TXU Energy and Dallas Film Society Open Online Voting for Fourth Annual Student Film Contest

Contest features promising young filmmakers from Texas and their short films on the future of energy

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TXU Energy and the Dallas Film Society have opened online voting for the fourth annual TXU Energy Light Up the Red Carpet Student Film Contest. Voting continues now through March 29 at txu.com/studentfilmcontest, where competing high school and college student filmmakers have posted their original short films on the future of energy as they compete for cash prizes, video equipment and a walk down the red carpet.

This year’s submissions include films created in markets across Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Houston, San Antonio, Laredo and others. Online voters can choose from films of various genres, including music video, comedy, animation, horror/sci-fi or drama. Voters are asked to score the videos based on how innovative and creative they are in approaching energy, the entertainment and production quality, and how effectively they communicate the filmmakers’ concepts or messages.

The films with the most popular votes will win the Community Choice Prizes; Grand and First Prize films will be determined by a combination of popular vote and judging by representatives of the Dallas Film Society and TXU Energy. By early April, the final three high school and the final three university film submissions will be named. Prizes will be announced at the Dallas Film Society Honors on April 12.

This year’s finalists will have the opportunity see their film on the big screen at the 2013 Dallas International Film Festival. Each of the top films in the high school and college categories will win the Grand Prize of $7,500. First Prize winners from each category will receive $3,000, and the films from each category that receive the most online votes will win the Community Choice Prize and $1,000. Prizes will be split evenly between the winning students and their schools’ audiovisual departments. All finalists have also won editing software valued at roughly $300.

Full details about the contest, including the official rules and a brief video overview, can be found at txu.com/studentfilmcontest.

KEY DATES FOR STUDENT FILMMAKERS

• Now - March 29	Public online voting for films takes place
• Early April	Early April Final six films named (three high school and three college)
• April 12	April 12 VIP evening for the final six: awards reception, red carpet event and awards ceremony (where winners are announced)

About TXU Energy

TXU Energy is a market-leading competitive retail electricity provider, powering the lives of more Texans than any other retailer. TXU Energy offers a variety of innovative products and solutions, allowing both its residential and business customers to choose options that best meet their needs, including exceptional customer service, competitively priced electricity service plans, innovative energy efficiency options, renewable energy programs and other electricity-related products and services. Visit txu.com for more information about TXU Energy. REP #10004

About the Dallas Film Society

The Dallas Film Society celebrates films and their impact on society. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the Dallas Film Society recognizes and honors filmmakers for their achievements in enhancing the creative community, provides educational programs to students to develop better understanding of the role of film in today's world, and promotes the City of Dallas and its commitment to the art of filmmaking. In addition to producing one of the largest festivals in the Southwest, the Society produces numerous year round events, screening series and partnership programs with arts organizations around the city. For more information, call [phone], or visit dallasfilm.org.