The National Library of Scotland and the Scottish Youth Film Festival have launched a film competition for young people on the concept of ‘home’.
A chance for young people to share their experience of the COVID-19 lockdown, the winning entries will be preserved in the National Library’s Moving Image Archive, as well as awarded a prize.
The Library’s Head of Moving Image and Sound Collections, Alison Stevenson, said:
“The lockdown affects us all in different ways, making us participants in this new moment in history. Continuing to grow the national collections remains a focus for the Library, and this includes collecting content from the present day. It’s important that we capture young people’s voices and perspectives of the lockdown, including their version of ‘home’ – and we look forward to seeing their creations.”
Scottish Youth Film Festival patron, actor Kevin Guthrie, said: “Our charity aims to improve the lives of young people in Scotland through film. During this lockdown, we’re unable to do the usual outreach and education work with our young people, so we’re bringing this next challenge to you in your homes.
“Phones and tablets will hopefully allow young people and their families to take part and be creative during this time. I look forward to seeing the ideas and inventiveness of Scotland’s next generation of filmmakers.”
Anyone under 19 who lives in Scotland can enter. Films can be made using any technology: phones, tablets or cameras, and they can be in any genre or language. Films must be no longer than five minutes, and can be an animation, documentary or live action. So long as the stories broadly fit with the theme of ‘home’, they can be about anything. Entrants can involve anyone – family members, carers, pets or their online community. The only thing entrants are asked not to do is use mainstream music – it would disqualify their entry because of copyright reasons.
More information on how to enter can be found at www.syff.scot, and people can view the launch film here. The deadline for entries is 31 August 2020.
