OPTUS AND BELL SHAKESPEARE BRING BACK MAKE A SCENE IN 2009

Make A Scene is back!

Optus and Bell Shakespeare are again joining together to invite students Australia-wide to select a Shakespearean phrase and interpret it in their own way.

With students being so internet and technology savvy and with the greater opportunities to utilise technology in the school curriculum, teachers can take advantage of the new look Make A Scene competition.

There are significant prizes to be won, with the best national entry awarded an Apple iPhone 3G plus $5,000 cash for the individual student and $10,000 cash for their school.

Make A Scene is run as an online competition with entries becoming more innovative and creative each year. This year the competition is housed on a great new website with enhanced functionality. All entries will be moderated and students across the country can vote for each other's work and browse the gallery.

Students can submit their interpretation in any medium they choose - be it a drawing, photograph, illustration, podcast, animation or movie - as long as it is submitted electronically as a still image, audio or movie file.

"To help inspire the students and promote the competition, we have incorporated some fantastic innovative technology called Augmented Reality that utilises the user's webcam to project 3D images onto the viewing screen. Augmented Reality aims to engage and enhance the students interest in Shakespeare and encourage greater expression in their entries," Maha Krishnapillai, Optus Director, Government and Corporate Affairs said.

Linda Lorenza, Head of Education, Bell Shakespeare said, "Since Make A Scene moved to an online format in 2007, its popularity just keeps on growing. As technology is a key component of Australian secondary education, Make A Scene provides a unique mechanism through which students can explore their own contemporary interpretations of Shakespeare. We're launching a great new gallery-led website so that the students' entries can be seen by peers, family, friends and web-users worldwide. Additionally this year's prize categories have been expanded to be age and entry format specific".

The judging panel consists of John Bell, Artistic Director, Bell Shakespeare; Josh Rowe, Digital Creative Group Head, MARK; acclaimed children's author Andy Griffiths; and Geoff Nevill, Arts and Community Sponsorship Manager from Optus.

"It's difficult to encounter Shakespeare's boundless imagination and creativity without it striking a corresponding chord in oneself. I love the Make A Scene competition because it offers a fabulous way for students to explore and express their responses to the work of Shakespeare in the most imaginative and creative way possible!" Andy Griffiths said.

Entries can be uploaded from 1 October 2009. In the mean time, students can view last year's winners on the website for inspiration.

Full details on how to enter, entry categories, prizes, judges and terms and conditions can be found on the Make A Scene website at www.optus.com.au/makeascene

Entries close on 30 October 2009.

For more information:

Zoe Lane, Bell Shakespeare, Publicist, Phone: +61 3 9419 8837
Tracy Woodley, Optus Corporate Affairs, Phone: +61 2 8082 7850