Submission Guidelines and Instructions for "Our World Underwater"

Guidelines and Instructions

The Our World Underwater Competition is open to entrants of all skill levels. Please read the general rules before proceeding.

Entries must be saved in jpeg format and should be sized to be between 2000 and 6000 pixels in the longest dimension. Please limit your images to a maximum file size of 5,000KB (5MB). Images will be viewed on a large monitor and should be in the AdobeRGB 1998 or sRGB color space.

Naming Your Images
Name your jpg files according to the following template, or see below for your customized file name list. You must rename your images.

        CategoryAbbreviation-LastName-FirstName-Entry#.jpg

Categories are abbreviated as follows: Macro Traditional (MT), Macro Unrestricted (MU), Super Macro Traditional (SM), Wide Angle Traditional (WT), Wide Angle Unrestricted (WU), Compact Camera (C), Environment and Conservation (EC), Video: General (VG), Video: Conservation (VC).

For example, if your name is John Smith, you might submit the following files:

OWU-Smith-John.txt (see below)
MT-Smith-John-1.jpg
MT-Smith-John-2.jpg
SM-Smith-John-1.jpg
WT-Smith-John-1.jpg
VG-Smith-John-1.mov

... which would be a submission of 2 images to the Macro Traditional category, 1 to the Super Macro Traditional category, 1 Wide Angle Traditional, and 1 Video: General category.

Video Submission Guidelines
For the 2008 Wetpixel/DivePhotoGuide Video Competition

This is a call for entries for the 2008 Wetpixel/DivePhotoGuide Video Competition, in association with the Our World-Underwater dive show in Chicago. There will be two categories in the video competition: Conservation Underwater Videos and General Underwater Videos. Prizes will be given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in both categories.

Video Entry Guidelines:

1. Submission deadline is January 15, 2008. Snail mail submissions must be received by the end of the day, January 15, so be sure you postmark your entries in time.
2. The two underwater video categories are Conservation and General. Videos will be judged on the bases of composition, editing and creativity. Videos can be music videos, narrative or documentary videos. Conservation videos will be expected to have a conservation message or emphasis, which can be explicit or subtle.
3. We are accepting Standard Definition, High-Definition HDV and DVCPRO HD video. Acceptable video formats for entries are Mini-DV, DVCAM (NTSC or PAL), HDV (1080i60 or 1080i50), DVCPRO HD (1080i60 or 1080i50), and videos recorded with consumer still cameras with a movie mode. Videos may be sent on mini-DV or DVCAM tape, or as full resolution self-contained video files archived to DVD disc (full-resolution QuickTime, AVI or WMV files).
4. No film can be longer than five minutes in duration,and at least 50% of the footage must be shot underwater. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule, and entries over 5 minutes long will be disqualified. Each filmmaker is limited to a total of two video entries.
5. Please ensure that you have all rights to any media used in your film(s), both for music and visual footage. This includes copyright, or any other legal right. Proof of rights may be requested if obviously commercial media is used (e.g. music by a known band).
6. Please leave at least a 15 second black leader at the beginning of each of your video submissions if on mini-DV or DVCAM tape. More than one film may be entered on a disc or tape, but please include a 15 sec. black leader before each video if on mini-DV tape.This does not count in your 5 minute limit.
7. To have your tapes or discs returned after the competition, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with proper postage. The competition's organizers will not be responsible for lost or damaged tapes or discs.
8. Include your name, full snail mail address, phone number, e-mail address, name and length of the film(s),and a brief bio with your film submission(s).
9. Each individual video submission costs $10 USD, with a maximum of $20 USD for the submission of two videos.
10. Send your submissions postmarked for delivery no later than January 15, 2008. Include a check or money order for your submission (see #9), payable to "Underwater Holdings, Inc.". Address for entries:
• Underwater Holdings, Inc.
  Attn: Jason Heller / OWU 2008 Competition
  271 79th Street
  Brooklyn NY, 11209
11. The video contest organizers reserve the right to use the films or portions of the films for the promotion of Wetpixel and DivePhotoGuide photo and video contests. All rights will remain with the owners of the films.

If you have any questions, please contact Mary Lynn Price at mlprice@san.rr.com, or see competition details at http://underwatercompetition.com.

Suggested toolsets for outputting appropriate video:

1. iMovie (Mac OS)
   For 640x480: Export->Quicktime->Compress Movie: Expert Settings->Share->Export: Movie to MPEG-4->Use: LAN/Intranet
2. Final Cut Pro/Compressor (Mac OS)
3. Quicktime Pro (Mac OS, Windows)
4. Autodesk Cleaner (Mac OS, Windows)
5. Sorenson Squeeze (Mac Os, Windows)
6. Sony Vegas (Windows XP)
7. Adobe Premiere (Windows XP)
8. uLead Video Studio (Windows XP)
9. Movie Maker, highest quality setting (free, Windows XP)

All entries must be received before the deadline date of 11:59pm (Pacific Time), January 15, 2008. There are two methods for entry submission, and both of the require a completed entry form.

SUBMISSIONS ARE CLOSED - THANK YOU!

Entry Form:

Download and complete an entry form (right click and select "Save As...") and fill it out. The entry form must be renamed once you fill it out. Please rename it OWU-LastName-FirstName.txt. Please -- only one entry form is necessary. Don't split your images up into multiple forms.

Note: please ATTACH the entry form as a text file in your submission, even if you choose to paste the text into the contents of your e-mail.

Electronic submission :

1. E-mail
   Submit an entry form with your entry images via e-mail to OWU2008@underwatercompetition.com . Title your e-mail, "Our World Underwater Contest Entry". Try to keep the size of each e-mail message under 5MB (feel free to split up your submissions into multiple e-mails, but make sure you name your files properly). Video entrants should instead use options 2 or 3. You will receive an auto-reply if your e-mail was received successfully.
2. Web Upload
   Submit an entry form via e-mail, and upload entry images to us by using MediaMax (free, and easy to use). If you elect this option, make sure to send your renamed entry form via e-mail AND upload it to our web account.
   
   To upload the entry form and entry images using MediaMax Streamload, go to MediaMax Streamload's upload page and enter "wetpixel" as the username of the person to receive files.
3. Physical submission, via CD-R
   Download, complete and rename an entry form and submit it via e-mail to OWU2008@underwatercompetition.com . Copy the entry form and entry images onto CD-R media and send it to:
   
   Underwater Holdings, Inc.
   Attn: Jason Heller / OWU 2008 Competition
   271 79th Street
   Brooklyn NY, 11209
   
   If you submit physically, you can still pay the entry fee electronically, or you may mail in a check with your CD (see below).

Entry fees are $10 per image (no limit on number of entries). Payment can be made in one of two ways:

1. Electronically, via Paypal (safe, secure, and fast -- credit cards accepted)
   No Paypal account is necessary to pay with credit card via Paypal.
   
   SUBMISSIONS ARE CLOSED - THANK YOU!
   
   
2. Physically, via a check, payable to Underwater Holdings, Inc. and mailed to:
   

   Underwater Holdings, Inc.
   Attn: Jason Heller / OWU 2008 Competition
   271 79th Street
   Brooklyn NY, 11209

   Write your e-mail address and full name on your check, and make sure it matches what you have written in your entry form.

All entries submitted without matching payment will be disqualified.