Rain Bird Accepting Entries for Film Competition

Rain Bird is giving amateur and experienced filmmakers the opportunity to showcase their talents. The 2008 Intelligent Use of Water (IUOW) Film Competition invites filmmakers to use the power of film to increase awareness of the need for responsible water usage. The competition accepts all narrative, documentary, animated, experimental and/or student-made short films (1-10 minutes in actual or excerpted run time) that explore methods and ideas to responsibly manage and utilize the earth's most precious resource.

Films submitted online at www.iuowfilm.com will be reviewed by a judging panel made up of film and water management experts. Finalists will be selected and invited to a special screening event on Oct. 11, 2008 in Los Angeles. Shalini Kantayya, director of the 2007 Audience Choice Award Winner winner, A Drop of Life, will serve as master of ceremonies.

Following the screening at the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, Rain Bird will announce the winners and award cash prizes of $6,000 for the Jury Award and $3,000 for the Audience Choice Award.

"It has been proven time and again that film is an extremely powerful medium capable of inspiring global change," says Dave Johnson, Rain Bird's corporate marketing director. "By sponsoring the 2008 Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition, we aim to encourage discussion about responsible water usage. We are excited to once again be able to provide a forum that enables filmmakers of all sorts to actively raise awareness of this important issue."

All entries must be submitted electronically as a .mov, .wmv or .mpg file no later than 11:59 p.m. (PDT) on Sept. 1, 2008 for consideration.  Visit www.iuowfilm.com for more information on the competition and entry requirements.

In addition to The Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition, Rain Bird devotes significant resources to its Intelligent Use of Water public education initiatives. These include:

• The Intelligent Use of Water Award    
• Bi-annual Intelligent Use of Water Summits
• White papers   
• Public service announcements    
• Membership on the Alliance for Water Efficiency and the steering committee advising the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its WaterSense product labeling program   
• Partnerships with non-profit organizations   
• Development and support of elementary and middle school curriculums
• Participation in the Tournament of Roses Parade