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ANNOUNCING THE BMV VIDEO CONTEST WINNERS!
As a step toward our goal of educating women about their choices and options during the childbearing years, Birth Matters Virginia solicited short videos about evidence-based maternity and delivery care. With our nation ranking 41st in maternal mortality and our cesarean rate surpassing 30%, it is more important than ever for women to be educated about their options.
We were pleased to have received nearly 40 informative and thoughtful videos on topics ranging from personal birth journeys, the role a doula plays, midwifery care, cesarean sections, birthing in the Amish culture, birth in Ireland, and more. Each video carried a message of the understanding that change needs to occur in our culture related to pregnancy and birth for the well-being of both mothers and babies.
The choice was not easy for our panel of judges (which included women from varied backgrounds, all mothers, all interested in change, some working in the field of birth professionally and some not). We also were honored to have Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein from the Business of Being Born and internationally recognized and respected author and doctor, Sarah Buckley join us in the judging. Each film had so much heart and all contest entries were obviously made with wonderful intentions as well as good information backing the spirit of the project. However, in the end, we choose with confidence
FIRST PRIZE, $1000
Prevent Cesarean Surgery, Ragan Cohen (California):
- “Such great myth-busting and important information for all women, I loved your use of natural scenes. I'd love to see this video getting lots of airplay in the public arena.” –Dr. Sarah Buckley, MD
- “The directness and statistics worked well together…” –Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
- “Very well done.” “One of my favorites. Talk about evidenced-based care; this really motivates someone to take action.” “This really puts it out there. Cesareans aren’t pretty.” “This was so emotional for me. The film does an excellent job questioning the idea that c-sections are easy, normal, and no big deal.” --from the BMV Judging Panel
- “Very sweet birth video - and of course we love the song and used it in the Business of Being Born!”—Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
- “Gorgous photos of homebirth, nicely balanced with information. Well done!”—Dr. Sarah Buckley, MD
- “Amazing editing. Very professional. This film isn’t afraid to show birth as it really is.” “Lovely. Powerful. Very sweet.” “I think the whole room was tearing up by the end of this one!” “So sweet and beautifully done.” --from the BMV Judging Panel
- “Incorporated an excellent variety of people, lovely to have original music and real women's distilled wisdom, Great work!”—Dr. Sarah Buckley, MD
- “Very well done, nice mix between informative and emotional.”—Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
- “Great editing. Good, casual, conversational tone. Catches a particular angle on the conversation surrounding the normalcy of birth.” “I just loved this one!” --from the BMV Judging Panel
JUDGING
OTHER FINALISTS
The quality of all the entries was excellent, and the judges thought highly of all the entries that made it to the top 10. Here are the rest of the finalists; please take the time to watch all of these excellent videos on birthing options and evidence-based maternity care.
Natural Born Babies (Part 1& 2 considered as one entry), Kip Hewitt (California):
Part 1:
- “This one seems to be following different rules than others in terms of length, but it's very effective and professional. And we do love those South Coast midwives!”—Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
- “What I loved about this video was the clarity in all ways: visually, informationally, structurally and editorially. A powerful argument for natural birth- good work!”—Dr. Sarah Buckley
- “So well done; it just made birth seem so normal!” “Points were deducted from this film because it was far over the time limit. Even so, the scores were high enough to qualify it for the Top 10, but not for the top 3. However, this is a great film, and every pregnant woman should watch this.” “Funny, sweet, beautiful, and very well-done.” “This could be a commercial for our mission statement! It’s everything I’d want people to know about evidence-based care and choice in birth.”--from the BMV Judging Panel
It's Worth It, Kat Hickey (Indiana):
- “Gorgeous photos, loved your original music and the voiceover from a real birth. Great ending too, well done!” –Dr. Sarah Buckley, MD
- “Nice photography, some fantastic images!” –Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
