Virtual Questions Answered - what's new this season?

Registration Date: April 30th by 4pm EDT

Fees Paid: April 30th by 4pm EDT

Links upload into system: by April 30th if possible and if not no later than May 10th by 4pm EDT

Spontaneous will be May 13, 10am EDT – May 17, 4pm EDT.

Judging will take place in May

*Note all times are eastern daylight time

The submission will include a video of the 8-minute solution plus an additional seven minutes of explanation (15 minutes total).

  • The 8-minute portion must be a continuous and unaltered recording, the camera can move around the performance area, zoom in/out, etc. Edits in any way, added effects, etc. are not allowed in the solution video. All team members, props, settings, etc. must be in the frame at some time to be scored and do your best to show props, settings, and costumes.
  • The 7-minute explanation time is added after the performance is completed. The team is allowed to highlight components of the solution in the video. This could be how certain items were created, how they operated, how they added to the solution, and so on. This portion may be edited and must be included after the performance ends. Non team members may appear in the explanation portion of the team’s video, but the team members should be providing the additional explanation regarding the required Long-Term and Style elements. This is your chance to talk to the judges and show off different parts of your solution, so think about what you’d want the judges to know about your work!

Professionally produced virtual backgrounds are not allowed.

However,  if the team creates a physical background it may be converted into a virtual background shared by other team members. However, at least one team member must use the original background during the performance.

No membership sign is required for online/virtual solutions with one exception, if the sign is a required Style element.  Check your problem's required Style elements.

  • The file name of the solution must include your membership name and number. If part of your scored solution includes the membership sign it is allowed in addition to naming the video as described.

The cost of masks or shields need to be included on the cost form if they become part of the solution or are adorned with elements that make them an element of a costume.

If the masks or shields are NOT adorned with elements to make them part of the solution or used as part of the solution they do NOT need to be included on the cost form.

This season all teams will be doing a virtual verbal spontaneous problem.  Prior to competition practice problems and process will be sent to teams participating in online/virtual tournaments.

It is still STRONGLY recommended that you teams practice ALL three types of spontaneous problems, verbal, verbal-hands on, hands-on, due to the skills in thinking and creating and teamwork that develop while doing all types of spontaneous.  All spontaneous allows teams to practice creativity seeing the world in new ways which intern grows creativity in all aspects of OM.

This season ALL seven team members have the opportunity to participate in spontaneous.  They will work as a team to give team responses.

The camera can move around the performance area, zoom in/out, etc.  This is the team's decision and direction only.

Teams can record their solution in any manner they decided as long as they continue to follow the health safety guidelines set by the teams local school, city, county, and state.  All safety protocols need to followed at all times. All locations are different.

Teams can record solutions on video conference platforms (i.e. Zoom), record in a driveway or outdoor area in a play like performance, or other platforms that meet the requirements of one continuous 8-minute performance recording.

Be sure to check performances from the 2020 Virtual World Finals at VWF Solutions.

Prior to filming the solution for submission the team will need to use painters tape to lay out the traveling course that can be found in the problem if required.

For the 2020-21 season only Problem 1 has a required course of travel.

General rules all still apply.  i.e. foot coverings, chemical reactions, batteries. Follow the rules in the Program Guide.

A virtual exception is that a Membership Sign is not required unless the required as a style element.