LEWISTON — Reshaping Lewiston-Auburn’s online reputation — too often characterized as the “Dirty Lew” — will take a little more help than a single Internet contest.

“You don’t start things and become instantaneously successful,” said Chip Morrison, president of the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce. “It doesn’t matter what it is.”

And this contest is no failure, he said.

Since the chamber’s Regional Image Committee kicked off the “Pump Up the Positive” contest on May 1, five films were submitted. All have drawn support.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 454 votes were cast. Voting will continue until midnight Saturday at the contest website, https://www.wizehive.com/contests/pump-up-the-positive.

A winner will be announced Monday. There may even be a second contest.

“I like the videos that were submitted,” Morrison said. “There is some pretty good quality there.”

Morrison and Heather Dow, the Image Committee co-chairwoman, said they had expected more submissions.

“I think any time you do something for the first time, it’s hard to get the word out there,” Dow said.

The five short films include an experimental mood movie with a mostly French title, “Lewiston Auburn tempyte dans un verre d’eau,” (translated as “Storm in a Teacup”), a stylized silent movie about local film locations and a music video with an original Beach Boys-like song titled “L-A.”

The latter song was performed by the 1960s-era Lewiston band, the Rockin’ Recons.

So far, it has dominated the contest with 260 votes. In second place with 145 votes was a modest piece about the community work of Trinity Episcopal Church. In third place, with 11 votes, was a contemplative piece titled, “Lewiston Auburn: a sense of place.”

“There was a wide variety,” Dow said. “They weren’t all the same sort of thing.”

Bill Maroldo, who shot and edited the Rockin’ Recons video, said the 3-minute creation was intended as a gift to the community months before the chamber’s contest was announced.

“It really does precisely what the contest is looking for,” Maroldo said Tuesday. “It’s a way to really celebrate Lewiston-Auburn.”

The lyrics by songwriter Harry King spell it out: “L-A, you’re always in my heart and in my mind.”

Maroldo, who is working on a feature documentary about the community’s 1960s-era bands titled “PAL Hop Days,” photographed the band at various sites near the Androscoggin River, at the Bates Mill Complex, at the Auburn boat launch and beside Great Falls.

“It shows off the very best of the cities,” he said.

Dow said the committee will meet when the contest is over and decide whether to hold another one. One deciding factor will be finding a sponsor for prizes. The inaugural contest has a top prize of $250 cash and gift certificates worth $200 and $100 for the second- and third-place winners.

When the contest is over, plans call for all of the videos to be featured on the chamber’s YouTube channel.

Morrison said he’s willing to support a second contest.

“The idea of getting positive videos about our area was a good thought to begin with, and I don’t think it’s far-fetched to try it again,” he said.

dhartill@sunjournal.com