The Planet Forward Storyfest Awards celebrate compelling stories about our changing planet and innovative solutions for its sustainability. From climate justice to conservation, rising sea levels to heat waves, and the ongoing pandemic to plastic pollution, Planet Forward seeks stories that showcase people, ideas, and innovations shaping a greener future.

The Planet Forward encourages students to share stories that inspire, motivate, and drive change. Additionally, convincing, thought-provoking, vibrantly stimulating, and memorable stories that have an impact and have fun are most welcome.

The organizer welcomes journalism, film, and media program students and individuals without official media affiliation or expertise to enter Storyfest.

Key Details

Submission Deadline: February 5, 2024 (11:59 PM EST)

Organizer: Planet Forward

Focus Area: Environment and Sustainability

Eligible Country: All

Award Categories

For enhanced evaluation, the organizer has categorized participants based on their formal training in the specific medium. It facilitates a more accurate assessment of their work. Students in recognized journalism, film, or media programs are media or communications students. On the other hand, those not majoring or minoring in media or communications but pursuing studies in liberal arts, sciences, engineering, business, law, and other academic disciplines fall into the non-media or communications category. Following are the category details:

• Best Short Video by a Media or Communications Student
• Best Short Video by a NON-Media/Communications Student

Criteria:

Video submissions must follow a length range of one to eight (1-8) minutes, featuring high-definition audio and visual quality. Additionally, each submission should include a descriptive article of about fifty to two hundred (50-200) words, outlining the video’s content without providing a full transcription.

Applicants should upload all video entries to Vimeo or YouTube. If the entry exceeds eight minutes, a trailer meeting the specified runtime requirement is necessary.

• Best Multimedia Story by a Media/Communications Student
• Best Multimedia Story by a NON-Media/Communications Student

Criteria:

Multimedia projects can creatively blend photography, video, audio or music, and digital art, such as those integrated into an Adobe Express story.

Photo submissions must use digital images with a minimum of 150 dpi and include detailed captions, not exceeding 200 words each. Each multimedia project should incorporate a brief article of 200-600 words summarizing the submission.

If created using Adobe Express or a similar platform, the submission should include an embed code, an additional written summary of 100-200 words, and one featured photograph.

• Best Writing by a Writing/Journalism Student
• Best Writing by a Non-writing/Journalism Student

Criteria:

Written submissions must be 600-1,000 words and include at least one image, preferably taken by the entrant. The content should feature interviews with two to three (2-3) sources.

Storyfest Awards Topics

The Planet Forward seeks stories about ideas and innovations that can move the planet forward. Misunderstood stories and lesser-known ideas, individuals, and accomplishments that have the potential to make a difference, inform, and inspire are welcome.

Applicants can explore the following topics and reflect on their studies, research, work, experience, or dreams:

Food:

• How can we grow better food?
• What can we do to stop wasting so much of it?

Water:

• How should we use, conserve, and clean water?
• How can we get water to places that don’t have enough?

Energy:

• What are new ways to get energy?
• How can we make energy cleaner and use it more efficiently?

Mobility:

• What’s a better way to get around and reduce congestion?
• How can we minimize the impact on the environment and climate?

Built Environment:

• How should we build for the future?
• What are new materials, technologies, or designs for better homes, offices, and neighborhoods?
• How has the pandemic changed our view of city life?

Biodiversity:

• How do we preserve and foster vital ecosystems?

Public Health:

• What impact and lessons can the environmental movement take from the pandemic?
• How are climate change and the pandemic connected, and what can we learn?

Climate Justice:

• How can we implement fair and equal climate policies?
• What initiatives can prevent discrimination in systems perpetuating climate change?

Grant Prize and Award

The Planet Forward Storyfest Awards offers the following opportunities:

Prize Details:

• The winners will travel with Lindblad Expeditions to report on environmental solutions.
• Explore a site of environmental significance like the Galápagos or Iceland.

Travel Experience:

• The winners will join Planet Forward journalists, naturalists, and an expedition leader on a Lindblad ship.
• Learn through talks and guidance ashore.
• Planet Forward will guide winners in shaping their stories.

Selection Process

The selection procedure is as follows:

• Winners choose either the Galápagos or Iceland through a survey.
• Planet Forward considers winners’ schools and research interests.
• Winners can’t request specific trips after Planet Forward announces selections.

Judging Criteria

While selecting the winners, the judges will consider the four areas as follows:

• Creativity and Effectiveness: Assessing chosen formats and storytelling techniques.
• Communication and Skill: Evaluating excellence in written/verbal communication or technical and production skills.
• Factual Accuracy: Ensuring accurate facts, data, and quotes with superior research considering diverse perspectives.
• Impact Potential: Gauging the overall potential impact of the storytelling.

Submission Process for the Planet Forward Storyfest Awards

While applying for the Planet Forward Storyfest Awards, please consider these steps:

• Step 1: Check the Official Rules, login, or create a new account on PlanetForward.org.
• Step 2: Create your story on the Planet Forward website linked below.
• Step 3: At the bottom of the page, mark the “This is a Storyfest entry” checkbox. Answer the entry form questions.
• Step 4: Change your story status to “Needs Review” and then Save it.

 

Submit Now

 

 

Please visit the official website of the Planet Forward for detailed information about the Planet Forward Storyfest Awards.

 

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