Scholarship Contest Takes Winner to Arnhem Land in Northern Australia to Film Impact of Southeast Asia Fishing Industry on Aboriginal Life

SYDNEY, May 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- WorldNomads.com, the travel services company that helps travelers stay safe on the road, announces that there is one month remaining until the close of its scholarship contest which an amateur videographer can use to jump-start a documentary filmmaking career.

The winner will travel for seven days Sept. 3-9, 2011, under the auspices of World Expeditions through remote Aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land (far north Australia) for an immersion in traditional Yolngu Aboriginal knowledge of the land, sea and animals. Virgin Blue will provide air transportation from the winner's country of residence to Northern Territory, Australia.

The aspiring filmmaker will join and work under the directive of documentary producer Trent O'Donnell to create a film that will be considered for air on National Geographic Adventure television. The project involves Yolngu Aboriginal rangers working to restore lands around the sea by removing and cataloging the man-made detritus the sea carries as a by-product of Southeast Asia's fishing industry.

The virtually pristine coastline is facing a significant environmental threat from marine debris washed in on the ocean currents. Discarded fishing nets, rubber footwear, empty bottles and plastic bags are all carried by these currents from throughout the Southeast Asian region and deposited on the Arnhem Land Coast. All of this waste is a major threat to the wildlife, as animals get caught up in the nets and choke on the plastic rubbish.

Working with the Yolngu people under the mentorship of Trent O'Donnell the scholarship recipient will find his or her own story and film and edit their own 5- to 10-minute documentary.

More than just "win a trip," WorldNomads.com's ongoing scholarship offerings allow people through writing and photography, and now through film in the company of highly touted professionals, to get a foot in their desired career door. This is the first time that documentary filmmaking has been part of the scholarship program.

Chris Noble, General Manager, said, "This is a unique opportunity to visit a community project in North East Arnhem Land with World Expeditions and Trent O'Donnell. Our aim is to have the winner's work be broadcast on National Geographic television and bring attention to this community's plight."

Candidates 18 and older can be students, emerging and non-professional filmmakers or even lovers of travel looking for a career change. To enter, contestants must prepare and submit a sample three-minute video based around the theme "Local Encounters."

One person will be selected to travel, all-expenses paid within Australia, to work with O'Donnell whose Positive Footprints series screened on National Geographic Adventure Channel.

For complete details and easy online entry, please visit: http://journals.worldnomads.com/scholarships/story/71379/Australia/Travel-Video-Documentary-Scholarship-2011-Arnhem-Land-Australia

The winner of the scholarship contest, along with the best entries received, will be displayed on the WorldNomads.com website.

Additionally, WorldNomads.com will be offering a Nomads' Community Choice Award for the entrant who receives the most combined Facebook "Likes" and Twitter "Tweets" for their video on their submitted journal application page. The winner will receive a digital video camera worth AUD$2500. This award will have no bearing on the scholarship judging.

About WorldNomads.com

World Nomads is a travel services company that's in the business of helping independent travelers stay safe and stress-free on the road. It provides global travel safety products and services to travelers from over 150 countries around the world. From great value travel insurance, travel safety advice, language guides and free online travel journals, WorldNomads.com provides the tools to keep clients travelling safely. All clients can donate to a community development project when purchasing travel insurance through the Footprints Charity program. WorldNomads.com is backed by a suite of strong, secure, specialist travel insurance companies. For more information, please visit http://www.WorldNomads.com.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Alexia Nestora
Lasso Communications
alexia[at]lassocommunications.com
1.303.898.3376

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SOURCE WorldNomads.com