Thursday, October 31, 2013

WD Project Sci-Fi (Register Now - Through Nov 15) - L$2.28 Million+ in Prizes


OVERVIEW
WD Project: Sci-Fi Film Challenge (Australia) 2013  is a Competition run by Screen My Shorts Inc in collaboration of WD (S.E.Asia Ltd). We invite entrants of all ages, cultures and ability to submit original creative digital content and win a share of the AUD 10,000 (L$2.28 Million) cash and prizes (with at least AUD 1,500 / L$230,000 reserved for Machinima), and have their works exposed on the international stage. 


The Machinima portion of this event is being run in association with the University of Western Australia. 

Science Fiction is the overall genre, and all who register will be allocated specific themes including Blue- ‘everyday life’, Green-‘the environment’, Black – 'speed & technology' and Red - ‘networks/connections’. Those who register are asked to nominate 2 of the themes, and the organisers will allocate one of the 2 nominated themes to entrants on the 1st of November 2013. The entrant will be given full freedom to explore and interpret the theme allocated (you may be as creative as possible in your interpretation)

The closing date for all entries will be the 13th of December 2013, however we urge registrations to be submitted before the 15th of November of November by emailing the required details to jay.jay@uwa.edu.au or through the website: http://wdthepowerofchoice.com/projectscifi/
The overall competition is open to both conventional film and machinima. Machinima entries are in the running for the overall prizes, however special prizes are also set aside for Machinima entries only. There is a fee to enter conventional films, however the University of Western Australia will be sponsoring machinima entries, and as such the fee is waived for all machinima entries.

ESSENTIALS
1. Entry length to be between 3 to 10 minutes
2. If entering a promo - maximum length to be 30 seconds
3. All entries are to be made specifically for the ‘WD Project SciFi’ Competition
4. Register before the 15th of  November & nominate 2 of the listed themes (the 'Films' section of the detailed rules give examples of how the themes could be interpreted)
5. AUD 10,000 in Prizes available with at least AUD 1,500 reserved for machinima
6. Main website for challenge is  http://wdthepowerofchoice.com/projectscifi/
7. 2 Additional special prizes will be awarded to machinima that feature the UWA 'Centum' created by West Australian Artist, Len Zuks and brought into Second Life by FreeWee Ling. The Centum can be found HERE. You do not have to film the Centum in situ and may take a copy of it and film it in any location you choose.
 *This is not a continuation of the UWA MachinimUWA series, but a new collaboration with WD (S.E. Asia Ltd), hence the more detailed rules, etc as below. Should this venture be successful, it would mean a lot more funding being available for Machinima as well as more publicity available through conventional media.

HOW TO REGISTER
1. Send an email (or a NC inworld) with the following details to jay.jay@uwa.edu.au:
  * Second Life Name 
  * Team Name (If Applicable)
  * Email Address
  * City & Country
  * 2 Nominated Themes in Order of Preference (Blue, Green, Red or Black

  * You only need to include the details listed above, and not all the info requested on the website, as   the personal details required on the website is applicable to entrants who are unable to provide a Second Life identity

DETAILED RULES, ELIGIBILITY, ETC
1. By submitting your Film to the Competition (hereafter known as an 'Entry') you ('You' or 'Your') are accepting these terms and conditions and any specific rules including the Competition's Guidelines instructions and other details relating to this Competition or to the prizes published on Our Website or Websites of Our partners/sponsors/associates (‘Partners’) and in any media which features this Competition (together the 'Rules' and Guidelines).

2. An Entry must, be Your own work, not be copied, not contain any third party materials and/or content that You do not have permission to use and not infringe on any copyrights. By submitting an Entry, Entrant agrees to the Official Rules, and further agrees to indemnify and hold Us, Project Parties and their respective affiliates, officers, directors, agents, co-branders or other partners, and any of their employees (collectively, the "Competition Indemnitees"), harmless from any and all claims, damages, expenses, costs (including reasonable attorneys' fees) and liabilities (including settlements), brought or asserted by any third party against any of the Competition Indemnitees due to or arising out of the Entrant's Entry materials in this Competition, or the Entrant's conduct during and in connection with this Competition, including but not limited to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property rights, right of publicity, right of privacy or defamation. Entrant agrees to release, indemnify and hold harmless Us and the Competition Parties from any and all claims that any advertising, presentation, web content or any other material subsequently produced, presented, and/or prepared by or on behalf of Us or the Competition Parties infringes on the rights of Entrant's work as contained in any Entry. Entries must not be obscene, defamatory or in breach of any applicable legislation or regulations. The Film is to be rated PG, at most. If We have reason to believe Your entry is not Your own work or otherwise breaches this clause 2, then We may not consider it.

