SCI-FI-LONDON’s 48 Hour Film Challenge is looking for the next Gareth Edwards

Since 2009, SCI-FI-LONDON Film Festival has run a 48 Hour Film Challenge where participants script, shoot, edit and complete a short format science fiction or fantasy film. In 2008 the winning submission came from a young, London-based director named Gareth Edwards.

Gareth’s début feature was the multiple award-winning MONSTERS – the project being green-lit due to Vertigo Films seeing his winning 48 hour short film at SCI-FI-LONDON. They were so impressed with what he achieved in just two days and no budget that they decided to develop a feature film with him.

Our 2011 challenge not only sees Gareth on the jury, but the producer of MONSTERS and head of Vertigo Films, Allan Niblo, also joins us.

In our 10th anniversary year, SCI-FI-LONDON is delighted to announce that the challenge’s first prize is a development deal with Vertigo Films. The 2011 winner will have the opportunity to develop a feature film with the creators of STREETDANCE 3D and MONSTERS.

Vertigo will either develop the winning short film into a feature, or develop an alternative concept from a slate of projects the filmmaker will be asked to pitch to the team.

Also new for 2011 is an Under 21 category run in conjunction with the BFI Future Film Festival. Prizes for this section include the winning film being screened at the BFI Southbank.

Did we mention our amazing jury?

• Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim)
• Mary Lambert (Pet Cemetery, Dark Path)
• Gareth Edwards (Monsters)
• Todd Brown (Editor, Twitchfilm.net)
• Allan Niblo (Head of Vertigo Films)
• Rosie Fletcher (News Editor, Total Film)

Taking part is free and easy...
Our film challenge is FREE TO ENTER – it seems wrong to ask for money, it’s hard enough work as it is! We give out a randomly generated film title, some dialogue and a prop list. Participants then have just 48 hours to write, shoot and edit a complete five minute film.

The SCI-FI-LONDON 48 Hour Film Challenge takes place 2 – 4 April, 2011 at the Apollo Piccadilly Circus.

This year’s festival runs Saturday 23 April – Monday 2 May, 2011.

Full details will be available soon and on www.sci-fi-london.com.

They touched the face of God

This is a slight departure from the normal things that appear on this blog. however, today is an anniversary of one of space travels greatest disasters. For the people who know me know how much of a "space nut" I am, and can be a bit of a bore at times.

25 years ago today the 25th Space Shuttle launch took to the skies. Most of the crew I bet you can't name. Except one. That being of the first "Teacher in Space", Christa McAuliffe, who was planning on holding live lessons from space. Unfortunately this wasn't to happen as just after 73 seconds into the flight the Orbiter exploded into a ball of flames and smoke. This was Challenger's 10th, and tragically, its last flight.

Most people of my age will remember how they found out about the disaster. I learnt about it when I came home from school and remembering watching BBC 2 that was running a live CNN feed as they were the only organisation at the time that could do this sort of coverage as it was in the days before global 24 hour news coverage. Below is a segment of CNN on that day. From take off to the "explosion"

After the disaster the US President, Ronald Reagan, cancelled the annual State of the Union Address and went on television to address the nation about that days tragedy. He finished the broadcast with a quote from the poem "High Flight".

We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and 'slipped the surly bonds of Earth' to 'touch the face of God.'

So here's to the memory of Christa McAuliffe and the rest of the STS 51-L crew: Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik who paid the ultimate price in space exploration.

I would like to leave you with a happy[ish] thought. If you look at the mission patch to the right, you will see something next to Christa McAuliffe. If you are wondering what it is, then I can tell you. It's quite simple. It's an apple. Why? you may ask. The simple answer is "What do you give to a teacher"?