Lights, camera, Firefox

Mozilla released on Wednesday the first round of amateur videos produced by supporters of the Firefox open-source browser.

The 30-second videos are part of Mozilla's Firefox Flicks promotions contest and are another example of grassroots marketing. Firefox backers will be able to receive a daily dose of the homespun marketing.

Mozilla, which oversees Firefox, is building on an earlier open-source community effort to promote the browser's use. The community, for example, designed and raised money to pay for a two-page ad in the New York Times in 2004, heralding the arrival of Firefox 1.0.

The Firefox Flicks first prize is a $5,000 gift certificate for B&H photo and video equipment and accessories. The deadline for entries is Friday.

"We're very impressed with the videos that have been contributed so far," Asa Dotzler, Mozilla community coordinator, said in a statement. "Our community is not only producing some great ads, they are also having a lot of fun."