Entries for one of Australia’s most rewarding secondary film and video competitions – the Bond University Film and Television Awards (BUFTA) – are now open.
Last year, BUFTA attracted a record 150 short-film entries from high-school students around the nation.
This year, organisers are expecting even more entries across the six categories of Animation, Drama, Documentary, Experimental, Comedy, and Other.
Students entering their films in the competition set their sights on their first ‘big break’ into the film and television industry, with the winner taking out a full tuition film and television scholarship (valued at $72,000) at one of Australia’s leading Film and Television Centres at Bond University.
Also on offer are two top of the line Avid editing packages to schools that enter the most creative and inspiring work, as judged by a panel of industry experts from a variety of entertainment backgrounds.
The competition is free to enter and students may enter as many short films as they like.
Finalists are invited to Bond’s campus on the Gold Coast to attend the official Bond University Film and Television Awards night, which will also be webcast live at bond.edu.au/bufta.
The competition has an outstanding reputation in Australia, with previous winners having gone on to achieve national recognition for their work in the industry.
Cameron Edser won the competition last year, with his claymation entry The Bushman of Bunyip Billabong.
As overall winner, he won a full scholarship to study a Bachelor of Film and Television at Bond and moved from Adelaide to the Gold Coast to commence his studies this year.
Cameron already has a string of achievements to his name, and is a current top-six finalist in the prestigious Nescafe Big Break Competition.
Cameron entered the competition with best friend / business partner and fellow animator Michael Richards, with their proposal to open an animation studio in Adelaide. The pair have already won $15,000 and are in the running to walk away with the grand prize of $100,000.
"Winning BUFTA was a great help and it has really helped put my name, and my film, on the map,” Cameron said.
"The Bushman of Bunyip Billabong has since been accepted into over 20 international film festivals and has already won six awards, which is fantastic,” he said.
Aspiring high school filmmakers looking to follow in Cameron’s footsteps are encouraged to become involved in this year’s Bond University Film and Television Awards.
Applications close on November 3.
Visit www.bufta.com.au for more information, or to view Cameron’s winning entry from last year – The Bushman of Bunyip Billabong.