EXETER College students from across the faculties will have a chance to sit in the director’s chair as they take part in an exciting silver screen challenge next week as part of this year’s Exeter College Arts Festival.

Teams taking part will be given their brief at 4.30pm on Wednesday night and will then have exactly two days to create a video to match a track performed by a local band to be shown to peers and the public for the first time on Friday night.

They will have no idea beforehand whose music they will be given, or the subject matter of the song, and will therefore have to start from scratch casting, devising, and shooting their mini movie.

The debut screening of their resultant works will take place at Exeter College’s Centre for Creative Industries (CCI), Victoria Yard, off Queen Street, Exeter, at 7.30pm on Friday, June 11.

Looking forward to it, film and media lecturer Ben Woodhouse says the evening presentation will serve as a shop window for existing filmmakers at the same time as giving students from other departments a chance to shine.

He continues: “Any event that allows people who wouldn’t usually work with film an opportunity to make something of their own is brilliant, because I think we have a massive supply of untapped talent which just needs to be unleashed to be recognized.

“Just because a student is reading history or maths, it doesn’t mean that they are not hugely creative too. This event will give such people a real chance to demonstrate their potential, and that can only be a good thing.

“At the same time, for our students who are already working with film, the Challenge will be a great way for them to showcase their work to people who might otherwise not have the chance to see it, which is, of course, every filmmaker’s dream.”

The Friday night film screening will round off the first week of this year’s City & Guild-sponsored Festival. As with many others listed, it is open to the public as well as staff, students and parents, and admission is free.

The Arts Festival 2010 opens on Wednesday evening with a stage production of the legendary TV wartime comedy ‘Allo ‘Allo and continues with a broad programme of Media and Performing Arts activities until June 25.

Following on from Exeter College’s 2010 Art & Design Summer Show (open June 23, 6pm, then weekdays until July 1 and also part of The Arts Festival), the 2010 Art And Design and Design BTEC Shows will take place between Thursday, June 24, Thursday, July 8, with Year 1 and Year 2 BTEC diploma Art, Design, Media and Photography students’ work on show and for sale.

For further details or a copy of the The Arts Festival 2010 programme, call 0845 111 6000, email artsfestival@tabernaclearts.co.uk, or visit www.wix.com/exetercollege/exeter-college-arts-festival. Tickets are available on the day or in advance from CCI Reception. Box office open Monday-Friday, 12pm-1pm.