1st Annual Shakespeare Video Contest
Frequently Asked Questions

Why are You Having This Contest?

• to recognize and celebrate Shakespeare artists in the Charlotte region
• to offer a platform to artists who lack the time or opportunity to participate in full-length productions
• to allow any actor to perform any great Shakespearean role on a public stage
• to bring Shakespeare to new audiences
• to foster innovation in the performance and expression of Shakespeare

Who is eligible for the contest?

Individuals, theatre companies, or any other group of people may enter. We welcome videos from anywhere in the world, but to be eligible for prizes, entrants must live or be located within 50 miles of Charlotte, NC.

What are the prizes?

Three cash prizes will be awarded, for $500, $250, and $100.

Is there an entry fee?

No.

How do I enter?

Use our online entry form. Or, if you prefer, write to joe@civicshakespeare.com for a version you can print and mail to 400 Clement Ave, Charlotte, NC 28204, or fax to 704 342-3582.

Can I submit more than one video?

Yes, but the entry fee applies to each video you submit. Originality is a criteria, so if you submit multiple videos with the same cast and production style, or scenes from the same play, they may not rank as highly original. So quantity alone will not do much to improve your chances.

I have video from a Shakespeare play I was in. Can I submit an excerpt from it?

Yes, as long as it was taken in the Charlotte region, and as long as you have the permission of the owner.

How long should the video be?

Submissions must be no longer than 15 minutes in length. Do not take this number as a recommendation. Competitive entries could easily be just a few minutes long.

Are there restrictions on content?

Videos will be publicly available on youtube as well as facebook, so the same standards that apply to content on those media also apply to contest submissions. We reserve the right to reject content that we deem excessively offensive or ad hominem. Also, we cannot accept videos depicting scenes from copyrighted works or that include copyrighted footage, without express permission from the owner. So for example, we could not accept an excerpt from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.

What kind of videos are you looking for?

We are looking for locally-created videos of performances that are of Shakespeare's text or inspired by it. Performances of the text include

• Scenes
• Soliloquies
• Sonnet renditions
• Performances of songs from Shakespeare's plays
• Reading from Venus and Adonis or The Rape of Lucrece
• Mashups that mix lines from different characters, scenes or plays

Feel free to include a brief introduction to set the scene for the viewer. We will also accept videos that are inspired by Shakespeare's text. Examples include: dance renditions of scenes, modernized scene readings, or a scene about a group doing a Shakespeare play. Keep in mind that an important criteria for judging is fidelity to the text, so if your piece does not include the text, there needs to be a strong link to it. And to win, it must be very creative.

Who is judging the contest?

Our panel includes local theatre critics, theatre producers, and professors of theatre and/or Shakespeare. For a complete list, see the Judges page.

When the entry deadline?

To be eligible for prizes, you must register as entrant by April 16th, including registering for studio time if you need it. Your video must uploaded to our youtube channel by midnight April 23rd. See our contest rules for more information.

What if I can't produce a high-quality video?

We are working to arrange a limited amount of studio space and time available if those who need it. (For updates, check this space, or our facebook page.) By this we mean we will provide a well-lighted space and a single video camera. We cannot provide filmmaking expertise, or props or costumes, so you will need to come well-prepared and work efficiently: you will not have time to develop shots and rehearse much on-set.

Keep in mind that this contest is about Shakespeare, not filmmaking, and that we welcome videos that average folks can produce on a smartphone or digital video camera. This does not mean that shooting a selfie of your favorite monologue is likely to win prizes. You will need to pay some attention to adequate light and sound, and so forth. Highly produced videos will certainly get our attention and will get higher rankings -- but only up to a point. A decent phone video that depicts powerful Shakespeare will rank more highly than a beautifully produced video that doesn't.

How will videos be judged?

Judges will assign a numeric ranking to each video according to these criteria:

• Fidelity: is text being used for its intended purpose? Are players sticking to the text or heavily improvising? Do the words being said match the action?
• Clarity: can the average viewer comprehend what is happening without knowing the text in advance? Is there context to begin the video? Does it end abruptly, or gracefully?
• Originality and creativity: Is there clever use of props, locations and situations? Is your scene one that everybody knows, or is it less familiar?
• Skill: Are actors doing exemplary acting work? Is the video well-directed?
• Production quality: is the lighting adequate? What about sound quality? Does the video make good use of stage composition and visual balance? Is there useful variation of camera angles?

Each criteria will be assigned a weight, which together with the rankings, will be used to determine a score for each video.