The 11th ‘Lights Canberra Action’ film making festival took place last month showcasing films made by local enthusiasts from all walks of life.
This year’s theme was ‘Brilliant Possibilities’ with participants given a list of ten items that must be included in their finished product. Some of which were the Academy of Science shine dome, an old lamppost, stars and a blank piece of paper. The details are released giving participants 10 days to shoot and produce their films, although preparation can be done beforehand.
The festival attracts a broad group of filmmakers from full time media students through to ‘occasional film dabblers’ seeking a break from their day-to-day careers and an opportunity to immerse themselves in something creative.
Thanks to the increasing availability of sophisticated desktop software along with lowering cost of media equipment, the festival is seeing the use of special effects of move in leaps and bounds from year to year. This was showcased in two films that were particularly special effects heavy.
Adagio
Algorithm (which won Best Film)
Festival Director, Marisa Martin is excited by the possibilities, saying it is ‘quite amazing to see how broad and varied the projects are and just what is possible to turn around in the 10 day timeframe’.
Hew Sandison, Director of Best Film – Algorithm, said Lights Canberra Action has always been a motivator ‘to get up and make a film; tell a story. It’s not an easy process, the first two years I did this saw an incomplete film and another that didn’t make the cut – but you keep on making. The more you make, the more you learn about yourself and the craft. From hard work (and teamwork!), great things will come.’
This year attracted around 50 entries involving a couple of hundred filmmakers (although only 27 movies made it to completion) and the screening (in the Rose Garden, OPH) saw audience numbers of up to 3000 including those standing.
Another film of interest is Cold Feet which won Palace Cinema’s People’s Choice award, Best Director, Best script and was voted audience favourite in a post screening poll.
Cold Feet
If you’re interested in trying your hand at film making, the festival will run again in March 2015.
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