- “Asks questions at the beginning without answering them directly… I don’t know if this works until the very end. But by the end I was very inspired.” “So many touching images of all the family members involved in a birth, not just the mother. I think the film resoundingly answers the question that yes, it’s worth it. I was captivated.” “Nice visual education.” “I love the father input.” “Powerful vocals and great original music. I got it stuck in my head!”--from the BMV Judging Panel
- “Nicely shot, simple and elegant, makes just enough points, well-structured too.” –Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
- “I loved the start, it really captured me and all the interviews were excellent Thank you!” –Dr. Sarah Buckley
- “Love the Q & A format!” “I really like how Eileen talks about how women need support even if they aren’t planning to ‘go natural’.”--from the BMV Judging Panel
- “One of my personal favourites, this video beautifully illustrates the reality of birth: challenge and noises, and the birth of a family. Lovely music, enjoyed the involvement of your children. Thank you for your energy and work!” –Dr. Sarah Buckley
- “Rachel's video is really wonderful, love the use of stills and video and humor.” –Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
- “I love the way this story is introduced in pictures with captions, makes great use of the time limits imposed by the contest.” “Birth scene shows everyone ‘in action’. Great birth sounds.” “This was truly the birth of a family.”--from the BMV Judging Panel
- “Great use of quotes and music.” –Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
- “Great information, nicely put together. Well done!” –Dr. Sarah Buckley, MD
- “Great opening quote. I also liked the input from Dad, disarming the question about how doulas work with partners.” “Powerful quotes.” “There is a contrast between the smooth, high quality of the music, statistics & still images and the light-hearted, casual interviews. Very genuine” “I think it’s great education.”--from the BMV Judging Panel
- “Powerful information, well put together. Good work!” –Dr. Sarah Buckley, MD
- “Smart and well-structured. Wish the visual quality were better. Cards a little too fast to read sometimes.”—Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
- “Love the music! Great use of dialogue/quotes overlapping each other.” “Love the joyful doctor! I thought it was realistic, accurate, and honest.” “Statistics good but move a bit too quickly.”--from the BMV Judging Panel
- “Excellent primer on homebirth. Great information for those who may never choose it as well as giving inspiration and reassurance to support couples who are making this choice. Well done!” –Dr. Sarah Buckley, MD
- “Very genuine and engaging, totally accessible and unpretentious which was great.” –Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
- “Statistics were not exactly right and updated, like the United States c-section rates, WHO recommendations…” “Makes good use of time with interviews, still pictures, etc. mixing with music, video. Very well edited.”--from the BMV Judging Panel
- “Lovely footage of the Amish lifestyle, great comments from carers, loved the footage of children too. Well done!” –Dr. Sarah Buckley, MD
- “Very nicely edited and informative.” –Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
- “Lovely images, professional quality.” “PBS-quality documentary.” ”Great themes, including the importance of prenatal nutrition and preparation” ”Very intimate exploration of Amish culture, very insightful.” “I loved the way the film portrayed how normal birth is in a culture that expects it to be normal.” --from the BMV Judging Panel
To all of those of you who made a film and submitted it to us, we are extremely grateful for your time and effort. Each film was unique and as has been said, made with the best of intentions. The films are a part of the necessary and ongoing discussion we must have in order for pregnancy and birth to be viewed and treated as the normal process of a woman’s life that it is.
The goal of Birth Matters Virginia is to encourage and support evidence based maternity care in order to educate not just women who are considering pregnancy or already are pregnant but all people, young, old, female and male. We feel by sponsoring this video contest, we have exposed an enormously diverse population of people by flooding YouTube with positive and informative birth documentaries. We encourage everyone to watch the videos, tell your friends, your family, all of your connections about the films and encourage them to go to YouTube to view them. Refer women, professionals who work with pregnant women and mothers to the Birth Matters Virginia website www.birthmattersva.org for excellent resources and research to support the healthiest and safest way of birth.
We believe that all of our efforts, yours and ours are making a difference in this world and we are grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the change.
With gratitude
Thérèse Hak-Kuhn
Executive Director BMV
Continue reading to learn more about the Birth Matters Virginia video contest.
Make a 4-7 Minute Video About Childbirth Options and Win $1000!
