MP Mike Weatherley is behind a new competition for filmmakers.

www.filmthehouse.com

 

Film the House is a nationwide parliamentary film competition, which celebrates up-and-coming amateur film producers, directors and script-writers throughout the UK. Founded by Mike Weatherley MP, the Prime Minister’s advisor on Intellectual Property (IP), this innovative parliamentary initiative is to raise political awareness of the importance of intellectual property rights, film and creative industries, among Parliamentarians and the Government.

To enter the competition is really straightforward. Entrants apply through ‘BandApp’, a device friendly, social media platform for musicians and filmmakers alike, to share media, key dates and conversations directly to their fans smart phones. Once entrants have submitted their film, MPs will nominate the best submissions from within their constituency. These will then go on to be considered by a panel of industry experts for the final award ceremony, to be held at the House of Commons in July of next year.

Categories this year include drama, thriller, action, comedy, music video, documentary, and a separate category for fewer than 18s in any genre, with prizes for both winners and runners up in each category. Applications are open until March 31 2014, when the films will be put to the consideration of MPs, with finalists being announced on May 14 2014, and the winners announced on July 1 2014 at the House of Commons

This year Lionsgate, the Motion Picture Association, Google, ITN, Paramount Pictures and many others have come onboard to sponsor and show support for the competition.

This year the competition’s fantastic prizes include (with others to be confirmed):

  • The screening of the winners’ films at the House of Commons
  • A private screening of winning films at a Paramount theatre
  • Work experience at Lionsgate, ITN, and OP Film and Media
  • Premier tickets
  • A six-month +1 Odeon Cinema pass.

Film the House competition