High School
Students Compete to Direct Next Teen Safe Driving Ad in Project Orange Video
Contest
The
road to stardom now has a shortcut for Tennessee high school students. The
Tennessee Department of Transportation is looking for the director of their
next ad on teen safe driving in work zones and they want a Tennessee high
school student to create it. The first ever Between the Barrels Project
Orange Video contest began Monday, January 5, 2009, and is open to all
Tennessee High School Students. Teens who write, shoot, and edit a 25
second public service announcement on teen safe driving in work zones and
submit it to TDOT by March 1, 2009, could see their ad played on television
stations across the state, receive a free set of Bridgestone tires and receive
a $500 prize.
“Work
zones can be particularly dangerous, even deadly, places for teens,” said
Christin Hayes, Between the Barrels Statewide Coordinator. “The Project
Orange Video Contest not only gives Tennessee students the opportunity to see
their work showcased statewide, it also provides them the chance to possibly
save the life of a fellow Tennessee student.”
Students
will also help choose the winning ad. Beginning March 1 through 10,
students can watch and vote for their favorite spot online at www.betweenthebarrels.com. Online
voting will count for 20% of the overall score.
Video
entries should be judged on the basis of concept/idea (20%); effectiveness of
the message (40%); and creativity (20%). Five regional winners will be
selected from competitions in the Tri-Cities, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville
and Memphis television viewing areas. Those winners will be announced the
week of March 16. Regional winners will see their video aired on local
television partners and will go on to compete for the statewide prize. The
statewide winning video will air by TV stations across Tennessee beginning
April 6 and the winning team will receive a $500 gift certificate to Best Buy
from the Tennessee Road Builders Association, a set of Bridgestone tires and a
spot in the 2009 Driver’s Edge Teen Safe Driving Program (www.driversedge.com).
“Bridgestone
Americas is happy to partner with TDOT on the Project Orange Video
Contest,” said Dan MacDonald, Executive Director of Communications for
Bridgestone Americas. “Bridgestone Americas has a long standing commitment
to teaching teens about safe driving practices. It’s amazing how creative and
effective teens can be when creating videos to communicate safety messages to
their peers. We applaud TDOT for this effort and hope the students will also
enter their Project Orange Videos in our national Safety Scholars video
contest.”
The
annual Bridgestone Americas Safety Scholars nationwide teen safe driving PSA
contest will kick-off again in the Spring of 2009. The three national
grand prize winners each receive a $5,000 college scholarship. For more
information please visit www.safetyscholars.com.
“Keeping
our work zones safe is not only important for our contractors but for all of us
who travel Tennessee’s roadways,” said Rab Summers, President of the Tennessee
Road Builders Association. “There is no doubt that Between the
Barrels program is making a difference and making our work zones safer in
Tennessee. We are pleased to help support this life saving program for
Tennessee high school students.”
The
Between the Barrels Project Orange Video Contest is sponsored by TDOT,
Bridgestone Americas, The Tennessee Road Builders Association, and our media
partners WCYB, WBIR, WTVC, WTVF and WREG television stations.
Teens
may also visit the Between the Barrels Project Orange Facebook and MySpace
pages and become a fan or add us as a friend (Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Nashville-TN/Between-the-Barrels/111080125513?ref=mf;
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/betweenthebarrels).