| Virgin Media Shorts Announcement - Upcoming Brit Film Talent Close To Silver Screen Success |
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Twelve
of Britain’s up and coming film makers have beaten off stiff
competition to make the finals of a national short film competition
from Virgin Media and will go on to have their work screened to
millions nationwide. Short step to stardom Top film talent one step closer to silver screen success Virgin Media Shorts unveils 12 short-listed films Finalists to be judged by star-studded panel including Kevin Spacey Film student, BAFTA award-winner, and Johnny Vaughan’s sidekick amongst the short-list 12 films to be screened at cinemas for the first time Virgin Media Shorts, a competition to champion undiscovered film talent, in association with FilmFlex, today unveils its top 12 films which will now be available to watch on four screens (TV, cinema, mobile and computer) – the first time this has been done. Aspiring film makers across the UK registered in their thousands and Virgin Media received more than 1,400 entries from budding talent looking to be in with a chance of receiving up to £30,000 and working with Virgin Media and the UK Film Council to make their next short film. All 12 short-listed films will be screened at 212 independent cinemas up and down the country for a year, the first time a short film competition has offered this kind of mass exposure for its finalists. Film fans will also be able to show their support for their preferred short film in the People’s Choice category. One film will be hailed as the public’s favourite and Britons can cast their vote by logging onto www.virginmediashorts.co.uk from 4pm on Tuesday 29 July 2008. The 12 short-listed film makers will now have their films evaluated by a prestigious judging panel including Oscar-winning stage and film actor Kevin Spacey; founder and chairman of the Virgin Group Richard Branson; British film director Gurinder Chadha; star of Confetti and Green Wing, Stephen Mangan; film critic James King; Oscar-nominated short film director Daniel Barber; Lenny Crooks from the UK Film Council and Malcolm Wall, CEO of content at Virgin Media and chairman of the panel. One grand prize and the People’s Choice award will be presented at a glittering, star-studded awards ceremony in London on 29 September 2008. All films were reviewed by an independent curator from the UK Film Council and the 12 short-listed finalists are: Alienated, Mohammed Aqeel Ahmed from London Big Push, Ian Fenton from Darlington Black Hole, Olly Williams from London Butterface, David McLaughlin from Manchester 5 Bricks High, Steve Brunton from Newcastle The Calling, Jason Edwards from London Desires, Kate Jessop from Manchester Elevator Music, Serdar Ferit from Buckinghamshire The Hobbyist, Justin Waite from Cardiff Little Dinosaurs, Dana Dorian from Glasgow Mind Games, Peter Bunzl from London What Cassandra Saw, Karen Penman from Essex James Kydd, Virgin Media’s managing director of brand and marketing, said: “Through Virgin Media Shorts, we wanted to offer a life-changing opportunity for film makers who have historically struggled to get exposure for their work and put them in the spotlight to an audience of millions. All 12 of the film makers have done tremendously well to be short-listed and their work will become part of our massive library of films on demand. We wish them all the best of luck.” Lenny Crooks, head of new cinema fund at UK Film Council added: “UK film production has continued to grow over recent years and British films now account for almost a third of all box office admissions in this country* so it’s important that we continue to encourage unique ideas and innovative approaches. “Virgin Media Shorts has been a fantastic project to support the emerging talent in Britain and it’s great that all 12 short-listed films will be screened to a broad range of audiences.” From 5th September, the films will be featured before the main attraction at 212 independent cinema screens up and down the country for a year. They will also be available to 3.5 million Virgin Media TV customers to watch for free through the FilmFlex service in the Movies on Demand section on their TV or through the Virgin Central channel. Virgin Mobile customers can download clips of the films through the Mobile Bites site. Meanwhile, all of the entries will be available to anyone to view and review online, giving any budding film critics the chance to rate and comment on each short film. To view all the short-listed films and to vote for your favourite visit www.virginmediashorts.co.uk from 4pm on Tuesday 29 July 2008. |
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