White Plains, NY -- (SPW) --

TimePlay Inc., a leader in the interactive second screen industry, and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers^® (SMPTE^®), the organization whose standards work has supported a century of technological advances in entertainment technology, today announced the selection of three student filmmaker finalists in the Vista Project, a new big-screen interactive storytelling competition for students.

The three finalists selected by the judges are:

•  Ian Job, a student at Africa Digital Media Institute in Nairobi, Kenya
•  Shane Murphy, a San Francisco State University student in San Francisco
•  Jon Navarro, a student attending Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York

The top two completed shorts will be screened for the exhibition community and media at CinemaCon in March 2017 at TimePlay's suite. The winner will receive a $5,000 grand prize, with the runner-up being awarded $2,500. Both films will also be showcased in select theaters following the movie industry event, held each year in Las Vegas.

"We congratulate Ian, Shane, and Jon as they enter the final round of competition in the Vista Project," stated cinema industry pioneer Bud Mayo, the founding chair of the Vista Project student filmmaker competition. "In conjunction with the creative technology development team at TimePlay, these three finalists will each create 10-minute film shorts that combine great storytelling with cutting-edge, next-gen interactive technology. This innovative approach will allow moviegoers to make key decisions about the plot via their smartphones that influences the on-screen action and fosters additional audience engagement."

TimePlay's globally patented proprietary technology transforms a smartphone into an input controller, which connects to the action on the big screen, creating two-way interactivity. Moviegoers participate in an entirely new shared entertainment experience that connects the audience in shared experience within the theater auditorium. The platform promotes real-time user empowerment and engagement, as well as social connection, offering meaningful and immersive experiences that foster community.

"The Vista Project is a unique platform for showcasing TimePlay's interactive cinematic mobile technology," said Jon Hussman, CEO of TimePlay. "We are delighted to participate, in conjunction with SMPTE, as the technological partner in the inaugural year of this student competition."

An overview of TimePlay's interactive platform and how it works is online at www.TimePlay.com. Information about SMPTE is available at www.smpte.org. The Vista Project is on social media at www.facebook.com/TheVistaProject and twitter.com/thevistaproject.

About TimePlay Inc.
TimePlay is a world leader in the multi-player interactive industry. The TimePlay platform allows moviegoers to use their smartphones and tablets to interact with and control outcomes on the big screen in real time while providing a targeted portal for offer delivery, e-commerce and social networking. The globally patented technology enables exhibitors, advertisers, studios and other partners to entertain, inform, and engage directly with moviegoers before or after a show. TimePlay's two-way interactive platform drives high participation levels and is delivering significantly elevated engagement and activation for its partners compared with traditional media campaigns.

About the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers^® (SMPTE^®)
For the past 100 years, the people of the Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers (SMPTE, pronounced "simp-tee") have sorted out the details of many significant advances in entertainment technology, from the introduction of "talkies" and color television to HD and UHD (4K, 8K) TV. Since its founding in 1916, the Society has earned an Oscar^® and multiple Emmy^® Awards for its work in advancing moving-imagery education and engineering across the communications, technology, media, and entertainment industries. The Society has developed thousands of standards, recommended practices, and engineering guidelines, more than 800 of which are currently in force.

SMPTE's global membership today includes 7,000 members, who are motion-imaging executives, engineers, creative and technology professionals, researchers, scientists, educators, and students. A partnership with the Hollywood Professional Association (HPA^®) connects SMPTE and its membership with the professional community of businesses and individuals who provide the expertise, support, tools, and infrastructure for the creation and finishing of motion pictures, television programs, commercials, digital media, and other dynamic media content. Information on joining SMPTE is available at www.smpte.org/join. 

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