* 1st place prize: $1000 * 2nd place prize: $500 * Honorable Mention: $100 * Deadline for Entry is 11:59pm on Mother's Day, May 10, 2009*
As the national rate of c-sections surpasses 30%, it is more important than ever for women and their partners to be educated about the options they have during pregnancy and birth. Our organization
works to improve the culture of birth in Virginia by promoting an
evidence-based model of maternity care and supporting care providers
who practice mother and baby-friendly care.
A series of feature length films (starting with the Business of Being Born). have inspired women to make decisions about their maternity care as carefully as they make other consumer decisions. Demand for evidence-based models of care is rising, and there is hope that we can turn the tide of medically unnecessary surgeries and interventions, saving them for when they are truly needed for the safety of the mother or baby.
As a step toward our goal of educating women about their choices and options, we are soliciting short documentary-style videos about evidence-based maternity and delivery care. They can include footage of births, but do not necessarily have to include birth images. We want videos that will appeal to and inspire new audiences that may not have previously been exposed to any model of childbirth other than the version we see on television and in movies: dangerous, uncertain, excruciating, and usually in need of extensive and often emergency medical interventions. Birth doesn’t have to be this scary, and people need good information in order to make good choices. How you interpret this film making mission is up to you.
We are thrilled to announce guest judges:
Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein, acclaimed producers of The Business of Being Born.
Sarah Buckley, M.D., international birth expert and author of Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering.
The first-place winner will receive a cash prize of $1000. Second place: $500 and Honorable Mention: $100.
Here’s how to enter:
Step 1: Make a video (Possible Topics)
Step 2: Upload your video to YouTube (see How to Submit Your Video)
Step 3: Enter the contest by filling out the entry form by May 10, 2009
Step 4: Tell everyone you know to go vote for your video on YouTube!
Step 5: Wait to see if you won! (see Prizes)
FOR MORE INFORMATION
We want to see entries from professional and student filmmakers as well as from mothers, fathers, grandparents, childbirth educators, obstetricians, midwives, pediatricians, doulas, and anyone who cares about the culture of birth in this country. Don’t worry if you don’t have fancy editing equipment. We’re more concerned with substance than style. We expect both amateurs and professionals to enter this contest and everyone will have a shot at the top prizes.
What facts do you want to get across about birth? What do you think women expectant families should know? What information would improve the culture of birth in this country, give women access to more mother/baby-friendly care, and decrease the incidence of unnecessary interventions and c-sections?
Filmmaker’s Guidelines
- Length: 4-7 minutes
- Style and Tone: factual, informational, educational, inspirational
- Content: the Birth Matters website has extensive information about how we define evidence-based maternity care, and you can read about how the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services defines mother-friendly-care here. We want women to know that they have choices, and your video should explore a fairly narrow topic related to pregnancy or childbirth so that you have time to adequately explore your theme. We want women to have the information they need to make decisions that will best benefit themselves and their babies.
- Tips: facts and statistics are always helpful, but must be from a reliable source. Interviews with healthcare providers, educators, expectant couples, and new parents will reinforce the message of your film.
- Requirements: You’ll need to get anyone that you interview or use footage of to sign a simple release form acknowledging their participation so that we can use their image in the event that you are a winner or finalist. This is especially important if you use any sensitive or personal footage, such as footage of a labor or birth. If you film at any locations that are identifiable (this means hospitals or birthing centers), you’ll need to get their permission in writing as well. You can use the same form for locations.
How to Submit Your Video
- Upload your 4-7 minute video to YouTube with the tags “birth” and “BirthMattersVirginia” (all one word) along with any others of your choosing that are relevant to your subject matter.
- Once your video is uploaded, you must fill out the entry form on our website to be considered for a prize. If you do not fill out the entry form and hit submit, we won’t know to consider your video for the contest!
- You may enter as many submissions as you like. Early submissions are encouraged.
- Be sure to submit your video by the deadline: Mother's Day, May 10, 2009.
- There is no entry fee.
Judging
- Judging will consist of three parts: two scores based on the YouTube rating system and one score given by a Birth Matters Virginia panel of judges.
