Sony Creative Announce 'Technology In Motion' Finalists

Sony Creative Software, a leading provider of consumer and professional video and audio editing software applications, have announced the finalists for its 'Technology in Motion: Vision of the Future' student film contest, which was announced last February.
The contest provided all of the tools for high school students to develop video production skills while predicting the future of technology through their short films.
While hundreds of schools participated in the programme, the three finalists are 'Alpha School' by students from Lisbon High School in Iowa, 'Contact' by students from Ashland High School in Ohio and 'TECH 178' by students from Tandem Friends High School in Virginia.
'Alpha School' is a 2D black-and-white animation that looks at the bleak consequences humans will face if we make ourselves tools to technology, rather than making technology "an aid to man", as described in the film's closing scene. Similarly, 'Contact' is a live-action film that showcases a group of teens trying to free their community from a state where human contact is forbidden in favour of communication solely through computerised methods. The film 'TECH 178' features two friends discussing their different views of the future through paper puppetry and live action sequences.
Presented by Sony Creative Software and Intel, with the support of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and Edutopia magazine, the contest offered participating high school students the chance to experience the process of producing a professional project from start to finish using the Sony Vegas Pro 8 video and audio production platform, which was just honoured at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) 2008 tradeshow with a Best Choice award from Student Filmmakers magazine and a STAR Award from TV Technology magazine. From Script to screen, students conceptualised, produced and edited short films that present their own visions of how technology will shape their future.
An expert panel rated the three finalists from the submissions entered into the contest, judging entries on creativity and originality. The three finalists' videos have been posted online to: www.techinmotioncontest.com, where public voting will determine the final ranking of the top three finalists. All three finalists will receive prize packages from Sony that will be presented at the National Educational Computing Conference in San Antonio June 29 - July 2. The grand prize winner will receive two Sony VAIO laptop computers, a video camera, software and accessories worth more than $25,000 USD. Total prize packages awarded to the three finalists are valued at over $70,000.
Sony Creative Software has an award-winning line of products for digital video, music, DVD and audio production. Further information is available at: www.sonycreativesoftware.com.
(KMcA/JM)