Commons talk:Video challenge/themes
Add topic```wiki
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Video Challenge  The Video Challenge inspires videographers to create great videos and upload them to Wikimedia Commons. Four seasonal thematic competitions are held each year — Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall — giving participants time to plan, film, edit, and produce high-quality original video works. Seasonal challenges encourage participants to explore new subjects, filming techniques, storytelling methods, editing techniques, and creative approaches while improving the Commons repository of free video media. Videos entered into a competition must be new to Commons and created by a Commons user. |
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Formal things
[edit]- Challenges
The Video Challenge consists of four seasonal competitions each year.
Each challenge is based on a theme and normally remains open for submissions throughout its season.
The four annual challenge periods are:
- Winter Challenge — January through March
- Spring Challenge — April through June
- Summer Challenge — July through September
- Fall Challenge — October through December
The theme may be a concrete subject, an abstract concept, a filming technique, an editing technique, a storytelling concept, or an artistic style.
- Participation
Everybody can participate in Video Challenges open for submission.
You simply:
- Choose the current seasonal challenge.
- Read the challenge description, which may contain additional rules. Some challenges may specify where or when the video must be recorded.
- Create your video(s) during the challenge period, unless the individual challenge specifically allows previously recorded material.
- Upload your video(s) to Wikimedia Commons during the challenge period.
- Submit your candidate(s) to the current challenge gallery during the challenge period.
To submit your entry, edit the Entries section of the current challenge and insert the file name above the last entry.
Add your entry between the <gallery> tags as indicated.
Gallery entries are placed each on a new line and consist of the filename, a vertical bar |, and a description.
For example:
Example video.webm|A short description of the video
For help on gallery syntax see Help:Gallery tag.
Please do not add square brackets [[ ]], a thumb parameter, or the full URL.
The File: prefix is not required, but harmless.
- Do not sign your submission(s).
- If you want, look at previous Video Challenges and Vote.
Video Challenges are open to any Commons user.
Submissions must be your own work, not previously uploaded to Commons prior to the challenge period, and should illustrate the challenge theme in the opinion of the videographer.
Please read the individual challenge description, as there may be additional rules or explanations for a particular challenge.
There is no limit on the number of submissions per user unless a particular challenge specifically restricts the number of entries.
Participants are encouraged to submit their best and most varied work.
New themes can be proposed and discussed here.
- Assessment
After each seasonal challenge closes to new submissions, the videos will be assessed by community voting.
You are allowed to vote for videos submitted by others if your Commons account is at least ten days old and has more than 50 edits, or if you participated in one of the Video Challenges.
Video Challenges open for voting can be found here.
- Winning
The best three videos from each seasonal challenge will be awarded first, second, and third place.
Winning videos will be displayed on the Video Challenge page and may use the template
This video was awarded place in the [[Commons:Video challenge/ - - |]] Video Challenge in .
``` on the video file description page.
Table of contents
[edit]
Seasonal Challenge Calendar
[edit]| Challenge | Submission period | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Winter Video Challenge | January 1 – March 31 | Winter |
| Spring Video Challenge | April 1 – June 30 | Spring |
| Summer Video Challenge | July 1 – September 30 | Summer |
| Fall Video Challenge | October 1 – December 31 | Fall |
Each seasonal challenge features a new theme. Themes may be selected from the Video Challenge categories or from themes proposed by the Commons community.
Video Challenge Categories
[edit]The Video Challenge uses categories inspired by the subject areas currently represented in Commons:Featured media.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Animals | Videos featuring animals, wildlife, animal behavior, or zoological subjects. |
| Animated | Animation, computer-generated video, animated graphics, and related moving-image works. |
| Astronomy | Videos of astronomical objects, space, planets, stars, spacecraft, and astronomical events. |
| Current events | Videos documenting contemporary events, activities, demonstrations, newsworthy events, and public happenings. |
| Documentary | Documentary-style videos documenting people, places, cultures, activities, or events. |
| Drone | Aerial and drone video, including landscapes, cities, buildings, events, and nature filmed from the air. |
| Educational | Instructional, explanatory, scientific, historical, technical, or educational videos. |
| Fiction | Narrative, dramatic, cinematic, experimental, or fictional video works. |
| Historical | Historical footage, archival material, reenactments, historic locations, objects, and events. |
| Music | Musical performances, concerts, dance performances, music-related events, and music videos. |
| Nature | Landscapes, plants, weather, geological features, natural phenomena, and other aspects of the natural world. |
| Science | Scientific demonstrations, experiments, research, technology demonstrations, and scientific phenomena. |
| Sports | Sporting events, athletic activities, recreation, and demonstrations of sporting skills. |
| Technology | Technology, machines, engineering, transportation, computing, and technological processes. |
| Time-lapse | Time-lapse, accelerated motion, long-duration processes, sunsets, construction, movement, and other time-based subjects. |
| Other | Video subjects that do not fit naturally into one of the categories above. |
Video Challenge open for submission
[edit]
Video Challenge — Submitting
Welcome to the Video Challenge submission page.
This page is used to submit videos to the current Video Challenge.
Current Challenge
[edit]| Challenge | Submission period | Voting period | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | 1 August – 31 August 2026 | 1 September – 30 September 2026 | The Ocean |
For the complete challenge description, rules and theme information, see:
How to Submit
[edit]- Create a video that fits the current challenge theme.
- Upload your video to Wikimedia Commons during the submission period.
- Make sure the video complies with Wikimedia Commons licensing and other policies.
- Add your video to the Entries gallery below.
- Add a short description of what the video shows.
Adding your video to the gallery
[edit]Edit this page and add your video to the top of the gallery.
Use this format:
Example video.webm|A short description of the video
The File: prefix is optional.