- The first part of your score is determined by the number of stars your video receives from viewers on YouTube. It is a 5-point star system.
- The second part of your score will be determined by the number of ratings your video receives. Encourage all your friends, family, and community to go to YouTube and vote for your video to give it 5 stars so that you get both quantity and quality!
- The third and most heavily-weighted portion of your score will be determined by a panel of BirthMatters VA judges. The panel of judges will base their scores on the following:
- Video’s success in supporting the Birth Matters Virginia mission statement
- Educational capacity
- Creativity / artistic flair
- Sensory / emotional evocation
Prizes
- The video with the highest combined score will take home the $1000 cash prize. Second place: $500, and Honorable Mention: $100.
- Prizes will be awarded at a screening of the top 10-15 finalists in Richmond, Virginia this summer (date to be determined).
- If your film is selected for the screening, you will be notified, and you will need to send us a DVD or tape so that the quality of the film will be adequate for a big screen showing. Please be prepared to provide this if it is needed as YouTube videos are not high enough quality to be presented on a big screen.
The Fine Print (aka Rules and Regulations)
In order to be considered for prizes:
- Don't violate anyone's intellectual property and post anyone else's copyrighted or confidential material unless you have permission to use it. This means no clips from existing birth documentaries unless you have permission.
- All videos submitted for consideration will fall under a Creative Commons license, meaning you keep the copyright and have the right to do whatever you want with the video you created, but Birth Matters Virginia has your permission to use, copy, distribute, and show your work in whatever way we deem necessary, as long as we give you credit. By submitting your video to the contest, you are giving BirthMatters Virginia permission to use the video in anyway we see fit.
- This contest is void where prohibited by law. The contestants assume the total responsibility of knowing that they reside in a state or country that prohibits video contests and are subject to any local, state or national laws. Birth Matters Virginia accepts no responsibility for making these individual legal determinations.
- Any statistics used in the video must be sourced (either in the video or in an email to Birth Matters Virginia) and will be confirmed.
- Members of the judging committee are not eligible for the cash prize but are encouraged to enter.
Possible Topics
Choose your topic well, and make sure you make it narrow enough that you can explore it thoroughly in 4-7 minutes. Please feel free to come up with your own subject, but here are a few possibilities to get the creative juices flowing:
- The role of doulas and labor assistants in childbirth
- Appropriate and inappropriate uses of various interventions (pitocin, epidural, episiotomy, breaking of waters, forceps, vacuum extraction, etc.)
- The advantages of child birth education classes or explorations of different methods
- The reasons behind the rising c-section rate in the United States
- The risks and rewards of VBAC
- The advantages and/or rewards of unmedicated birth
- Pros and cons of different birthing location (hospital, birthing center, home)
- How to facilitate postpartum bonding between mother and baby
- Common arguments given for interventions; how and when to rebut them
- Effective substitutes for common interventions (e.g. how to induce labor through natural methods, how to manage pain without an epidural, etc.)
- The “domino effect” of interventions (i.e. how interventions increase the chances of subsequent interventions or c-section).
These are just a few ideas to get you started. Let your creativity flow!
What is Evidence-Based Care?
Birth Matters Virginia advocates "evidence-based" maternity care, which simply means using the best available research on the safety and effectiveness of specific practices to help guide maternity care decisions and to facilitate optimal outcomes in mothers and newborns. There are a lot of ways to approach this topic, and we are looking forward to the variety of entries. To read more about what evidence-based maternity care is, feel free to check out this article from Consumer Reports and this article from USA Today. You can also read the Milbank Report on evidence-based maternity at the Childbirth Connection website.
Tips for Beginners
If you feel passionately about birth but you don’t have any experience making movies, don’t be intimidated! Members of the birth advocacy community who are familiar with the concept of evidence-based care have the potential to create some of the most powerful films, even without experience.
Most consumer video cameras these days shoot footage that is high-enough quality for a contest like this. Grab the camera you used to film the last birthday party and get started!
There is extensive information available online for would-be documentarians, including:
Contact Us
Please email us at richmond@birthmattersva.org with any questions or for more information.
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