Cingular launches phone-film contest
Calling all aspiring filmmakers! Cingular Wireless is giving teenagers and young adults a shot at becoming small-screen Spielbergs via a new contest promoting video phones and MMS technology.
Hundreds of consumers have submitted 15-second film shorts via MMS (multimedia message service) as part of the Cingular Wireless Short Film Festival. The nationwide program offers cash and prizes for the best film short produced on a video phone.
Cingular Wireless launched the film festival with its video phone ad campaign on Nov. 15 to generate awareness of MMS technology, says Millar Freeman, the company’s youth marketing senior manager. It’s the company’s first big video phone push in the eastern U.S. market.
The contest lets users experiment with the new technology and also provides an avenue to showcase their mini masterpieces, she adds.
“It’s really tied into the passion of the use,” Freeman says of film festival. “Youth are on forefront of adopting new wireless technology.”
Cingular Wireless serves more than 46 million customers. The company, a joint venture between SBC Communications and BellSouth, has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation.
The company has promoted the contest via posters and postcards in major cities, including Atlanta, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, Freeman says. In addition, Cingular advertised the contest through more than 700 Journeys and Underground Station retail stores with in-store television advertising and custom spots.
The contest was also supported by street teams, who provided on-site video phone demonstration, and by online promotions via Internet message boards and chat rooms.
The festival, which runs through Jan. 31, 2005, is divided into two categories: one for Cingular users aged 13 to 24 and another for college-aged film students. Entries can include specific genres, such as action, comedy and experimental.
Hollywood director Brett Ratner, a New York University film school graduate who has directed nearly a dozen films, will judge the film student submissions. Participating colleges include New York University, the University of San Francisco, the University of Central Florida, Ball State, Arizona State University, American University, and Loyola Marymount University. Ratner will review the films for creativity, expression and entertainment value.
Within the first month of the contest, Cingular Wireless reported more than 340 student and consumer submissions, Freeman says.
“People definitely seem very interested in the phone and the contest we are running,” she says. “We’ve been very pleased with the type of response. We think the momentum will continue to build throughout the program.”
To encourage participation among film students, Cingular is loaning out Motorola V551 video phones. Students who can’t access loaner phones may submit an entry if they have a phone with video messaging capabilities featuring Cingular service.
The film student winner will receive a Motorola V551 phone, $500 in Cingular gift cards, and $5,000 in cash. All submissions can be viewed at www.rucingular.com/ screeningroom, where consumers can vote for their favorite film short. Each week, top voter-getters in the contest will receive prizes including free cell phone ringtones and CDs. The winning submission will also be featured at a national film festival.
One grand-prize winner in the consumer category will receive a Motorola V551 phone loaded with ringtones, 10 movie passes, and $5,000 in cash. All winners will be announced in February 2005.
