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And the USA.gov Video Contest Winner is …

Peter Sullivan, 38, a stay-at-home dad from Nashville, TN, wins the $2,500 prize.

Meet the USA.gov Video Contest Winner

Screenshot from the winning video

It's a victory for stay at home Dads everywhere! Peter Sullivan, of Nashville, TN, is the winner of the 2010 USA.gov Video Contest.

While scrolling video contest websites, Sullivan thought the USA.gov video contest would be a great opportunity to incorporate his two kids and friends into a fun, creative project that could provide his family with a little extra cash.

His video, “Get Your Voice Heard,” featuring a song he wrote himself, was chosen from over 30 other entries.

“I thought the best way to explain what USA.gov does was to make up a funny story and a song that would stick in people's heads,” Sullivan said. “If it was funny enough to be memorable, and could relay all the info about the website, and we could wrap it up in a catchy song, we could have a shot at winning.“

And win he did. With the $2,500 cash prize, Sullivan plans to pay off some bills. Working around his wife's schedule as an emergency medicine resident and his kids' naptimes, this full time dad has entered—and won a few other contests.

Sullivan's video can be seen on the USA.gov YouTube channel. Read the script of the winning video.

Listen to Sullivan's interview with Federal News Radio.

Quick Facts

• Out of over 30 entries, Peter Sullivan, 38, of Nashville, TN, wins the 2010 USA.gov Video Contest.
• Sullivan’s video, “Get Your Voice Heard” uses a catchy song to bring attention to the many ways USA.gov is of service to the public: renewing passports, applying for student aid, and contacting elected officials.
• This is the first video contest for USA.gov—the official web portal of the U.S. federal government.
• Judging based on message, accuracy, appropriateness of theme, creativity, and entertainment value determined Sullivan as the overall winner of $2,500.

Contest Information

USA.gov ran a video contest from Feb. 22, 2010 to April 2, 2010 asking people to submit videos showing how the website made their lives easier.

To enter:

• Create your video following the listed requirements and upload it to the USA.gov contest group on YouTube.
• Fill out and submit the online entry form.
• Make sure you submit your video to the USA.gov contest group. Videos not submitted to the group will not be eligible to win.

Video requirements:

1. Video must be 30 to 90 seconds in length.
2. Avoid profane language, violence, sex or personal attacks on people or organizations.
3. Avoid violating copyright laws or using brand names or logos other than USA.gov's in your video. You agree to indemnify the U.S. Government and the General Services Administration (GSA) for any claim, demand, judgment, or other allegation arising from your possible violation of someone's trademark, copyright, or other legally protected interest in any way in your video. All contest submitters agree not to make any commercial use of those portions of their submissions which use GSA trademarks (including USA.gov) without prior written approval from GSA.
4. Your video may not contain any endorsement, solicitation, commercial, or similar content advocating for or against candidates for office, political issues, or commercial products.
5. Your video must be original content for this contest. Do not submit a video that has been submitted elsewhere.
6. Videos must be QuickTime/MOV, WMV, MPEG or AVI and submitted to the USA.gov contest group on YouTube.
7. Make sure the video is no larger than 50 MB.
8. Obtain release forms for all of the people featured in your video. You must provide the General Services Administration with the forms if requested.
9. Be able to provide GSA with an original video file if you win.
10. Videos that are submitted without an entry form will not be judged.

By entering the contest, you grant GSA a perpetual, royalty-free license to use your video, in any media, for standard government-related and other non-commercial purposes. You grant GSA permission to edit, modify, format, or adapt your video for GSA's purposes at GSA's sole discretion. Except for the $2,500 prize awarded to the winner of the video contest, no other compensation in any manner will be paid to any entrant of the video contest for the submission to GSA or GSA's future use of the video in any manner. If you want to remove your video from the competition, you may do so by requesting GSA delete your video from its competition prior to the announcement of the winner on or about April 30, 2010. There is no limit on the number of videos someone may submit.

