Video sharing website YouTube has partnered with Ridley Scott, Scott Free London, the Venice Film Festival and Emirates to launch Your Film Festival, a short film competition in which stories must be 15 minutes long.
YouTube was founded in 2005 by three former PayPal employees and acquired by search engine giant Google in 2006. Ridley Scott is a prolific British film director perhaps best known for his work on Alien, Thelma and Louise, and Gladiator. Mr. Scott expressed enthusiasm about the project with YouTube: “Short film making is exactly where I started my career 18 years ago, so to be helping new filmmakers find an entry point like this into the industry is fantastic.”
YouTube announces Your Film Festival
Aspiring filmmakers 18 years or older can submit their 15 minute film shorts between February 2 and March 31. The rules stipulate any of the work submitted for Your Film Festival can’t have been distributed prior to January 1, 2010.
YouTube announced in a blog post on Monday the global competition to encourage short film making and distribution through its website as a way into the movie making business. Scott Free Productions, the production company started by English film director Ridley Scott and his brother Tony in 1995, will select 50 semi-finalists by June, and from this group, ten finalists will be sent to the 69th annual Venice Film Festival, which will take place between August 29th and September 8th, 2012. A winner selected by a jury led by Ridley Scott will receive $500,000 award from YouTube to be used to work with Mr. Scott to make their next film.
Mr. Scott expressed enthusiasm for Your Film Festival (Image CC Wikimedia; Alex Guerrero)
The 15 minute film shorts created by the 50 semi-finalists will become part of this new YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/yourfilmfestival YouTube Describes Your Film Festival here: “The Global Search for the world’s best storytellers.” Participants are not required to pay an entry fee for their submission, which can be in any genre, and there is no restriction on the format – web series, short film, or TV pilot are all allowed.
“In June, audiences around the world will vote [on the 50 semi-finalists] sending ten deserving storytellers to open the 2012 Venice Film Festival where a Grand Prize winner will be rewarded with a $500,000 grant to create a new work, produced by Ridley Scott and his team” according to the YouTube website for the contest.
YouTube’s Robert Kyncl said in a statement: “Through this program, YouTube will give filmmakers, the opportunity to reach a vast audience, screen their work during the Venice Film Festival, and potentially be rewarded in a career-changing way.” Kyncl is YouTube’s global head of content.
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