Vote Before Oct. 28 for Rye Student Video on Cell Phone Cyberbullying

RYE, NY — Cell phones have become an appendage for most teens and adolescents. The devices provide obvious benefits, but they can also be a gateway for cyberbullying. A team of creative film makers from Rye County Day School were given a chance to use their talent to tackle the dangerous behavior in once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — and now they need you to help them win the Public Choice Award in the AT&T Film Invitational.

The AT&T Film Invitational is a 10-week film competition that provides the best high school film students from around the country the chance to write, direct, shoot, and edit an 8-minute film in New York City.

Students spend months working on every aspect of their pre-production: script writing, storyboarding, securing actors, locations, etc. AT&T then selects teams to be flown to New York City to direct, shoot and edit their 8-minute films. The AT&T Invitational was part of the All-American High School Film Festival, which took place during National Cyberbullying Awareness Month.

The Rye Country Day School team obtained permits to film at nights and weekends in Central Park, a restaurant in Brooklyn, NY and at the NY Transit Museum, similar to what a professional movie production would have to do.

The student teams were competing for $26,000 in cash prizes and national bragging right, which were awarded to their schools or programs. Winning films were announced Oct. 9 at the annual “Teen Indy Awards” presented by Full Screen in Brooklyn. The films were also screened at the iconic AMC Theaters in Times Square on October 9, the largest film complex in America.

In total, more than 250 students from 28 schools and organizations across the U.S. participated in the AT&T Film Invitational, and Rye County Day School’s team of nine students didn’t just get selected to take part, they produced one of the best films of the invitational and finished as a finalist, and took home one of the cash prizes.

The film is called "Exposure."

Public voters will determine the winner of the Public Choice Award, which will be open until Oct. 28 to vote. The winning team receives an additional $5,000 for its school or organization. Head here to vote for a favorite film, including "Exposure."

AT&T will take the winning films, or a montage of winning films, and make them available to schools, youth organizations and parents free of charge through our Digital You initiative. Digital You is a continuing effort to provide tools, tips and guidance for people of all ages to learn more about how to have a safe and secure online experience.

PHOTO: The prize-winning film team for "Exposure"/ contributed