Unleashing Cinematic Brilliance: The West London Film Competition Awards 2023

Lights, camera, and a whole lot of action! The West London Film Competition Awards 2023 captivated audiences as it showcased the extraordinary talent within some of West London’s colleges.

This exhilarating cinematography competition, hosted by the West London Film & TV Skills Hub (supported by the Mayor of London) and facilitated by The JGA Group, is about students developing technical prowess, teamwork, networking opportunities, and the ability to create awe-inspiring expressions of the given briefs and guidelines.

Teams from 3 West London colleges: HRUC, West London College and West Thames College each worked with a professional filmmaker for 5 days to conceptualise, plan, shoot and edit a short film.

The teams were free to exercise their creativity with the only stipulation being that the broad topics were either: ‘West London – a great place to be creative’ or ‘Greening West London’.

One key aspect that sets this competition apart is its emphasis on teamwork. Filmmaking is a collaborative art form, requiring seamless coordination and synergy among a diverse group of individuals. From directors to cinematographers, actors to editors, each person plays a vital role in bringing the vision to life. The West London Film Awards provided a space where these budding talents learned the art of effective collaboration, fostering strong relationships and laying the foundation for future creative partnerships as well gathering evidence for their portfolios and show reels, to improve their chances of film/TV employment.

Amidst the flurry of cameras and the electric energy that filling the air, 18 West Londoners competed. From capturing cool West London cityscapes to to weaving narratives to tug at our heartstrings, these talented students transported us to worlds both familiar and fantastical.

Three teams entered: West Thames worked with Josh Simmons (Silversalts Media), HRUC with Chris Skarratt and Jonny Magowan (Trick of the Light Media) and West London College with Manoj Gohill (Delusions Of Grandeur Films).

Each team excelled in a different aspect of filmmaking with West Thames focusing on the quality of cinematography, HRUC on narrative structure – telling a story without a verbal script and West London on a sharply edited combination of snappy short film in together with a fascinating “The making of” documentary.

And the winner was….. ‘Enigmatic Strangers’ from HRUC who won the perhaps once-in-a-lifetime journey opportunity to spend a day with Sony Europe in their facility at Pinewood Studios – Sony has a cutting-edge virtual production set. As the first prize winner, they will witness the magic and innovation behind the creation of unforgettable movies.

Many thanks to Global Academy (West London’s specialist media school) for kindly hosting the showing and letting us all use your fabulous facilities.