Video Competition -- Official Rules

1. How to Enter

Make your video

We invite aspiring filmmakers to produce short videos that tell us in 90 seconds what they love about the Hudson Valley.

Upload it to YouTube

If you don't already have a YouTube account, you'll need to set one up by clicking the "Sign Up" button at youtube.com. Once you have an account, visit www.youtube.com/my_videos_upload to upload your video.

Add it to the contest group

In order for your video to be part of the competition, it needs to become part of the Scenic Hudson Video Competition Group on YouTube. First join the group, and then add your video.

Fill out an entry form.

Finally, fill out the online entry form so that we can capture some details about you and your video -- and enter you into the appropriate prize category.

Notes

If Entrant is not an existing YouTube.com user, he/she will be required to create a free YouTube account -- subject to YouTube's terms and policies) -- by clicking the "Sign Up" button at youtube.com and following the instructions.
For each video entered (including all entry information provided thereto, hereafter, each video entry submission will be referred to as a "Video Submission").
All "Video Submissions" must be shot in the Hudson River Valley. The Hudson Valley refers to the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in New York State, generally from Manhattan northward to the cities of Albany and Troy.
Entrant must select appropriate category on the entry form: either "Under 18 years old" or "18 years and over"
Entrants under age 18 must complete and submit a release form signed by a parent or guardian.

2. Video Submission Specifications:

In order to be eligible, each Video Submission must comply with the Official Rules, including the following:

Each Video Submission must be approximately :90 seconds (a Video Submission slightly more or less than 90 seconds may be accepted upon the discretion of the Sponsor)
Each Video Submission must be shot entirely in the Hudson Valley and New York State (as defined above).
Submissions must be in English or with English subtitles
Each Video Submission include as an opening credit the name, address, contact number, email and/or mailing address of the Entrant and the category for which the Video Submission is being entered. The opening screen will not count in the :90 second time allocation
Entrants may be required to provide proof of eligibility for any category entered

Video Submissions which do not reasonably correspond to the theme of "Show us What You Love About the Hudson River Valley" may be disqualified. Sponsor reserves the right to cancel or modify this Contest, or not publish any Video Submission, in the event an insufficient number of entries are received that meet the eligibility requirements.

3. Conditions of Submission

Entering a Video Submission constitutes the Entrant's consent to irrevocably assign and transfer to the Sponsors any and all rights, title and interest in and to the Video Submission, including but not limited to all intellectual property rights. Each Entrant agrees and acknowledges that Sponsors may use, publish, display, adapt, edit and/or modify any Video Submissions in any way, in whole or in part, including without limitation, for publicity purposes, in any and all media now known or hereafter developed (including without limitation on Sponsors' and their partners' websites), worldwide, without limitation or compensation to the Entrant, and without right of notice, review or approval.

Additionally, Entrant warrants and represents the following with respect to his/her Video Submission: (a) Entrant is the sole and exclusive owner of the Video Submission; (b) the Video Submission and any elements appearing therein, including without limitation music, audio, speech/voiceovers, stills, video, supers, or other audiovisual materials used, are 100% original, created and performed by Entrant or in the public domain; (c) the Video Submission will not infringe on any intellectual property, publicity, personal or other legal or moral right of any third party; and (d) any third parties appearing in the Video Submission have granted Entrant the appropriate consent to use his/her likeness as contemplated by these Official Rules and that by submitting any Video Submission that contains the image or likeness of any person other than Entrant, Entrant hereby represents and warrants the Entrant has obtained and shall provide such written permission to the Sponsors upon request.

Video Submissions may not contain depictions of other third party artistic works, copyrights, trademarks/trade names, logos, or similar brand identifying marks, or that otherwise depict illegal, dangerous or unsafe activity, or activity that is obscene or inappropriate (including, without limitation, by including a negative image of the Hudson River Valley or New York State).

4. Start/End Dates

Contest begins at 12:01AM Eastern Time on April 1, 2009 and ends at 11:59PM Eastern Time on June 30, 2009.

5. Eligibility

Each Entrant must have a valid email address. Limit four (4) Video Submissions per person/email address. No automated entry devices and/or programs permitted. All Video Submissions become the sole and exclusive property of the Sponsor and receipt of entries may not be acknowledged or returned. Sponsor is not responsible for lost , late, illegible, stolen, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible, misdirected, technically corrupted or garbled entries, which will be disqualified, or for problems of any kind whether mechanical, human or electronic. Only fully completed Video Submissions are eligible. Proof of submission will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Sponsor.

6. Judging/Judging Criteria

PRE-SCREENING ROUND

All Video Submissions will be first pre-screened by a panel developed by the

Sponsor that has appropriate knowledge and experience to apply the judging criteria (the "Pre-Screening Judges"). Video Submissions will be pre-screened based on the following equally-weighted judging criteria (the "Judging Criteria"): (a) ability to communicate the beauty, diversity, and/or geography of the Hudson River Valley through video; (b) effectively showcasing unique features, landscapes and off-the-beaten path places of interest in the Hudson River Valley; and (c) general originality, creativity, and overall impression. In the event of a tie between two or more Video Submissions to got on to the Finalist Round or to win a Prize, all such tied Video Submissions will be judged by an additional pre-screening Judge selected by Sponsor, who, using the judging criteria, will break the tie.

The highest scoring Video Submissions in each of the two (2) categories will each be declared a Grand Prize Finalist, subject to eligibility restrictions set forth herein (see below).

