We encourage students in journalism/film/media programs as well as students who have no formal media affiliation or experience to enter Storyfest. In order to judge them accordingly, we have created split categories based on formal training in the given medium.  Media/Communications students are those who are majoring or minoring in recognized journalism/film/media programs; NON-Media/Communications students are in the liberal arts, sciences, engineering, business, law and other academic pursuits.

Award Categories

i. Best Short Video by a Media/Communications Student;

ii. Best Short Video by a NON-Media/Communications Student

All video submissions should be one to eight (1-8) minutes in length with HD-quality audio and visual, and include an article, which should be fifty to two hundred (50-200) words describing the video without transcription. All video submissions must be uploaded to Vimeo or YouTube. If the entry is longer than eight minutes, a trailer must be submitted that satisfies the run time requirement.

iii. Best Multimedia Story by a Media/Communications Student;

iv. Best Multimedia Story by a NON-Media/Communications Student:

Multimedia projects may creatively combine elements of photography, video, audio/music, and other forms of digital art as, for example, incorporated into an Adobe Express story. All photograph submissions should utilize digital images with a minimum of one hundred and fifty (150) dots per inch (dpi) and feature detailed captions, not to exceed two hundred (200) words for each photograph. Each multimedia project should include a short article. The written portion should be two hundred to six hundred (200-600) words and should summarize the submission.  If a multimedia submission is prepared using Adobe Express or similar platform, an embed code and an additional written summary of one hundred to two hundred (100-200) words and one (1) photograph to be featured.

v. Best Writing by a Writing/Journalism Student;

vi.  Best Writing by a NON-Writing/Journalism Student:

All written submissions should be six hundred to one thousand (600-1,000) words and include a minimum of one (1) image, where the image is preferably taken by the Entrant, and feature interviews with two to three (2-3) sources.

What can my story be about?

We’re looking for stories about ideas and innovations that can move the planet forward. Untold stories. Misunderstood stories. And little-known ideas, people, and breakthroughs that can make a difference, have impact, inform, and inspire. These are the topic areas we’re hoping you will explore, and can reflect your studies, research, work, experience, or dreams:

• Food: How can we feed the planet, grow better food, stop wasting so much of it?
• Water: How should we use it, conserve it, clean it, get it to places that don’t have enough of it?
• Energy: What are new ways to get it, make it cleaner, use it more efficiently?
• Mobility: What’s a better way to get around, reduce congestion, minimize the impact on the environment and the climate? What has changed since the pandemic, for better or worse, and how can we look forward?
• The built environment: How should we build for the future? What are the new materials, technologies or designs that will make better homes, offices, neighborhoods, cities and towns? How has the pandemic changed our view of city life?
• Biodiversity: How do we preserve and foster our vital ecosystems?
• Public health: What impact and takeaways can the environmental movement utilize from the pandemic and/or the response to it? How are climate change and the pandemic intertwined, and what can we learn?
• Climate justice: How can we better implement climate policies and environmental initiatives that provide fair and equal treatment to all communities, and prevent discrimination in the systems that perpetuate climate change?

2024 GRAND PRIZE

Grand Prize: Travel with Lindblad Expeditions to see and report on the environment.

The winners will travel with Lindblad Expeditions for an exciting opportunity to see and report on the environmental solutions, preventative measures, and innovations in a site of environmental significance.

Accompany Planet Forward journalists, a team of naturalists, and an expedition leader aboard one of Lindblad’s ships to either the Galápagos or Iceland.  The ship’s expert team will host talks, as well as offer guidance ashore, while Planet Forward will be your editorial guide to help shape the stories that will come from the experience.

Winners will be selected for either the Galápagos or Iceland based on their answers to a survey that will be distributed to them once the Finalist results are announced. The Winners’ schools and research interests will be considered by Planet Forward staff when selecting the trip dates and locations for each Winner. No Winner shall be permitted to request Trip 1 or Trip 2 for their Prize, nor shall such requests be granted, after Planet Forward staff shares its selections with the Winners.

Judging

Storyfest entries will be judged in four areas:

1. Creativity and effectiveness of chosen format/s and storytelling techniques;
2. Excellence in written/verbal communication and/or technical and production skill;
3. Factual accuracy, including attribution of facts, data and quotes, and superior research that considers different perspectives; and
4. Overall potential impact of the storytelling.

All submitted work will be reviewed by Planet Forward’s team of experts.

Team Entries

Please note that team entries are limited to two team members. Both team members will be recognized at any university award presentation; however, only one Prize will be awarded for the entire team. See the Official Rules for more information on team entries.

Story Eligibility & Deadline

Any story submitted on PlanetForward.org between Tuesday, June 1, 2023, 12:00 am EDT, and the deadline to submit stories, Monday, February 5, 2024, at 11:59 PM EST, is eligible for Storyfest 2024.

HOW TO ENTER

1. Review the Official Rules, then log into your PlanetForward.org account, or create a new one.
2. Draft your story on the Planet Forward website.
3. At the bottom of the page, check the “This is a Storyfest entry” checkbox and complete the entry form questions. 
4. Change your story status to “Needs Review,” and hit “Save.” You’re done!

Need help? Email editor@planetforward.org.