Canon announced the 20 short listed films for the annual Canon DV Fest -
Singapore’s largest film-making outreach programme. Starting from tonight,
audiences from all over the world will be able to view all short listed entries
and vote for their favourite short film.
The judges this year are Serene Choo, VP, Branding & Promotions, MediaCorp TV;
Irene Ang, CEO, Fly Entertainment; Holman Chin, General Manager, Vision Media,
Andrew Koh, Director and General Manager, Consumer Imaging and Information,
Canon Singapore; and Simon Siah, Event Producer, Canon DV Fest 2006.
”Everyone, no matter how old or how young, has a story inside them waiting to be
told and Canon DV Fest offers everyone the opportunity to express their stories,
vision and creativity in film. And this year’s entries prove just that. With the
inclusion of the Secondary School category, we are encouraging more to make
their own films,” explains Andrew Koh, Director and General Manager, Consumer
Imaging and Information Division, Canon Singapore.
“With the Canon DV Fest, we have removed the barriers for anyone to be involved
through seminars and workshops, Canon equipment loans and even making Fly
Entertainment talents available. And through our partnership with National
Library, we were also able to provide stories for participants, if they decide
not to use their own.”
Canon has been nurturing this Fest since its launch as a far-sighted initiative
to stimulate the local film industry, as well as to expose digital technologies
and film-making to the general consumer.
Embracing the Next Generation of Film Makers
This year, for the first time, Canon held a series of six customised workshops
for secondary school students. In these workshops, students were introduced to
the subject of film-making and its art form, and basic skills were also imparted
so as to encourage them to participate in the contest. They could either submit
a short film or a documentary for the competition.
17 year-old Brian Tan, whose entry has been short listed shared, “The annual
Canon DV Fest has been instrumental in helping me grow and develop a keener
interest in film-making. In fact, the annual short film contest is really a good
platform for amateur participants like us to allow our films to be judged
professionally and perhaps, assist us in being discovered, hopefully at a
commercial level!”
Other Educational Initiatives
In its third year now, the Fest remains committed as a platform that brings
opportunities to more people who can actualise their creative ideas through the
Digital Video medium. In addition to the workshops for secondary school
students, a series of public film-making workshops were held at regional
libraries and tertiary institutions.
How to Vote for Your Favourite Film
From 2 November 2006 till midnight of 23 November 2006, audiences from all over
the world will be able to vote for their favourite short film by participating
in the Audience Choice Award by visiting www.canon.com.sg/dvfest.
Simon Siah, Event Producer of Canon DV Fest 2006 notes, “Participating in the
Audience Choice Award through our website is testament to how digital delivery
technologies can indeed change the way entertainment is being offered worldwide.
Online voting for one’s favourite short film is not limited to industry players
residing in Singapore locally but also to those currently living abroad.
Foreigners, producers, experienced movie makers too, can have the opportunity to
discover local talent, witness fresh ideas and inspiring new creative angles.”
Categories
The annual Canon DV Fest has short-listed 20 films from the various categories:
Professional, Media Students, Open and Secondary Schools. There will also be
special awards highlighting winners for Best Direction, Best Technical
Execution, Fresh Face for the most promising actor and the Audience Choice
Awards.
Announcement of Winners
This closed-door awards event will be held on 24 November 2006 at DXO Club,
Colours by the Bay, Esplanade Mall. Winners will be awarded prizes amounting up
to $ 50,000 worth of cash and prizes. Results of the winners will be posted on
the DV Fest website one day after the event.
About the Canon DV Fest
The Canon Digital Video Fest (DV Fest) is an annual event for local filmmakers
to showcase their talents and for aspiring filmmakers to bring their scripts to
life. The highlight of the Fest is the short film contest that calls for entries
from professional filmmakers, media students and the general public. The Fest
incorporates public screenings, roadshows, workshops and school seminars to
educate the public on the advancements in digital video technology, as well as,
impart new and convenient ways of integrating new movie-making medium into their
lifestyle. The event champions the aspirations of local film-makers and
Singapore as a regional centre for arts and cultural diversity. For updates and
information pertaining to the Canon DV Fest 2006, please visit www.canon.com.sg/dvfest