The search is on for the next Ridley Scott as three students at Newcastle University launch a competition for fellow students to capture what’s best about life on campus and the city of Newcastle.

The trio: Anahita Guha, Zhenhua Jin and Maham Masood, MA Media, Journalism and Public Relations students are organizing the short film-making competition, ‘NU - Through my Lens’ to give students an opportunity to exhibit their talent.

Launching in January, the competition has the theme: “Love it? Film it!” encouraging the participants to film a three-minute video about the University or an aspect of it that they love the most. Entries can be in any genre: from silent movie, to musical and experts from the University’s School of Film and Media will provide a masterclass session for entrants to hone their skills.

Anahita, who is studying for an MA in Media and Public Relations and is from India explains: “We know that students like different aspects of life here in Newcastle, whether it’s their accommodation, their tutors or their sports society and so we are confident that we will get many different views of Newcastle captured on film.

“We are also keen to encourage our Newcastle students in Singapore and Malaysia to submit entries to give their views on studying on the other side of the world.”

The short films will be judged by an expert panel involving staff from across the University including academics from the media school. There will also be a viewers’ panel with students encouraged to vote for their favourite video on line.

The overall winner of the ‘NU – Through My Lens’ will win £2,500 for their film, with runners-up also being awarded, culminating in a final ‘Oscars’-style viewing in April.

The competition is being backed by Newcastle University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chris Brink who said: “I am pleased to be supporting another student-driven initiative that we hope will capture the imagination of students in showcasing what’s best about the University and the city of Newcastle.

"Last year’s ‘Appathon’ competition generated an excellent response and the result was the Newcastle University App that is now supporting students in their learning and life on campus. We hope this video competition will attract a similar response from students who want to develop new skills in film-making and production.” 

To enter, students have to register on the competition website by February, 2013.

Pictured l-r are: Anahita Guha and Zhenhua Jin

published on: 10 December 2012