While you can find helpful videos from AFI ScreenNation in our Learn section, on YouTube and other places, one place we like to syndicate to is Howcast. Check out the beautiful embedded player below.

Online video superstar Lisa Nova has issued her first AFI ScreenNation Challenge.  The concept is simple - just make a video reviewing your favorite movie.  It just has to be three minutes or less and you cannot use copyrighted material so you’re going to have to get creative. Watch the video below and Lisa Nova will tell you all about the AFI ScreenNation Movie Review Video Challenge.

What’s your take on the 2008 election?

Have you ever wanted the chance to tell the world about your views on the 2008 presidential election? How about key issues such as the environment, healthcare, immigration, the war in Iraq and more?

@15, a new platform that Best Buy is launching to connect with teens online and in communities wants to hear what you have to say. On Wednesday, September 17, the first-ever @15 IMO (In My Opinion) survey will launch on www.at15.com and MySpace.

For ten days, until Friday, September 26, you’ll have a chance to go online to share your point of view and to encourage your friends to do the same.

Why should you tell Best Buy? For starters, they are listening. And, as part of @15, they plan to invite teens to help them direct the company’s philanthropy. That’s right, you may have an opportunity to help direct where up to $1 million is directed to support teen-led projects.

You already know Best Buy as a place for electronics and entertainment. Now, discover the ways in which they believe in the power of teens to make a difference in the world. Check out their channel on AFI ScreenNation and go to www.at15.com to learn more.

The Massive Cinema Online Film Festival is using AFI ScreenNation to host the entries into their event.  The competition runs through August and ends September 3rd.  Check out their channel here on AFI ScreenNation and their site at www.massivecinema.com!

Congratulations to Grand Prize Winner Jonathan Weisbrod of Union, NJ! He’ll take home the Sony DCR-SR45 HDD Camcorder video package and AFI Membership!

Special Acknowledgements and AFI Memberships also go to:

Screenname “dessina” for “Oakland, CA Slang” and Trisha Stortz for her Decorah, IA profile, “Decorah’s Nisse”

Many thanks to all who entered! Be on the lookout soon for another AFI ScreenNation Video Challenge!

ScreenNation has it all this summer movie season, Comedy, Drama, you name it! It looks like you filmmakers have been very very busy since school let out. Lets take a look at some of the best work
uploaded to ScreenNation over the last few weeks.

First up is user jedoles of 328 Studios with their take on the the NBC show THE OFFICE. This comedy/documentary spoof looks at a day in the life of the filmmaker and makes excellent use of a roving camera.

You might ask ‘Where is the love in Elk Grove?’ after seeing FREE HUGS from user 999SHAWN of Dirty Snow Flake Productions. Funny short film or biting social commentary? We can’t decide! What do you think? Will somebody please give this kid a hug?!

What is a Summer movie season without some suspense, a cliffhanger and some special effects? Marcus08’s homage to the exploitation film genre MIGHTY DEADLY Pt. 1 has all these and more including some nice lighting, scratchy film look and a real GRINDHOUSE feel. OK Marcus, you got us! Where’s part two?

So far so good! Keep those camera safely rolling this Summer. Remember less than a week to enter the ScreenNation Hometown Claim to Fame Challenge for the chance to win a Sony HD camera package.

Here’s a fun  new Hometown Claim to Fame Challenge entry.  The video profiles the town of Decora, Iowa and its Norweigian heritage. Most prominently, the video talks about a “nisse” which is similar to a gnome. Really cool.  Great job by AFI ScreenNation user Tstortz!

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JULY 14TH

Submissions for AFI ScreenNation’s 1st Challenge, Hometown Claim to Fame are now being accepted through July 14th, winner announced July 18th. Young filmmakers age 13-18 are challenged to produce a documentary about what is special, historic or noteworthy about their hometown. Videos must be 3-5 minutes in length and have interviews with at least 3 people. Summer session teachers and film camp administrators are encouraged to incorporate the ScreenNation Challenge into their programs.

Winning video entry will receive a Sony DCR-SR45 ~HDD Handycam Camcorder w/ 30 GB Hard Disk Drive and Tripod. Challenge info and rules.

Production tips and tricks including how to shoot an interview can be found in the

AFI ScreenNation LEARN section.

The entries submitted so far certainly show the filmmaking skill and storytelling spirit that make the filmmakers of ScreenNation special.

Early stand-out Challenge entries include :
The Kenya Water Project. A documentary about local efforts to positively effect the lives of people on the other side of the world.

Civic outreach is also the topic of another stand-out Challenge entry called The Rollins Project.

You can see all the videos submitted to the ScreenNation Challenge here.