Let the Camera Games begin!
In the summer term of filmmaking classes, the Sparks film students compete in the Camera Games – an exciting annual filmmaking competition for the chance to win the Best Film title.
Within the Camera Games filmmaking competition, the young filmmakers engage in a series of challenging and inspiring film masterclasses designed to push their productions to the next level. Over the course of the term’s filmmaking classes, we look at how to enhance their production values. We explore how to supercharge production design, cinematography, editing and screen acting through a series of fun, interactive challenges and creative filmmaking briefs.
The young filmmakers then showcase their learning and skills development from throughout their time with Sparks in an ambitious film production led by their own ideas and creative choices.
At the end of term, their productions are entered into a national competition between all Sparks Film Schools filmmaking students. The winners are crowned later on in the year, following a review by a panel of judges.
Making Films for the Camera Games
The students taking part produce their end-of-year films from scratch, taking on complete ownership for the creative choices, the story and the production throughout the process.
They lead on all the creative elements, from the writing, the directing and the cinematography, to the performances, the production design and the editing. They also take on a variety of production crew roles and plenty of practical filmmaking in order to bring their films to life.
For the Camera Games, the filmmakers have the freedom to produce a film completely of their choice and our workshop team guide them towards being able to achieve their creative vision. Unlike in the Autumn and the Spring terms, where we look at a range of techniques and provide guidance on a choice of theme, they can explore any of their own ideas and also have more time available to focus on producing their film and lifting their production values.
Best Film Competition
The aim of the Camera Games is for Sparks Film School students to showcase their filmmaking knowledge, skills and creative ideas in an exciting and original film production that they make from scratch. Their productions should bring together lots of different elements in filmmaking that they have explored and skills they have developed from throughout the year and from throughout their time as a young filmmaker.
All the films from the summer term, across all Sparks Film Schools nationally, are then entered into a competition to decide which film will earn the coveted title of Best Film.
The films are all watched and reviewed by a panel of judges, which includes professional film critics and filmmaking professionals from the industry. They decide on a shortlist of finalists and the eventual winners, who are crowned each year. The judges also write a special film review for each of the shortlisted finalists.
Last year the prize was won by filmmakers from Sparks Film School Hove for their epic film production The Blue Unknown.
The film was recognised for its creative energy and bold directorial choices.
The judges commented, “Even the opening credits sequence in The Blue Unknown is filled with bold choices. Who doesn’t love a well-executed underwater scene? And the same creative energy is there throughout, with clever use of locations and witty take-offs of styles, ranging from corporate videos to TV news to big-budget action movie. Best of all, the storyline keeps you on the edge of your seat, even delivering a sting in the tail I – for one- didn’t see coming. Who needs Avatar 2?”
Get Ready for 2023…
We’re incredibly excited for this year’s Camera Games to begin.
There are plenty of brand new skill-building challenges, as well as plenty of inspiring masterclasses for the filmmakers to experience.
We know the filmmakers will do themselves proud and we can’t wait to see what they come up with for this year’s competition!
Find out more…
Learn more about Sparks Film School’s filmmaking classes here >>
Register for a free trial class here >>
Learn more about last year’s winning Camera Games here >>
