Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on Earth in all of its levels, constituting an integral component of any ecosystem. Despite that, we are currently facing an alarming biodiversity loss due to species displacement or extinction, especially in the Tropical regions of the World. Humans are capable of incredible growth, learning, resilience, and change in the face of challenge. We need to tap into these core traits to step up to the growing challenges facing biodiversity and our ecosystems. Create a video that shares your success conservation story, biodiversity research, opportunity, and/or optimism for tropical biology and conservation. Videos must be no longer than four minutes, including title and credits. Creativity is encouraged, and participants may use various forms of media, including slow motion, animation, illustration, and claymation, among others.

Three (3) winners will be selected to attend the Earth Optimism Summit and Earth Day Rally in Washington, D.C. on April 23-25, 2020. The winners will also receive an additional USD500 prize. The winning videos will be shown at the Earth Optimism Summit and winners will be invited to make a short talk about their conservation story and the making of their video. Selected videos will also be featured on websites, social media, and youtube channels. The contest is hosted by the Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC) and is open to all ATBC members.

After the submissions period ends, a panel of qualified judges will select three (3) entrants with the highest-scoring submissions, based on the judging rubric (tropicalbio.org/2020videocontest/rubric.pdf). These three (3) entrants will be deemed the winners of the ATBC Video Contest. ATBC reserves the right to select fewer than three (3) winners if, in its sole discretion, it does not receive sufficient eligible and qualified submissions.

Awards & Prizes

All three (3) winners will be notified by email on or around February 20, 2020. The winners will be invited to attend the Earth Optimism Summit in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Smithsonian Institute on April 23-25, 2020. Winners will also have a chance to attend the Earth Day Rally on the National Mall, which follows immediately after the end of the summit on April 25. The winner will have the opportunity to speak about their conservation work and show their video at a summit session organized by the Smithsonian Institution. Airfare, lodging, and registration fees will be fully covered but winners will be responsible for obtaining a visa to attend the summit.

Rules & Terms

1. Your video must be no more than four minutes long, including title and credits.
2. Submissions will be accepted starting on December 16, 2019, through February 10, 2020.
3. You must be a member of ATBC to participate. Membership is open to anyone who is interested in tropical biology and conservation. If you are not yet an ATBC member, join here (tropicalbiology.org/join-atbc).
4. ATBC has Chapters in Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America. We appreciate diversity and value unique voices and perspectives from all geographical regions around the World.
5. Your video must be produced and narrated (or subtitled) in English.
6. Your film must be acceptable for viewing to all audiences, including children.
7. You may work individually or as a group, but one person must apply and represent the entire group.
8. No particular video equipment is required and you are allowed to use your cell phone video recorder or any other equipment that you may have. We recommend filming in Apple ProRes or MOV file format, although other formats are also accepted.
9. Your video must be original work and must not infringe on the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity. Contest will accept no responsibility for violation of copyright.
10. You may use your own original music in the film or music that is copyright-free or in the public domain.
11. By submitting the film, you pledge that identifiable people appearing in the film consent to the submission.
12. By submitting your film, you agree that Smithsonian Institution, ATBC, Mongabay, and BAND Foundation, as well as their partners and affiliates, can share your video (in whole or in part) on their websites, social media and other communication channels without restriction.
13. While preparing your video, please embed the contest graphic (tropicalbiology.org/2020videocontest/template.jpeg) as part of the credits to the video.
14. Questions about the contest may be sent to the ATBC Executive Director, Lúcia G. Lohmann <llohmann@usp.br>