Whether you’re full-timing or freelancing, contests are a great way to keep your creative juices flowing. They give you deadlines, they give you more work to add on your reel, and sometimes, they even pay off. We keep our eyes on contests, occasionally enter ourselves, and put in work on some, as well. So grab your camera and get moving

5. The International Olympic Challenge’s Best Of Us Challenge*

A little secret about videocontests: If they’re not offering millions of dollars in prizes, chances are, they’re not getting that many submissions. Also, the best ones to enter are often the easiest ones to enter, because it won’t take much time.

Enter, the Best Of Us Challenge. All you have to do is upload a video of yourself attempting to complete one of the challenges on the their website, posted either by Olympians or regular youtubers. You can even post your own challenge and you will be entered to win.

Prizes include a trip to the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore this summer, among other things. Highly recommended. Below is Brandon’s Entry.

* Disclosure: Urgent Content, Urgensia’s Parent, has been doing some work with the Agency behind the Best Of Us Challenge

4. Pepsi Refresh Contest

Prize is $10,000 and the chance to produce a commercial for Pepsi, which will look pretty good on most young creators’ reels. Subject is a 60 short on how you would ‘refresh’ the world. More info here.

3. Fidelity’s Be The Greenline contest

Another super simple challenge. A video about how you’re the “green line,” whatever that is. Prize is 5k. Website.

2. Best Buy Barcelona Contest

7500k. Make a 90 second short. Website

1. International Doc Challenge.

Previously blogged about here.

So get moving people!