---

Alex Zane,

I head to the very swish Jameson Empire Done In 60 Seconds Global Final #JamesonEmpire60Secs - EVENT REPORT

Ok! So on Sunday night Jameson & Empire may have brought out the big guns for the 2014 Jameson Empire Awards but the real fun went down a day earlier, on Saturday night when fledgling film-makers from around the world had their efforts celebrated at the 6th annual Jameson Empire Done In 60 Seconds Global Final here in London.

From a staggering 800 entries from around the world (which means someone spent 13 hours on the first pass selection), a final set of 24, 60 seconds shorts were chosen to compete in the final round of selection held live on stage at the special  Jameson Empire Done In 60 Seconds Global Final dinner. From the 24, 5 final shorts were chosen by the panel of special judges made of; leading cult filmmaker & the man in black Ben Wheatley, Director Jon S. Baird (if you haven't already check out Baird's latest engaging & mind warping film Filth it is outstanding!), the always dapper/gorgeous & hilarious entertainment polymaths Alex Zane & Edith Bowman and Empire Magazine's main man behind the scenes Editor, Mark Dinning.

From what I could see I wasn't the only one having a ball, good libations, fine food, great company and many, many laughs from first rate entertainers and it looked like a great night was had by all. Below is a little video of the evening as it happened in 60 seconds (or thereabout). It is afterall a visual medium.

The Jameson Empire Awards A Each year, the Jameson Empire Awards attract some of the biggest names in Hollywood, with last year’s guests including: Dame Helen Mirren, Sam Mendes, Daniel Radcliffe, Martin Freeman, Danny Boyle, Sir Ian McKellen, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Strong, Samantha Barks and Edgar Wright.  Because the Awards are voted for by the public, they honour an eclectic mix of films, from big-budget blockbusters to independent cinema. RELATED Ben Wheatley, Edith Bowman, Alex Zane talk DISS Jameson Empire DISS Finals 2012 Jameson Empire DISS 2013 UK finalists Jameson Empire DISS 2012 UK finalists Tom Hooper talks Jameson DISS

The 24 films in running were:
The Artist by Claire Carter (UK), Gravity in 2D by Michael Hall (UK), Dead Poet’s Society by Tony Byrnes (UK), Manhattan by Jonathan Farrelly (UK), There Will Be Blood by David Smith (UK).

The Artist by Arsen Avdalyan (Armenia), The Prestige by Jasmin Pivic (Bosnia), Finding Nemo by Fernanda Caruso (Brazil),  Star Wars: Episode IV by  Dimitar Stafidov (Bulgaria), Memento  by Dinka Radonić (Croatia)


American Beauty by Tatana Rubasova (Czech Republic ), Castaway by Karina Logotheti (Greece), Modern Times by Ritesh Varma (India), Gravity  by Leigh Lahav (Israel), Sherlock  by Diana Bimakhimova (Kazakhstan)

Vertigo by Joao Carrilho (Portugal), The Wolverine by Catalin Palavescu (Romania), Pulp Fiction: Aka Pulp Fixed by Dragomir Leko (Serbia), Leo by Liliana Tymoshenko (Ukraine)

1+1 Intouchables by Aleksandra Kniazeva (Russia), Baking Bread by Elena Bubnova (Russia), Gone In 60 Seconds by Sofia Anchugina (Russia), Paranormal Activity: Bad Realtor by Ramil Karipov (Russia), Slumdog Millionaire by Maria Vdovenko (Russia)

Compèred/ egged on by the always on point showman Chris Hewitt, the judges entertained as they whittled the selection down, we also got to hear from last year's winner Philip Askins who won with the animated Blade Runner, Askins (a serial entrant) is working hard and making the progression to live film. He came along to support UK finalist David Smith (another serial entrant) and his quite frankly outstanding short There Will Be Blood.

I mention serial entrant because both of these guys entered more than once over the years - before winning! So there is a lesson right there about commitment, and not giving up. Something echoed by Arnold Schwarzenegger the following night at the Jameson Empire Awards where he picked up his The Action Hero Of Our Lifetime award and said:

Never take no for an answer!”

