Season 2 of First Clap’s short film contest to begin on Jan 20

The second season of Movie Buff’s First Clap, an eagerly awaited short film competition that will provide three talented short film makers the opportunity to narrate scripts to Actor Suriya’s Production House 2D Entertainment, is to officially begin on January 20 at the Marigold Convention Centre of Grand by GRT Hotels in Chennai.

Season 2 promises to be even more exciting than season 1. First Clap, an initiative of Moviebuff, is India’s first theatrically showcased talent hunt for aspiring filmmakers.

This year, the talent hunt for aspiring filmmakers has been called ‘Oru Kathai Sollunga’.

Talking to Cine Observer.in, Movie Buff Assistant General Manager Sathish Kumar Tulasi said that this year too, five finalists would be picked from among those who entered the competition. The finalists’ films would be screened for a period of five weeks in 170 theatres across the state.

“Like last year, this year too, the top three winners will get an opportunity to narrate their scripts to Suriya’s 2D Entertainment. This year, the jury panel that will decide the five finalists, will have 11 members on it. As of now, four judges have given their assent to being a part of the panel. They are director Ram, director Arun Prabhu Purushothaman of Aruvi fame, director Karthick Naren who made Dhuruvangal 16 and director Nikhilan who directed Kurangu Bommai. The jury panel will also have cinematographers and editors in it,” Sathish said.

“To enter the contest this year, all one has to do is to make a short film of 3 minute duration on any subject of their choice. However, they have to take care that the content in their short film is U certificate material as the short film will have to be screened to audiences across the state if it is selected as one of the finalists. The winners of Season 1 cannot participate in this contest, which is otherwise open to everybody else,” Sathish added.

Last year, filmmakers had to make a short film of three minutes duration on any subject of their choice to enter the contest. Over 250 entries were received. From these entries, the judges including Cinematographer and director P C Sreeram, Director Ezhil, Director Vetrimaran, Cinematographer Magesh Muthusamy, Director Arun Kumar S U, CEO of 2D Entertainment Rajsekar Karpoorasundarapandian, Editor K L Praveen, and director Hari Vishwanath, shortlisted five short films as the finalists. The five films that made it to the final round were then were screened during the intermission sessions of the main film in over 150 screens of the state. The public were asked to vote for films they thought were best. Based on their votes, the films’ rankings were decided. The top three winners of the contest won cash prizes. More importantly, the winners got an opportunity to narrate their scripts to actor Suriya’s 2D Entertainment and intern with the production house as well!

Sathish said that this year, the makers are also looking at having a similar sort of short film competition in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala as well.