Remix the news into your own avant-garde short film
- Text by Adam White
- Photography by ITN Source
Following its successful inaugural launch in 2015, ITN Source has once again opened up its archives for its Short Film Competition. Local and international filmmakers are invited to have a browse through its lengthy treasure trove of historical news footage and cut together a minute-long short film. Free music can also be sourced from the Audio Network music library.
The three finalists, selected by a grand jury, will then be screened at 2016’s Sheffield Doc/Fest, where festival attendees will vote for their favourite. Last year saw 71 short films submitted. HM United, a rapid-fire celebration of all things quintessentially British, was ultimately selected as the winner, with director Xavier Perkins scooping a £1,000 prize.
Other notable entries in 2015 included the surreal, energetic Those Who Dance by Daniel Cantagallo, Edward Emsley’s Twenty Seven, a tribute to the ’27 Club’ myth, and an untitled film by Abolfazl Talooni that explores the immigrant experience through UK history.
The submitted films themselves are often celebratory and nostalgic, much of the utilised footage stemming from the black-and-white glitz of the ’50s and ’60s. But many also exploit the archives for their ability to showcase important moments in cultural and political history.
So take a look around the archives and dust off your Final Cut Pro, it might just be you at this year’s podium collecting a big cheque.
Visit Sheffield Doc/Fest for dates and information on how to access the ITN archives.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Latest on Huck
A tribute to Erwin Olaf, the visionary photographer and LGBTQ icon
A recent exhibition offered an intimate look back at the artist’s poignant and provocative four-decade career.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Piracy in the UK: the failed war on illegal content
Twenty years since the infamous ‘You Wouldn't Steal a Car’ advert, knock-off media is more rampant than ever. But can we justify our buccaneering piracy?
Written by: Kyle MacNeill
We’re shutting down the government - here’s why
Hundreds of people have descended on Whitehall this morning to protest the British government’s complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Written by: Cecilia fire
Maverick Sabre: “When times get grittier, sounds get grittier”
The Irish singer songwriter sits down to talk about his latest album, Burn The Right Things Down – a yearning, existential journey that is fit for the times.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Kola Bokinni: “With dementia, you grieve for the person before they die”
For the latest in our Daddy Issues column, Robert Kazandjian sits down with the Ted Lasso star to talk about grief, building a relationship with his dad and losing him slowly to dementia.
Written by: Robert Kazandjian
The party putting accessibility and politics centre stage
From streaming DJ sets in their kitchen during lockdown to the stage at Wembley arena Queer House Party have taken the world by storm whilst always staying true to who they are.
Written by: Ben Smoke