Nextwave Youth Film Competition Transforms in 2022
Australia’s Screenwave International Film Festival (SWIFF) presents its eighth annual Nextwave program in 2022, providing filmmaking know-how with its Nextwave Online education platform. Plus, a real-world film competition experience for all young Australians aged 10 to 25 at SWIFF’s premiere Nextwave Youth Film Awards gala event, support by Southern Cross University.
This year’s Nextwave competition is now open nationally, with filmmakers invited to submit their films in line with the entry criteria via Film Freeway. All films must be under five minutes, include a green item, and include the theme of transformation. The submission deadline for entries is 11:59pm on Tuesday, October 25th, 2022.
Nextwave’s competition is one of the largest youth film competitions in Australia, offering over $20,000 in prizes and trophies awarded each year, including cameras, sound equipment, headphones, and more – and last year attracting short film entries from every State in Australia, with films judged in age categories.
The best short films will be selected and screened in front of packed crowds at the Nextwave Youth Film Awards, which will be held during Coffs Harbour’s Screenwave International Film Festival in Autumn 2023.
For those individuals and schools wanting an edge, the Nextwave Online program provides start-to-end filmmaking education without prior filmmaking experience required. Nextwave Online is a 10-part series of 20-minute modules that teach the ins and outs of beginner filmmaking from story, to scriptwriting, to pre-production, filming, editing, and sound design – everything you need to make your first short films.
The program is designed to be taught in a classroom environment over one school term, without prior teaching experience required. Nextwave Online does all the heavy lifting by providing all practical activities, companion guides, and teachers’ resources for each episode, in addition to the course content. The program is now being used at schools in all Australian States and Territories.
Nextwave Online is available for schools and individuals via subscription at www.nextwavefilm.com.au, along with the competition entry form and guidelines for the 2022 Nextwave short film competition.
“My students this semester are getting really excited about making their films! I’ve been working through the Nextwave Online workshops with them and they are really enjoying watching the previous entries that are included.” – Secondary College Teacher, Victoria.
Nextwave is proudly presented by Coffs Harbour’s Screenwave International Film Festival, and co-presented by Southern Cross University, and supported by the NSW State Government through the Stronger Country Communities Fund, Blackmagic Design, and local councils around Australia.