3. SMS and WD reserves in its sole discretion the right to not accept or disqualify any Entries that it does not believe are suitable for Project-SciFi (Australia).

4. We reserve the right to amend the Rules and Guidelines at any time.
5. Dates - The Competition:
  • Register as soon as possible. Those registering before 1st Nov will receive their theme after 7pm on the 1st of November (those registering after will receive their theme as soon as possible after registration 
  • Friday 1st November 2013 from 7.00 pm - Entrants receive their themes
  • Finishes, Saturday 30th November 2013 at 12.00 midnight - Entries are to be uploaded to Youtube (private setting) with an emailed link sent to projectscifi@screenmyshorts.com by this time. Entries received after the Closing Date will not be considered.
6. You are responsible for the cost (if any) of sending Your Entry to us.

7. If You have any questions about the Competition, please e-mail us at Project SciFi (Australia) projectscifi@screenmyshorts.com  (or jay.jay@uwa.edu.au) with Project SciFi (Australia): Competition Question' in the subject line.

8. If You are submitting Your Film as a team, there needs to be a Team Leader designated who is responsible for completing the entry form online.

9. Entrants under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian must act as Team Leader and register via the online form.

10. By entering this Competition and taking part in the activities forming the prize/s, You agree to take part in or co-operate with a reasonable amount of publicity or other promotional activity on behalf of Us and agree that We may publish Your name/s and home town and any photograph/s, Film/s and/or recording made by Us or on Our behalf and featuring You and/or member/s of Your team.

11. The Competition is not open to employees, directors, management, agents,  licensees, retailers, suppliers and contractors of SMS, WD, Project SciFi (Australia), or any person directly or indirectly involved in the organisation or running of the Competition or their family members.

12. We reserve the right to verify the eligibility of Entrants at Our discretion.

13. You and your Entry - confirm and agree that:
      You are eligible to enter the Competition
      All Entry Form details are true and correct
      Your Entry does not include any nudity or profanities, and does not otherwise defame, misrepresent, contain disparaging remarks or other content that could adversely affect the name, reputation or goodwill of SMS and WD, their Partners or anyone else
      Your Entry does not contain pornographic or sexually explicit or hateful content that promotes  violence  or  harm,  or  any  other  offensive,  obscene  or  inappropriate  content (SMS and WD determines what is inappropriate)
      Your Entry does not include threats and does not intimidate, harass or bully anyone
      All performers in your Entry have given their written consent to the use of their performances in the Entry
      You have obtained written consents from all contributors of copyright material used in Your Entry to their material being edited, altered and reproduced by You and anyone You permit to do this (including SMS and WD), to the extent permitted by applicable law
      We retain the right to use Your Entry as we see fit without any obligation to any Third Party, their charges, other limitations or agreements.

Submissiom
1. By registering, You unconditionally indemnify Us and designated partners/parties and associates/representatives and hold harmless from any and all claims, damages or liabilities arising from or relating to such Entrant's participation in the Competition and must pay Us on demand the amount of all losses, liabilities, expenses and taxes that We may suffer (including the cost of settlement and any legal expenses on a full indemnity basis) because any of your representations or warranties are incorrect, You breach the Rules of Entry, or because of a claim or proceeding by another person against Us caused or contributed by You.

2. Register online…. Visit www.project-scifi.com. You will receive confirmation of your application with an invoice for the entry fee.

3. Payment - We only accept payments through PayPal. Cost to enter is AU$35.00 (includes GST). Students 18 years and under only pay AU$15.00 (includes GST). There will be no refund for withdrawal.

Note - The Machinima Award entries are supported by the University of Western Australia (UWA), therefore the fee is waived 

4. All entries are to be uploaded to Youtube (private setting) with an emailed link sent to projectscifi@screenmyshorts.com or jay.jay@uwa.edu.au by this time.

