Travel Throwback Challenge: Why I Want to Win Third Place

Have you ever entered a contest hoping to win anything other than first place? Whoever heard of such a thing, right?

I mean, maybe you just hoped to win any of the awards. If you can’t win it’s always thrilling to at least place or show. I know I’ve been over the moon the few times I won first place in a contest, but I’ve also been equally happy when I got a second place, third place, or an honorable mention.

It’s been a minute since I entered any writing contests. When I first started writing in the mid-90s I used to enter contests as often as I could. In the 2000s I’d enter ones here and there. Same with the 2010s.

So far I haven’t entered any in the 2020s. Probably because I’m not writing like I used to. Well, at least not short stories or books. I pretty much write every day for Haunt Jaunts.

The other problem is I’ve discovered a new outlet for my creativity: making videos. I’ve always loved watching movies and TV shows, but more and more I find my muse whispering inspiration for video ideas.

She always has. I just didn’t know how to respond. Once upon a time I also couldn’t afford a video camera. Times —and technology—have changed. Between digital cameras and my iPhone, it’s easier than ever to capture images and share them.

Video Editing

When I first started dabbling with video editing I used Corel VideoStudio, which I loved. However, it always seemed to crash my system. After I got a new computer and still had problems, I decided to look for another program. That’s when I found CyberLink PowerDirector.

I wouldn’t say I’m a whiz at PowerDirector now, but I’m much more comfortable than when I first got it. VideoStudio seemed effortlessly intuitive to me. Plus, it had all kinds of cool effects, titles, and transitions.

At first, PowerDirector confused the crap out of me. It also didn’t seem to have all the cool stuff VideoStudio did. I gave up on it for a couple of years until I could no longer ignore the pull to make videos. That, and I’m no quitter. It frustrates me to pieces struggling to learn something when it seems like I should be able to do it.

So a few years ago I dusted off (figuratively speaking) PowerDirector and realized I needed to upgrade to a new edition. Whoa! Either something had finally clicked or they’d improved things. It was much more user-friendly and loaded with cool things, very similar to what I’d had with VideoStudio.

I’ve been happily experimenting ever since.

The Challenge

In July CyberLink launched the Travel Throwback Challenge. It’s all about “throwing it back to your very best trips with PowerDirector.” As they explained, “Even with current travel restrictions, we can still use PowerDirector to create travel throwback slideshow videos and relive some of our best travel moments from the past!”

I have a bunch of travel photos and videos from past trips that I’ve been meaning to share on Haunt Jaunts’ YouTube. But have I made the time? Nope.

There was one trip, in particular, I’ve really been kicking myself for not sharing earlier: the Haunted Mansion 50 Years of Retirement Unliving. I wrote how I had lucked out and snagged tickets to the special event that took place in 2019, but I never wrote anything about having attended it.

So I decided CyberLink’s Travel Throwback Challenge was the perfect excuse to finally share some of the cool sights I’d seen. I uploaded the video last night and that’s how I entered my very first video contest.

Fingers Crossed for Third Place

But why am I hoping to win third place and not first?

There are five prizes in total: 1st prize, 2nd prize, 3rd prize, 2 Judge’s Awards, and 5 Merit Awards. All include a one-year license to PowerDirector 365 as part of their prize packages. 1st place also gets an iPhone 12 Mini, 2nd gets an iPad mini, 3rd gets a DJI OM4, and the two Judge’s Awards get a $100 Amazon card each.

I’ve been eyeing a DJI OM4 for a while. It’s on one of my Amazon Wish Lists. That’s why I want to win 3rd place.

But really it’d be cool to win at all.

It’s a total long shot, though. I’ve watched a few of the other entries. (There are some super fun creative ones out there! Which you can find on YouTube via the contest entry hashtags  #PowerDirectorThrowback and #MadewithPowerDirector.)

Also, I messed up the timing on a couple of the photos. I decided to reorder a few of them and thought their duration had stayed the same. It seemed they had upon preview, but when I rewatched again this morning they seemed too quick.

Well, I’m just going to roll with it because at the end of the day it was the kick in the pants I needed to finally share something I’d been meaning to anyway. And if it turns out that it’s good enough to win, place or show? That would be icing on the cake!

My Entry