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Prasar Bharati and UNICEF look for filmmakers
A competition for films, advertisements and radio jingles made on issues relating to the girl child has been announced
Prasar Bharati (Doordarshan and All India Radio), Hyderabad, in association with UNICEF, is inviting entries from advertising agencies, filmmakers, amateurs and NGOs for a film and jingle making competition. The film (15 minutes’ duration), the advertisement or the radio jingle should be made on issues concerning the girl child.
The purpose of the campaign is to create mass awareness about the issues related to the rights of the girl child. The topics identified for the film or the ad are girl child trafficking, early marriage and women being infected with HIV/AIDS.
What kind of films/advertisements will be entertained? What will be the brief for the filmmakers? Says Shaileja Suman, director, marketing, Prasar Bharati, “There are three subjects on which the films can be made. They can be submitted in any format and it does not matter whether the film is animated, dramatised, presented in a story form or involves any sort of creativity. Our brief is that the films have to be creative, sensitising, meaningful and thought provoking.”
What are the selection criteria? Suman explains, “This is an exclusive agreement between UNICEF and Prasar Bharati. The movies that have been short-listed will be telecast initially only over DD Hyderabad and All India Radio, Hyderabad. The films will be telecast during prime time for at least seven days. Viewers will be asked to vote through SMS for the first three best films and this will constitute 50 per cent of the decision. The remaining 50 per cent will be decided by experts from Doordarshan and UNICEF.”
This is the second time that Prasar Bharati and UNICEF have come together for this sort of filmmaking competition. A similar campaign was held earlier in 2005. Prasar Bharati is looking for corporate sponsorship. Says Suman, “UNICEF, our partner, is heavily into protecting child rights. According to our agreement, UNICEF funds cash awards. We do not accept cash awards, so, instead, we give UNICEF air time on DD and AIR. At the end of the day, it’s not about money, but spreading the message.”
Prasar Bharati will accept entries for the competition till September 1, 2006. There is no entry fee. The final decision will be taken on September 24, Girl Child Day, and the winner will be announced and awarded a cash price of Rs 50,000 and a certificate. In the event of a corporate sponsor chipping in, the prize money might go even higher.
© 2006 agencyfaqs!