studies, said the student-run organization will be accepting entries through Monday. The group will announce contest winners at an awards ceremony on May 21 in the Ohio Union.
The videos will be judged and scored by a group of panelists consisting of faculty. Awards will be given for Best Actor, Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Incorporation of Theme.
In addition to awards, winners of the contest will also have their videos shown on Ohio Union televisions for other students and faculty to see.
There will also be a guest speaker at the ceremony, but because the ceremony is still being planned, speaker information has not yet been released.
Quite a few video entries have already been received and the organization has expectations that overall participation will be pretty good, Ostrau said.
The group has hopes of receiving at least 10 video entries, Ostrau said.
“With the contest taking place during Spring Quarter, people will be out and about looking for things to do,” Ostrau said. “Timing, I think, will definitely play a role in helping gain participation.”
Ostrau said the organization’s Facebook page has 150 confirmed attendees for the ceremony. YouTube and flier advertisements have also been used to elicit involvement, she said.
Because Ohio Union Television is a new student organization, founded this February, this is its first contest. The organization plans to hold future contests like this one, possibly more than one annually in the upcoming years, Ostrau said.
For contest directions or e-mail [email protected] or search Ohio Union Television on Facebook.
