Media Challenge

Yesterday, I received the following email from TED-ED, a new off-shoot of the famous conference organisation that produces all those amazing filmed talks that are so inspirational. I forwarded the email to Mr Hawes and he suggested that the Creative Tallis group should respond to the challenge. Here's the email:

We’ve listened, we’ve noodled, and now we’re ready to go! Today we’re launching our global search for new best of breed educational videos. We’re inviting content submissions for 10 video series--and here they are:

1. Math in real life
2. Creativity in Action
3. Inventions That Shaped History
4. How and Why?
5. Questions no one (yet) knows the answer to
6. Mindshifting stories
7. Playing with language
8. Same - and different
9. Things they don’t teach you in school
10. The five minute aha

Click here to see a detailed description of each of the series.

These series, based on ideas received from you, our Brain Trust, have been chosen to cover a wide range of exciting content in a way that can catalyze curiosity and make learning fun. Most series cover multiple subject areas. These TED-ED videos will be less than ten minutes long (perhaps as short as one minute), and they may be identified or created by anyone.

To be clear, we are asking visionary teachers, students, organizations & TEDsters to help us:
1. Identify pre-existing educational videos that can be re-purposed, enhanced & amplified through TED-ED
2. Create & submit original content for the TED-ED initiative.

What video format should submissions assume?
Users may submit pre-existing educational videos. We also accept content that is created explicitly for TED-ED. Original videos may assume a variety of creative formats which include:
-Audio submissions
-Animations
-Micro-docs
-Presentations
-Clips from video & film

What do we mean by Audio Submissions?
We understand that there are many experts in our experts who do not have the resources, time or skill-sets to produce high quality video. The capacity to record high quality audio, however, has become a relatively ubiquitous technology. For these reasons, we have decided to encourage and accept audio submissions.

An audio submission may be comprised solely of audio, or it may be accompanied by rudimentary visuals that help communicate the creators point. Think of them as a “work in progress.”

If the audio message is appropriate and of high enough caliber for eventual placement on TED-ED, we will work to pair the recording with one of our professional or volunteer visualization artists (ie: animators, presentation specialists, documentarians, etc.). The visualization artist will work to create imagery that brings the creator's message to life, making it more persuasive, more educational and more likely to be shared. If and when the collaboration succeeds, the finalized video will be syndicated on TED-ED. You can learn more about the "Audio Only" process by viewing the TED-ED workflow diagram.

What parameters must all submissions meet?
Users may submit pre-existing educational videos, or original content designed specifically for TED-ED.

Pre-existing audio or video submissions are defined as videos that have already been published and syndicated on the web. They also must:
- Be shorter than ten minutes
- Come with a link to the content
- Credit the original creator of the content

Original audio or video content is defined as audio or video content that is created to be "premiered" on TED-ED. They also must be:
- Shorter than ten minutes
- Submitted via a private YouTube link to the content
- Created by you or your team

Visit the TED-ED website to learn more.

What do you think?