2023 Take Me Outside Student Video Contest

Winners now announced for 2023!

We want to see how amazing this country’s backyard is, wherever you live!

And that’s the theme to this contest: Show us why we have one of the best backyards in the world and how you like spending time in it!

In partnership with MEC and the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival, we’re excited to once again host this unique video contest across Canada in 2023!

This is a chance to showcase the unique backyard of wherever you live, from coast to coast to coast. Tell a story, get creative, and dig into what it means for you to spend time outside, as an individual or in your class. As our first place winners from Regina, Saskatchewan, said last year: “The land teaches us.”

Individual learners from kindergarten to grade 12 can enter within two categories (K-6 & 7-12) or it can be a group/class project.

Submissions will be accepted until midnight (ET) on Friday September 29th, 2023.

The Grand Prize is a three day trip to Banff National Park for two people at the beginning of November 2023, and $400 to spend at MEC! The winning short film will also be shared at the Banff Mountain Film Festival’s Marketplace, and across social media platforms.

There are some great prizes from MEC as well – all aimed at getting learners outside, however it looks for you. First prize in each category will receive $400 to spend at MEC, and runner up entries each win $200!

Over the years, this community has truly supported the contest. A huge thanks to MEC and the Banff Centre for their support in this project. We also want to thank Caribou Properties and Banff Airporter for providing food and transportation to the lucky winner while in Banff.

If you have any questions, please feel free to send us an email or check out the Official Rules and Guidelines for more info. Updates can also be found on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

Past Winners

Looking for inspiration from past years?

So what do you need to know?

Grades K-6 Student Category

Prizes for 1st place & runner up

Submissions in this category can have help from a parent or guardian in filming and editing, provided the skill set of filming by the adult is still amateur (i.e. We’re not wanting contributions from folks who have a professional background in film-making!)

Grades 7-12 Student Category

Prizes for 1st place & runner up

Submissions in this category must be filmed and edited solely by the learner making the submission.

Grade K-12 Class Categoy

Prizes for 1st place & runner up

Submissions in this category can be submitted by an educator or learner, but must be filmed and edited by the learners or educators in that class. Only one submission per class!

Length

4 minutes or less.

Prizes

There will be a grand prize winner selected across all entries who will win the trip to Banff, alongside $400 to MEC. The 1st place winner in each category will receive $400 to spend at MEC, while each runner up receives $200 to MEC. See the Official Rules & Guidelines for more information.

Language

Videos can be created in any language. English subtitles must be used in all non-English videos.

Tips

We are storytelling creatures. We want to hear yours! Get creative. Tell us, and better yet, show us why Canada has the best backyard in the world and how you like spending time in it. If you’re submitting in the individual student category, there are so many different ways you can film this and so many options for showcasing the land and all it has to offer.

If it’s your class making a submission, show us how you’re finding adventures and exploring beyond the your classroom and schoolyard fence. Does your class go on field trips? How does your teacher enable you to explore outside the classroom? What adventures are used as learning opportunities while exploring Canada’s backyard?

What kind of story will you tell? Great stories come in many different forms – a short drama, comedy, montage, documentary – the options are endless. Figure out how you want to tell yours, then make it your own! All are encouraged to enter: classes, home school groups, and independent learners as well.

Don’t forget to check out our Rules and Guidelines before submitting your video.

To learn more, email info@takemeoutside.ca. We look forward to hearing from you and seeing what you come up with!

Download and print the official 2023 TMO Film Contest poster by clicking here, or on the poster below.

Twitter version available here.

The Take Me Outside Student Video Contest is in partnership with: