Crashed While Texting

Title: Crashed While Texting

Synopsis: Anthony is driving while texting and gets in a crash because he is not paying attention. Cory explains why it is important for people to wait to text or call.

Team Members: Anthony R Gatte and Cory Rapala

School: Clay Middle School

Voting is now closed -- this submission received 8 votes!

Update on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 1:31PM by Kurt Snyder

Comments from Our Judges

• David Cain, President, Mediasauce
• James Leagre, Executive Director Children's Theatre Institute
• Todd Muffley, Fat Atom Internet Marketing
• Matt Nagle, IU Public Policy Institute

Comments from Cain: This is fun to watch.  Sometimes the most simplistic style is the best.  This piece will make you smile.  Great effort!

Comments from Leagre:

• Nice opening set up shot
• The superimposed person driving over moving background gave an ethereal sense
• Liked the touch of having his knees both up…
• Sound was very good – traffic in stereo gave good sense of movement
• Liked the final comment of a text is not live changed but driving while texting is.

Comments from Nagle: Two things that make this PSA good. First, the ending message “A text is not life changing, but sending a text message while driving is” is succinct and effective at communicating the seriousness of the issue. Many of the best professionally produced PSAs on distracted driving take a similar approach with memorable messages. Second, while maybe not intentional, the production technique of super-imposing the driver/vehicle over a moving background brings home an essential element of distracted driving – that the driver is “disconnected” from the driving environment with his or her brain being off in another world of a conversation. This is a crucial element of the issue, and this technique is a good way of communicating it.

Comments from Todd Muffley: Like the way they used the green screen technology, good effort for a couple of young guys!

Distracted Driving Video Essay

Title: Distracted Driving Video Essay

Synopsis: My film is essentially just a summary of the different types of distracted driving. It begins with a dramatized scene of a car wreck that results from texting and driving and concludes with a similar scene in which the driver reacts in a much more appropriate manner.

Team Members: Alex C LaGore, Alec Stewart, and David Smith.

School: Carmel High School

Voting is now closed -- this submission received 51 votes!

Update on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 1:39PM by Kurt Snyder

Comments from Our Judges

• David Cain, President, Mediasauce
• James Leagre, Executive Director Children's Theatre Institute
• Todd Muffley, Fat Atom Internet Marketing
• Matt Nagle, IU Public Policy Institute

Comments from Cain: Nicely done.  The proof points in the form of supporting data are compelling.  Larger images with the data would have made me even more compelling.

Comments from Leagre:

• Good establishing shot to set up the story
• Cut’s were very pertinent to the story being conveyed
• A very concise and valuable message for teen drivers – would be a good addition to driver’s ed training
• Facts were clear and to the point – the message was clear without being overbearing
• Liked the humor with the cognitive distraction…
• Powerful fact of associating texting to alcohol
• Nice ending to show that there is an easy solution.

Comments from Nagle: Excellent incorporation of statistics that inform the public on the real effects of texting while driving. This is a challenge for us in the policy analysis field – to convey information on the effects of behavior in a way that is not too technical, but that still gets the point across. The PSA does a great job of interweaving the narrative of the texting driver with information and visuals on general effects of that behavior.

Comments from Todd Muffley: Great explanation on different types of driving hazards. VERY informative!

Distractions (Winning Entry)

Title: Distractions

Synopsis: You wouldn't do all those other things - why would you text and drive?

Team Members: Kylee Wall, Katie Toomey, Aaron Whiteford, and Jason Howe.

School: Other

Voting is now closed -- this submission received 94 votes!

Update on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 1:43PM by Kurt Snyder

Comments from Our Judges

• David Cain, President, Mediasauce
• James Leagre, Executive Director Children's Theatre Institute
• Todd Muffley, Fat Atom Internet Marketing
• Matt Nagle, IU Public Policy Institute

Comments from Cain: Brilliant concept.  It’s fun to watch and makes the point with the exaggerated examples.  You can see too that the team enjoyed making it too, adding to the viewer’s enjoyment. 

Comments from Leagre:

• Music fit perfectly with the tone and action of the film
• Absolutely hysterical starting with washing hair and then followed by the building inane distractions
• Cuts back and forth between driver and vehicle fit together wonderfully
• Quick shots/cuts leading into the screeching  end were right on the money
• Simple story yet enticing and entertaining and simplicity of the final title was perfect for the piece

Comments from Nagle: Very good use of humor but more importantly the PSA tied different types of distractions together, making the excellent point that many actions that would be absurd to do while driving. As with the other PSAs, there should be a fundamental understanding that texting while driving is just one of a wide array of actions and behaviors that takes the driver’s mind off of the road. A crucial step in combating texting while driving is attaching the stigma to the action itself, so that people are not distinguishing between behaviors that creating dangers on the road.

Comments from Todd Muffley: Smart, clever, to the point, great video quality...short enough to watch, long enough to hammer it home....Just really good!



The Driver

Title: The Driver

Synopsis: This video is in movie preview format and is about showing the dangers if texting and driving. She ends up learning a lesson about distracted driving and is shown with a texting band at the end to show she has changed.

Team Members: Amanda Nahmias

School: Creekside Middle School

Voting is now closed -- this submission received 78 votes!

Update on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 1:45PM by Kurt Snyder

Comments from Our Judges

• David Cain, President, Mediasauce
• James Leagre, Executive Director Children's Theatre Institute
• Todd Muffley, Fat Atom Internet Marketing
• Matt Nagle, IU Public Policy Institute

Comments from Cain: Wonderful idea, very creative.  Really applaud the idea of the preview concept.  Very inviting and creatively a stellar piece. 

Comments from Leagre:

• Format was great. I loved the choice of making it a trailer – perfect way to lead people to want to find out more about the dangers of texting
• Great cuts back and forth between titles and footage
• Great simple information line – focused specifically on texting, yet there was a nice build of anticipation as to how the trailer would end.

Comments from Nagle: This PSA was very clever in providing information in a non-traditional format, one that used a medium of entertainment to convey a very serious message in a semi-lighthearted way. Two elements in particular make this piece a great one: (1) incorporation of the health impacts (visuals of the ambulance, hospital, and injuries); and (2) noting that it is not only *sending* text messages that is dangerous, but also *reading* one received as well.

Comments from Todd Muffley: Like the use of text narration, good communication of message.