AFTER a successful introduction last year, the digital short film category of the Shell National Students Art Competition (NSAC) is expected to draw more student-participants this year.

“Nowadays, everyone can be a filmmaker,” said Raymond Red, veteran filmmaker and NSAC judge for digital short films. “As artists and filmmakers, it is now so much easier to share our work and let other people see a piece of our imagination and creativity.”

The digital short films along with digital fine arts are accepted as entries to the Multimedia category. Other categories are Oil/Acrylic, Watercolor and Sculpture.

Strong idea, strong visuals

Red however noted that “technology can support, but it can never replace skill.” He added that a winning piece comes from from a strong idea that is made possible by strong visuals but good technical skills can never go beyond an original story “told in a refreshing way.”

According to Shell, they included digital short films in the competition because the company sees an art trend with digital technology through filmmaking. With the quality of cell phones, tablets and digital cameras used for filmmaking, young Filipinos can make their own creative movies.

Joining Red in the panel of judges for the digital short film are award-winning filmmakers Pablo Biglang-awa and Avid Liongoren.

NSAC is now on its 28th year and it is guided by the theme “Highlights.”

Highlights

“NSAC is allowing student-artist participants this year to tell the story of their life’s brightest moment so “Highlights” was chosen as the theme for the 2015 Shell NSAC,” Shell told in a statement.

All Filipino college students are invited to join the contest. Participants must be enrolled in college with at least 12 units.

Past Shell winners are National Artists Ang Kiukok, Benedicto Cabrera, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz and Jose Joya.

The grand winner per category will receive P60,000. Second and third placers will get P40,000 and P30,000, respectively.

Deadline for submission of entries from the provinces is Aug. 12-14. Submissions can be made at any Shell provincial depot and installations, or in Anthill Fabric Gallery, Gallery Orange and Museo Iloilo.

Meanwhile, entries from Metro Manila must be submitted Sept. 3-5 at the Shell House, 156 Valero St., Salcedo Village, Makati City.

Visit www.shell.com.ph.