“Film the Future” is a competition organized by the association “Les Amis du Comedy Club”, presided over by Jamel Debbouze. It involves creating a 90-second film and is aimed at individuals aged 16 to 30 with a particular interest in audiovisual creation.
It is at the Victorine studio that the entire “Film the Future” team can be found. Nineteen young people are present to participate in its two days of immersion in the world of cinema. Directors, screenwriters, a dancer, a musician, and even a Paralympic athlete lead the various workshops. The first day is dedicated to discovering the competition and writing the short film. The second day is devoted to the production of the film, editing, and discovering each other’s films.
Competition Terms
The first morning is broken down into several parts. First, there is a presentation of the competition. The goal is to create a 90-second short film. Each year, there is a theme, and the theme for 2024 is “Let’s Move!“. It is deliberately vague to allow for various interpretations, despite its resonance with sports to echo the Paris Olympic Games. FranceTV Slash will broadcast sixty films. Then, between fifteen and twenty productions will be chosen to go to Paris to appear before a jury.
At this stage, they will award four prizes with rewards. There’s the association prize, with a one-year subscription to an editing software offered to the winners. The best film of the tour prize with Basic Fit, including a one-year gym membership and a trip to Amsterdam to visit their advertising studio. The France Télévisions screenplay prize, providing mentorship for two winning groups under the guidance of Talents en Court at the Comedy Club, followed by a pre-purchase of up to 15,000 euros to produce the feature film. Finally, the grand prize “Film the Future” with a high-quality branded camera and lens to help future filmmakers with state-of-the-art equipment.
A Time of Discovery
In the second part of the morning, small workshops are set up. Everyone walks around a bit and stops in front of someone they do not know. The goal is to introduce yourself to the other person for a few minutes. Afterwards, the group gathers, and each person must present their partner. This exercise serves to break the ice and talk to other people. However, some are a bit shy and hesitate to introduce themselves. The facilitators do not hesitate to intervene to help them. A more theoretical course covers basic techniques such as viewpoints and camera play. To illustrate this, excerpts from well-known films are shown. The aim is not to give a school-like lesson but to be playful. The elements found in every film are dissected, such as the initial situation, the triggering event, the climax, and the resolution. Using “The Lion King” as an example, the terms are better understood, and the students participate.
A Moment of Sharing
Many different profiles participate, such as high school students, college students, recently arrived people in France, and professionals. Alice Fabry, a dancer at the Nice Opera, along with her pianist Olivier Sandberg, shared their passions with the assembly. They both spoke about their journeys and their connection to sports and cinema. The various screenwriters and directors leading this competition also shared the behind-the-scenes of their careers. This allows the display of both the positive and negative aspects of these dream-filled professions. Everyone agrees that hard work always pays off and is a significant part of success. However, as Maty Diouf, Deputy Mayor of Nice, reminds us: “Nothing is impossible for you.” This is the message “Film the Future” wants to convey. No matter your social background, if you give it your all, you can succeed.
Next comes the moment for the writing workshop. Participants teamed up in groups of five to produce their short film. Everyone agrees on the genre and the pitch. The entire creative process comes from the participants, whether it be the filming location, visualizing the film, camera movements, sound mixing, etc. Professionals are there to guide them and clarify certain technical points. Some are even seeking filming locations outside of the studios. A van is provided to facilitate quick travel. Computers are also supplied for the next day’s editing. The day concludes with each group sharing their short film ideas without revealing too much, leaving the final project’s viewing as a surprise for the next day.
