Over eight Friday nights from 1 November to 20 December, The Rocks and its enchanting laneways will be transformed into a bazaar of all that is weird and wonderful for The Rocks Village Bizarre. To help celebrate all the strange in this world, event producers Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority are calling on all filmmakers to enter the inaugural peddle-powered short film competition – Bike Shorts.
Whether you’re an up-and-coming filmmaker, a wannabe Tim Burton or just addicted to Vine or Instagram vids, bike shorts is right up your alley. The competition is separated into two categories to allow for all skill levels to get involved.
Standard Shorts will see local film talent, from students to movie buffs submit films up to 5 minutes long. The only requirement is that you stick with the theme of The Rocks Village Bizarre and use ‘weird and wonderful’ as the inspiration.
Micro Shorts will have the social media savvy shooting snappy videos in 15 seconds or less. Films for Micro just need to be based on the theme ‘Cycle’ and submitted via Instagram using the hash tags #bikeshorts and #villagebizarre.
Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority Creative Producer, Michael Cohen says “We've been tapping into the vein of the adventurous and fun with our entire program for The Rocks Village Bizarre. We now want to see all the curious, extraordinary and outlandish things filmmakers have floating around in their heads.”
On Friday 6 December, finalists from both categories will be screened at a special showcase at The Rocks Village Bizarre on Magnificent Revolution’s bicycle powered projector.
Not only will filmmakers have their shorts screened to crowds at the event, there’s also a stack of great prizes up for grabs. The Standard Shorts winner will collect a cool $1,000 cash and a mentorship with AACTA and Emmy award-winning Firelight Productions while the Micro Shorts winner will pedal away with a GoPro HD Hero 3 Digital Video Camera - Black edition.
There’s a quality prize in store for a runner up in each category as well. The runner up for Standard Shorts gets a night accommodation at the Harbour Rocks Hotel while the Micro Shorts runner up will be awarded one nights accommodation at the Holiday Inn Old Sydney with a complimentary breakfast.
With a judging panel featuring some of the biggest movers and shakers in the film and sustainability industries, this is your chance to really take things up a gear.
Entries for both competitions close 5pm Monday 25 November 2013 so film fanatics are encouraged to pick up their camera or phone, call in the help of friends and family and get filming. To enter head to Therocks.com/bikeshorts
For those of us less keen on creating cinematic masterpieces, come and see the finalist films at Bike Shorts film competition on 6th December… and explore The Rocks Village Bizarre which has plenty of other weird and wonderful happenings taking place in its many winding paths to arouse your curiosity.
No corner will be left ordinary. Every laneway, nook and cranny of The Rocks will unveil a new performance, a new adventure, a new experience. From kidnappings, treasure hunts and curious cabinets to contortionists and pop up bars, your very own playground of markets and mystery is waiting for you.
So curious folk, start filming and get ready to end your working week in the mysterious world of The Rocks Village Bizarre - every Friday night from 1st November to 20th December.
The Rocks Village Bizarre is curated and presented by Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, proud managers of The Rocks: traditional land of the Cadigal people and the birthplace of European settlement in Australia. Whilst preserving The Rocks’ unique heritage, the Authority’s team of creatives and resident experts produce large scale and intimate quality events, outdoor markets, and educational tours to drive visitors into the precinct and support the precinct’s tenants. The Rocks is a perfect blend of culture, cuisine and a myriad of experiences worth savouring.