Virgin finds undiscovered talent

For the first time this year Canterbury Christ Church students can now enter the Virgin Media 'SHORTS' competition, which could win them £30,000 funding to work with Virgin media and create a new film.
Virgin Media Shorts competition asks for students to submit a short film into them and the 12 best film makers will have their film shown all over the country for a year in 200 cinemas.

Christina Pita is based in Canterbury where she is involved in promoting dozens of brands to students, part of  a nationwide network and is responsible for bringing the new Virgin film competition to students in the city.

She said: "To create awareness for the Virgin Media Shorts competition I have put posters all around campus, handed out flyers and talked with students about the competition and putting them forward for the competition.

"So far it has been a success but there are still students out there who are yet to give me their contact details. The campaign ends on Friday so I am trying to get as many people as possible to give me their details before the deadline."

She admitted this was the first year CCCU had been targeted directly and that the university with the most entries gets £2,000 worth of filming equipment.

She said: "I  don’t think it was advertised at Christ Church last year so this is a fabulous opportunity for students and our university to get recognised for a hidden talent that we are yet to show off."

Virgin Media Shorts is the biggest Short film competition in the UK, it is now celebrating its fourth year of championing the next generation of British film makers.

Judges this year include Oscar winning actor Kevin Spacey; director Duncan Jones and Kent actress Gemma Arterton, who is from Gravesend, and starred in Tamara Drewe.

To enter the competition send your name, e-mail address, and mobile number by email to Christina cp176@canterbury.ac.uk or fill in the forms available in the Powell Building,

For more details of the competition which starts on April 7 and ends on July 7, click HERE. 

LAURA KERRIGAN and REBECCA DART meet with Ryan Upton, who is entering the competition, and gives his thoughts.