2009 Video Contest

Sponsored by The Lotte and John Hecht Memorial Foundation

Prizes:

High School 1st Place: $1,500 2nd Place: $1,000 3rd Place: $750 Viewer’s Choice: $750

Post-Secondary 1st Place: $2,000 2nd Place: $1,500 3rd Place: $750 Viewer’s Choice : $750

Runners-up in both age categories will receive handheld camcorders ($500 value).

Topic:

What is the Appropriate Role of Government in the Economy?

The role of governments in the economy spans a spectrum, from absolute control (communism) to laissez-faire. In between these two extremes, there are a wide range of activities that governments can undertake.

Your video should examine these activities, and determine the appropriate role that government should play.
You may choose to consider:

• What are the fundamental, or necessary, functions of government?
• What are the effects of different types of activities?
• What are the costs and benefits of different government actions? Who bears the costs, and who receives the benefits?
• Can there be “too much of a good thing?” At what point do some activities harm, rather than help the economy?

Videos may examine specific areas of government policy, or consider a broader scope of government actions.

Application Rules:

Entries
Step 1: Video and Concept Paper
Deadline: November 30, 2009

Before you create your video, summarize your ideas in a concept paper. Your concept paper must describe the content of the video including story, outline and timing (maximum one page), and will be compared with your completed video by our judges.

Then it’s time to get filming! Videos can be a maximum of 3 minutes long and must comply with all You Tube and legal guidelines.

Once your video has been posted to You Tube, you must submit the URL and your concept paper using the online form. All submissions will receive a confirmation email, and you will then be asked to declare that you have full legal rights to all video content.

Step 2: Get Your Friends To Vote! 
Viewer’s Choice voting begins as soon as your video is uploaded on You Tube! The videos with the highest star ratings on December 15th, 2009 will win cash prizes of $750. In the event of a tie, the award will go to the video with the highest number of votes, so get your video posted early!

Eligibility:
The contest is open to students worldwide. A student is defined as someone who attended school in the 2008/2009 school year or is enrolled to attend in 2009/2010.

Submissions will be considered from secondary and post-secondary (undergraduate and graduate) students in all disciplines.

A secondary school student is defined as someone who attended secondary school in the 2008/2009 school year or is enrolled to attend in 2009/2010. Students completing secondary school in 2009 should enter in the secondary school category.

A post-secondary student is defined as a person who is enrolled in a post-secondary institution in the 2008/2009 school year or is enrolled to attend in 2009/2010.

Judging Criteria:
A panel of judges will determine the award winners based on originality, clear expression of ideas, production values (including lighting, focus, sound, graphics), quality of story, and understanding of the topic. Videos will also be assessed on their fulfillment of the concept paper.

General rules:

• Viewer’s Choice winners will not be excluded from winning judged prizes.
• Team entries are allowed, however, only one prize will be awarded for each winning video.
• Limit of one entry per student or team.
• Entries will be accepted in English and French.
• Finalists will be asked to submit a copy of their video on DVD or miniDV tape.
• Entries must comply with all YouTube and legal guidelines. 
• All entries become of the property of The Fraser Institute. In addition to receiving cash and electronics prizes, winners may have their videos presented at Fraser Institute student events.
• Failure to follow these rules may lead to disqualification from the contest.

Need help getting started? Check out our Teachers' Guide to the Video Contest.

For more information call: 1-800-665-3558 Ext. 533 or email courtenay.vermeulen@fraserinstitute.org.