In past CID Video Competitions, a number of questions have been asked. In hopes this will help others, they are posted here, along with answers. As new questions are asked, they will be added and answered.
Please read the basic information for the CID Video Competition in 2020, including especially the entry rules, carefully! If submissions do not meet the requirements, they cannot be considered for a prize until and unless they are revised. When ready, submit your video.
But…coronavirus!
At this point the competition is still on, despite the pandemic. Some instructors have suggested this can be a particularly useful assignment for courses suddenly moved online. So go ahead and make your videos!
This year’s topic is listening. What does that entail?
Listening means paying attention to someone else rather than focusing on your own words and ideas. This is easiest with someone you know well, and hardest with a stranger, especially if that person shares few characteristics with you. But listening is the start of intercultural dialogue, so it’s important. For more details, see this list of additional Resources.
What exactly is intercultural dialogue, anyway?
The short answer: Intercultural dialogue requires at least two people from different cultural groups (so, it can be international, interracial, interethnic, or interfaith). It is active (people actually communicating in some way, having dialogue) rather than passive (knowledge in people’s heads). Here’s a longer answer: Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, 1: Intercultural Dialogue. For more details, see this list of additional Resources.
What about intergenerational dialogue, is that intercultural as well?
NO, intergenerational dialogue within a single culture is not usually considered a form of intercultural dialogue. An argument could presumably be made, but that may be difficult given the short time limit for the video.
Can a group of students submit a video instead of one person?
Yes, absolutely. In fact, that is encouraged, as the perfect way to demonstrate listening to different points of view.
How many people maximum in a group are allowed?
Whatever works best for the students – and the instructor in a particular course if the competition is being used as a class assignment – will be fine. We’ve never set a limit.
Can faculty members participate?
NO, this is a competition for students only. Faculty members can serve as informal advisers or critics, and are certainly asked to encourage participation, or even require participation as part of a course if that suits their needs. But faculty members should NOT be part of the group that actually works on the video, and should NOT be the one submitting a video.
Can audiotapes be submitted in lieu of videotapes?
NO, sorry, audiotapes are NOT videotapes.
Where should videos be uploaded?
Upload videos here. You will have to create an account when you get to the site, with your email, name, and a password. Videos should NOT be uploaded directly to YouTube or any other server, please!
Help, I don’t understand the directions when I get to the upload site!
You are asked to “Login or create an account.” The first time there, you need to choose “Create an account,” which requires providing your email address, first name, last name, and making up a password which you provide twice to confirm. Then click on “Register.” At that point you need to answer the questions on the application. If you don’t finish the first time, when you go back to the site, choose “Login” and then finish. Your email is your “Login ID” and the password is the same one you provided when you created the account.
My students are having difficulty submitting their videos. Can a faculty member help with this step?
YES, absolutely. The goal is to have student-created videos. There’s no problem with a faculty member helping to get those videos uploaded so they can be entered in the competition. However, please do NOT do it for them – the account should not be in the faculty member’s name. Let the student create an account, and then help as needed with any technical or translations issues.
My student says it’s hard to upload a video so I’m sending it to you to upload for them.
NO, sorry, we can’t do that! Get in touch via email and ask for help, but really, the system is pretty straightforward.
My students created videos for this competition as a course assignment, so there are several different videos to be uploaded. Does each video need to be submitted separately?
YES, absolutely. Each video, whether created by one student or by a group of students, should be uploaded separately so it can be evaluated by the judges.
Four of us worked on a video together. Do we submit it once or 4 times?
ONLY ONCE! A group video should be submitted once, with all students who worked on the video being listed as creators. Choose a student who checks their email fairly often as the one to upload the video, so if there are any questions, they will see the email and be able to respond.
Can 30-minute videos be considered?
What part of “no less than 30 seconds, no more than 2 minutes” is unclear?
Is there a language requirement for the videos?
YES, the videos either must be in English or subtitled in English. Permitting other languages would imply having judges who know all the several dozen languages currently represented on the site, which would be impossible. However, choosing to have most of the video silent, with few words, or using another language with English subtitles, are appropriate ways to finesse the language requirement for those who are not native speakers.
Do the videos have to be live action?
NO, animation has been successfully incorporated into several submissions in the past. However, a PowerPoint slideshow is unlikely to result in an award, as that doesn’t make a very successful video.
I want to use video I made of a group singing a song in live performance. I have their permission, but not that of the copyright holder for that song. Is that fair use?
Unfortunately, the short answer is no, you would need permission of the copyright holder of the song. The long answer is that for all fair use questions, see the Documentary Filmmakers Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use and the Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Online Video; these and other such best-practices codes are available from the Center for Media and Social Impact.
Center for Intercultural Dialogue 