Please read this information booklet carefully before you submit your program.

If you have questions, contact Hometown Coordinator, Deborah Vinsel at dvinsel@acmhometown.com or call 202-555-0108

[accordion]

[accordion-item title=”Eligibility“]The Hometown Video Awards welcomes non-commercial programming from media professionals, nonprofessionals and youth. Entries must have had their first telecast on a local cable access channel on or between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007. Some categories require specific criteria to be met in order for an entry to be eligible. Be sure to read the category descriptions carefully so that your entry will not be disqualified..[/accordion-item]

[accordion-item title=”Awards Ceremony“]The 2008 Hometown Video Awards Ceremony will be held during the Alliance for Community Media International Conference and Tradeshow, July 9 – July 12, 2008 in Washington, D.C. Information about the conference is available at http://www.alliancecm.org/ or call 202-555-0141. Winners are responsible for their own travel plans and expenses. Winners will receive discounted conference registration and expenses..[/accordion-item]

[accordion-item title=” Entry Deadline“]
All entries must be received by March 22, 2008.[/accordion-item]

[accordion-item title=” Ship Entries to:“] HOMETOWN VIDEO AWARDS c/o TCTV 440 Yauger Way SW, Suite C Olympia WA 98502
Entry Format Entries must be submitted on a DVD or a VHS tape recorded in standard play (SP) format. No other tape format will be accepted. MAKE SURE YOUR DVD IS FINALIZED!
Note: This is the last year we will accept VHS entries.
[/accordion-item]

[accordion-item title=” Entry Length“] Please submit no more than 30 minutes of your program. For programs longer than 30 minutes, please submit 3 unedited excerpts of 10 minutes each: 10 continuous minutes from the beginning that includes the opening title sequence; 10 continuous minutes from the middle; and 10 continuous minutes from the end including the closing credits. Programs shorter than 30 minutes should be submitted in their entirety.
DVDs / Tapes will not be returned. DO NOT SEND MASTERS![/accordion-item]

[accordion-item title=” Label Your Entry
“] Each DVD/tape must be clearly labeled with:

· ENTRY NUMBER (this is generated when you complete the on-line entry process)
· Program title
· Che category number & category name
· Producer division,[/accordion-item]

[accordion-item title=” Enter Online
“] Use the on-line entry forms at http://www.acmhometown.org/. You may also print off entry forms. Do not send information or material that is not specifically requested.[/accordion-item]

[accordion-item title=” Entry Fees
“] Alliance member = $40 per entry
Non-member = $70 per entry.[/accordion-item]

[accordion-item title=” Alliance Organizational Members Discount
“] Current organizational members of the Alliance may submit an unlimited number of entries at the member rates, whether or not each producer is an Alliance individual member. The entries must be submitted together by the Alliance organizational member and the fees paid by a check drawn on the organizational member’s bank.[/accordion-item]

[accordion-item title=” Payment
“] Pay by check or money order, purchase order or charge to Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. All payments must be in U.S. dollars. Please enclose your payment with your tapes. Make your check/money order/purchase order payable in U.S. funds, to: ALLIANCE FOR COMMUNITY MEDIA[/accordion-item]

[accordion-item title=” Standard Category Entries
“] You may enter your program in as many categories as you wish. You may NOT enter a program under more than 1 division. For example: you may enter a program as a nonprofessional producer in 2 different categories, but you may NOT enter a program as a Youth entry in one category and as a Nonprofessional in another.

Each entry must be submitted on a separate tape /DVD and with a separate entry form. You must pay an entry fee for each entry submitted.One check may be sent for the total amount of all required fees.
Unless otherwise noted, all categories have a youth division, professional division and non-professional division.Check the appropriate producer division box on the entry form.

Please submit no more than 30 minutes of your program. For programs longer than 30 minutes, please submit 3 unedited excerpts of 10 minutes each – 10 continuous minutes from the beginning that includes the opening title sequence, 10 continuous minutes from the middle, and 10 continuous minutes from the end including the closing credits. Programs shorter than 30 minutes should be submitted in their entirety.

