press release 

Calling filmmakers and animators around the world – tvebiomovies 2014 is open for proposals! 

Tuesday June 24:  tve’s annual film competition tvebiomovies launches today at www.tve.org/biomovies. Filmmakers and animators across the planet are invited to submit creative and cutting edge treatments for one minute videos about the environment. YouTube users are the target and nine shortlisted entrants will receive funding to produce their films.    

tvebiomovies, now in its fifth year, is inviting proposals from amateur and established film-makers in three languages: French, Russian, and English. Entrants have a choice of three individual categories this year challenging them to think creatively about alternative energy, protecting the world’s natural environment, and bamboo and rattan and the vital roles these play in a sustainable future. All proposals will need to be submitted by the deadline of 25 August 2014. A judging panel will then pick the 9 best film ideas to go into production before uploading onto the tvebiomovies website in October. The shortlisted films will be screened in Pyeongchang, Korea during the Convention on Biological Diversity’s COP 12 in October 2014. Finally the films in each category which attract the most YouTube views by 15 December will each receive a US$1,500 prize. 

“We’re looking for films that will engage global audiences with the environmental challenges we face today, throughout the world. We don’t mind how you tell your story–it can be animation, drama, documentary or music. Your proposals can be funny, angry, sad or straight reportage… all we ask is you send us a range of ideas that are new, exciting and pertinent.  We want you to entertain and engage others,” says tve’s Matilda Mitchell, who runs the competition. 

 

“Last year we received 565 proposals from 71 countries – and we are aiming for even more this time,” says Cheryl Campbell, tve’s executive director. “For the past four years, with the generous backing of our donors, tvebiomovies has produced inspiring and engaging short films about a huge range of environmental challenges, which have been viewed more than 3.5 million times. We want this year’s films to live up to the standards set by our filmmakers to date – we are looking for surprising and original productions which engage a YouTube audience.”

 

To submit a proposal, log on to www.tve.org/biomovies and choose one of three categories: (i) The INBAR Prize for bamboo and rattan (ii) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Renewable Energy Prize (iii) The WWF-UK Prize for a World with a Future

Proposals, which can be written in English, French or Russian, must be submitted by 23.00 GMT 25 August 2014. 

If your proposal is one of the nine shortlisted by the judges, you’ll need to get your film to us by 14 October 2014. The films in each category with the most YouTube views between16 October and 15 December will be awarded US$1,500. 

Visit www.tve.org/biomovies to enter tvebiomovies 2014.  

 

 

Notes to editors

 

tvebiomovies is in its fifth year. tvebiomovies 2014 is supported by INBAR (the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan) for the prize for Bamboo and Rattan, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development  (EBRD) for the Renewable Energy Prize (films in this category must come from the 65 EBRD member states) and WWF-UK for the category A World with a Future. 

For 30 years tve has been making films about the environment and development, broadcasting to millions of viewers worldwide and distributing films through DVD, internet and community screenings to hundreds of thousands more every year. Find out more at www.tve.org

 

 

For media enquiries, contact Matilda Mitchell on + 44 20 7147 7420 or matilda.mitchell@tve.org.uk

 

tve

46 Bloomsbury Street

London WC1B 3QJ

United Kingdom

   

 

tve is a collective name for Television for the Environment and Television Trust for the Environment. Television for the Environment is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales (registered office 46 Bloomsbury Street, London WC1B 3QJ, company number 1811236) and a registered charity (charity number 326585). Television Trust for the Environment is a registered charity (charity number 326539).