With the advent of smartphones and the increasing need to feel “connected†during every second of every day, people using their bright, distracting phones during movies has become a serious problem. The Alamo Drafthouse has always had a strict “no talking or texting during movies†policy, gaining notice for their celebrity-filled PSAs and a viral video that highlighted an amusingly stupid voicemail from a disgruntled theater-goer who apparently felt entitled to use her phone whenever the hell she wanted.The Drafthouse is now turning that tables, as they’re launching a “Don’t Talk or Text During Movies†PSA contest in which fans and burgeoning filmmakers have the chance to make their own PSAs. The winning group from each region will have their video played at their local Drafthouse and will win a gift card, while the Grand Prize winner will receive a larger gift card and will have their video screened before movies at Drafthouse locations nationwide. Hit the jump to watch a trailer for the contest and to read the full details.[EMBED_YT]https://www.youtube.com/embed/dCyAdvPcb1k[/EMBED_YT]
Here’s the full press release, which includes all the contest details:
Austin, TX - Wednesday, October 24, 2012Â -Â Alamo Drafthouse is proud to announce the latest Filmmaking Frenzy, "Don't Talk or Text During Movies." Alamo Drafthouse is known for its strict "No Talking, No Texting" policy and firmly believes that talking and texting during movies is a cinematic disease that must be wiped out. Â Now the Alamo Drafthouse is giving fans and budding filmmakers the chance to create the cure to eradicate this disease with their own "Don't Talk" PSA!
Alamo Drafthouse has partnered with the likes of R. Lee Ermey, Peter Bogdanovich, Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, George Romero, Will Ferrell, Patton Oswalt, Academy Award nominated director Jason Reitman, and even a previously ejected patron to help communicate their zero-tolerance policy on talking and texting during movies. Â Now Alamo is asking filmmakers and film lovers alike to share their own creative ideas on how to let movie patrons know talking and texting will not be tolerated at the Drafthouse.
Submissions to the "No Talking, No Texting" Filmmaking Frenzy can be almost anything you can imagine. Â Please see below for rules and guidelines.
RULES & GUIDELINES:
Your video must have the "Don't Talk or Text During Movies" theme.
Your video must contain the Alamo Drafthouse logo which can be found here:Â drafthouse.com/assets
Your video must be suitable for audiences PG-13 or under, no nudity or profanity.
Your video cannot have any violence or weapons present.
Your video should be no longer than 60 seconds in length.
Video submissions must be entered by November 21, 2012
All video submissions in the "Don't Talk or Text During Movies" Filmmaking Frenzy will be put on Badass Digest for viewing and voting until 12:00 PM CST on Wednesday, November 28. Â Voting will determine the winning submission in each Alamo Drafthouse market: Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Kansas City and Winchester. Â Once the top submissions are determined based on this voting, a panel of esteemed judges including Alamo Drafthouse CEO & Founder Tim League, Creative Director Henri Mazza and Badass Digest Badass-in-Chief Devin Faraci, will be assembled to view the top trailers and select one grand prize-winner.
The winners from each market will win a $200 Alamo gift card and their video will be screened before movies in their local Alamo Drafthouse location. Â The Grand Prize winner will receive a $1,000 Visa gift card and their video will be screened before movies at Alamo Drafthouse locations nationwide.
The Filmmaking Frenzy will also include a prize category for Alamo Drafthouse employee submissions. Â The top video submission from a Drafthouse employee will receive a $500 Visa gift card.
The Filmaking Frenzy Contest is hosted by Badass Digest, the pop culture site of Alamo Drafthouse. You can read all the submission rules and guidelines and submit your film here:Â http://www.filmmakingfrenzy.
com .