For example:
Granlibakken Tahoe resort Tahoe City California by Don Ramey Logan.webm|Granlibakken Tahoe resort in Tahoe City, California
Do not add square brackets around the filename.
Do not add a full Wikimedia Commons URL.
Examples: The Ocean
[edit]The following videos demonstrate some of the many ways the theme The Ocean can be interpreted.
A challenge entry does not need to look like these examples. Videos may be short or long, artistic or documentary, simple or highly produced.
|
Ocean Waves A short video showing ocean waves. |
Ocean Waves — Iceland Ocean waves at Lækjavik beach, Iceland. |
Santa Rosa Island — California Waves and coastline of Santa Rosa Island, California. |
These examples are intended to show the range of possible interpretations of the theme.
Your video might show waves, marine wildlife, boats, sailing, diving, beaches, underwater scenes, coastal landscapes, storms, sunsets, ocean science, conservation, or something completely different.
Your video does not need to resemble these examples.
Important
[edit]- The video must be your own work.
- The video must be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons during the challenge submission period unless the individual challenge specifically allows previously uploaded material.
- The video must be freely licensed and otherwise suitable for Wikimedia Commons.
- Please provide an informative description on the file page.
- Please do not submit substantially identical versions of the same video multiple times.
- You may submit more than one video unless the individual challenge specifies a limit.
- Do not sign your gallery entry.
Entries
[edit]Add new entries at the top of this gallery.
After Submissions Close
[edit]At the end of the submission period, the gallery will be closed to new entries.
The eligible entries will then be moved to the voting process.
Challenge Navigation
[edit]
Video Challenge open for voting
[edit]
Voting is open to all registered contributors who have held accounts for at least 10 days and made 50 edits, and also to new Commons contributors who have entered the challenge with a video.
Users cannot vote for their own video.
Voters may select up to three videos in each challenge to award points and can give praise to other videos without awarding points.
Voting will normally remain open for one month following the close of each seasonal challenge.
Votes that do not comply with these requirements may be removed or converted to praises. In some cases users may be asked to correct their votes after voting ends.
```wiki
Voting
[edit]Voting is open to all registered contributors who:
- have held an account for at least 10 days and made at least 50 edits; or
- participated in the Video Challenge by submitting a video.
Users cannot vote for their own video.
Voters may select up to three videos in each theme to receive points:
- 1st place — 3 points
- 2nd place — 2 points
- 3rd place — 1 point
- Highly commended — 0 points
A voter may give Highly Commended recognition to additional videos without awarding points.
Please vote based on the video itself rather than the identity or reputation of its creator.
Where possible, review the videos before looking at the current vote totals.
In addition to technical and artistic merit, voters should consider how effectively the video addresses the challenge theme.
Voting normally remains open for one month.
Voting format
[edit]Use the following format:
*{{3/3*}} -- ~~~~
*{{2/3*}} -- ~~~~
*{{1/3*}} -- ~~~~
*{{0/3*}} -- ~~~~
The four levels correspond to:
- 3/3 — 1st place
- 2/3 — 2nd place
- 1/3 — 3rd place
- 0/3 — Highly commended
Voting considerations
[edit]Because this is a Video Challenge, voters are encouraged to consider:
- How well the video illustrates the theme
- Originality and creativity
- Cinematography and composition
- Camera movement
- Lighting and exposure
- Focus and image quality
- Editing and pacing
- Sound quality and synchronization
- Storytelling or documentary value
- Overall effectiveness as a video
Not every criterion will apply equally to every challenge.
A short, simple video can be an excellent entry if it communicates its subject effectively.
Current voting
[edit]Voting fairness
[edit]Please do not vote for your own video.
If a voter selects more than one video for first, second, or third place in the same theme, the duplicate votes may be converted to Highly Commended recognition.
Votes that do not comply with the voting rules may be removed.
In some cases voters may be asked to correct their votes after voting closes. ```
Previous Video Challenges
[edit]
```wiki
August 2026
[edit][Theme]
[edit]| Rank | Video | Title | Author | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | ||||
| #2 | ||||
| #3 |
[Second Theme, if applicable]
[edit]| Rank | Video | Title | Author | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | ||||
| #2 | ||||
| #3 |
July 2026
[edit]```
```
2026 – August – [THEME]
[edit]The August 2026 Video Challenge features [THEME].
The challenge is open for submissions from 00:00 UTC on 1 August 2026 through 23:59 UTC on 31 August 2026.
The purpose of this challenge is to encourage Commons contributors to create original video that explores the theme through moving images, sound, camera movement, editing, documentary observation, or creative storytelling.
The challenge
[edit][WRITE THE SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE THEME HERE.]
Videos may approach the subject literally, creatively, artistically, scientifically, historically, or from a documentary perspective.
Rules
[edit]- The video must be your own work.
- The video must be newly uploaded to Wikimedia Commons during the challenge period.
- The video must comply with Wikimedia Commons licensing and scope requirements.
- There is no requirement that the video be professionally produced.
- Previously recorded footage may be used only if the challenge description specifically permits it.
- There is no limit on the number of entries unless this challenge specifies otherwise.
- Please submit your best and most varied work rather than many substantially identical videos.
Entries
[edit]Submit your video by adding it to the gallery below.
Add new entries above the existing entries.
Voting
[edit]Voting will begin after the submission period ends.
Voters may select:
- 1st place — 3 points
- 2nd place — 2 points
- 3rd place — 1 point
- Highly commended — 0 points
Voters may not vote for their own video.
See Commons:Video challenge/Voting for complete voting rules.
Challenge dates
[edit]| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Submission opens | 1 August 2026 |
| Submission closes | 31 August 2026 |
| Voting opens | 1 September 2026 |
| Voting closes | 30 September 2026 |
| Results announced | After voting closes |
```