Sunday, February 24, 2008

NAACP-The young shall lead the way

IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 20, 2008

Contact: Richard J. McIntire

(410) 580-5787

rmcintire@naacpnet.org



UNPRECEDENTED CONSORTIUM UNITES AROUND 4TH ANNUAL

‘FILM YOUR ISSUE’ GLOBAL COMPETITION

More than 25 million American Young Adults Urged to Participate in Online Campaign



USA TODAY, The United Nations, The Associated Press, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the NAACP, the Humane Society of the United States, MTV, YouTube, MySpace, The American Film Institute and a roster of American leaders, led by Walter Cronkite and Tom Brokaw, have joined forces to engage young adults ages 14 to 24 in promoting social issues using the power of the Internet.



In its 4th year, Film Your Issue – FYI, has grown into a global internet-based competition inviting more than 25 million high school and college students in the U.S. alone to engage in fostering contemporary issues by creating and uploading two-minute short films on issues that impact their generation. In addition to taking the pulse of young adults on issues, FYI encourages young people to add their voice to the public dialogue, and underscores how individual voices can influence public debate.



“The internet has become one of the most potent platforms of social change, social activism and raising consciousness,” said HeathCliff Rothman, founder and president of FYI - FILM YOUR ISSUE. “With the rapidly evolving technology which puts filmmaking capabilities into the hands of young people, this competition brings those elements – the internet, social activism and user-generated-content -- together dynamically. We are excited as we begin the 4th round that this unprecedented consortium of organizations has joined with us to encourage the next generation of leaders, and provide a global platform for pressing social issues.”



Starting Feb. 15, participants could begin uploading their work on multiple participating platforms including MTV, YouTube and AFI Screen Nation, after registering at www.filmyourissue.com. Select entries will be highlighted on MySpace TV and distributed by The Associated Press to its 1,800 U.S. media outlets. The submission deadline is April 14, 2008.



Winners are selected by an illustrious VIP Jury, by the public, and by participating cause organizations. FYI 2008’s VIP Jury is headed by legendary news anchors and authors Walter Cronkite and Tom Brokaw, and includes NAACP Vice Chair Roslyn M. Brock, MySpace Founder Tom Anderson, MTV President Christina Norman, CNN Anchor Wolf Blitzer, NBC Anchor Brian Williams, Best Buy Vice-Chairman Brad Anderson, HBO Host Bill Maher, USA TODAY Publisher Craig Moon, USA TODAY Founder Al Neuharth, Weinstein Company Co-founder Harvey Weinstein and others. Public voting will occur on MTV’s website.



Prizes to 10 winning films include internships at USA TODAY, the United Nations, P.O.V. and the Humane Society and a $5,000 cash prize from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Strong American Schools. Winning films will be broadcast on Starz, and a finalist profiled on MTV News. In addition, FYI presents two additional annual awards: The Walter Cronkite Civic Engagement Leadership Award to an academic institution, and The Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award, to an individual.



Winners from past competitions have gone on to work in major Hollywood production companies, been invited to present their film on Capitol Hill, and recently co-produced the Sundance Grand Jury Award winner. Entries from past rounds have come from all points across the U.S., as well as Iran, the Philippines, Russia, Hong Kong, Israel, the U.K., Argentina and elsewhere. .



Partners for the 2008 FYI competition are: USA TODAY, The Associated Press, the United Nations, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, MTV, MySpace, YouTube, NAACP, the Humane Society of the United States, The American Film Institute Silverdocs and AFI Screen Nation, Natural Resources Defense Council, PBS award-winning documentary series P.O.V., Starz, The Human Rights Campaign, ASCAP and The International Documentary Association. Academic partners are: The Association of American Colleges and Universities, The National Association of Student Councils, The American Association of College Professors and The University Film and Video Association.



Founded in 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its more than half-million adult and youth members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities and monitors of equal opportunity in the public and private sectors

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