The Suburban Collection, Michigan's largest auto dealer, is dedicated to promoting safe driving and continuing its "Focus on the Road" contest with select Metro Detroit area high schools.

For the contest, we ask local high school students to create videos that will educate their peers on the dangers of distracted driving in hopes of minimizing this increasing hazard, even with fewer cars on the road during the pandemic. Currently, eligible schools are located in Ann Arbor Schools, Birmingham Public Schools, Farmington/Farmington Hills Public Schools, Ferndale Public Schools, Novi Community School District, Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, Romeo High School, Sterling Heights/Utica Schools, Troy School District and Waterford School District.

For competition participation instructions, rules, and judging criteria, please scroll to the Rules & Terms section below.

Winners will be awarded as follows:
• 1st Place - $2,500
• 2nd Place - $1,500
• 3rd Place - $1,000

These three prizes will be awarded based on the top videos from all participating schools and school districts.

The school with the highest level of student participation, based on the number of student videos submitted, will earn a $1,000 charitable donation. In the event of a tie with number of submissions, the charitable donation will be divided equally among the winning schools.

The competition closes at 11:59 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 16, 2023. Competition finalists will be announced the week of January 8, 2024, and finalists will be notified by e-mail or phone. Winners will be presented with their prizes in mid-January. The prizes being awarded to the eligible winners are non-transferable or exchangeable for any other prize. Participants must provide valid and accurate contact information. If a winner cannot be contacted or is disqualified for any reason, The Suburban Collection reserves the right to determine an alternative winner at its sole discretion.

Videos will be judged over a score of 100 points based on the following criteria:

Concept (Up to 15 pts)
• Exhibits a clear concept from beginning to end.
• Demonstrates the student has carefully examined and thought the topic through.
• Uses the allotted video time wisely and concisely.

Creativity/Originality (Up to 15 pts)
• Entry is clearly an original work, in the entrant’s own words and visuals.
• Includes personal experiences and thoughtful observations.
• Takes a new approach that judges have not seen before.

Message Content (Up to 40 pts)
• Underscores the importance of ending distracted driving.
• Explains the consequences of distracted driving or the benefits of driving undistracted.
• Content and dialogue are engaging and could be easily understood by peers.
• Presented in a logical sequence.
• The video includes an audio or on-screen reference to the phrase “Focus on the Road.”

Impact (Up to 20 pts)
• Creates a memorable experience long after viewing.
• Evokes an emotional response that motivates.

Production Quality (Up to 10 pts):
• Follows all contest rules.
• Demonstrates continuity and a clear attempt to meet the objectives of video-format storytelling.
• Exhibits a clear attempt to edit and polish for the final presentation.
• Picture quality is clear and easy to view.
• Sound quality is clear and easy to hear.

Judges Discretionary Bonus Points (Up to 10 pts, should two or more videos earn the same score):
• Submitted piece demonstrates a commitment to going above and beyond competition parameters.

I. Contest Rules and Legal Disclaimer: Focus on the Road

1. Contest opens Monday, October 16, 2023.
2. Eligible individuals/teams must be students enrolled at one of the participating schools listed below:
• Farmington/Farmington Hills Public Schools
• Novi Community School District
• Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
• Romeo High School
• Sterling Heights/Utica Schools
• Troy School District
• Waterford School District
3. Only one entry per individual/team will be accepted.
4. Videos must be written, produced, and edited by the student(s).
5. Video must include an introductory and/or closing slide with participating creators(s), the title of the PSA, and the school name listed.
6. The video should include an audio or on-screen reference to the phrase “Focus on the Road.”
7. Video must not exceed 45 seconds.
8. Video may not be shot within a moving vehicle.
9. Videos with profanity or vulgarity will not be accepted.
10. Students are responsible for abiding by copyright laws pertaining to images, music, video, and text.

II. Submission Guidelines/Judging

Videos must be submitted by Saturday, December 16, 2023, by 11:59 p.m. ET at https://filmfreeway.com/FocusOnTheRoad in .mov or .mp4 format. All other video formats will not be accepted. To submit a video, students must follow these steps:
1. Sign up with https://filmfreeway.com/
2. Go to “My Projects” and add your Focus On The Road video.
a. Under Project Information on the line “Brief Synopsis” enter your school name
3. Go to https://filmfreeway.com/FocusOnTheRoad
a. Click Submit button
b. Under Category, students must check the box for “Focus On The Road [Your School].” Students will need to use the PASSWORD: SuburbanFOTR to complete the submission.

A panel comprised of professionals from The Suburban Collection will select the top 3 videos that will be awarded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Finalists will be announced the week of January 8, 2024. Winners will be presented with their prizes in mid-January.

Videos will be judged based on concept, creativity/originality, message content, impact, and production quality. Each category will be evaluated on a point system, with evaluations determined at the judges’ discretion. The decisions of the judges will be final.

III. Incentives

Three total student winners will be awarded as follows:
• 1st Place - $2,500 cash prize
• 2nd Place - $1,500 cash prize
• 3rd Place - $1,000 cash prize

These three prizes will be awarded based on the top videos from all participating schools and school districts.

The school with the most student participation, based on the number of student videos submitted, will earn a $1,000 charitable donation.

IV. Legal Disclaimer

By submitting a video, students agree to abide by all rules and contest guidelines and agree to all legal disclaimers contained herein for contest eligibility.

Prize(s): Students will be competing for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prize worth: 1st Place $2,500, 2nd place $1,500 and 3rd place $1,000. Prize amounts are set regardless of whether winning videos are created by one individual or more than one individual. This means if a video is submitted by a team of individuals, the prize money will be split evenly among each individual identified as a team member. In addition, the school with the highest level of student participation, based on the number of student videos submitted, will be awarded a $1,000 charitable donation.

The prizes being awarded to the eligible winners are non-transferable or exchangeable for any other prize. Participants must provide valid and accurate contact information. If a winner cannot be contacted or is disqualified for any reason, The Suburban Collection reserves the right to determine an alternative winner at its sole discretion. Winners receiving a prize of $600 or more must complete an IRS W-9 form prior to receiving their check.

Eligibility and Limitations: Participants must be high school students from one of the eligible schools listed in the Rules section. Limit one video entry per individual student/team.

Entries: Only entries submitted at the website designated by The Suburban Collection with forms provided by The Suburban Collection may be used to enter the contest. The winner will be selected by a panel of judges to determine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.
Publicity: By participating, where allowed by law, all participants and winner(s) grant The Suburban Collection exclusive permission to use their names and videos in connection with the promotion of this contest and waive any claims to royalty, right, or remuneration for such use.

Disqualification: Failure to comply with the contest rules; attempts to manipulate or exploit contest rules or platforms; and/or dishonest behavior to gain advantage are grounds for immediate disqualification from the contest. The Suburban Collection reserves the right to disqualify any entry not conforming to the rules or spirit of the promotion at any time.

Release: By participating in the contest, each participant and winner waives any and all claims of liability against The Suburban Collection and its employees for any personal injury or loss, which may occur from participation in the contest.