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by Lisa Lowdermilk, Scholarships.com Virtual Intern

Making videos is something just about everyone I know has tried. And it's no wonder: Programs available today make it so easy...just look at YouTube's content! Whether you have aspirations of becoming a professional filmmaker, receive an unconventional class assignment or just want to film your college graduation, expressing yourself and preserving your most treasured memories can be done without much effort while having lots of fun.

If you're a PC user like me, you can use Windows Movie Maker for all your video editing needs. Of course, you can't have a video without some footage (or at least some pictures). Click "Import Media" to find your clips and drag them to where you want them to appear on your timeline. Next, peruse the effects and transitions you can use by clicking on "Tools." Effects such as blur, speed up, slow down and even watercolor all can give your video a more stylized look and transitions let your video flow instead of looking like it was just cut and pasted together. If you're having issues with sound quality, consider downloading the free audio editor Audacity. It lets you alter the pitch, speed and volume of your recording and easily import it into WMM the same way you would your video clips.

Of course, WMM isn't the only movie-making option available. Sony Vegas and Apple iMovie are two other types of movie-making software you can choose from. I know some people who bought a Mac specifically for iMovie's advanced movie-making abilities and others who use Sony Vegas on their PCs for its advanced audio capabilities. While some people say iMovie and Sony Vegas are more advanced than WMM, keep in mind WMM is free while iMovie and Sony Vegas are not.

If you realize you have a real passion for film, consider checking out film-making programs offered by Full Sail University, the New York Film Academy and the Los Angeles Film School, among others. Maybe someday we'll even see your name in lights!

Lisa Lowdermilk is a soon-to-be published author, an avid video gamer and an artist. Her first novel is a murder mystery for young adults set in the future. She enjoys watching thrillers, trying different restaurants and attempting to breakdance. Lisa completed her Associate of Arts degree entirely online and is now majoring in professional writing at the University of Colorado Denver.

If you have a talent for video and already make short films for fun, you should look into video contest scholarships that could reward you with more than a reel of your movie-making abilities. This week’s Scholarship of the Week is one such award, offering $5,000 to those who come up with the most creative clips on promoting auto safety.

The Safety Scholars Video Contest by Bridgestone asks applicants to come up with short clips to serve as public service announcements on auto safety and what the youth set can do to drive more safely. Winners don’t only get scholarships; their videos run on television stations across the country, which could give you quite a bit of exposure. Don’t limit yourself if this video contest isn’t for you though. There are a number of awards out there for you aspiring filmmakers, and will probably be less competitive than awards that ask for a more traditional but less involved application. If you’re interested in this one though, get that camera out and start filming. (June is National Safety Month, after all.)

Prize:

Eligibility:

Deadline:

Required Material:

Applicants are judged based on the concept/idea, effectiveness, and creativity of their video entries. Entries must be original videos of 25 to 55 seconds in length on one or more issues or topics related to auto safety and improving auto safety for drivers ages 16 through 21. Applicants must also complete an official entry form on Bridgestone’s Safety Scholars website.

Further details about the application process can be found by conducting a free college scholarship search on Scholarships.com. Once the search is completed, students eligible for this scholarship award will find it in their search results.

This week's Scholarship of the Week is a video contest for undergraduate and high school students, ages 19 and younger, who are interested in issues of free speech and free expression in schools. The 2009 Youth Free Expression Network Film Contest offers students a chance to create a video response to the question "free speech in schools (does it exist?)" and compete for a $1,000 cash prize as well as a $5,000 film school scholarship. Videos can be any genre, including documentaries, music videos, experimental films, or animation. Entries will be judged on content, artistic and technical merit, and creativity.

Prizes First prize: $1,000 plus either a $5,000 scholarship to the New York Film Academy or a one-week digital filmmaking workshop; Second prize: $500; Third prize: $250

Eligibility: Applicants must reside in the United States or its territories (citizenship not required), and must be age 19 or younger on the day their film is submitted.

Deadline: October 23, 2009

Required Material:  A film of no more than four minutes in length that addresses the theme "Free Speech in School (Does It Exist?)" uploaded to YouTube and submitted along with a 250-word essay describing the film and your creative process.

Further details about the application process can be found by conducting a free college scholarship search on Scholarships.com. Once the search is completed, students eligible for this scholarship award will find it in their search results.

There are scholarship opportunities out there for every talent, interest or skill.  Through this week's Scholarship of the Week, the Calm-A-Sutra of Tea Scholarship Competition, you can win a $15,000 college scholarship just for demonstrating your knowledge of tea and your ability to drink it creatively.  Students are asked to create a 1 to 2 minute video of themselves drinking black, green, white or oolong tea while describing the health benefits of tea and to upload the video to YouTube.  Entries are judged on their health-related messges, creativity, individuality and popularity.  No scholarship essays require

Prize:$15,000

Eligibility:

College and high school students age 16 and older who are legal residents of the United States and Puerto Rico. 

Current college students who are passionate about confronting global climate change have a chance to win up to $9,000 to help pay for school through this week's Scholarship of the Week.  The Blade Your Ride Scholarship Program will award scholarships of $3,000 to $9,000 to three students who create the best short video webcasts addressing the issue of global climate change and the potential for small changes to make a significant difference.  Sabertec, the sponsoring company, feels strongly about this issue, and encourages students to explore the potential of their product, Blade, as part of their video webcasts.

Prize:

Three finalists will receive $3,000 scholarships and one grand prize winner will receive an additional $6,000 scholarship, for a total award of $9,000.

Eligibility:

Undergraduate students or graduate students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants must be enrolled full-time in a bachelor's or master's degree program at an accredited college or university in the United States. U.S. citizenship is not required.