I WANT TO BE A WINNER TOO! (Step 1: Get ready.)

Well, wanting it's the first step. Good for you.

This year's competition is just heating up, and there's plenty of time to get a whole batch of entries ready for the judging.

First thing, think about the categories, and which ones you might want to enter — remember, you can send in as many entries as you want, from any categories. And if you're an SPD Student Member, your first 3 entries are FREE!

The five categories are

Film Magazine
This publication informs an audience of young and older cinephiles about the behind-the-scenes, well, scenes in the film business. It gives gossip, industry developments, and information about directors, films in the works, deals being made, and newcomers you don't know of—yet. Indie projects and big-budget efforts share space in its pages. Lavishly illustrated with cutting edge photography and film stills, this is more than a trade rag.

PROJECT Celebrity biography/profile -- choose an actor/actress or director as your subject.
HEADLINE Up Close: (Actor/Director Name)
SUBHEAD TEXT Hollywood can't/couldn't get enough of this stalwart actor/director. With an inspired body of work that commands respect, (insert last name of actor or director) remains one of the most acclaimed legends of the silver screen.
BYLINE By Marion Curley
WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT Design a two-spread feature** that focuses on a living or dead actor or director's career. You can use a real actor or director as the subject, as well as real films they've made (or invent some), along with other information factoids or graphics that relate to their career highlights. Think about what people would find engaging. You might want to go beyond using all portrait photography and find some photos of the actor/director behind the scenes on-set. Remember, you don't actually have to write the story, but use real names of the subject if you have display type, for example, pointing to a photo of Kate Winslet or Alfred Hitchcock.



Entertainment Magazine
This new publication targets young people from college age to young professionals. A clever, sometimes sharp-tongued magazine, it focuses on music, movies and television, with reviews, investigative stories, interviews and reader polls. This magazine isn't afraid to poke fun at the subjects it profiles.

PROJECT Celebrity Interview -- choose a recording artist or group (Example: Weezer).
HEADLINE The headline will be the subject's name.
SUBHEAD TEXT Sex, drugs, and rock and roll are what the lyrics preach but to think that's what defines (him/her/them) would be a sin. The gospel according to (person or group name as headline)
BYLINE By Chemra Chavez.
WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT Design a two-spread feature** that would appear in this magazine. There must be some text, but it does not have to begin on the first spread. Find great photos of your chosen artist, but think beyond the expected. Look for baby pictures, a great illustration, or maybe there's a way to illustrate him/her with type instead of an image. It's to your advantage not to choose your friend's band or someone too obscure. Think celebrity. Remember, you don't actually have to write the story, but use the band's real name if you have display type, for example, pointing to a photo of Weezer.



Sports Magazine
This publication is a must-read for young athletes and people obsessed with extreme sports and the lifestyle associated with them. It reviews new products, covers competitions and goes around the world to explore new sports. Writers interview sports super-stars as well as kids in the park. Style is a big focus of the magazine, and it regularly covers what athletes wear and where they hang out.

PROJECT Sports profile -- choose a sport (Example: Skateboarding).
HEADLINE "Extreme Rush" or "The Thrill of It"
SUBHEAD TEXT Danny (or Danielle) Way aced the (you add name here) Competition—this (name of sport) legend now owns the top spot. But it wasn't always this easy.
BYLINE By Katherine Geib
WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT The story will focus on participants in the chosen sport, amateur or professional, with an emphasis on lifestyle and attitude. You can highlight the athlete's style (clothing, hair, body piercing, gear, etc.). Look for photos of an athlete in the middle of a great jump, at the moment of victory, or the moment of defeat. Or, take your own photos of skateboarders in the park, great haircuts, boots–improvise. You can choose a famous athlete or your teenage brother and his friends. Design a two-spread feature** on your chosen subject. The text does not have to begin on the first spread, but it certainly can. Remember, you don't actually have to write the story, but use real names of sports and players if you have display type, for example, pointing to a photo of Real Madrid or Andy Roddick.



Travel Magazine
This magazine is a new travel guide for college students and young professionals looking for inexpensive ways to see the world. It has lots of maps, youth hostel reviews, info on cameras and gear, clothing, footwear and books. Readers' photos and journals are featured, as well as short stories and advice columns.

PROJECT Travel Guide -- choose a destination.
HEADLINE The headline will be the name of the country or city.
SUBHEAD TEXT The insider's guide: 10 places to eat, drink and hang out like a local.
BYLINE By Fabrice Carrier
WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT Design a two-spread guide** to your chosen destination. The key to successful spreads will lie in the research. Consider including postcards, maps, unusual souvenirs, passport stamps, rail schedules, foreign money. If you haven't taken the big college trip abroad, try designing a guide to your own city or state. Your spreads should be full of information that would be useful to a young person on a budget. Think about what would be important to you if you were traveling. Remember, you don't actually have to write the story, but use the real names of places if you have display type, for example, pointing to a photo of Buckingham Palace.



News Magazine
This edgy news and history magazine intended for college students has hard-hitting interviews, profiles and feature stories about historic events.

PROJECT Crime
HEADLINE THE ESCAPE ARTISTS or THE GET-AWAY ARTISTS
SUBHEAD TEXT On a warm August morning in 2004, two men and a woman ran out of the [Name of Museum] with [famous artist's name] [ title of same artist's work], never to be seen again. A true story of art, thieves, and the man hunting for a missing masterpiece.
BYLINE By Isabella Gardner
WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT This story explains the theft of a famous work of art, the theories about who did it, and profiles of the victims, the suspects and the detective working the case. Think of innovative ways to illustrate the story – not just photos of the museum or the artwork. You may want to incorporate maps, floor plans, historic timelines. Design a two-spread feature** on your chosen museum and artwork. The text does not have to begin on the first spread, but it certainly can. Remember, you don't actually have to write the story, but use the real names of places if you have display type.

**A spread consists of two side-by-side pages; in this case, a page measures 8 x 10". The spread itself will measure 16 x 10".


Now that you've thought about the categories & what you can do to dazzle us, work on putting together the actual entries. Like some of our mamas always say, "You can't win unless you enter."

Wait - maybe that's the lotto people.

Anyways, here's HOW TO ENTER:

1. CHOOSE
Select a project from one of the five categories listed above (film, entertainment, sports, travel, and news).

2. DESIGN
Create a 4-page story (two spreads) on the project you choose. Each page measures 8 x 10, so a spread is 16 x 10. Original photography or illustration is not required, but welcome if appropriate. You may enter more than one design in the same or different categories

3. SUBMIT Either printed material or electronic files
PRINTED MATERIAL:
Full-size spreads, not reduced copies. DO NOT MOUNT THE WORK TO ANY TYPE OF BOARD. Tape a copy of your completed entry form to the BACK of each submission. Staple the spreads together in the upper left-hand corner. (NOTE: Slides are NOT accepted).

OR

ELECTRONIC PDF:
Burn all submissions to a CD. Entries should be full size, print quality, 300 dpi, PDF files (all fonts embedded). It is ok to put multiple entries on one CD. Include a printed copy of the entry form for each entry. Mark clearly the name of the school & students' last name(s) on CD.

4. SEND
Mail all entries with completed entry and payment forms to:
The Society of Publication Designers
17 East 47th Street, floor 6
New York, NY 10017
tel: 212.223.3332

Please read this over carefully and stay within the guidelines. SPD reserves the right to disqualify any miscategorized or incomplete entries.