Travel safe video contest

Travel Safe Student Video Contest

Open to Calgary students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Please check back in the new year for more information on the 2025 contest, including new prizes and categories! Meanwhile, here are the top entrants from 2024:

  • Word on the Street

    Grand prize winner

    Finn Lee-Epp from St. Francis High School.

  • Ride Smart * Stay Safe.

    Runner-up #1

    Ayush Pant from Dr. EP Scarlett High School.

  • What a nightmare!

    Runner-up #2

    Ngoc Minh Pham & Linh Dan Pham from Varsity Acres School and Sir Winston Churchill High School.

Calling all filmmakers! Put on your director’s hat, grab your camera and help make our city’s streets safer for everyone.

You could win prizes and a chance to have your video showcased on the City’s social media accounts and on calgary.ca

We invite all Calgary students in Kindergarten to Grade 12 to create an original 30-second video to promote safety while traveling on city streets, sidewalks and/or pathways. Videos can be funny, serious, live action, stop motion, animated or a mix of styles – whatever you can imagine!

Finalists will be showcased at a public viewing party at the Calgary Central Library and the winning videos will be showcased in future safety education initiatives and published online and on social media!

Need help getting started? Check out the Helpful Tips section below

Important dates

Submissions will be accepted until April 30, 2025.

Top finalist videos will be shown at a public screening party in mid-May 2025, at the Calgary Central Library. Finalists will be notified ahead of time and may be required  to upload their video online to City of Calgary via Microsoft Teams. Further instructions will be provided to the final contestants in early May on how to do this.

For inquiries about the contest please contact StreetSafeKids@calgary.ca

Enter the contest

  • 1. Review the rules

    The full contest rules and guidelines include information such as eligibility, publication and use of videos, judging criteria, prizes, etc.

    View the contest rules

  • 2. Create your video

    Videos must be no more than 30 seconds long and shot in landscape (16:9 aspect ratio). Videos must be uploaded to a video hosting website of your choice (like YouTube or Vimeo).

    Do Not send the video file to us directly as it will be too big!

  • 3. Sign the form

    A consent form is required for ALL group members, even if they are not shown in the video. Anyone shown in the video also requires a consent form.

    Get the consent form

  • 4. Submit your video!

    Send an email to StreetSafeKids@calgary.ca with the following information:

    • Your video’s title in the subject line

    • The safety topic of choice (see Safe Travel Topics section below)

    • The name(s) of everyone in your group

    • The name of your school (if applicable)

    • The link to your uploaded video so we can watch it online

    • Consent forms for everyone involved.

    Email your video details

Do Video Checklist

  • My video is no more than 30 seconds in length AND is shot in landscape format (16:9 aspect ratio)
  • My video is suitable for viewing by people of all ages and does not depict gratuitous violence or gore.
  • My video does not include any copyrighted material including music, audio/video clips, characters, logos, or other protected materials, offensive materials or language.
  • My video explores one of the Safe Travel Topics provided. It identifies a safety concern related to the topic and the correct safe travel behaviour.
  • By submitting my video, I acknowledge that I have read, understood and abided by all the Contest Rules 

Safe Travel Topics from 2024

Topic 1: Eyes up, phone down

Distracted driving, walking, or wheeling.

Helpful resources:

Topic 2: Cross with care

Pedestrian safety at intersections and when crossing the street.

Helpful resources:

Topic 3: Be safe, ride smart

Cycling/wheeling safety and rules of the road.

Helpful resources:

Topic 4: School and Playground Zone

Safety tips for children and adults.

Helpful resources:

Topic 5: Know the speed limit, drive within it

Why speed matters.

Helpful resources:

A general overview of Calgary traffic safety rules can be found in the Calgary Traffic Safety Tips Booklet

Contest details

Prizes

Check back in the new year for details on 2025 prizing.

Eligibility

Technical Requirements

The following requirements must be met for videos to be eligible for contest submission:

PASS FAIL Criteria
Yes No Is the video shot in landscape format and run within the 30 second time limit? 
No Yes Are any copyrighted music, logos or other materials used in the video?
No Yes Is any portion of the video inappropriate or violent?
Yes No Is at least one safety topic included from the list provided?
Yes No Are all necessary forms for entry completed, including model/video release forms and Parent/Guardian permission forms?

Judging Criteria

Videos from 2024 were evaluated based on the following criteria. Please check back in the new year for the updated 2025 judging criteria.

Points Criteria Example
50 Message clarity Information is accurate, demonstrates understanding of topic, is presented in a way that is easy to understand & accessible to audience(s)
30 Creativity & originality Videos can be funny, serious, live action, stop motion, animated or a mix of styles – whatever you can imagine! Ensure your videos are suitable for all ages and do not depict gore or violence.
20 Production Quality Overall quality of production, including visual and sound elements.

Helpful Tips

  • Get creative! Videos can be funny, serious, live action, animated, stop motion or a mix of styles.
  • Not everyone in your group is required to be “on screen” – there are many roles that go into creating a video including script writing, directing, videography, etc.
  • Each Travel Topic has several different sub-topics you can explore. For example, School & Playground Zone Safety messaging could explore congestion issues, encouraging parents/drivers to park safely, or reminding people of the dangers of jaywalking. Be sure to pick just one topic to explore.
  • Storyboarding your scenes and writing down dialogue can help keep your message on track. Note that 60-75 spoken words takes about 30 seconds of film.
  • Make sure you slow down and speak clearly (if using audio) and try not to rush through messaging. Ask your friends to view and provide feedback.
  • Focus on the most essential information. It is better to have a single, simple and clear message rather than try to cram too much into one video.
  • Avoid using statistics, if possible.
  • Plan it out: what are the images, sounds and locations you might want to use to create your video? Remember, you cannot use any copyrighted music, audio/video clips, characters, logos, or other protected materials. (If your clothing or accessories have a label on them, they must be covered, blurred out or removed.)
  • You do not need fancy equipment to make a video – it can easily be done with a smart phone, tablet, or laptop; the Calgary Public Library offers public access to audio & video recording equipment and post-production studios.
  • Ask your friends or family to view your video and provide feedback.
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