YouTube Short Movie Contest on India: Theme and Last Date

YouTube along with India's External Affairs Ministry has launched a Short Movie contest for students, video amateurs and filmmakers.

The competition is open to all and is named "India Is A...Visual Journey" - celebrating India and its diversity.

3 themes of the contest are:

• India Is Incredible
• India Is Unforgettable
• India Is Wherever You Are

Riva Ganguly Das, joint secretary in the MEA and head, public diplomacy division and Nikesh Arora, chief business officer and senior vice-president, of Google Inc made the announcement of the launch of the competition on Thursday.

Last date for submitting 5-minute entries is Feb 9, 2013.

10 winners with 3 from each category shall be selected and the winners will get EOS Canon Mark II Camera and lens, and a weekend getaway to exotic locales in India.

There will also be a Special prize for the most watched and voted film on YouTube.

A panel of eminent judges from the film industry will judge it. The entries will be rated on the basis of storytelling, creativity, originality, screenplay, performances and technical execution.

YouTube has also partnered with Anurag Kashyap and his team of directors to produce five short showcase films under the same themes as part of initiative. These five films will be produced in association with Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and Anurag Kashyap Films Pvt. Ltd.

Das said, "The competition is the first web-based campaign initiated by the MEA to connect and interact with people from all over the world and made them think of India."

It is a second global short movie contest. Similar campaign was launched last year as a Global Video Challenge by the MEA's public diplomacy division through Mumbai's Skarma creative agency.

"Last year, we received more than 250 video entries on India from 42 countries. Through this initiative we aim to create a visual roadmap of India for Indians and foreigners alike with global players like Google, Taj and Conde Nast Traveller, and Incredible India as Partners," she added.

(with inputs from IANS)