New, One-of-a-kind, Contest Coming in 2013!

By: Andrew Bermudez

(Lego Studios; August 15, 2012)

     There are only two days left until the return of Mystery at Shady Acres! While this wait is about to end, a new contest for 2013 was unveiled. There was some debate on whether to announce this contest so early, but since it ties directly into the Vacation: Unlimited Scrapbook Contest prize, an unveiling was deemed necessary at this time.

     Coming in 2013, following the end of Vacation: Unlimited, is a brand-new contest titled The Film School Challenge. This contest challenges contestants to use their animation skills to meet certain challenges and advance through the stages. After six rounds, only one contestant will be left standing!

     What makes this contest so unusual is that it is organized more like a game show/reality show crossover than a traditional contest. "There is more than one layer to this contest," said LEGO Studios CEO Mark Matthew. "Unlike in the Vacation: Unlimited Contests, where each participant made a video and put it up for evaluation, this contest will be organized into six rounds. After round 1 ends, only 6 participants are left standing. From there, one participant is eliminated for each round until one participant is left standing, who is then crowned the winner. To put it into simpler terms, think of it as like a musical chairs game for animators. There are always fewer chairs than participants, so that a clear winner can be named." For the prize, it has already been confirmed that the winner will receive a role in a future Mustache Maniacs Film Co. production! This is designated as a digital prize, so no home address needs to be given out.

     However, to keep the contest organized, all participants need to register to participate in advance. "We want to keep the contest as focused as possible in order to get this new contest format to work," said public relations head Sam Snead. "We don't have an exact limit for registration, but we want to keep the maximum number of participants below 50. That way, we won't have to worry about overwhelming our judging panel. Also, it allows us to distinguish between which entries are valid and which ones are not." Registration is scheduled to start December 1st of this year, but the winners of the Vacation: Unlimited Scrapbook Contest will be allowed to register early, starting October 20th! Also, registration is free!

     When the public registration period starts, more details will be released. Until then, we still have movies to release, including Mystery at Shady Acres (August 17), Late for the Soccer Match (October 19), and From the Vaults: The Drama Zone: Nightmare at Shady Acres (October 26).