5. Submission
      Save your film using the file name ‘Project SciFi 2013 ENTRY NAME’. Film format to be 16 x 9 aspect ratio with a frame size of 1280 x 720
      Upload the video to your own YouTube channel using the following instructions: In the ‘TITLE’ area, use the same name as above i.e. ‘Project SciFi 2013 ENTRY NAME’
      In the ‘DESCRIPTION’ area, please include the following info after your film description: ‘For more info on the Project SciFi 2013, please visit -www.project-scifi.com’
      In the ‘TAGS’  area, please include the following: Project SciFi 2013

6. The Entrant should not distribute their film in any way before the premiere screening. This includes uploading the film to any website.

7. No Entries (media or documents) will be returned.

8. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY AND RELEASE: No liability or responsibility is assumed by Us or Competition Parties resulting from any user's participation in or attempt to participate in the Competition or ability or inability to upload or download any information in connection with participating in the Competition. No responsibility or liability is assumed by Us or Competition Parties for technical problems or technical malfunction arising in connection with any of the following occurrences which may affect the operation of the Competition: hardware or software errors; faulty computer, telephone, cable, satellite, network, electronic, wireless or Internet connectivity or other online communication problems; errors or limitations of any Internet service providers, servers, hosts or providers; garbled, jumbled or faulty data transmissions; failure of any e-mail transmissions to be sent or received; lost, late, delayed or intercepted e-mail transmissions; inaccessibility of the Web Site in whole or in part for any reason; traffic congestion on the Internet or the Web Site; unauthorized human or non-human intervention of the operation of the Competition, including without limitation, unauthorized tampering, hacking, theft, virus, bugs, worms; or destruction of any aspect of the Competition, or loss, miscount, misdirection, inaccessibility or unavailability of an email account used in connection with the Competition. We and Competition Parties are not responsible for any typographical errors in the announcement of prizes or these Official Rules, or any inaccurate or incorrect data contained on the Web Site. Use of Web Site is at user's own risk. We and the Competition Parties are not responsible for any personal injury or property damage or losses of any kind which may be sustained to user's or any other person's computer equipment resulting from participation in the Competition, use of the Web Site or the download of any information from the Web Site. By participating in the Competition, Entrant agrees to release, indemnify and hold Us and Competition Parties harmless from any and all claims, damages or liabilities arising from or relating to such Entrant's participation in the Competition.

Films
1. Filmmakers Entries - they may enter one or both films types
      Filmmakers' entry is to be 3 to 10 minutes in length
      Promo entry is to be a 30 seconds in length

Note - We also offer the choice for Entrants to make a 30 second promotion, as well as their 3 to 10 minutes short film, doubling the possibility of winning a prize and exposure.

Machinima Entry
      Machinimographers' entry is to be 3 to 10 minutes in length

2. Films should be inspired by, or be relevant to, the central genre of 'Science Fiction' and must align to the theme allocated to the filmmaker as outlined in clause 3.

3.The Films should include the following Film Elements:
a)     The themed colour
b)    The themed genre

Films should be aligned to the theme allocated to the filmmaker:
1.     Blue – Themes from Everyday life
·       Sci-Romance – Love between Aliens, Robots and more!
·      Soft Science Fiction – Science and technology take a back-seat to character-driven plots. In soft SF, the how is much less important than the why. (Also known as SCI-Drama)
·      Sci-Comedy - Science fiction that is humorous in nature. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a good example of SciFi Comedy.
·    Alternative Reality – The story that takes place in an altered or changed reality, but usually recognizable.

2.       Green – Themes about the Environment
·      Save the Environment – A theme focuses on saving the dying planet ecosystem
·   Apocalyptic / Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi - Stories about the extinction or near extinction of humankind either by forces of nature or by our own means. Post- focuses on telling the tale of the survivors of an apocalypse.
·       Zombie / Disease – A theme focuses on the effect of a disease in the future.
·       Monsters & Mutants – Following either mystery/horror/thriller genres regarding monsters/mutants made from science, environmental disaster or from space.

