Microsoft wants users to put their video making skills hard at work via Virtual Earth. The invitation comes from the Virtual Earth team and it involves leveraging the new 3D Tours and Video Export features added to the online mapping service. The grand prize is a flash-based 8GB Zune 2.0 digital media player. The contest involves nothing more than creating a video of one of your 3D Tours in Virtual Earth and posting it either on MSN Video or YouTube.

"This contest focuses on one of the new features in the latest Live Search Maps release - 3D tour videos! Entering is easy -- create a cool, interesting, unique 3D tour video and you could win! Top prize is a new Zune digital media player to be awarded to the creator of the best video as determined by the Virtual Earth blog readers. Second prize will be a $50 gift certificate to Amazon.com, awarded to the creator of the second best video," revealed a member of the Virtual Earth team.

Microsoft is providing users with an overview designed to deliver the general guidance over how to build a 3D tour video. Once the user has compiled the video fragment and uploaded it to YouTube of MSN video, the URL of the masterpiece will also have to be shared with the Virtual Earth team. Simply emailing a link to the 3D tour video will be equivalent to submitting an entry in the contest.

"Once you have uploaded it, email stevelom@microsoft.com and include the URL of the video and you will be entered into the contest. On November 19, the top three most-viewed videos (from MSN Video and YouTube) plus the top 3 videos as chosen by the Virtual Earth team will be posted here and you will be able to vote for your favorite. On December 7 the top two vote getters will get the prizes," the Virtual Earth representative added.