About the contest:

This is a film contest for youths designed to allow them to produce original films which promote compassion and respect for all living creatures.

There will be 3 age groups (under 14 years old, 14 to 17, and 18 to 21). See below for details on age categories. Films will be no longer than 3 minutes total including credits.

This is an international contest open to any one who meets the age requirements and follows the rules outlined below.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the winner and runner-up in each category. In addition, winning films will be screened at the annual Advancing the Interests of Animals Gala and winning contestants will be featured guests on the nationally syndicated radio show, Animals Today. (www.animalstodayradio.com).

Purpose of this contest:

The purpose of this contest is to inspire young filmmakers to create compelling videos which promote a greater feeling of respect and compassion towards animals.  Examples may include but are not limited to animals in nature, environmental protection, human-animal bond, domestic animals, animals in agriculture, animals in the entertainment industry.

Rules, Participants and Eligibility

1.       Age categories: There are 3 age categories: Junior, Teen, and Young Adult. If on the day you submit (send) your film, your 14^th birthday has not yet been reached, then enter in the Junior category. If on the day you submit your film you are 14 years old or older and have not yet reached your 18^th birthday, then enter in the Teen category. If on the day you submit your film you are 18 years old or older and have not yet reached your 22^nd birthday, enter in the Young Adult Category.

2.      Contestants must complete and submit an entry form

3.        Contestants must complete a filmmaker profile

4.      For minors, a parent or guardian of the contestant must complete the attestation form.

Video Guidelines:

1.       To be eligible for consideration for this contest, video submissions must be no longer than 3 minutes in length in its entirety.

2.       Submissions must include media (photography, music, video, etc) for which the filmmaker owns or has written permission to use.  (Any submission containing content without permission/license will not be accepted).

3.      The format of the video is at the discretion of the filmmaker and may be, documentary style, artistic, public service announcement, animation, and so on.

4.       Depictions of animal cruelty are permitted if they serve the purposes of the film provided that the footage was already in existence (either from undercover investigations or an animal welfare site, etc.) and not staged or in any way created by the filmmakers.

5.      General content guidelines: To maximize your chance of success in this contest, please bear in mind our mission and vision when creating your film: The mission of Advancing the Interests of Animals is to improve the lives of animals and to encourage increased compassion and respect for all living creatures. We act directly with focused campaigns to help animals, and through a variety of educational activities and informational efforts. Our vision is to be an effective, passionate and nationally respected advocate for all animals.

6.      English language. Also keep in mind this contest is based in the United States. Films in languages other than English are welcome, but the judges will view the appropriate and effective use of subtitles favorably.

Contest timeline:

Aug 01, 2012  –  video contest begins  – submissions are now accepted

Nov 30, 2012  –  deadline for receiving submissions.

Dec 01, 2012  –  judging begins

Jan 15, 2013   –  winners are announced

Submissions

1.       Submissions must contain: 2 DVDs of the film, a completed film Information form, and (for minors) an attestation form and submission fee.

2.       Completed submissions must be mailed or shipped and received by the deadline to be eligible. The mailing address is:

Advancing the Interests of Animals

PO Box 5066

Palm Springs, CA 92263-5066

Please note that we will not accept on-line submissions or utilize Internet based video applications such as YouTube and Vimeo.  Videos submitted or published elsewhere are ineligible and will not be accepted. One submission per filmmaker is permitted.

Submission fee is US$35.00 per submission. (Note need to have mechanism for foreign submissions)

Legal Release:

Whether a video entry is selected as a winner or not, upon submission into the contest participants:

a) give Advancing the Interests of Animals, its staff or affiliates unrestricted right and permission to copyright and use, re-use, publish, and republish their video entry in online and print publications, presentations, television, radio, or in any other way that Advancing the Interests of Animals sees fit without notification, permission, or compensation.

b) relinquish any right that they may have to examine or approve the completed product or products or the advertising copy or printed matter that may be used in conjunction therewith or the use to which it may be applied.

c) affirm that they are submitting their video with the approval of a parent/guardian  over the age of majority who has the right to contract in their own name.

d) have read the above authorization, release and agreement, prior to its execution; and fully understands the contents thereo

Judging:

• Judging will be conducted by the Advancing the Interests of Animals Short Film Contest for Youths selection committee and its designees.
• All decisions are final. Submissions will be kept private until judging is final.
• The video entries will be judged based upon the following criteria:

1.      Relevance to the theme of the contest

2.      Originality and creativity

3.      Overall quality of submission

Awards and prizes:

There will be one winner and one runner-up in each category.

Winners will receive $1000.  Runners-up will receive $250.

Winning submissions will be screened at the Advancing the Interests of Animals gala.

Winners will also be invited to be guests on the Animals Today radio show.

Contestant Certification:

By submitting your video, you are certifying that you acknowledge and agree to comply with all of the rules and regulations set forth by the Advancing the Interests of Animals International Youth short Film Contest.

Contests are void where prohibited by law. The contestants assume the total responsibility of knowing their local laws in regard to video contests and are subject to any local, state, national or international laws. Advancing the Interests of Animals accepts no responsibility for making these individual legal determinations.

Agreement to Rules:

Participation in the Advancing the Interests of Animals International Short Film Contest for Youth by submitting a video and completing the online registration materials constitutes your unconditional agreements to the official rules and the decisions of the administrators and judges, which are final.

