Heather Lee at Harrow Cine & Video Society tells us about this exciting competition...

The Final of the 6th Peter Kittel Film & Video Competition for Young People 2005, organised by Harrow Cine & Video Society, was held on Monday, 21st February at Harrow Arts Centre, Hatch End, Middx., before an invited audience of competitors, friends, relations and club members. The competition is sponsored by Global Cameras of Harrow, IAC (North Thames Region), Marianne Kittel and Harrow Cine & Video Society.

This competition is for short films or videos, up to 15 minutes in length, in two categories,- Under 16, and 16 to Under 19. This year's winning entries, all dramas, were of a much higher standard than usual.

Judges were Paul Kittel, the late Peter Kittel's son, who shoots and directs for TV, Alan Colegrave ARPS a member of HCVS who makes films professionally and for fun, and Mark Jackson of Pinner, a former Peter Kittel Competition winner, who now makes videos for TV advertising. They gave brief constructive comments after each video was shown.

The awards were presented by Marianne Kittel, widow of Peter Kittel. The event is held in memory of Peter who was a member of Harrow Cine & Video Society and a prolific film maker.

The 1st prize in the Under 16 section went to Vincent Tempest aged 15 of Barnet, Herts., already a member of Finchley Cinevideo Society, with "Thank you Sod's Law". He won a cash prize of £50 and was awarded IAC membership for the year.

The winner of the 16 to Under 19 section was Kate Lane aged 17 of Pinner, Middlesex, with her video "Young Souls". Kate won a £75 cash prize, as well as membership of the IAC and Harrow Cine & Video Society for one year. (See picture on top right of this page.)

Second prize in the Under 16 category, £35, was won by the Roden family, new IAC members of Leighton Buzzard, with "Entity," which also won the Peter Kittel Shield for the most original entry. It was interesting to hear that having joined the IAC they found the Peter Kittel Competition on the IAC website.

Second prize in the 16 to under 19 category went to Christopher Oldfield aged 18 of London with "Alone At Night". He won a voucher for £50 from Global Cameras of Harrow.

Kate Lane (left) maker of the winning video "Young Souls" pictured with Ellie Harris (5th from left) aged 15 of Harrow Weald and the cast of "The Fairy who loses her Wings," runners-up in the under 16 section.

Vincent Tempest aged 15, of Barnet (foreground), whose video "Thank you Sod's Law" has won the under 16 section of the 6th Peter Kittel Film & Video Competition, with Marianne Kittel, Peter Kittel's widow, who presented the awards

The competition was as usual very difficult to advertise, with some local papers, council websites and libraries not always very co-operative. Useful websites were "Shooting People" , "Talent Circle" and the IAC. There were nearly 40 enquiries, mostly by e-mail, some from older people, and all were given information about the IAC website, local societies and other competitions. Six young people had to drop out because either their camera was not working properly or too much school work: four of these have already said they are keen to enter the Competition next time.

This is the only competition exclusively for young people, so anyone interested in entering, please register from now on to receive full details!

Heather Lee
Hon. Secretary and Peter Kittel Competition Organiser
Harrow Cine & Video Society tel. no. 020 8863 7628 or e-mail heatherlee(AT)onetel.com *

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Page updated on 21 March 2008

Authors' views are not necessarily those of The Institute of Amateur Cinematographers

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