Finalists for each of the two (2) categories will be selected as follows:

The fifteen (15) Adult (18+ years of age) Filmmaker Finalists will include the fifteen (15) highest scoring Video Submissions, subject to the category's eligibility requirements set forth herein.
The ten (10) Young (10 to 17 years of age) Filmmaker Finalists will include the ten (10) top scoring Video Submissions, subject to the category's eligibility requirements set forth herein.

FINALIST ROUND

Each of the Finalists set forth in the Pre-Screening Round will then be re-judged according to the Judging Criteria set forth above, by a panel of "Distinguished Judges" (the "Pre-screening Judges" and "Distinguished Judges", collectively, are the "Judges") – made up of professionals in the arts, entertainment, film, and media industries, who will each have the appropriate knowledge and experience to apply the Judging Criteria. The highest scoring eligible Video Submission in each of the Grand Prize, Adult(18+ years of age)Filmmaker and Youth Filmmaker categories will be deemed the Winner of its respective category. In the event of a tie, the Sponsor will appoint a judge who has the appropriate knowledge and experience to apply the judging criteria to break the tie.

Additionally, all fifteen (15) Adult (18+ years of age)Filmmaker Grand Prize Finalists and all ten (10) Youth Filmmaker Grand Prize Finalists will be eligible for the Viewer's Choice Award, which will be selected by an online vote, beginning on August 1, 2009 through August 31, 2009, in which online voters are instructed to select the one (1) Video Submission out of the fifteen (15) posted Adult (18+ years of age) Filmmaker Grand Prize Finalists and one (1) Video Submission out of the ten (10) posted Youth Filmmaker Finalists that best meets the Judging Criteria as set forth above. The eligible Video Submissions outlined in the two categories above with the highest online voting score will be awarded the Viewer's Choice Awards. In the event of a tie the Sponsors will appoint a judge that has the appropriate knowledge and experience to apply the judging criteria to break the tie.

By entering the Contest, each Entrant fully and unconditionally agrees to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Judges, which will be final and binding in all matters relating to the Contest. All judges reserve the right, in their sole and absolute discretion, to disqualify any Video Submission that is inappropriate for any reason, including without limitation, for depicting or mentioning sex, violence, drugs, alcohol and/or inappropriate language.

7. Prizes

Prizes will be awarded in each of the two categories.

8. Notification

Finalists and Winners will be notified by email.

9. Conditions

Sponsors shall not be liable or responsible in the event any Video Submission is not used for any reason. Video Submissions may be cut, edited, reformatted, rearranged, combined with any other materials and/or otherwise modified, in Sponsor's sole and absolute discretion. Participation in Contest and acceptance of prize constitutes each Winner's permission for Sponsors to use his/her name, address (City and State), likeness, photograph, picture, portrait, voice, biographical information, Video Submission and/or any statements made by each Winner regarding the Contest or Sponsor for promotional purposes without notice or additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. By participating, each Entrant and Winner agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor, and each of their respective, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, representatives, successors, assigns, employees, officers and directors (collectively the "Sponsor Releasees"), as applicable, fraom any and all liability ,k for loss, harm, damage, personal injury, cost or expense whatsoever including without limitation, property damage, personal injury and/or death (collectively, "Losses"), which may occur in connection with, (i) preparation for, travel to, or participation in Contest, (ii) possession, acceptance and/or use or misuse of prize; and (iii) participation in any Contest-related activity. Entrants further agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor Releasees from any Losses arising out of Sponsors' use of Video Submission, including without limitation any claims based on publicity rights, defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright infringement, trademark infringement or any other intellectual property-related cause of action thereto. Entrants who do not comply with these Official Rules, or attempt to interfere with this Contest in any way shall be disqualified.

10. Additional Terms

Any attempted form of entry other than as set forth in Section 1 above is prohibited; no automatic, programmed; robotic or similar means of entry are permitted. Sponsors, its affiliates, partners and promotion and advertising agencies are not responsible for technical, hardware, software, telephone or other communications malfunctions, errors or failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, web site, Internet, or ISP availability, unauthorized human intervention, traffic congestion, incomplete or inaccurate capture of entry information (regardless of cause) or failed, incomplete, garbled, jumbled or delayed computer transmissions that may limit one's ability to enter the Contest, including any injury or damage to participant's or any other person's computer relating to or resulting from participating in this Contest or downloading any materials in this Contest. Sponsors reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, extend or suspend this Contest should (in its sole discretion) virus, bugs, non-authorized human intervention, fraud or other causes beyond its control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness or proper conduct of the Contest. In such case, Sponsors will select the winners from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by Sponsors. Sponsors reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds, in its sole discretion, to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or web site. Sponsors may prohibit an entrant from participating in the Contest or winning a prize if, in Sponsors' sole discretion, they determine that said Entrant is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest by cheating, hacking, deception, or other unfair playing practices (including the use of quick entry programs) or intending to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other Entrants or Sponsors' representatives.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, THE SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

11. Use of Data

Sponsors will be collecting personal data about Entrants online, in accordance with the following privacy policy, which Entrant's must review and accept: http://www.scenichudson.org/privacy . By participating in the Contest, Entrants hereby agree to Sponsors' collection and usage of their personal information and acknowledge that they have read and accepted Sponsors' privacy policy. By entering this Contest, Entrant must also agree to the youtube.com privacy policy, located at http://www.youtube.com/t/privacy.

12. List of Winners

To obtain a list of winners, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope between August 1, 2009 and August 15, 2009 to: I Love Hudson Valley Short Film Competition, Attn: Winner's List Request, One Civic Center Plaza, Suite 200, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.

12. Sponsors

Scenic Hudson, Inc., One Civic Center Plaza, Suite 200, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.