Ugly Bug Contest 2013

Ugly Bug Contest 2013 from Dr Biology on Vimeo

Who in this cast of characters is the ugliest, the most mysterious, or just plain coolest? Look in the study — is it Colonel Mustard? Or is Ms. Scarlet, hiding in the library, the most likely winner? Who is your number one suspect? Get the clues and decide on your own.

Credits: Jacob Sahertian for writing and creating video, and James Baxter for transcript. Thank you to this year's sponsors for making it possible to continue the "Ugly Bug Contest".

The video opens on an image of a large building, the focus moving over the facade. It looks old and yellowed, and appears to be made of brick with white trim.  The building is three stories tall, and has many windows. Most of the windows are four square panes of glass, but the ones on the bottom level have glass doors that open onto balconies.

We can hear music: a jazzy horn, drums, and synthesizer, reminiscent of old detective movies.

White text appears on the screen that reads, “Ugly Bug Contest.”

The text fades out and the video stops panning. Centered on the screen is one of the glass doors.

There is a click, and light appears through the window. The video zooms in on it, and the narrator speaks, “Was it Colonel Mustard in the Study?” pause, “Hmm…I wonder. There were a lot of holes in that rag paper.”

As the narrator stops speaking, Colonel Mustard (Anthonomus Grandis thurberrae, a weevil) passes behind the glass door. He has a long brown nose and red eyes, and his body is yellow.

Our view zooms out and pans to a window on the top floor. As it does, the narrator begins speaking again, “Madame Peach looked suspicious in the hallway.”

There is a clicking noise, and a light appears in the window. Narration continues, “What was she hiding in that bottle?…Really suspicious.”

Madame Peach (Scyphophorus Acupunctatus, an agave weevil) comes up from below the window, slowly. She has an orange, red and yellow head and blue-green body. Another click, and the light turn back off.

The image zooms out, and then back in on a large open window frame. This one is differently shaped that the others - arched instead of square.

There is a click, and light fills the open window. We can see a bug, green and blue with a spiky fringe on it’s head.

The narrator says, “Why was Ms. Meadows in the kitchen? Weird hour to be in the kitchen…Odd.” Another click, and the light turns off. “Could be her.”

The video zooms out from the building, and more white text appears reading, “2 Extra Days to Vote.” Then it is replaced by text that says, “VOTE BY DECEMBER 17 AT ASKABIOLOIGST.ASU.EDU”

The video ends.