By Westcoaster.ca Staff

TOFINO — Videographers have almost six weeks to submit entries in the More Than Just Mud MiniFlickContest.

The contest, sponsored by the Raincoast Education Society, celebrates the Tofino Wildlife Management Area – a critical area for wildlife encompassing 21 square kilometres of intertidal mudflats in Clayoquot Sound.

The contest’s new submission deadline is March 4.

“The goal of the event is to raise awareness and foster stewardship of the Tofino Mudflats Wildlife Management Area,” said Tanya Dowdall, a contest spokesperson.

Unlike past contests that focused on photos and poetry, this year’s contest will focus on video submissions.

“The West Coast has an abundance of diversely creative people,” she said. “We thought it would be a good idea to tap into that local talent by changing the medium every year.

“It gives a greater variety of people a chance to use and showcase their creative skills through the mudflat contests while simultaneously revealing the beauty and intrigue of the mudflat habitat and its creatures.

“Video is one of the most popular, accessible and effective forms of media communication right now so the choice was very obvious to us.”

Dowdall said the videos should be less than three minutes – including credits. She said she hopes the videos focus on the diversity and richness of life on the mudflats, including plants and animals.

Some people have already begun to work on their submissions, she added.

The videos will be shown and winners will be announced during the MiNiFLiCK FLiNG March 10 at SoBo restaurant.

The RES was still working on prizes but hoped they would include surf, spa, food, and adventure elements.

Dowdall said the RES hopes to hold at least one how-to-make a video class.

For more information, visit http://www.tofinomudflats.blogspot.com/