Ben Affleck, Matt Damon & John Legend Join MoveOn to Announce 'Obama in 30 Seconds' TV Ad Contest

Ben Affleck, Matt Damon & John Legend Join MoveOn to Announce 'Obama in 30 Seconds' TV Ad Contest

Contest Profiles Real People's Creativity and Enthusiasm for Barack Obama

Winner Will Run On National Television

WASHINGTON, March 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- MoveOn.org joined forces today with Academy Award-winners Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Oliver Stone, multiple Grammy-winner John Legend and author Naomi Wolf to announce a new ad contest, "Obama in 30 Seconds." The contest provides a platform for Obama supporters to show in 30-second spots what inspires them about the Senator's candidacy. MoveOn will buy time to run the winning ad on national television.

"After eight years of President Bush campaigning on fear and war, people are feeling hopeful again. They're eager to talk about what inspires them about our country -- and Senator Obama leading it," said Eli Pariser, Executive Director of MoveOn. "Since creative and grassroots energy has helped power Barack Obama's campaign from the start, this contest is a great way to deliver that message of hope to voters in Pennsylvania and across the nation."

Joining MoveOn today in announcing the contest:

Ben Affleck, Academy Award-winning writer/actor/director:

"MoveOn's 'Obama in 30 seconds' ad contest is a chance for everyone, from aspiring filmmakers to armchair pundits, to raise their voices to put Obama over the top and help make history."

John Legend, Grammy-winning Musician:

"Part of the joy of this campaign is the tremendous amount of positive creativity it has inspired. I think this contest is a powerful way for ordinary citizens to be involved in an extraordinary moment in our history. I'm thrilled to be a part of it."

The ads, which will be submitted at the "Obama in 30 Seconds" website

http://www.obamain30seconds.org/, will be judged by a celebrity judging panel that includes Academy Award-winning writer/actor/director Ben Affleck; Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actor/director Steve Buscemi; Academy Award-winning writer/actor Matt Damon; progressive hero & future Congresswoman Donna Edwards; musician/activist Michael Franti; actor/musician/director Adrian Grenier; Academy Award-nominated producer Ted Hope; author & civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson; award-winning documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy; Grammy-winning recording artist John Legend; Stanford Law professor & founder of the Center for Internet and Society Lawrence Lessig; recording artist & Bush in 30 Seconds co-founder Moby; Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas; President of Lionsgate Entertainment Tom Ortenberg; Native American activist and documentary filmmaker Heather Rae; President of Focus Features James Schamus; producer, author, and entrepreneur Russell Simmons; author, lecturer, & experimental hip hop musician DJ Spooky; Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker Ricki Stern; Academy Award-winning writer/director Oliver Stone; Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker Annie Sundberg; Grammy & Golden Globe award-winning songwriter and musician Eddie Vedder; and New York Times best-selling author Naomi Wolf.

Contestants will be allowed to submit their ads between March 27th and April 1st. Beginning April 4th, 3.2 million MoveOn members and the public will have a chance to vote on which ads advance to the finals. On April 10th, the finalists will be announced and the panel of judges will begin judging the final ads. The winning ad, and ad-maker, will be announced on April 17th--just before Pennsylvania's April 22nd primary.

MoveOn Political Action will purchase air time on national television to air the winning ad, and the winning ad-maker will receive a gift certificate for $20,000 in video equipment.

For a complete description of the contest, please visit: http://www.obamain30seconds.org/.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: MoveOn.org

CONTACT: Trevor FitzGibbon, +1-202-246-5303, or Doug Gordon,
+1-202-494-5141, both for MoveOn.org

Web Site:

http://www.moveon.org/
http://www.obamain30seconds.org/

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