For Standard Categories, submit a single program. If you produce a series, submit a single episode. Compilations of multiple programs are not allowed for standard category entries.
Complete the entry form and support information questions available on-line at http://www.acmhometown.org/.[/accordion-item]

[accordion-item title=” Overall Excellence Entries
“] Overall Excellence in Community Media entries must be submitted by an access organization, cable company, educational institution, local government, or other institution that provides public, educational, or governmental access services.
The Overall Excellence divisions are based on the access organization’s annual operating budget:

(1) Under $200,000
(2) $200,001 to $499,999
(3) $500,000 or more.
At a minimum, Overall Excellence entries must include at least one unedited excerpt from each of at least six different programs that first aired between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007. The excerpts should be separated by black, a character-generated slate or a video bridge. The total running time must not exceed 30 minutes.

Complete the entry form and support information questions available on-line at www.acmhometown.org
Do not send any information or materials other than those required on the entry form.[/accordion-item]

[accordion-item title=” Producer Divisions
“] Entries are judged by division. You may NOT enter a program under more than 1 division. For example: you may enter a program as a nonprofessional in 2 different categories, but you may NOT enter a program as a Youth entry in one category and as a Nonprofessional in another.
Youth entries are judged with other youth entries, professionals are judged with other professionals, and non-professionals with other non-professional entries. It is your responsibility to make sure your program is entered in the proper division.
Professional or Non-professional Division:

Use the worksheet below to determine your producer division.
Total cash budget for this program:

$0 = 0 pts.
$1 to $100 = 5 pts.
$101 to $1000 = 15 pts.
over $1000 = 25 pts.

In the past year, was the individual most responsible for the content of the production paid to produce this or any other video production? YES=10pts.
Was any of the video production work done:

1. At the access facility at a time when the access facilities and equipment were not available to other producers under the same circumstances. YES=5pts.
2. Using private facilities or equipment not available to other access producers? YES=5pts.
3. By a person other than the producer who was paid to do it, including access center staff as part of their assigned duties? YES=5pts.
4. All of the above YES=5pts.

In the past year, were any of the crew members (camera, audio, director, editor) paid any amount for work on this production or any other? YES=5 pts.
If your total score is 20 or more, you must enter as a professional.

Youth Division: Programs created by youth age 18 and younger. Adults may supervise the production but the overall direction, control of the production and all technical tasks (camera, directing, editing, sound, etc.) must be performed by the youth involved. Programs produced by youth may also be entered in the non-professional division of any category if the entry included significant participation or involvement by adults.
[/accordion-item]

[accordion-item title=” Judging
“] Community media centers around the country will conduct the judging of the Hometown Video Awards. If you would like to volunteer your access center, please contact the Hometown Coordinator.

A panel of three judges will review entries in each category. A panel of five will judge Overall Excellence Awards. Judges may select more than one winner — or no winner at all. Judges may also award Honorable Mention awards to entries that do not win, but, which the judges feel have special merit.

Winners will be determined by: (1) how well the entry represents the qualities appropriate for its category; (2) the extent to which the programs develops and maintains viewer interest; (3) the match of program content to production format or style; (4) the unique or creative way the programs approaches its subject (5) technical competence; and (6) how effectively the program represents the intent of the producer as described in the support materials.[/accordion-item]

[accordion-item title=” Disqualification
“] Entries will be disqualified if:

1. The DVD or tape is not viewable: audio is inaudible, video is unstable, tape recorded at wrong speed, DVD not ‘finalized’ or for any other technical reason. Judging sites will attempt to view on at least 2 machines before disqualifying.
2. An entry clearly violates a specific requirement of the category in which it is entered.
3. Any portion of the program was taped after December 31, 2007.
4. First cablecast of the entry was after December 31, 2007.

No refunds will be made for any entry that is disqualified or if any other error is made by the producers or submitters of any entries. A decision by the judging panel to disqualify an entry is final.
[/accordion-item]

[/accordion]