 3.     Black – Themes about Speed & Technology
·       Cyberpunk - Science fiction depicting the downside to technology and a bleak world, typically containing a dark atmosphere.
·       Spy-Fy - Science fiction about futuristic spies and espionage, and the effects of technological advancement on their professions.
·       Super Hero – Stories related to super heroes who get their powers from technology or because they are from another world. Focuses on characters like Iron Man, Green Lantern/Hornet, Men in Black
·       Robots / AI - Fiction in which the science of Artificial Intelligence and robotics is a central theme, typically relating to work of Isaac Asimov and the ideas advanced in his Robot stories.)

4.       Red – Themes about Networks/Connections
       Time Travel - A person or group of people travel either into the past or future.
·      First Contact / Alien - This sub genre imagines the various scenarios in which humanity makes     contact with other civilizations.
·       ESP Sci-Fi
·       Cyber-Crime – Crime themed Sci-Fi (especially using the internet or hacking)

4. Films must comply with the Competition Rules and the Competition Guidelines. Films will not be accepted if they include any excessive abusive, violent, offensive, bullying, harmful, insulting or inappropriate material and must not contain strong language or full nudity.

5. You agree to have Your Film shown on the Screening Website and commented on by users. The Film may also be displayed on other social networking sites and Project SciFi (Australia) exhibition platforms without limitation.

6. Entrants declare that they have obtained all required permissions and clearances with regards to music, sound and/or images and any other creative work presented in the Film.

Releases
1. Given the costly and time-consuming nature of clearing commercial music, We recommend Entrants use original and/or library, non-commercial, royalty free music in their Films, providing in all cases that any music has been cleared for use in this way by the Music Release Form. Participating groups are encouraged to work with a local composer and/or musicians to write and record music for the films. As with music, pre-recorded sound effects are allowed, but You must have rights to use them.

2. Entrants should ensure that all clearances in the Film allow for its use in all known media and internet platforms, throughout the universe in perpetuity to avoid clearance issues. All external media, locations, materials and actors featured in the film must be cleared using the appropriate Release forms.

3. Films should not contain any visuals or verbal references to any commercial brands, including large brand names on T-shirts, caps and other items of clothing, that may affect WD’s brand exposure within the competition. If You are unsure about any conflicts, please contact Project SciFi (Australia) organizing committee immediately to confirm your issue.

4. A collection of Project SciFi (Australia) Films and/or Promos will be chosen to screen at various WD promotional events or stands throughout 2013 and 2014. By taking part in the Project SciFi(Australia) Film  Competition, You are agreeing for Your Film to be publically screened by Us as we require/desire.

Judging
1. After the Competition closing date, the Films will then be processed by a judging panel, which may include representatives from the Film industry, associated and diverse professionals and Sponsors - the 'Judging Panel'. to create a shortlist ('Shortlist') from all Entries received.

Note: All judges are chosen for their experience and professionalism, from a varied range of industries and disciplines. Their decisions are final. All judging is done with complete confidentiality. No discussion between judges is entered into, under any circumstance . The shortlisted entries for The Machinima Award will be determined by a panel set up by UWA and passed on to the Judging Panel.

2. The Shortlist will then be reviewed by the Judging Panel who will vote on which of the shortlisted Films should receive nominations for the national awards ('Finalists').

3.The Finalists will be judged by the Judging Panel to establish the Awards recipients (‘Winners’). Details will be on the Website when available.

4.     Entries will be judged by a process in which qualified panels of judges will evaluate the eligible entries based on the following judging criteria:
- Artistic Merit (e.g. Story, Creativity, Entertainment Value) (45%)
- Technical Merit (30%)
- Adherence to the Assignment (25%)

In the event of a tie, the tie will be broken based on the highest score in the first Judging Criteria, continuing thereafter to each Judging Criteria in order, as needed to break the tie.

5. The decisions of the Judging Panel are final and no correspondence will be entered into.

6. Nominees for awards (Finalists) will be informed in good time before the National Awards Ceremony once the final nominations have been confirmed by the Judging Panel. Finalists may be required to provide follow-up documentation to show that all relevant clearances are in place before being officially nominated.

7. Finalists may be required to take part in reasonable publicity activities after the announcement of their award/s on behalf of Us.

8. Winners of awards agree to be filmed, photographed or recorded and grant Us, free of charge, the right to publish the winning Film in part or in its entirety, footage, photographs or audio online and in all media as required for the purposes of promoting the Competition and We may edit, adapt, translate or remove the Film at any time.

