FOR AN HTML VERSION ALONG WITH IMAGES AND VIDEO CLIPS go to: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/mmnr/vfs/index.html
Artists from the 19 regions where YouTube has local sites will be eligible to submit their original videos from March 18 to May 9. VFS will then narrow the field to 10 finalists. Between May 20 and May 27, the YouTube community will vote to pick 3 winners. On May 30, the winners will be announced and will receive scholarships to VFS worth from $17,000 up to $52,750.
Launched in October 2006, the VFS YouTube Channel (youtube.com/vancouverfilmschool) has over 18,000 subscribers and is the most subscribed school Channel on YouTube.
"The goal of the VFS Channel on YouTube is twofold: to entertain the world and to show it what our students can do. We've had phenomenal response from YouTube viewers; they want to know how to come to VFS and we want to help them get here," said Stephen Webster, Director of Marketing at VFS. "We're very excited to reach across the globe, find the best talent it has to offer, and put that talent in an environment where its potential can be realized."
"A growing number of emerging filmmakers and artists are channeling their creativity to YouTube, building an audience, and generating interest in their work," said Sara Pollack, community manager for film, YouTube. "We are excited to partner with VFS to offer a few members of the YouTube community this incredible opportunity to share their creativity with the world and vie for a scholarship in the process."
The three scholarship recipients chosen by the YouTube community will be able to attend any of the 14 entertainment arts programs VFS offers. Along with the school's long-standing reputation as a leader in the fields of animation and film, VFS offers world-class programs in disciplines such as makeup, acting, writing, sound design, digital design, game design, and entertainment business management.
Conference Call & Live Webcast
On March 18, 2008, at 9:30am PST/12:30pm EST/4:30PM UTC/GMT, Stephen Webster (Director of Marketing, VFS), Marty Hasselbach (Managing Director of VFS), and Sara Pollack (Community Manager for Film, YouTube) will be available to media by conference call.
Live-Call Audience Dial-In Numbers:
1.800.594.3790 (in North America)
+1 604.677.8677 (everywhere else)
To listen to a live webcast of the conference call, please visit
www.newswire.ca/en/webcast/viewEvent.cgi?eventID=2200000.
VFS/YouTube Scholarship Competition Details
Entries can be up to 3 minutes long and must be a film, animation, or creative pitch on the theme "What Matters to You." The competition is open to residents of 19 regions where YouTube has local sites, including the United States, Germany, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Spain, Mexico, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Poland, the Netherlands, Brazil, Russia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Competition entrants must be 16 years or older and be legal residents of one of the regions listed above.
Winners of the VFS/YouTube "What Matters to You" Scholarship Competition must successfully fulfill all VFS admission requirements prior to commencing their studies and must begin attending no later than April 2011 (based on availability in selected program of entry). For more information on these requirements, visit vfs.com/admissions.
For more information about VFS and the scholarship competition, including a full media kit, visit whatmatters.vfs.com/media.
About VFS
Vancouver Film School is Canada's premier post-secondary entertainment arts institution and one of the most distinguished in the world. Its 14 production-oriented programs span one year or less and cover all aspects of visual media, from Animation & Visual Effects to Film Production to Game Design to Sound Design. Practicing industry professionals guide students as they create the professional-quality reels and portfolios that get them noticed on the global stage.
About YouTube
YouTube is the world's most popular online video community allowing millions of people to discover, watch and share originally created videos. YouTube provides a forum for people to connect, inform and inspire others across the globe and acts as a distribution platform for original content creators and advertisers large and small. YouTube, LLC is based in San Bruno, Calif., and is a subsidiary of Google Inc.
CONTACT: Media Contacts: YouTube: Victoria Katsarou, Email Contact; Vancouver Film School: Alice Zhou, Email Contact, (604) 685-5808 or toll free in North America 1-800-661-4101