To be eligible you must be a citizen of the United States, Puerto Rico or the other U.S. territories. Children 13 years or younger must have their parents approval. Employees of GSA, their relatives, and GSA contractors are not eligible to enter the contest. Any video created by Federal employees while on Federal time are considered works of the U.S. Government and are not eligible to win the cash prize.

Winner Selection:

After the contest closes, videos will be judged to see if they present accurate information and comply with the requirements of the contest. Those videos that do not comply will be disqualified. All other videos will advance to round two where the videos will be rated by a panel of judges from GSA based on message, accuracy, appropriateness of theme, creativity, and entertainment value. A winner will be selected and notified by email on or about April 30, 2010.

The winner will receive $2,500 and the winning video will be posted on USA.gov and the USA.gov YouTube channel.

Privacy

The personal information you submit on the entry form will only be used to contact you in the event you win the contest or if there is a question or issue regarding your video or its content. We will not disclose, give, sell, or transfer any personal information about you, unless required for law enforcement or by statute. As your video will be made available to the public, you should not include personal information about yourself or anyone else. All information collected on the entry form will be deleted at the conclusion of the contest. GSA is using YouTube to host the videos for this contest. You are subject to YouTube's use, privacy, cookie, and security provisions also. Those provisions can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/t/privacy_at_youtube.

Questions

For questions, please e-mail jessica.milcetich@gsa.gov.

USA.gov Video Contest Winner Script

The video opens with rock music playing in the background while man one jogs down the street.

Song: Moved to a new community
I didn't like what I began to see

MAN 2 DUMPS TOXINS ON LAWN

So I want to know who's representin' me

TWO MEN GET INTO ARGUMENT
MAN ONE PULLS OUT CELL PHONE

Not just at home but out there in D.C.

SPLIT SCREEN OF MAN ONE ON PHONE AND 911 CALL CENTER NOT HAVING THE ANSWER TO WHO HIS REPRESENTATIVE IS

SEE MAN ONE AT HIS COMPUTER

So I went to

SCREENSHOT OF USA.GOV

USA.gov

SEE MAN ONE AT HIS COMPUTER

Wanted my voice heard
I'd had enough

SCREENSHOT OF USA.GOV

But I got so much more about this country I love
right there at USA.gov

PICTURE OF MAN THREE

I found my Congressman

MAN ONE DIALS THE PHONE NUMBER

He's there online

MAN THREE TALKS ON HIS PHONE AT HIS DESK

He said, “Well, I agree but it is not a crime.”

MAN THREE SHAKES MAN ONES HAND AFTER CREATING A NEW LAW

Until he made that bill law
in the nick of time

Yeaaaa

MAN ONE WALKING DOWN THE STREET SINGING

So things are lookin' pretty good at home

MAN THREE JOINS HIM

And better yet, I know I'm not alone

MAN ONE STANDS BEHIND MAN THREE WHO LOOKS LIKE A PUPPET

Just want to remind the powers that be
the boss their working for is you and me

MAN ONE PLAYS GUITAR AND BOY AND GIRL PLAY GUITAR AND DRUMS

So go to USA.gov

GIRL YELLS AND BLOWS WOMANS HAIR BACK

You got a voice, come on raise it up.

BAND KEEPS PLAYING

And find everything else about this country we love
Right there at USA.gov

SCREENSHOT OF USA.GOV

If you're trying to find a local scholarship: USA.gov

If you need to sign up for some benefits: USA.gov

If you want to renew all your licenses: USA.gov

Or e-file your taxes: USA.gov

WOMAN HOLDING APPLE PIE

Or those who love their moms and apple pie: USA.gov

MAN ONE STANDING IN FRONT OF A BARN

Or pledge allegiance under prairie skies: USA.gov

MAN ONE REACHING HIS HAND IN CAPITOL BUILDING

Let's run this government from the inside: USA.gov

MAN ONE IN FRONT OF A FLAG

Right here at USA.gov.

END WITH SCREENSHOT OF USA.GOV LOGO