MANFROTTO ANNOUNCES THE WINNERS OF THE WOW! CREATIVITY CONTEST
These are the supports of the future!

The first edition of the Wow Creativity Contest, has come to an end. The competition was launched last year during the International Furniture Exhibition in Milan by Manfrotto, world leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of professional equipment for photography, video and entertainment.

To underline the strong link between creativity and Made in Italy design, Manfrotto has presented this contest which was opened to young creative people, designers, architects and even keen photography buffs. The competition was all about ideas and entrants should presented original and innovative photo/video support projects.

The great buzz and interest created by the contest, has caused the arrival of a lot of projects in the Bassano del Grappa (Italy) headquarters. The ideas, which were different in terms of application, materials, and of course the design, have come from all over the world, from designers, creative people but also from photographers, suggesting alternative solutions to their needs; just like Lino Manfrotto in the 70’s build up the first lighting stand, originating the world leader brand of photographic supports.

FIRST 3 PROJECT

Braccialotto

The first classified project is an original and unexpected support called Braccialotto (a mix of the words Manfrotto and braccialetto, Italian for “bracelet”). The project has been presented from a creative Italian duo: Simone Salatino and Fabio Menolascina.

The idea, supported by a remarkable graphic presentation and an original motivation: this bracelet is the ideal solution for those who need to keep the compact camera at hand in situations where their hands are busy; like the inventor says: “I’m a DJ, and while mixing, I love taking pictures of my friends emotions and movements”. The idea is a bracelet with a plate where to screw in the compact camera: from now on you can do whatever you want with your hands without loosing the camera somewhere!

“Free hands!” is the claim of the project, and this is the real spirit that Manfrotto wanted to raise and that Simone and Fabio perfectly caught!

Skid camerabag

Also the second winning project distincted itself from the many received, for the originality of the never seen before idea, but also for the wow-design, aligned with the latest evolutions of Manfrotto products. This time we are not talking about a conventional photo support, but a bag, a fundamental accessory for a photographer on the move. The clever inventors of Skid.camerabag concept are two Swiss students from the Industrial Design Institute of the Northwestern Switzerland University. The need that Mario Rohner and Thomas Kneubhuel wanted to satisfy is to easily carry their DSRL camera everywhere, having the chance to extract it quickly in case of need, to shoot a picture in a few seconds time. The Skid backpack infact besides carrying a tripod, lens, and other personal effects, features a lateral pocket made just like a drawer that allows, with a rapid movement, to extract the camera. Also in this case, the need of being a photographer on the move, has driven the creative idea!

jumball

The third project has been chosen for the highly detailed mechanical design of a component which is integral part of the tripod itself: the head. Jumball, as Matthew Boyko, from San Francisco, called it, allows the photographer to reach an unlimited number of positioning with his camera, and that’s why the big ball is designed with writable material, in a way that the photographer can mark on it the favourite positions.

OTHER NOTABLE PROJECTS

MANFROTTO WOW! CREATIVITY CONTEST

Manfrotto is looking for young creative people, artists, designers to invent the support of the future. If you are between the age of 18 and 99 , send us your ideas, your projects, your dreams on how the next generation photo/video support should be.

You can enter the MANFROTTO WOW CREATIVITY CONTEST 2008 by sending us your ideas.

The winning project will be realized on a prototype and will be officially presented during a press conference organised by Manfrotto at the Salone del Mobile 2009.

Please read the regulations here below carefully, you can download the instructions on the format of the artworks that are requested and send us your creative proposal by September 30th 2008.

1. THE AIM of the CONTEST
Manfrotto announces a contest for ideas in order to develop a new photo/video support.
The goal of the contest is to stimulate the elaboration of innovative ideas, that must be technically feasible. We invite the participants to present projects that are original and qualitatively innovative, indicating clearly the function of the support.
The participant may choose to present a photographic support, a video support, or an hybrid support (with double functionality: photo and video).

2. PARTICIPATION/REGISTRATION
The contest is open to creative people, graphic designers, artists, architects, and designers from all over the world, according to the following rules;
You can enter the contest by sending your original and creative projects according to the following rules:
- sending the project to: event@manfrotto.com
- sending your project to Gruppo Manfrotto Srl, Via Sasso Rosso 19, 36061 Bassano del Grappa (VI) - IT; at the attention of WOW CREATIVITY CONTEST.

3. UNPUBLISHED PROJECTS REQUIRED
The projects presented must be original and unpublished, specifically developed for this contest.
Should your project not reach this requirement, it will be excluded from the contest, or should non conformity result after the award ceremony, the assigned award will be withdrawn.

4. REQUESTED PROJECTS
Participation is free of charge. Participants can present one or more projects, individual or associated. The project can be presented according to the designer's preferred technique.
We will accept graphic 2D/3D projects, hand sketches on paper or digitally supported, photos, videos, animations, prototypes or mock up samples. The digital projects must be presented in high resolution (jpg. 300dpi).
The project must also feature a brief presentation which describes the project, the technical features and includes any other useful information in order to understand the project. This description should be provided in ".txt" format.

5. IDENTITY
The projects must be presented in an anonymous form, so please do not specify your identity inside the project.
The contestant's identity will be specified in a separate closed envelope attached to the project, which will be opened after the selection of the winning projects.
Each envelope should also contain a declaration agreeing to the treatment of personal data in accordance to D.Lgs 193/2003.
The files sent via e-mail need to contain an attached document with ".txt" extension. This need to include identity and the acceptance to the treatment of personal data in accordance to Law 193/2003. Please specify your identity like this:

Students:
- name, family name, address, mobile nr., E-mail address;
- name of the institute/faculty you are attending.

Professionals:
- Self-certification stating name, family name, address, mobile nr., E-mail address.

6. PROJECT PRESENTATION DEADLINE
All the projects must arrive by 6PM of Tuesday 30th September 2008.
If you send your project by post or courier, we will consider the post date or shipment receipt date.