Online Video, Presentation and Innovation
The Best of Photojournalism’s Online Video, Presentation and Innovation division recognizes teams and individuals that excel in promoting visual journalism through digital delivery. While judges will pay attention to innovative usage of technologies, the journalism, storytelling and impact will be the primary determinants.
Online Video entries are self-contained, “click-to-play” video stories. These entries will be judged on the video alone and on no other story components. Video categories allow for individual and team entries. Videos with a run time exceeding 10 minutes belong in the Documentary division.
Video stories originally produced for television audiences, especially if they feature voice-overs or reporter stand-ups, have typically been entered in the Video Photojournalism division. Video stories originally produced for news websites, online publications or multi-platform distribution have typically been entered in the Online Video, Presentation and Innovation division. Video stories may only be entered in one division or the other, not both.
An individual entry is one in which a single visual journalist filmed, edited, and produced at least 90% of the entry themselves. Acceptable help includes another journalist running a second camera during an interview, standard story feedback from an editor or editors, and the use of archival content or limited external content not created by the entrant. The spirit of the individual competition is to recognize journalists who work nearly or wholly solo. If there are other bylines on your entry, please consider first entering a team category, otherwise you must include a note explaining the division of work between yourself and other credited journalists.
There are no limits on the size of a team in a team entry, please include a note with your submission explaining the role of each person credited if an explanation is not delineated in the project itself.
The Online Visual Presentation categories are for visually driven stories that feature multiple elements such as text, photos, videos, graphics, illustrations and animations. Entries will be judged on the whole experience, including the journalism, storytelling, design, interactivity and engagement.
Stories should honor the viewer’s trust, and under no circumstances should scenes depicted as candid be set up, directed or controlled in any way. Any re-creations of scenes to illustrate events in the past must be clearly marked as such. Special effects and music should be used sparingly and not alter the truthfulness of the narrative. Journalists cannot be paid by anyone with a commercial stake in the story and no branded content will be accepted.
Please refer to the Technical Guidelines section of the competition website for more details, and contact [email protected] for more information or questions about the contest.
24 Hour: A video story on any topic that has been filmed, edited and published in 24 hours. Entrants will select and compete as either an Online Individual or Online Video Team.
News and Issue: Serious stories about national and local news events and issues such as climate change, immigration, healthcare, education, economy, gun control, abortion, infrastructure, politics and policies. Entrants will select and compete as either an Online Individual, Online Video Team or Online Visual Presentation.
Race and Identity in America: Any story that examines, celebrates or sheds light on race and identity in American life. “Identity” is a broad description that includes, but is not limited to: race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, immigration status, disability and age. Stories about social justice issues could fit into this category. Most breaking news stories related to these topics, such as single-event protest coverage, would better fit in News and Issue or 24-Hour categories. Entrants will select and compete as either an Online Individual, Online Video Team or Online Visual Presentation.
Culture, Sports, and Science: Feature stories about culture, music, film, art, fashion, food, travel, sports, science and technology. Entrants will select and compete as either an Online Individual, Online Video Team or Online Visual Presentation.
Portfolio: Four (no more, no less) stories of any topic by the same individual or same team judged as a whole. News organizations are limited to one team video portfolio and one visual presentation portfolio. There is no limit on the number of individuals from the same news organization that may enter portfolios. Each individual is limited to one portfolio entry. Entrants will select and compete as either an Online Individual, Online Video Team or Online Visual Presentation.
Innovation: This is for moonshot projects: visual stories innovating with emerging technology, reporting techniques or engagement tactics. Virtual reality, augmented reality, 360 video or other immersive story forms are eligible. Novel uses of technology such as AI, machine learning, natural language processing, drones, sensors and remote operated cameras are eligible. Stories that are published natively off-platform, through an open platform, or to social media are also eligible. Submit links, descriptions and relevant audience engagement information if applicable.
