Remix the news into your own avant-garde short film

Following its successful inaugural launch in 2015, ITN Source has once again opened up its archives for its Short Film Competition. Local and international filmmakers are invited to have a browse through its lengthy treasure trove of historical news footage and cut together a minute-long short film. Free music can also be sourced from the Audio Network music library.

The three finalists, selected by a grand jury, will then be screened at 2016’s Sheffield Doc/Fest, where festival attendees will vote for their favourite. Last year saw 71 short films submitted. HM United, a rapid-fire celebration of all things quintessentially British, was ultimately selected as the winner, with director Xavier Perkins scooping a £1,000 prize.

Other notable entries in 2015 included the surreal, energetic Those Who Dance by Daniel Cantagallo, Edward Emsley’s Twenty Seven, a tribute to the ’27 Club’ myth, and an untitled film by Abolfazl Talooni that explores the immigrant experience through UK history.

The submitted films themselves are often celebratory and nostalgic, much of the utilised footage stemming from the black-and-white glitz of the ’50s and ’60s. But many also exploit the archives for their ability to showcase important moments in cultural and political history.

So take a look around the archives and dust off your Final Cut Pro, it might just be you at this year’s podium collecting a big cheque.

Visit Sheffield Doc/Fest for dates and information on how to access the ITN archives.

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