About Advancing the Interests of Animal    

In 2001, ophthalmologist Lori Kirshner, a lifelong devoted animal lover, decided to take action for animals in need by starting the non-profit organization, Desert Paws. Its yearly 5K race in Palm Springs raised needed funds for spay and neuter services and helped to establish the organization’s reputation as a vocal and effective advocate for domestic animals. Along with husband Dr. Peter Spiegel and executive Hal Ball, the organization steadily grew over the next decade, improving the lives of countless cats and dogs in and around the Coachella Valley.

Now, ten years later, after providing tens of thousands of dollars in grants to various groups to support free spay and neuter, vaccination, and animal abuse educational services, the organization – with a solid history that includes the popular Animals Today radio show and countless animal advocacy efforts – has a new name (Advancing the Interests of Animals) and expanded goals (to help all animals by promoting greater compassion and respect for them). A dinner gala honoring local animal advocates and featuring advisory board member Barry Manilow served as the public announcement of the group’s national expansion.

“The new name reflects our expanded mission, which aims to help all animals by promoting greater compassion and respect for them,” says Dr. Kirshner. “We are going to engage in both informational and grassroots campaigns. Plus, we have assembled a stellar advisory board consisting of regional animal advocates as well as internationally acclaimed leaders.”

The Animals Today radio show is one of AIA’s many campaigns to help animals.

“I invite everyone to tune in,” says Dr. Kirshner.  “On the show, we have met some of the most fascinating, inspiring and dedicated people you will ever encounter.”

The nationally syndicated show is streamed online and then archived as a free podcast for anyone in the world to enjoy, share and download at www.animalstodayradio.com.

To learn more about the nonprofit Advancing the Interests of Animals, please visit their new website www.aianimals.org or e-mail them at info@aianimals.org.

The Town of Yucca Valley, in conjunction with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, will host a “State Safe Routes to School” program” and bicycle rodeo for Yucca Valley students on Saturday, August 11, 2012 at the Yucca Valley Community Center.  The event is scheduled to take place from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon.

This program is designed to assist students in grades K-8 in their preparation for the new school year.  Parents whose children will be walking or riding a bicycle, scooter or other similar device to schoolare encouraged to participate with them at this educational event.  Children who ride bicycles to school will be receiving free helmets and locks, and those that walk to school will receive a free backpack.

The event kicks off at 9:00 am in the Yucca Room at the Community Center.  McGruff the crime dog will be in attendance along with local Sheriff’s and Town personnel.  Safety tips for both walkers and riders will be discussed.  Proper fitting and use of helmets will be demonstrated and bike safety checks will be provided.

The bicycle rodeo will take place between 9:00 and 11:00 am, where children will be given an opportunity to ride through the obstacle course and learn the rules of the road for bicycle safety.  Bicycles will be available for children who do not bring their own.

Six lucky participants will win new bicycles in a drawing at the end of the event. Please join the Town of Yucca Valley and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in this “Safe Routes to School” safety event.   

On Thursday, The Desert Sun unveiled a suite of new digital products – smartphone apps, an e-Newspaper, a web-based tablet version – to compliment The Desert Sun and mydesert.com. To prepare for greater digital access we reinvested in our content. We launched the iSun investigative reporting team, new print and digital sections called Escape and Innovation and expanded our coverage of music and culture with MyCoachella.com.

These new products come with a revised subscription model. Full access subscribers can view Coachella Valley news and information in print and on their favorite device.

On Monday at noon, Desert Sun President and Publisher Mark J. Winkler and Executive Editor Greg Burton will answer your questions about our new platforms and subscription model. Please email your questions now to james.folmer@thedesertsun.com, and you will be able to submit questions during the chat by visiting mydesert.com.

WIMBLEDON, England – Serena Williams had been dreaming of this moment all her life. Now here it was.

She was standing on top of a Centre Court podium, the gold in women’s singles around her neck, “The Star Spangled Banner” playing loud and her eyes locked on the American flag raising triumphantly in the air.

Suddenly, one of those powerful gusts of British wind came through, the flag came undone and, without warning, the Stars and Stripes began floating through the air, right toward the tennis great.

[ Inspirational Moments: Olympic celebrations ]

“I just saw all these gusts of winds,” Williams later said as she began to laugh. “Then I saw the flag flying. It was probably flying to hug me … It was fluttering towards me trying to wrap its fabric around me.”

She kept smiling at the memory. It was, perhaps, the only mishap of a day in which she simply annihilated Maria Sharapova, 6-0, 6-1 in just 63 minutes to seize that long-awaited gold medal.

She started the day by putting her hair up in a gold scrunchie: “I did it on purpose.” She ended it by blasting a 121 mile-per-hour serve past Sharapova and immediately breaking into some kind of celebratory dance like she was 6 years old: “I didn’t plan that.”

This was complete dominance by Williams, who, over the last few years recovered from injuries she feared would end her career to return to the top of her sport. And that included the Olympics.

Williams owns 14 major championships as a professional and has earned more prize money,nearly ($40 million) than any other female player. Yet despite owning two doubles gold medals (2000, 2008) she desperately wanted a singles gold to give her what she called “the golden slam.”

So she attacked this tournament like it was Wimbledon, which she’s won five times including just a few weeks ago. She didn’t lose a single set during the games and barely needed an hour to win each of her medal-round matches.

Read the whole story…