Short Sharp Shots July

GOT THE PHONE FACTOR?

DO you have the Phone Factor? Have you got what it takes to make movies? Then you could become one of 10 Northwest filmmakers to be offered exclusive training and £250 in production costs.

Northwest Vision + Media, which works on behalf of the TV, film, radio and digital content industries, wants to encourage a whole new generation of mobile-phone filmmakers. The Short, Sharp, Shots competition is helping to do just that.

“Lots of people take clips on their mobile and don’t even realize they’re making films. But our Short Sharp Shots competition gives them the opportunity to show off their skills, and learn new ones,” says Helen Bingham, Head of Production for Northwest Vision + Media.

Mobile phone filmmaking is all about action and an eye for a good shot. “If you’ve got a good idea, then now is the time to create a short film, documentary, or animation. Just keep it short, keep it moving and get it seen!” adds Helen.

Short Sharp Shots is a competition for Northwest 18-24 year olds. Clips of three minutes or under are needed, shot on mobiles to be screened on mobiles. The best 10 submissions will be awarded funding of £250 each, and a place on a mobile filmmaking bootcamp to help them produce their next movie.

“The bootcamp will provide an opportunity to sharpen the filmmakers’ skills in planning, shooting and editing mobile phone films,” says Fee Plumley, Director of the-phone-book Limited, who are delivering the scheme.

“What we’re looking for are clips that show wit and speed, snippets that hint at your style and your voice. Our industry panel is searching for raw potential, not a polished finished product,” says Helen.

With the spread of cameraphones, more young people are documenting the events and moments that matter to them. This means they’re perfectly placed to be making innovative use of the format, with mobiles set to become a major source for the filmmakers of the future.

The ten short-listed films will be screened on the Short Sharp Shots website, and made available for audiences to download to their own mobile phones so they can vote for their favourite,” explains Helen.

Full submission information, access to other filmmakers and mobile filmmaking tips on how to shoot, edit and send mobile video clips, can be found at www.shortsharpshots.co.uk