GIF IT UP 2015 begins today
Calling all GIF-makers, creatives, history nuts, and animators! GIF IT UP, a challenge coordinated by DigitalNZ and the Digital Public Library of America to find the best GIFs created from copyright-free heritage material, launches today and will run until November 21.
Following the inaugural GIF IT UP in 2014, the competition returns in 2015, seeking innovative and endlessly looping uses of archival videos and images. This year, the challenge expands internationally with support from Europeana and Trove and features an esteemed line-up of judges, plus some nifty prizes.
How it works
To enter GIF IT UP, you need to make a GIF with material which you have found via either DigitalNZ, DPLA, Trove, or Europeana, or a combination GIF with material from several of these sources. Your source material must be clearly marked as:
- in the public domain;
- have a ‘no known copyright restrictions’ statement;
- or have a Creative Commons license which allows for reuse.
You can enter up to three GIFs, using still images or video, and you have from October 12 to November 21 to submit your entry (submission form to be published on October 12).
All entries will be judged on creativity, originality, and thoroughness of entry (correct link to source material and contextual information). All eligible entries that meet the criteria outlined on the submission page will be showcased on the GIF IT UP 2015 Tumblr and generally adored by the Internet.
Judges
GIF IT UP 2015 will be judged by an international panel of judges: Sarah Schaaf from Imgur, Rebecca Onion from Slate Vault, and Alessandro Scali and Marco Calabrese from Okkult Motion Pictures, who will be awarding one supreme GIF IT UP winner, as well as three runners up. The GIF with the most Tumblr ‘notes’ will also receive a people’s choice award.
There will also be a special sub-section of prizes for New Zealand school students, judged by GIF artist and comic Toby Morris.
Prizes
The supreme winner will receive a Giphoscope of their winning entry, and the first three runners up and the people’s choice award winner will each receive $25 Amazon gift certificates, sponsored by DPLA.
The New Zealand school student prizes are sponsored by Creative Commons Aotearoa New Zealand. There will be 5 x $50 Mighty Ape vouchers for Years 1–8 and 5 x $50 Mighty Ape vouchers for Years 9–13 up for grabs.
Resources and reusable collections
Interested in making a GIF but aren’t sure where to look or how to get started? Fear not! The team behind GIF IT UP has pulled together a handy assortment of guides, tutorials, and links to reusable collections for all of your GIFification needs.