Green Screen launches Very Short Shorts Mobile Film Competition

Green Screen Environmental Film Festival opened its popular Very Short Shorts Mobile Film Competition under the theme Our Circle on Monday.

A media release said the film festival is continuing the mission to bring environmental and sustainability education to audiences in Trinidad and Tobago and beyond.

The idea that our natural world is a connected circle of elements and organisms is not new. Charles Darwin’s idea of evolution is best depicted as a circle, with various species connecting and branching off from each other. The term “circle of life” is often used to explain the idea that all living things are dependent on other things for their survival. All living things that call the sphere of earth their home are connected. Every animal needs to eat plants or other animal to survive.. It is an endless circle of connection, the release said.

Additionally, communities, organisations and individuals are also connected and dependent on each other in various ways and the idea of cooperation is key in the mission to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The very short shorts competition will embrace stories of this amazing never ending story through film, with a focus on the following three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), SDG 14 (life below water) and SDG 15 (life on land).

Carver Bacchus, Green Screen’s founder/director says “This competition was designed to expand community involvement in filmmaking and environmental stewardship simultaneously. Over the last five years the competition has attracted newcomer, amateur and professional filmmakers, creating content that can inform, educate and entertain our audience.”

The sixth edition of this competition will be open to the general public in two main categories: 12 to 17 year-old participants and 18+ year old participants.

The competition will be open to filmmakers of all levels of experience. The theme Our Circle hopes to inspire participants to create stories that show the interconnectedness of life and living systems on land and below water, between people, communities, individuals and in any other way participants see the relationship between this interconnectedness and sustainability, the release said.

The competition will also include a special category to inspire submissions focussed on the circular economy with a special prize presented by The Cropper Foundation.

The general guidelines that apply include the following:

Films must be shot entirely on a mobile device (smartphone, tablet, go-pro or any combination of these) in HD video. Submissions will be limited to a length of 60 seconds, not including credits. Participants will be allowed any number of submissions. Submissions will be accepted online only via FilmFreeway.com.

Prizes will include cash prizes up to $12,000.00. Films will be disseminated via social media and the Green Screen website. Winning films will be selected by a Green Screen jury and people’s choice voting

The competition closes on September 15 and a live prize announcement will be scheduled to close the festival in November

Bacchus added, “This competition has become a major festival feature. Over the last five years we’ve been amazed by the creativity and innovation possible with just a mobile device. We’ve seen some truly fantastic stories in very small packages. This year we’d like to encourage the audience to vote for People’s Choice of course, but also to share their favourite films via social media to help propel these messages. The more people understand these issues and make the connections to themselves and their communities, the better decisions we as a society will make when it comes to our sustainability”

The festival’s 2023 edition is supported by lead sponsor, the National Gas Company Limited (NGC), Supporting Sponsor the National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB), Festival Patron Republic Bank Limited through its Power to Make A Difference programme and Festival Partner, FilmTT.