As part of the VYBZING Forum of 2013, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) via their youth outreach programme set an introduction to the forum by initiating an ‘animated video challenge’ to the youth of Saint Lucia to create educational videos on the theme of road safety. The challenge was undertaken by the youth and the winners have been announced.
The VYBZING Animated Video Challenge sponsored by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in collaboration with the St. Lucia. Ministry of Youth Development and Sports was designed to give Entrants the opportunity to use their creativity in producing an animated video on ‘road safety’ which is a major challenge that impacts the safety and security of youth and their ability to contribute to the development of their communities. Prizes were awarded to the Entrants who submit the best videos as determined by the judges in their sole discretion at the VYBZING Forum.
The animated video challenge called upon youth to create their own animations to combat road safety risk factors.
Addressing the topic “Youth and Road Safety: Save and Life, Save a Future”, the challenge was to develop a two minute animated video utilizing one or more risk factors that will increase awareness amongst your peers of the risk factors to Road Safety. (Risk factors included: non-use of seatbelts, speeding, drinking alcohol and drug use, non-use of helmets, distracted driving, fatigue and not being visible enough on the roads)
Youth of the VYBZING forum viewing the videos.
The Animated Video Challenge began at 3:00pm EST on March 8, 2013 and ended at midnight EST on May 3, 2013. The VYBZING Animated Video Challenge was designed to give Entrants the opportunity to submit videos that respond to the issue of Road Safety and Youth. Prizes awarded to the Entrants who submitted the best entries as determined by the judges were:
- First Prize – $1,500 (US) Visa gift card
- Second Prize – $1,000 (US) Visa gift card
- Third prize – $650.00(US) Visa gift card
- People’s Choice Award of $250.00(US) Visa gift card
The winners of the challenge were as follows, videos appear in the right column in the following order:
This video focused on several risk factors including texting and driving, drug driving and drink driving as well as speeding through a clever and catchy rap about road safety. It uses a creative illustration of events of a driver and appears in the style of a music video. It won first prize in the challenge and was well received when viewed by the delegates of the VYBZING forum.
The second place video focused on the dangers of texting and driving and plays a scenario through a road; one where texting and driving occurs and the other with a safe scenario. The video is incredibly creative and tackles the concept of a young man texting his girlfriend while driving but also becoming distracted in his thoughts, which results in tragic consequences. This video also won the ‘people’s choice award’ as voted by web viewers.
This third place video focused on following key pedestrian safety rules as defined in Saint Lucia. It looks at how many factors can contribute to a road crash and fatality and uses as second scene scenario to explain how things can go wrong as a road user.
The videos illustrate the great creativity of youth. Given a brief of focusing on road safety risk factors, the young people of Saint Lucia created an amazing array of visual creations and interpretations of putting forward a road safety message to their peers. When shown the videos to the VYBZING forum, it was clear that the videos came across well and fitted the language of the youth of Saint Lucia.