A music video put together by 10 recent Glenwood High School graduates has become the top viewed entry in an online contest to win an MTV Video Music Award Moonman.
Matt Hartzler and Jake Giganti co-produced the video, “Nerds in Disguise,” which was selected as one of five finalists in the Pepsi Rock Band Music Video Contest.
If their video earns the most online votes, Hartzler, Giganti and their eight collaborators will win a free trip to the video music awards ceremony in New York on Sept. 13, as well as the Moonman trophy.
Voting continues through Tuesday (Sept. 1).
As of Thursday evening, “Nerds in Disguise” was the most watched video in the contest with more than 40,800 views – 2,800-plus views more than the next highest-watched video — since the finalists were announced.
“We’re optimistic” about the viewing numbers, said Hartzler, who appeared in the video and also served as director and editor. “We just don’t know how it’s going to translate into votes.
“I think some of the publicity we created just in the past few weeks has definitely put us ahead.”
Earlier this month, The State Journal-Register featured an article on the groupa nd their video. And since the video’s participants are starting college in nine different states, media outlets and Web sites at their respective schools also have covered “Nerds in Disguise.”
“That’s been one advantage we’ve had,” Hartzler said. “We started out in one location and spread out.”
Hartzler is the last to leave for school, heading for Amherst College in Massachusetts on Saturday.
In the video, set to the song “My Own Worst Enemy” by Lit, portrays a house party that brings together two cliques – math nerds and hardcore rockers – and a plethora of Pepsi products.
Each of the video’s participants – except for Hartzler, who played a pizza deliveryman – plays both a nerd and a rocker.
If “Nerds in Disguise” is declared the winner, their victory can’t be announced to the public until the Video Music Awards air on television, Hartzler said.
As a student heavily involved with the Glenwood Cable News Network, the school’s broadcast channel, Hartzler has created numerous videos. Win or lose, he says none of his videos have ever received this much exposure.
“Yesterday I was watching TV and I saw on MTV a commercial that had our video in it for the contest. That kind of thing would have happened in the past. It’s definitely a good opportunity for me to get some exposure and increase my interest in video and interest in film. It’s just nice to get some of your work recognized.”
Amanda Reavy can be reached at 788-1525.
How to vote
Go to pepsi.yahoo.com/rockband/video/watch/vote.php and click “Sign In” or “Sign Up” in the upper right-hand corner. Then create a Yahoo! account or sign in with your Yahoo! ID.
Click to vote for “Nerds in Disguise” from Springfield, Ill. and fill out the brief Rock Band promotion form. Each screen name can vote up to 10 times a day.
The Nerds in Disguise and their colleges
Matt Hartzler, Amherst College
Jake Giganti, University of Colorado
Taylor Blake, Southeast Missouri State University
Charlie Clausner, Tulane University
Mitch Falter, University of Miami in Florida
David O’Brien, Iowa State
Ben Parks, Miami University in Ohio
Shane Reynolds, University of Kansas
Mike Ranos, Elmhurst College
Alec Veldhuizen, University of Colorado
Source: sj-r.com
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