9. All nominated and winning Films will be kept by Us and made available to (amongst others) private showings to industry professionals, production companies, agents, distributors and exhibitors, and may feature in public screenings in all known media and internet platforms anywhere in the universe at any time.

10. Details of the winners can be obtained by sending a request by email to projectscifi@screenmyshorts.com  and will be posted on Our Website.

Prizes
1. Film awards at the final event (the 'Awards Ceremony') will be offered for Best Film and Runners Up in all categories. Other awards may also be given at the discretion of Us or the Judging Panel.

2. Prizes will be offered within 28 days of winners being notified of winning an award; if a prize offer is not accepted within a further 28 days it may be withdrawn.

3. Prizes will be listed on Our Website and below and are subject to change. We may add or withdraw prizes at any time during the Competition. In the event of unforeseen circumstances or circumstances outside our control, We may offer an alternative prize of equal value.

4. Prizes cannot be exchanged or transferred by You and cannot be redeemed by You for cash or any other prizes. You must pay all other costs associated with the prize and not specifically included in the prize.

              Award                                        Prize Cash         Prize Other
              Best Film                                    AUD $3,000       2 pieces x 1TB WD Red NAS Hard Drive
                                                                                              1 piece of 1TB WD Se Datacenter Hard Drive

              1st Runner Up                            AUD $1,000         1 piece x 1TB WD Red NAS Hard Drive
              2nd Runner Up                           AUD $500            1 piece x 1TB WD Red NAS Hard Drive

              3rd Runner Up                            AUD $300       
              Best Director                             AUD $200            1 piece x 1TB WD Red NAS Hard Drive
                                                                                              1 piece of 1TB WD Se Datacenter Hard Drive
              Best Cinematographer              AUD $200              1 piece x 1TB WD Red NAS Hard Drive
              Best Writing                             AUD $200
              Best Editing                              AUD $200
              Best Actor                                AUD $250
              Best Female Actor                   AUD $250
              Best Promo                              AUD $1,500         2 piece x 1TB WD Red NAS Hard Drive
                                                                                               1 piece of 1TB WD Se Datacenter Hard Drive
              Runner Up Promo                    AUD $750             1 piece x 1TB WD Red NAS Hard Drive
              3rd Runner Up                          AUD $250

              Best Machinima Film             AUD $750           1 piece x 1TB WD Red NAS Hard Drive
                                                                                               1 piece of 1TB WD Se Datacenter Hard Drive
              Runner Up                                 AUD $300
              2nd Runner Up                           AUD$ 150
              4th Runner Up                           AUD$ 100
              5th Runner Up                           AUD$ 100

User Generated Content (UGC) Terms and Conditions
1. You will retain legal ownership in Your Competition Entry but that You grant to Us and its successors a non-exclusive, worldwide, sub-licensable, royalty-free and perpetual license to use Your Competition entry (in all media/internet platforms now and later known) and any other material and/or information submitted with Your entry or otherwise provided by You including Your name, age and town or city of residence for the sole purpose of identifying You as the author of Your Competition entry (together 'Your UGC').
.


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

SL Paper Wins Award at International Conference

Receiving award from Prof Donghun Chung, one of the session chairs
As evidence that our own JayJay Zifanwe (rl: Jegatheva Jegathesan) has not been lollygagging on the Korean resort island of Jeju, notice has just arrived that his conference paper has won a "best paper" award. The paper, titled "Pilot Study: Breaking the Virtual Boundary and Forging Communities of Practice through Virtual Worlds," was presented at the 3rd International Conference on Humanities, Society, and Culture (ICHSC) on Jeju Island, Korea. JayJay will also be presenting on UWA in SL at a local university during his stay. Congratulations!

Sunday, October 20, 2013

LEA6 Review of Rebecca Bashly's Colour Key by Victoria Lenoirre

Hello, hello all you art lovers and art creators! I just wanted to share with you all my impressions about this months LEA Full Sim, Colour Key by Rebeca Bashly!


The landing pad is a long, wide wooden platform that is over 300m above the ground, so don't look down! You'll need to step up the ramp to get to the next platform. This is the meat grinder. From the next platform, you just have to jump onto an old, iron key.

