Wine Spectator Video Contest 2016: Rules, Prizes and Entry Form
What topics are we looking for?
Tell a story and you'll have the audience on your side.
The videos could include your favorite wine tip, interviews with winemakers, chefs or sommeliers, tours of wineries, your grandmother's famous recipe paired with wine, tastings of selected varietals or simply adventures with wine. (For examples and inspiration, see the free videos posted each week at WineSpectator.com or see the Finalists and Honorable Mentions from past years' video contests.)
Deadline
All entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, September 5, 2016. (That's Labor Day Monday.)
Who can enter? Do I need to be a pro videographer with a great camera?
You do not need to be in the wine business. You do not need to be a pro videographer. You do not need a pro camera set-up. (A past runner-up was shot with an iPhone.) You do need to be at least 21 years old.
Can wineries enter?
Videos submitted by wineries or on behalf of wineries are welcome as long as the product placement is minimal. Here's further clarification: Winery videos are unlikely to be chosen as finalists if they open and/or close with branding shots and/or if they repeatedly splash their brand on the screen; a couple low-key label or bottle shots are the limit. Instead of submitting an advertisement, tell us a story, educate us, capture our hearts.
For an example of a great story that was submitted by a winery, see the 2012 winner, A Brief History of Merlot. And 2015 Finalist Single-Berry Ferment will crack you up.
Judging
Picking the Finalists: Wine Spectator editors will select the best videos, which will be posted at WineSpectator.com on Monday, September 12, 2016. How do we define "best"? We're looking for a heartwarming or well-told story, a belly laugh or an educational tip.
Picking the Winner: Visitors to WineSpectator.com will vote for their favorite video during the voting period, which runs Monday, September 12, through Monday morning, September 19. The video with the most votes will be the winner. Note: maximum 20 votes per IP address will be counted. Also, as in any election, compensation may not be offered in return for votes.
Announcing the Winner: The second- and third-place videos will be revealed on Monday, September 19, on WineSpectator.com. The top video will be revealed on Tuesday, September 20. Honorable Mentions will also be revealed on September 20.
Prizes
1. Grand Prize The creator of the winning video will receive a pair of full event registrations to Wine Spectator's Wine Experience in New York City on October 20-22, 2016. Plus, the winning video may be screened at the events as part of the official program. Note: the Grand Prize winner will not receive a Finalist Prize in addition to the Grand Prize.
2. Finalist Prize The finalists, as chosen by our editors, will each receive a pair of tickets to one of the Grand Tastings at the Wine Experience in New York City on October 20 or 21, 2016. If they are unable to make that date, finalists may attend any one of the 2017 Grand Tour Tastings (dates and locations TBD). Finalists' videos will be posted on WineSpectator.com, as will a number of honorable mention videos. There are usually nine finalists, but that number may change at the discretion of Wine Spectator.
3. Entry Prize Everyone who submits a video judged by our editors as a valid submission will receive a 12-month full-access membership to WineSpectator.com, which includes more than 300,000 wine reviews and all 10 wine courses at WineSpectator.com/school. Current members will receive an extension of their membership. (Only one entry prize per entrant.)
The Rules
- Videos must be a minimum of 30 seconds long and must not exceed 3 minutes. (Hint: longer is not necessarily better; a solid 2-minute video is infinitely better than a blowsy 3-minute video)
- The entrant and all persons appearing in the video or in any way associated with its production must be 21 years of age or older.
- Videos must not contain any copyrighted material (including copyrighted background music) unless you have the rights to the material.
- Videos must be the entrant's original creation.
- Videos cannot contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Wine Spectator.
- Wine Spectator is not responsible for any wine reviews or opinions contained in entrants' videos.
- Videos must be in the English language or subtitled.
- If your video includes persons other than yourself, you must have consent from those persons to appear in your video and in this contest.
- Wine Spectator reserves the right to reject, not to use or make available for public viewing, or at any time remove any video that Wine Spectator finds unsuitable for any reason at its sole discretion.
- Multiple entries are allowed.
- The Finalist who becomes the Winner will receive the Grand Prize (and not the Finalist Prize).
- All submitted videos may be used for promotional purposes by Wine Spectator.
Technical specifications
The video file size must be no larger than 500MB.
We accept these video file formats: mp4 or mov
How to submit your video
It's easy. Complete the entry form and upload your video.
Got questions?
Email us at video@winespectator.com.
