Facebook and Comcast Interactive Media's Ziddio.com have teamed up to create a user-generated video contest in which members can create and upload short videos about their lives.

Caroline Marks, general manager of video at Comcast, said the 20-week contest, which starts today, is offering a forum for user-generated content for "the first generation that truly grew up online."

Submitted video segments can be uploaded, viewed and rated online by accessing the Ziddio-sponsored Facebook group or www.Ziddio.com.

Selected videos will provide the material for Facebook Diaries, a new television series produced by R.J. Cutler that can be viewed through Comcast's ON DEMAND service.

According to a press release, Cutler, known for producing the television series American High and 30 Days, will select the best content from the submissions to produce 10 half-hour episodes that will be aired both online and on the television show.

Mark said this contest would allow students to work directly with Emmy-award-winning Cutler without spending thousands of dollars or having a strong background in film.

"We're trying to work with the generation," Marks said.

She said the majority of Ziddio's work incorporates some sort of once-in-a-lifetime aspect, which is what they hope will generate from this contest.

As for college students, some said they wouldn't create videos but knew people who would.

Janelle Smolko (junior-criminal justice) said she will probably not create videos of her own but that she "will watch them if they are funny," and possibly rate them.