Contest: Create 15 to 90-second animated film

Source: Media Post Publications
by Les Luchter,


DIPPIN' DOTS, WHICH SELLS ITS frozen beads of ice cream, yogurt, sherbet and frozen ice in thousands of franchise stores and other locations, has partnered with Santa Monica, CA-based branded entertainment production firm matrixx Productions on a user-generated online contest called the "Adventures of Packy Movie Mash-Up Challenge."

Contestants will use a matrixx-developed, Web-based game tool at Dippin Dots to create 15 to 90-second animated films starring the Dippin' Dots' mascot, Packy. Dippin' Dots said users will be able to easily select various background scenes, animations, props and soundtracks, and they will also have the ability to add bubble-text dialogue similar to a comic book.

The emerging media group at matrix created the content tool in Flash 8 AS2. Following the contest period, the application will live on as a playable game on dippindots.com, and matrix has also seeded social networking profiles on MySpace and Facebook with links to the game.

The Dippin' Dots contest started Friday, with entries due by August 7. A panel of company judges will then select the top five films based on visitor ratings and number of views, as well as creativity and originality.

The selected movies will next be voted on by fellow contest entrants during a two-week period, with the top vote-getter receiving $2,500 and Dippin' Dots for a year.

Following that, Dippin' Dots will post the five finalists on YouTube for another couple of weeks; the most viewed entry there will win a "wildcard" prize of $1,000 and a six-month supply of Dippin' Dots ice cream. Dippin' Dots is based in Paduch, KY.