America’s State Parks and Sony Creative Software, a leading developer of award-winning and easy-to-use video and audio editing applications, today announced a partnership to promote nationwide park visits and outdoor recreation.
The partnership is designed to build awareness of America’s state park system, not only by creating enhanced video content of the state parks to attract new visitors, but also encouraging visitors to document their own experiences that can be entered in an exciting new online contest. Using Sony’s Vegas Movie Studio Platinum HD video editing software, park visitors can capture, edit and create video that brings a brief sample of the awe-inspiring park experience home to online viewers.
America’s State Parks is hosting the America’s State Parks Filmmaker Challenge to motivate visitors to create videos of their favorite park experiences. Calling for submissions beginning June through Sept. 1, America’s State Parks will host the user videos on its YouTube page. Videos will be judged based on a range of criteria including creativity and production quality. Finalists will be announced at Custer State Park in South Dakota early in September and winners will be unveiled on Nov. 15.
“Our collaboration with America’s State Parks enables people to see state parks with a new perspective by putting together movies about their visits using our new multimedia production software,” said Brad Reinke, senior vice president for Sony Creative Software. “Our park system is truly a national treasure and our involvement in this promotion will help spread the word and incentivize the public to connect today’s technology with the majesty of the great outdoors.”
Additionally, Sony’s leading multimedia creation tool, Imagination Studio Suite, will be integrated in a nationwide media and marketing program designed to promote outdoor recreation, which will kick off this month. America’s State Parks Youth Ambassadors-volunteer youth who are dedicated to promoting state parks-will use the software to produce compelling video essays that document stories and information about the state parks they represent or visit. These videos will be hosted on www.americasstateparks.org.
“We are very pleased to team up with Sony Creative Software for this important program,” said Joe Elton, National Association of State Park Directors president and director of Virginia State Parks. “Together, we are raising awareness for our parks in a creative way and helping our Youth Ambassadors attract the attention and support of other young Americans while they develop their own deep connection with nature.”
America’s State Parks (www.americasstateparks.org) is an alliance of public and private organizations working to promote and enhance the collective national treasure that is the great park system found across our 50 states. With over 7,000 units and nearly three-quarter of a billion annual visits, America’s State Parks are vital to the American quality of life. Leadership and governance for America’s State Parks comes from members of the National Association of State Park Directors representing each region of the country.
