Lights, cellphone, ACTION!

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For the second year in a row, RedCat Film and the London Fringe Theatre Festival are working together to present the Shot on Mobile Short Film Showcase. This contest encourages Londoners to get creative and be original in making a short film.

Each film must be shot on a mobile device and be no longer than five minutes long. Alison Challis, Producer at the Fringe Festival, said that this showcase provides Londoners with a unique opportunity. "The Shot on Mobile Short Film Showcase levels the playing field by taking the expensive camera gear out of the picture. You don't need any filmmaking experience to get in on the fun," she said.

Romy Goulem, a Professor in the Advanced Filmmaking Program at Fanshawe, said that even though many Fanshawe students are very busy this time of year, contests such as this one could prove to be great opportunities for all students. "A lot of people are intimidated by the equipment ... as long as (students) have basic editing software, (they) can do it," he said.

These types of contests give young people the opportunity to develop their own film and learn from other creative minds in the city. "It's interesting to see what sorts of things are produced outside of the mainstream ... (it's) a great way for basement filmmakers to get exposure and make connections," said Fanshawe student Danny Dunlop.

"I think contests like these are really useful because it's an outlet to get your name out there. It's a way for people to see what you can do, and a way for you to see what people's reactions are going to be to your work," said Allysa Dougall, a Broadcast Television student at Fanshawe, adding that she is curious to see the underground talent in London.

There are a few guidelines that must be followed when entering this contest. All films must be shot and edited between February 1 and February 29. Each film must be submitted along with a filled out entry form, a $10 submission fee and a separate DVD containing a two-minute promotional trailer as well as a poster. Other than that, there are no guidelines in terms of content and filmmakers have free rein to make any film they want.

Last year's contest winners can be seen at shotonmobile.com. The 2011 first-place winner was a film about UFOs and intergalactic travellers, and the second-place film artistically compared the differences between everyday objects, such as a tree in Canada and a tree in the tropics. "It's cool to see what people come up with. There are no rules in terms of what they submit, so they can do absolutely anything," said Challis.

A selection committee will be responsible for deciding the top three films, along with which entries will be presented at the showcase on March 14. The winner of the contest will not only win a prize package, but will have their film shared by Fringe. "We promote it, post it online and share it everywhere through all of our social media networks," said Challis.

Challis is hopeful that a lot of people will submit entries to this contest, giving exposure to creative minds in London. "That's what the Fringe is all about, providing opportunities for artists to be creative and to have a platform to do what they do best, which is create."

For more information visit londonfringe.ca and shotonmobile.com for contest guidelines and submission forms.