Me on the landing pad


Instead of landing on a platform on the same level, I found myself plummeting to a lower level. It just happened so fast. Then I'm in an open room and I see two statues. Rebecca is renown for her human figures. She just knows how to depict the human body in a beautiful (in a dark, unconventional sense), intriguing way.

Some meters away from the statues is another iron key. This one will teleport you further down. Another indication that you are going down is that the keys are pointing downwards.

Then you should see box on a round base. You have to sit on the box and start walking. You'll walk past a light bulb on a pole. Where's the lamp shade? You walk on. Up a few steps you will climb. Notice anything unusual as you climb? The steps lead up to a narrow doorway. Through the doorway you are led to more stairs. Continue walking and you come to a room with a checkered floor and what looks like a clay medusa head. The lips and the skin around the eyes is red. The hair looks like hair instead of snakes but the style of her hair just seemed reminiscent of the gorgon Medusa from ancient Greek mythology.

The next key will take you down to another room where you see four figures carrying large keys on their back or dragging it behind them by a chain. One large key lies in front of them. The cracked marble floor contrasts with the rustiness of the keys. Their skin matches the floor, a sort of beige or yellowish white. Beyond the large key that lies on its side is a brass keyhole. Click it to teleport.

You teleport to a ledge and you walk forward and enter a room of red. I saw 2 figures. One seemed to be huddled on the floor in agony. The other was standing and facing the wall. Rebecca's figures depict pain and suffering. These are universal truths of life. Her art depicts the harshness and agony of living. Her art has a poignant quality to it. She captures the darkness and depression while also conveying the beauty of the human form in its straight lines and gentle curves.

To leave this room, you must go past the standing figure and into a passage of gray stone. It is such a contrast to the red! After you find the key and teleport down you find yourself in a room flooded with dirty water. Rebeca tells me that this is the uterus. Bleeding hearts branches hang from the ceiling and from the two female figures on pedestals. I get the sense that they are like martyrs that we worship, if the pedestals are any indication of that. And when you walk to the back of the room you find two urinals.

The uterus


Once you teleport out by sitting on a urinal, you are brought to a large pile of rusted keys over the water. This looks like the end of  the line.

Did you have questions about this sim? I sure did. So below are my questions for Rebeca Bashly.

In one room there is this head. It looks like Medusa. Who is she? What does she symbolize? I notice that after an avatar sits on that box, it changes how the avatar walks, especially on the stairs. What does that signify? In one room there is this head. It looks like Medusa. Who is she? What does she symbolize?


RB: The third scene in the installation is the house with  3 exactly the same rooms placed in upward trajectory but rotated.First is normal,second is rotated by 90C and third by 180C. The sculpture around which this scene evolves is "The Queen", a female head on a  stand with her hair resembling tree branches and white eyes. It represents how we often in life make the same moves and expect different results,which is not likely to happen...but what if we force a different point of view? Therefore the visitors are given wall walkers to explore this level.

For awhile, the work lacks color and then all of a sudden there is that room of bright red. What does that mean?

RB: Well if you look at complete structure you will see that red scene is positioned where heart should be.

What is the purpose or purposes of the key?

RB: The key is the knowledge, a way, a tool to get what we want, be it object of desire, understanding of a situation, an answer to a puzzle...

Come and see this fantastical work of art at LEA6!

Have fun and enjoy the art!

Victoria Lenoirre

Monday, October 7, 2013

LEA FULL SIM ART SERIES (OCT): Rebeca Bashly's 'Colour Key'


The October round of the LEA FULL SIM ART SERIES sees the return of the stalwart of the series, Rebeca Bashly, with 'Colour Key'.  A full list of the Series 3 offerings for the LEA FULL SIM ART SERIES can be found on the blog: LEA FULL SIM ART SERIES (click here for full year schedule).


GRAND OPENING: NOW
LOCATION: HERE ON LEA 6 


Rebeca is cryptic about what this is about explaining:

"It is all about human nature, breaking your spine to find answers that are under your nose. Explore and discuss, this is a joy to me"

Media on Colour Key
 Living in a Modem World
Renoobed
Ziki's Blog
Quan's Travelogues 
Honour's Post Menopausal View
Warm Winter Nights 
Annomis & Her Blog
Old London Docks
Machinima By Yrlaka Abbot