London based multiplatform distributor Digital Rights Group have partnered with Los Angeles based online film making community Filmaka to sponsor a short film competition around the theme of Hard Times. The winners will win cash plus the chance of being propelled to the movie making major league. If their three-minute short film is selected the distributor is offering the winners the opportunity to turn it into a movie TV or Internet series. The community a set of judges at Digital Rights Group and by Filmaka’s internationally renowned jury of moviemakers which includes Colin Firth Werner Herzog and John Madden votes for entries to the Digital Rights Group competition which are open. Membership to the Filmaka community is free and for an administrative fee of ten dollars users can upload their films. DRG’s Justin Judd says “Our purpose in working with Filmaka is to find and pilot a number of ideas that we can then develop into more traditional formats such as long running TV series which could be straight drama or comedy. While other sites have run occasional online movie competitions the beauty of working with Filmaka is that their community brings a wide range of perspectives and approaches to the idea. Hard Times seems an appropriate theme in the current economic circumstances but we remain very excited to see how the budding creative forces of tomorrow will interpret this theme and we look forward to helping them make it the next big international hit.” Filmaka’s Deepak Nayar (producer Bend It Like Beckham Lost Highway) says “Filmaka looks forward to seeing the many ways our global community interprets the very topical Hard Times theme. Our filmmakers have proven their versatility time and time again from creating branded entertainment for SABMiller and Ford Mustang to short comedy films for FX to music videos for Lincoln which featured in this year’s Grammy Awards. Filmaka’s mission is to reward creativity so we thank Digital Rights Group for giving our community the opportunity to turn their short films into hits for multiple platforms including television and film.” Entries for the competition close at midnight PST April 19. Filmaka www.filmaka.com
