Nat Geo WILD, in partnership with the Sun Valley Film Festival, announced today the third annual WILD TO INSPIRE filmmaking contest.
One lucky winner will get to try their hand at filmmaking National Geographic style, as they depart on an expedition through continental Africa. The winner will share their experiences through video diaries, photos, social media and more, giving Nat Geo WILD viewers a taste of what it’s like to be a Nat Geo WILD filmmaker.
The WILD TO INSPIRE film contest will accept submissions on Vimeo from Oct. 19, 2015, through Feb. 1, 2016.
Inspired by last year’s winning film, “Adapt” by Filipe DeAndrade, which tells the story of a filmmaker who discovers his salvation in nature, submissions should capture stories of individuals letting nature into their own lives. The goal is to captivate viewers and encourage them to seek out the "wild" in their own backyards. Films should be no more than five minutes long and will be judged on the following criteria:
- – Connection to the theme of “Let the WILD In”
- – Quality of the storyline and script
- – Creativity and/or content originality
- – Production quality
- – Editing
The top three finalists will be announced by Feb. 15, 2016, and invited to the Sun Valley Film Festival in March 2016 to screen their films for festival attendees, a panel of judges and Nat Geo WILD executives. The winner will be announced at the festival’s closing ceremony, and will receive an expedition to experience and document wildlife around the world for Nat Geo WILD viewers.
Last year’s winner, Filipe DeAndrade for “Adapt,” will depart later this year and he’ll work on several upcoming shows for Nat Geo WILD while documenting his experience through regular blogs, vlogs and social media.
“Filipe embodies our theme of ‘Let the WILD In’ – his energy and enthusiasm for nature and wildlife jumps off the screen,” said Geoff Daniels, executive vice president and general manager of Nat Geo WILD. “We look forward to seeing that same passion come across in the stories told through this year’s films.”
“We’ve had the honor of hosting some of the most well-known and iconic filmmakers in years past,” added Teddy Grennan, executive director of the Sun Valley Film Festival, “and we’re just as dedicated to celebrating new talent. WILD TO INSPIRE is an incredible opportunity to discover and support the next generation of rising stars.”
For more information and complete rules, visit www.natgeowild.com/wildtoinspire.
Only U.S. residents are eligible to enter this contest.
