Water Spots Video Contest

Announcing the 2013 Water Spots Video Contest

Shoot. Edit. Submit. Get famous!

Our contest challenges teens to create compelling and original 25-second Public Service Announcement (PSA) videos on a select water efficiency topic. The contest is open to high school students in Sacramento, El Dorado and Placer counties, and the City of West Sacramento.

Winners will be announced at a Sacramento River Cats game in spring 2013, and winning spots will be displayed on the Raley Field Jumbotron. Winning students and teachers will also get cash prizes. The grand prize winner's spot may become part of RWA's 2013 television campaign.

PSA videos must focus on the selected 2013 water efficiency theme: Check sprinkler systems every month for water-wasting problems and make repairs within 48 hours. Judging will be based on creativity, entertainment value, accuracy, originality and incorporation of the water efficiency topic.

Get a Teacher Involved

Before you turn in a great video, you have to be sponsored by a teacher, counselor, principal or youth leader at your school. Simply ask that person to enroll by clicking the blue button. There is no cost. One teacher can support multiple students with one enrollment.

Get Educated about Water

Did you know that more than 65 percent of a household's yearly water use goes toward landscape irrigation and that more than 30 percent is lost to over watering and evaporation? Get educated about water issues by visiting BeWaterSmart.info and by learning more about the 2013 water efficiency theme.

PSA Video Examples

You may be wondering what a good 25-second PSA video on water efficiency looks like. A good video is not hard to make. The first Water Spots contest attracted nearly 90 entries from high school students throughout the Sacramento region. From raps and jingles to serious messages about water scarcity, Sacramento-area high school students showed off their original ideas about using water efficiently outdoors (the 2012 contest theme). Check out the 2012 Water Spots Video Contest finalists.

The Rules

All video entries are due by Friday, March 22, 2013. Individual or team entries will be accepted. You must attend a school in Sacramento, El Dorado and Placer counties, or the City of West Sacramento. Videos should be in one of the following formats: Quicktime (MOV), Windows Media (WMV), MPEG 2 and MPEG 4. Follow the instructions below for uploading your video. Click here for the complete rules.

A team of experts and local celebrities will review the videos and pick the finalists. The finalists will be posted online, and we will ask everyone in the community to vote for their favorites. The videos with the most votes win!

The Prizes

The first, second and third place winners will be announced at a special screening at Raley Field on May 5, 2013. The winners will also receive:

JUDGE'S CHOICE

First place winners -- $250 for student(s); $250 for teacher. The winning video may also be shown on the Jumbotron at Raley Field during the 2013 baseball season and used in Regional Water Authority 2013 television advertising buys.
Second place winners -- $150 for student(s); $150 for teacher.
Third place winners -- $100 for student(s); $100 for teacher.

PEOPLE'S CHOICE

$250 for student(s) and $250 for teacher.