RENTON, Wash., June 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Wizards of the Coast, the Seattle- based company behind Dungeons & Dragons, today announced its first-ever D&D(R) Fan Film Contest. Fans of the game have been exploring extraordinary worlds, encountering mystical adversaries, and developing incredible characters for more than 30 years. Now the boundless creativity and imaginations of its players are being called to an adventure very few have experienced before -- creating their very own film! So gamers, set down your d20 and fire up your video camera -- it's time to show the world your unique perspective on the D&D experience!

Contestants in the D&D Fan Film Contest are vying for more than just the thrill of letting their geek flag fly. One grand prize-winner will take home a new computer, video editing software, video camera, and a Dungeons & Dragons "Year of Dragons" gift pack which includes, the limited-edition Colossal Red Dragon and D&D Chess Set. In addition, three finalists will receive round- trip flights to Los Angeles, along with hotel accommodations, to attend the final judging and awards ceremony.

Here's how to enter:

1. Visit http://www.dndfanfilmfest.com/, and follow the instructions to
review the Official Contest Rules & Guidelines, complete and submit
an entry form and upload your film
2. Create one film that does not exceed five minutes in length
3. The finished film can be submitted on MPEG (.mpg), QuickTime (.mov),
Windows Video (.wmv), or AVI (.avi) file format
4. Deadline for submissions is September 1, 2006

All eligible films will be posted at http://www.gamevideos.com/, on or about September 15, 2006, and fans nationwide will be able to vote for their favorites until September 30, 2006. The top 10 eligible films, as chosen by the fans, will advance to the final judging, where a panel of celebrity fans and members of the independent film community, as well as game developers, will determine the final three. These entries will be judged by the following criteria: entertainment value (50 percent), originality (25 percent) and adherence to D&D genre (25 percent). The final three films will be screened in Los Angeles at the Worldwide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day, where the grand prizewinner will be announced.

"D&D fans are a passionate and creative bunch, so we're anticipating a fantastic response," said Liz Schuh, Brand Director for Dungeons & Dragons at Wizards of the Coast. "As diverse as our fans are today, we expect the submissions to run the gamut from tongue-in-cheek comedies, to perhaps even documentaries," Schuh continued.

Since its first release in 1974, the fantasy roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons has taken millions of players on imaginary adventures of epic scale. Today, the game is universally regarded as the original game that created the roleplaying game category, and the inspiration for generations of game designers. Now in its third edition, D&D is enjoyed by millions of players worldwide, while countless more remember it with fond nostalgia.

Source: Wizards of the Coast

Web site: http://www.dndfanfilmfest.com/
http://www.gamevideos.com/