Newswise — A 30-second video created by Florida State University film student Paul Seetachitt has won first prize in a public service announcement (PSA) contest sponsored by the Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI).
Now in its third year, the national competition known as "PSAid" encourages U.S.-based college students to craft broadcast and print messages telling Americans that when it comes to international disaster relief efforts, cash is best.
Taking the top honor for 2008 in the Broadcast category, Seetachitt's winning entry, appropriately titled "Empty," conveys the message that "Good intentions are not enough." The PSA explains that cash donations are most desirable because gifts such as canned goods and clothing can be expensive and cumbersome for relief workers and disaster-afflicted countries to handle and, as a result, take too long to reach those in need.
"Paul is passionate about this topic, and now more than ever in light of the recent catastrophes in Myanmar and China" said Frank Patterson, dean of the FSU College of Motion Picture, Television and Recording Arts -- best known as The Film School. Seetachitt earned his Master of Fine Arts degree there last August and has remained for a third year of graduate work comprised of independent film production and study.
"He really wanted to win this particular contest and did so by using his talent for clever storytelling," Patterson said. "I'd say he hit a real homerun with this one, and hopefully the American public will find the message helpful as they consider how best to help Myanmar and China and the next victims of major disasters wherever they are."
Before he was an FSU film student and prize-winning PSA producer, Seetachitt, 34, earned an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering from the University of California-Los Angeles. "Yes, I was actually a rocket scientist," he said.
"I was working as an engineer, and then, as fate would have it, I decided to go to film school," Seetachitt said. "Now, I find it deeply gratifying that one of the projects I completed while at FSU may help others to more effectively ease the suffering caused by recent and future natural disasters."
Seetachitt also hopes to make people laugh. He aims to eventually direct and produce major comedy films such as those by "40-Year-Old Virgin" producer Judd Apatow.
For FSU, Seetachitt's first-place finish in this year's CIDI contest is the second such performance in three years. In 2006 -- as Americans were responding to the tsunami disaster in Indonesia -- the first prize went to "Cans," a PSA video directed and produced by Film School graduate student Evan McNary.
The CIDI selects its winning announcements based on overall impact, memorable content and delivery, originality and clear message. While all first-, second- and third-place entries in both the print and broadcast categories garner cash prizes for their creators, the first-prize broadcast PSAs have a shot at becoming the new voice and face of the CIDI and may be distributed nationally to major television networks, cable channels and print publications. The top print entry may be distributed to newspapers and magazines nationwide.
To view Seetachitt's PSA and those by other CIDI contest finalists for 2008 and previous years, go to http://www.psaid.org.
Recognized by the Directors Guild of America for its distinguished contributions to American culture, FSU's Film School encompasses one of the largest and best-equipped facilities devoted wholly to film education and undergraduate and graduate programs that rank among the most highly regarded in the world. Learn more at http://www.film.fsu.edu.
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