CCA Film students Ted Hayden, a recent finalist in the college's R.A.W. Video contest, and Chun-Ping "Sunday" Wang have had their video submission awarded the grand prize in the national Vote Again 2010 Video Contest.

Together the filmmakers directed, filmed, and edited Action 2010, which uses a surreal visual style to depict a young voter on a symbolic journey toward mailing in her absentee ballot. Vote Again 2010 is a collaborative project involving 30 nonpartisan, youth-serving organizations and media partners, all working to increase youth turnout in the 2010 midterm elections. The awarded filmmakers will share a $5,000 cash grand prize!

When asked for the filmmakers' permission to share the grand prize–winning video with the CCA community, Sunday enthusiastically responded, "We would love you to, so we can let other people know how much we've learned from Film chair Rob Epstein, associate professor Cheryl Dunye, associate chair Brook Hinton, and CCA."

Epstein referred to their winning the contest as a "fantastic achievement" for the filmmakers, of whom he added he is "very proud."

According to contest judge Jason Pollock, of the eponymously titled video-based blog JasonPollock.tv,: “We received so many great submissions for this contest, and it was very hard to pick a winning video. We’re very proud of the content this contest produced. Young people were fired up in this midterm election and the ‘Vote Again 2010’ campaign proved it.”

"We had a great cast and crew on this project," Ted boasted. "Everyone who was a part of the film brought something unique to the table. Without the entire collaboration it wouldn't have been possible." He went on to explain, "Our goal was to make a video that spoke to the issues relevant within the current world of politics and present them in a way in which reflects the young voters experience."

And if you're like me, you're probably wondering whose captivating music is used throughout the video. Well, that's an easy one: the music is provided by Sigur Ros, and the song is "Hoppipolla."

Judges made their decisions from a group composed of the 10 most-popular video submissions, as determined by audience voting made possible on the Vote Again 2010 website. Videos that received the most thumbs-ups went on to the judges, while those with fewer ones or with thumbs-downs . . . well, they didn't go on to the judges.

About the contest

Filmmakers from across the United States were asked to create a one- to five-minute video that addressed the following three questions:

• Why do you plan to vote again in 2010?
• Why should young people vote again in 2010?
• How do you plan to inspire participation in our democracy?

Organizations that participated in the Vote Again 2010 "massive coalition" included Headcount, Energy Action Coalition, Campus Progress, League of Young Voters, Hip Hop Caucus, Voto Latino, and the familiar Rock the Vote.

About Vote Again 2010

The site was developed to serve as an online destination that connected young voters with the many midterm election efforts taking place across the country. The site is powered by the understanding that action on an array of issues will be decided in the halls of Congress, by members of Congress that we have the power to elect.

Over the course of the next several months, voteagain2010.com will continue to broadcast creative content, informative analysis, days of action, and other tactics being deployed across the youth sector.

Youth turnout has been steadily increasing since the year 2000. The organizations participating in this effort expect this year to be no different and will leverage this outlet to ask young people to vote again, in 2010.

Film Cast

Lead voter: Robin Winnett
Same-sex couple: Quinn Albert Härtel and Ryan Shan Rosenblatt
Unemployed man: José Manuel Feliciano
Doctor/patient: Adam Behrmann and Josh Scott
Senior citizen: Susan Cole
Soldiers: Aidan Christian and Taylor Jones

Related
Watch the Vote Again 2010 launch video, featuring Jason Pollock, Brittani Taylor, Tay Zonday, and Joey Anderton.
Watch the Vote Again 2010 partners talk about the project.
See Film student Ted Hayden's winning video, CCA: A Creative Culture of Critique, from the 2009 R.A.W. Video contest.