BBC Points West seeks new film makers

26 June, 2006 by The_Boss

BBC Points West has launched a competition called Untold West in a bid to find previously undiscovered film makers from across the West Country.
Untold West is open to anyone in the BBC Points West broadcast area that has not yet had a film or video shown on TV.

Chris Burton, Roots Project* and Untold West Co-ordinator for the BBC West region, says: "We are looking for anyone from the region who is interested in film with original stories about, as the name suggests, an untold side of life, issue or artistic activity in the West Country.

"We are very keen to encourage new filmmakers and to develop new talent. In fact we want to encourage people who don't even consider themselves as filmmakers but just have good ideas to have a go.

"While it is open to everyone, we are making particular efforts to encourage entries from under-represented groups, particularly from ethnic minority communities."

There are several partner groups involved in the initiative ranging from BBC New Talent, Roots and the Arts Council.

Untold West is also working with St Pauls Learning Centre, Cre8 and other arts centres in the West. The competition is supported by Dick Penny, Director of the Watershed Media Centre, and Paul Appleby of the BBC Natural History Unit who are helping to organise the competition.


How to enter

Entrants must fill out an application form outlining their idea. Forms are available from http://bbc.co.uk/pointswest or calling the CSV Action Desk on 0845 9007955 and leaving your name and address.

The top five winners, chosen by a panel of judges from the various organisations involved, will be given a week's course at BBC Bristol on film making. This training will help develop filmmaking skills and give the new filmmakers skills and confidence in this field.

Each winner will then be given a budget to 'buy in' a camera operator and/or editing facilities.

The five winners will see their films broadcast on Points West in September and be invited onto the programme to discuss their work. The films will also be shown at the Encounters film festival at the Watershed.