Contest Information

Step 1: Create your video and have all of your talent and producers sign Release Forms.

Step 2: Complete the SEVA Entry Form, being sure to check your spelling, proper capitalization and punctuation.

[The contest is free for Sacramento County schools.  Nevada, Placer, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba County schools are welcome to enter for $10 per entry.]

Step 3: Once you submit your entry form, you’ll receive an email confirmation.

Step 4: Print your email confirmation and have your teacher sign it.  Gather your producer and talent releases.

Step 5: Deliver your signed email confirmation form, all talent/producer Release Forms and media (DVD, USB Drive, YouTube Link) to the SECC office by the entry deadline.  Each producer and all talent must have release forms turned in with the entry.

Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium (SECC)
3780 Rosin Court – Suite 150
Sacramento, CA 95834
(916) 920-1006
www.secctv.org

Step 6: Last step! Come to the SEVA Award Night at the CSUS Ballroom to walk the red carpet, meet fellow producers and find out if your video wins.

Note: In fairness to all – LATE ENTRIES OR PAPERWORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Grades K-3
Grades 4-6
Grades 7-8
Grades 9-12
College/University

Creative Expression
This category includes productions that may contain fictional content, animation, book trailers, music videos or any program that has an educational message and does not fit into the other four categories.

Documentary
An in-depth educational study of any program length about classroom curriculum topics, issues or people in current events or history.

Instructional
Provides “how to” advice or teaches a subject or skill related to an educational topic.

Public Service Announcements (PSA)
A short (not to exceed 30 seconds) promotional piece about an educational topic or community concern. Credits are not included in the 30 seconds.

School News & Stories
Campus news stories, full broadcasts or coverage of a school event.

Judges assign points in the following general areas:
Educational Message (30 Points)
Creativity & Originality (10 Points)
Title/Credits (5 Points)
Music (5 Points)
Audio (5 Points)
Shot Variety (5 Points)
Shot Quality (5 Points)
Lighting (5 Points)
Editing & Continuity (5 Points)
Pacing (5 Points)
Overall Impression (10 Points)
Releases/Paperwork (10 Points)

Educational Message Strength
Does your video convey a clear educational message? What is your message? Does your video represent this category? Is your video family friendly and appropriate for viewing at school (ie. language and content)?

Originality & Creativity
Is your video original and creative? Are there others in your class making a video on the same topic? Is all of the content in your entry created by you and/or your fellow producers?

Production & Technical Quality
Judges look at the camera work, talent, lighting, sound, editing and graphics. Is your talent (reporter, interviewer, or narrator) easy to understand? Does your video have a clear beginning, middle and end? Can the audience follow your story in a logical order? Did you proofread all graphics and text in your video and your entry form? Spelling counts in your video and the entry form.

Overall Impression
Does the viewer learn something new or interesting from your video?

Releases/Paperwork
Were releases turned in with the entry? If music was used, was written copyright permission submitted with the entry? Was the entry form completed with complete sentences, proper capitalization and punctuation?

It’s a Student Video Contest
Students must produce their videos with MINIMAL parental and teacher involvement.  Any indication that major amounts of the video were produced by adults and not the student will result in the video being disqualified from the contest.

Judges reserve the right to not award a SEVA in any category or to disqualify an entry that doesn’t follow the SEVA rules (such as incomplete releases, copyright infringement, late entry, excessive teacher/parent involvement). Each year, we have disappointed students and teachers due to this rule. Please double check your entry form and video to assure compliance.

SEVA Entries Must Use Only Copyright-Free Materials
Since the SEVAs are cablecast on television and presented online, entries must contain only originally produced video, graphics, images, animation, music and sound.  If you include any copyrighted materials, your entry MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY PERMISSION WAIVERS from the copyright holder to include those in your SEVA video or Creative Commons Licensing obtained from their sources.  ALL VIDEO, PHOTOS & MUSIC MUST BE ORIGINAL or proof of permission to use the copyrighted elements must be provided.  Videos that contain unauthorized copyrighted elements will be disqualified from the contest. SECC’s policy may be different than your school/district policy.  For SEVA, SECC policies apply.

Cite Your Sources & Secure Permission for Images & Videos
Many SEVA entries include facts and information about a particular topic.  Whenever you quote, paraphrase, summarize, or otherwise refer to the work of another, you are required to cite its source.  During your show or in the credits, be sure to cite where your information came from, just as you would do a bibliography for a paper. If you use images or videos that you did not shoot yourself, you need to get written permission from the copyright holder to include those in your SEVA video.

Delivery
SEVA entries can be submitted in several different ways:
+ Youtube Link (preferred)
+ Quicktime digital file (.MOV) on a USB drive

File Details
+ Quicktime File Format (.MOV)
+ Video Compression: .H264
+ Acceptable frame sizes: 1920×1080
+ Frame Rate: 29.97 fps (Important!)
+ Target Bit Rate: 5.00+ Mbps
+ Audio Compression: AAC or Uncompressed
+ Audio Quality: 320 kbps, 48 kHz, Stereo or Mono

Be sure to check your file prior to submission to make sure it’s the best possible quality and plays properly. Videos can be submitted in languages other than English, but must contain English subtitles.

USB drives will be returned with the judging reports at Award Night.

Talent & Producer Releases
As a producer, you need to have the permission of each person in your video.  Get your talent (and their parents) to sign releases before you start shooting so that you know they can be in your video. As producer, you will also need to have a release signed.

Download Talent / Producer Release Form