Enter the REAL Member Solutions Video Contest!
Your League, the National Credit Union Foundation, and other leagues
and credit unions nationwide are partnering to gather the best videos
that illustrate how credit unions' REAL Solutions® are enhancing
members' lives and local communities.
The Wisconsin Credit Union League is looking for the best stories in
the state to submit to the National Credit Union Foundation this summer,
and your member's story - captured on video - could win you, your league
and a member a free trip to Washington, D.C. in February 2011!
Tell us about a member or members you have who are just itching to
"give back" simply by talking enthusiastically about what you've done to
help them. Submit as many member story ideas as you like, but hurry!
We want your entry by Friday, December 3.
In addition, your video will also be displayed on the
For A Reason website, which highlights stories that
illustrate how Wisconsin credit unions' REAL Solutions
help members, communities and future generations.
What's this contest all about?
All videos submitted may be used by The League, CUNA and The National
Credit Union Foundation for advocacy - to demonstrate the value of
credit unions to consumers, the media, lawmakers and others. Advocacy is
critical in fighting ongoing attacks by the banking industry to tax,
regulate and legislate credit unions out of business. The member stories
we gather nationwide will illustrate powerfully why credit unions must
be preserved and protected!
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What kind of videos are being
sought?
We're looking for 1-3 minute clips in which your member(s) - NOT staff -
describe a situation they were facing, what your credit union did to
help, and how that help made a difference in their life….personal
accounts from members who can clearly and simply talk about their
experience in front of a camera. We are not looking for explanations
about credit union programs or services - rather, we're seeking
powerful, first-person testimonies of why belonging to a credit union
has provided immeasurable benefits to the member. Here are some sample REAL Solutions® for which a member
might provide a testimonial (just ideas!)
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Is there a limit to what we can enter? A
deadline?
There's no limit to how many videos you can submit. But timing is
critical! All videos must be submitted to The League by Friday, December
3.
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What's in it for us?
Your member and your credit union could achieve recognition
including:
- A free trip to Washington, D.C. The grand
prize-winning entry will earn a free trip to Washington, D.C. for the
winning league, credit union and member (including accommodations and
airfare) as part of the Credit Union National Association's Governmental
Affairs Conference in February, 2011. Grand prize winners will share the
stage at a VIP event - the Major Donors Reception - as guests of the
National Credit Union Foundation, where the grand prize-winning video
will be shown. The nation's top five videos will be featured as part of
the Herb Wegner Memorial Awards Dinner and the four runners up will be
featured during the CUNA GAC.
- Grand Prize Entry: The grand prize-winning entry will
earn a free trip to Washington, DC for the featured
member, and one representative from the credit union and state league to
share the stage at a VIP event as guests of the National Credit Union
Foundation. In addition, the member will receive a savings account
deposit of $500.
- 2nd Place Winners: The members featured in up to 4 winning
entries will receive a savings account deposit of $250 and have their
videos, along with the grand prize entry, promoted nationally.
- Showings online, in publications and at key events.
The Wisconsin Credit Union League will feature our state picks on www.theleague.coop, our For
A Reason video website, and our statewide newsletter, The League
News. The League may also show entries at our annual convention for more
than 1,000 credit union professionals statewide, as part of the
Wisconsin Credit Unions 2010 annual report (shared with state and
Congressional lawmakers) and at our Government Affairs Conference in
Madison. All five national winners will be featured on www.youtube.com and
on the REAL Solutions Impact Center, www.REALSolutions.coop.
- Recognition in the trade press. Press releases
and stories in credit union trade publications nationwide will also
highlight winners.
- Tremendous personal satisfaction. By sharing your
members' stories, you'll help protect and preserve credit union
membership for 92 million working Americans who want to retain their
right to own the cooperative where they borrow and save!
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What's required to
participate?
- Talk with the member(s). Share with the member details about how their video will be used
and the opportunities for recognition. Ask the member if he or she will
be comfortable speaking in front of a camera (an essential)! Finally,
ask whether they are willing to sign
a release form so that the footage can be used for a variety of
advocacy purposes. Each organization and your CU will retain copies of
the signed releases.
- Provide a token of thanks. Most members will be
willing to participate as their way of "giving back" to your credit
union for the help they've received, but you may wish to give him or her
a small token of thanks (like CU logo wear, etc.) upon completion of the
taping. It is not necessary to suggest a gift in trade for a story. You
may wish to remind the member of the opportunity for widespread
recognition for your credit union - and the possible trip to Washington,
D.C. - as part of the reward package, noted on our handout.
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What if we already have member
videos to share?
If your video is a first-person member testimonial and meets
our format (see below) and production guidelines you may be able to submit it as is. Or, contact Chad Helminak
at (800) 242-0833 if you have any questions.
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What equipment or format should we use
for the recording?
Most digital cameras used chiefly for photography can also
record short videos with adequate sound quality provided you minimize
(or eliminate) background noise. Flip cameras can also be purchased for around $200
and may be a great investment for use with member testimonials. The
clips you upload to YouTube should be .mov (QuickTime) or
.mpeg files on the highest quality setting. Please do not
send video tape or digital files to The League.
YouTube accounts are free and easy to set up. Visit www.youtube.com to create an account.
Once your video is uploaded to your account you will need to tag your
videos creditunion and realsolutions.
Please see below for information on
submitting your entry and if you need assistance or have
questions about uploading video to YouTube, contact Chad Helminak.
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On what criteria will the videos be
judged?
Entries will be judged by the following criteria:
- Content. The final, edited testimonial should be
from 1-3 minutes long and include detail on how the member was helped by
the credit union, answering all three questions 1) What did you struggle
with, 2) How did the CU help? And 3) How did you benefit?
- Emotional Appeal. We're looking for members who
portray a story with sincerity, who are humorous or motivational. A
member who articulates the story well and is appealing to viewers is a
plus.
- Video Quality. We're looking for clips that have
good sound, lighting and video techniques. See our production tips. This does not mean hiring a
professional film crew, however entries should be clear and easy to hear
and understand with minimal background distractions.
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Submit a final, recorded entry
Video(s) must be uploaded to YouTube.com by Friday, December
10, 2010. Send an email to Chad Helminak that
includes a link to your video entry, credit union contact information
and copies of the signed release
form(s). The forms can also be faxed to (262) 549-7722. Your video
entry should be uploaded to your own YouTube account and tagged
creditunion and realsolutions.
Also, please keep the original copy of your video as NCUF may need a
high resolution version to be shown during CUNA GAC provided you are one
of the winners.
Any questions or special considerations, please contact Chad Helminak at (800)
242-0833.
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