No set of eyes see things in the same light. To celebrate this idea, a Philips microsite brought on five world-class directors to help tell its story. The result is five vastly different films bridging many genres. But here’s the real plot twist: an accompanying contest turns the heat on the audience, asking them to take this concept one step further. Lights, camera, action!

Partnering with Ridley Scott Associates, the Parallel Lines project opens with the disclaimer, “There are millions of ways to tell a story. There’s only one way to watch one.” Which is to say, on a Philips TV. As part of a promotion for their Cinema Proportion TVs, the shorts are stretched widescreen. Much like a recent Absolut execution, Philips hopes to mimic the big-screen experience.

But now, Phillips has invited the audience to produce and publish their own ideas. “Tell it your way” is where this action lives. Each submission will go through the rounds until August—and the winner will be chosen by Ridley Scott himself.

This move to put the audience in the director’s chair demonstrates that more and more companies are coming to understand that consumer control over content can be beneficial for everyone. As compelling storytellers and publishers, users’ viewpoints can and should be at the fore. We say let the consumer personalize the story.

So what kind of story will you tell? We’ll be watching…