Join the SF3 Smart Set

By BEV JORDAN

Filming is a team sport between sisters Jaime and Sonya Clarke from Beaumont Hills according to their mum Amanda.

The William Clarke College students have both submitted entries in this year’s SmartFone Flick Fest (SF3).

Waste Wisely at School is the title of 14-yearold Jaime’s entry while 12-year-old Sonya’s movie is called Lockdown Nuts.

Amanda Clarke says it has kept them busy.
“Filmmaking for both Jaime and Sonya has become a team sport. Especially during times of isolation. The whole family appeared this year, including the family dog (Rosie the Moodle).

“They pick up the camera. Shoot something and anything. No matter how tiny, no matter how cheesy, no matter who stars in it. They put their name on it, own it, and just like that they’re suddenly the directors.

“I enjoyed watching them develop their films. They made sure everyone had a role.”

Jaime’s entry this year is part of a school project: “I noticed last year that there were some documentary films entered, I thought that would be different. So this It would be a good idea to give it a go,” she said.

Sonya said: “I have entered each year. I enjoy meeting other people on-line. Using your phone to make video’s is something we can all do.”

Students from Hills Drama School have also entered the contest making a collection of films between them.

For 12-year-old Willow Speers from East Kurrajong, it was a novel experience being behind the camera instead of in front of it.

Willow has a few big roles under her belt already, playing Ruby Rafter in the upcoming Back To The Rafter series and Shani in the feature film Mother Mountain. She is also in the short film Giants playing during the August Melbourne International Film Festival.

Her entry, The Window, in the SF3 competition was her very first experience behind the camera and was made with the help of her classmates at Hills’ Drama School. It’s a short film about a family of Vampires who have decided to ‘go vegetarian’, however the lapse of one family member comes with a hefty price.

Willow said that her story was inspired after her experience on ‘Giants’ where she learned that you can make a movie without much dialogue, yet the audience can still be made to feel something.

“She really wanted her audience to feel moved,” said her mum Trish.

“What she enjoyed most, was finding out how to use editing software to overcome the challenges outside of her control, such as location, absent cast members and filming times and also the fun and support she had in working with her fellow drama students at Hills Drama School.

Aaron Scully who teaches acting at The Hills Drama School said the SF3 project had been a great project for students in his Advanced Kids Class.

“Each term we give ourselves a goal – to write, shoot and edit a film project. Previously we have made comedy sketches, a drama,a murder mystery as well as several other short films. When we came across the Kids category of SF3 and we thought it would be a great opportunity to submit. We came up with three different film ideas and allocated a writer, director and editor for each of them.“

As well as The Window, the other projects include Lucy Loco, about a funny interrogation and Always Watching, about a teen who is forced to go to a therapy session in juvenile prison.

“Although almost all of the students in this class have acting agents and are committed to performing, it was also their first time making a film on their own. It was a great challenge for them and I’m proud of what they achieved,” he said.

Australia’s international smartphone film festival (SF3) is now in its seventh year and the deadline for entries has been extended to September 1.

There is over $40,000-worth of prizes, including mentorships, classes, memberships, apps, lenses, mics, phones and tablets.

All movies must be shot entirely on a mobile phone or tablet.

Categories include:
• SF3 Kids and SF3 Teens – short films by filmmakers 16 years and younger
• SF3 Feature Film Award – feature films 40 mins and longer;
• SF3 Mini: ‘RISE’ – shorts with a maximum three minute time limit.
• SF3 Gala Awards – short films up to 20 mins in length;
• Enter at www.sf3.com.au