Contact:
Patrick Kowalczyk, patrick@mkpr.com
Gita Chandra, gita@mkpr.com
MKPR, 212.627.8098
For photos from 1st Annual Webby Film and Video Awards:
http://www.webbyawards.com/press/event_photos.php
WEBBY FILM & VIDEO AWARDS
LAUNCH CALL FOR ENTRIES WITH 19 NEW CATEGORIES HONORING
ORIGINAL FILM & VIDEO PREMIERING ON THE INTERNET
Past Winners Include NBC, Comedy Central, Yahoo! News, “lonelygirl15” and “Ask a Ninja”
New York, NY (September 19, 2007) – Internet Video upstarts and Hollywood heavyweights alike can start practicing their five-word speeches and preparing for their moment in the global Webby spotlight.
The Webby Film and Video Awards, the leading international honors for original film and video premiering on the Internet, today kicked-off its call for entries with 19 new categories including Music, Sports, Technology, and Travel, as well new technical categories recognizing excellence in editing, sound design, writing, and use of animation.
To enter work in The Webby Film & Video Awards, visit www.webbyawards.com. The early entry deadline is October 26, 2007.
According to David-Michel Davies, Executive Director of The Webby Awards, the expansion into new categories reflects the increasing influence and popularity of online video. Last week, ComScore revealed that nearly 75 percent of U.S. Internet users watched an average of three hours of online video in July 2007.
“Over the past year, there’s really been a perfect storm when it comes to online video,” said David-Michel Davies, executive director of The Webby Awards. “We’ve seen steep price drops in cameras and software, while new technologies have enhanced the online viewing experience, making it possible for anyone to create and share high-quality, entertaining, and compelling content. We’re looking forward to recognizing the best video premiering online, whether created by upstart Internet video pioneers or major media companies.”
Launched last year, The Webby Film and Video Awards is judged by a panel of more than 85 entertainment industry leaders that includes The Sundance Channel’s Larry Aidem, director Darren Aronofsky, Showtime chief Matt Blank, 20th Century Fox Chairman Jim Gianopoulos, and Harvey Weinstein.
The 2008 winners will join the ranks of inaugural honorees such as NBC’s “The Office Webisodes,” Comedy Central’s “Honesty,” and Yahoo! News’ “Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone.”
Comedian Rob Corddry hosted the first annual ceremony in June 2007 where Jessica Rose of “lonelygirl15” and Ninja of “Ask a Ninja” delivered the Webbys’ famed five-word speeches when they accepted the top prizes for Best Actress and Best Actor. Other winners included
Eepybird.com’s “The Extreme Diet Coke and Mentos Experiments” and the cult series, “ItsAllInYourHands.com.”
Nominees will be announced in April and winners will be honored at a star-studded, New York ceremony in June 2008.
In addition to winning a Webby, nominees and winners of The Webby Film and Video Awards will become part of The Museum of Moving Image’s collection of over 125,000 moving image-related artifacts. The Museum of the Moving Image (www.movingimage.us) maintains the nation’s largest and most comprehensive collection of moving image-related artifacts.
About The Webby Awards:
Hailed as the “OSCARS® of the Internet” by the New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Web sites, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile web sites. Established in 1996, the 11th Annual Webby Awards received a record 8,000 entries from all 50 states and over 60 countries worldwide. The Webby Awards is presented by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: Adobe; The Creative Group; Level3; Getty Images; dotMobi; The Barbarian Group; CondéNast|CondéNet ; Adweek; Fortune; Reuters; Variety; Wired; IDG: Brightcove; PricewaterhouseCoopers; 2advanced.Net; KobeMail and Museum of the Moving Image.
OSCAR® is a federally registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Webby Awards and the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences are in no way affiliated with or sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences or OSCAR®.
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