Another tip that budding film-makers may found useful when entering the Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds competition. Is that when watching the final entries on big screen - the sound quality is amplified so both the good and the bad become much more noticeable. For some entries it worked in their favour as pointed out by Alex Zane who was impressed by Joao Carrilho's Vertigo however other entries may not have been as lucky and suffered because of muffled sound or intelligible accents. I'm not nit-picking and I know it's sometimes not easy - but a little early consideration can really work for you in the long run.


Judge Edith Bowman made mention of a couple of times during the evening of both the audio & visual experience during the evening.


Below is the only selfie you will ever see taken by Amon Warmann (the hardest working blogger in London right now) photobombed by Chris Hewitt, Ben Wheatley and some random guy walking past, seriously I have no idea of who that is.

Other criteria that the judge were considering when making their selections included:

Alex Zane: 

Awesomeness! In a word. Last year the competition was so strong. Edith and I were here last year and the entries was so great and it is wonderful to see how different areas of the world interpret a movie and redefine that movie as 60 second film. I remember a Chilean Spider-Man entry which was just so off the wall and had such a sense of humour that was very specific to the people who made it that we sort of sat here and thought WTF did we just see? But it was wonderful at the same time.

What I'm really hoping tonight is that someone can make me cry in 60 seconds. I don't cry at anything in real life but put me in a cinema. I laughed a lot last year this time I'm hoping to cry."

Edith Bowman:

They've got a minute to impress, in whatever way that is - for me it's something that grabs me - whether it be visually or sound or makes me laugh, something that makes a connection in a minute that sometimes isn't easy to do. But there were a lot that did."

The judges also gave us their thoughts on why initiatives like the Jameson Empire done in 60 seconds competition is important for young and upcoming filmmakers

Ben Wheatley: 

I think any kind of exposure for film is good and it's really encouraging to see people making an effort to make stuff. I have always been a believer in you have to make stuff off your own back it's how I've got anyway by making short films and putting stuff on the Internet and moving forward.
That is what attracted me to participate I have been asked to go on panels and all sorts of things but wouldn't like to be judging my peers but something like this is great it's not judging it's more like encouraging. I think any kind of encouragement we can give to people is good."

Edith Bowman:

... and having a platform for entrants like this backed by Empire is great. I did this last year and seeing the worldwide appeal that it has with entries coming from so many different parts of the world high and seeing the high level and diversity of film making is exciting."

Alex Zane: 

I think it's the motivation thing. Look given the option I would quite happily sit under my blanket in my pants eating pizza and watching Game of Thrones everyday. People can be cynical about competitions but I think if it motivates someone who wouldn't otherwise pick a camera and go you know what I'm going to make this. Being motivated by a competition is a great idea."

Of the 24 films finalist films selected the ones that stood out for me were:


Gravity in 2D from Michael Hall, the comedic timing was spot on and the dialogue crackled, David Smith's There Will Be Blood a great little spoof on Paul Thomas Anderson's masterpiece underpinned by an engaging performance from Director/Actor David Smith, Castaway from Karina Logotheti an entertaining  bold and bonkers entertaining musical rap version of Robert Zemeckis's Cast Away.


And Ritesh Varma's brilliant Modern Times, a pretty spectacular piece of film in which he revisits the Charlie Chaplin classic.



By the end of the evening the judging panel had selected the 5 finalist below as well as the winner of a new category for films made with mobile devices. The inaugural winner of the Smartphone  award was:  Elena Bubnova from Russia for Baking Bread.


The five finalists selected were:
- Leigh Lahav from Israel (Gravity)

Leigh Lahav receiving her 2014 Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds Global Final Award from Judges Ben Wheatley, Jon S. Baird, Alex Zane, Edith Bowman and Empire Editor Mark Dinning ZOOM

- Michael Hall from the UK (Gravity in 2D)

Michael Hall receiving his 2014 Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds Global Final Award from Judges Ben Wheatley, Jon S. Baird, Alex Zane, Edith Bowman and Empire Editor Mark Dinning ZOOM

- Ramil Karipov from Russia (Paranormal Activity: Bad Realtor)

Ramil Karipov receiving his 2014 Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds Global Final Award from Judges Ben Wheatley, Jon S. Baird, Alex Zane, Edith Bowman and Empire Editor Mark Dinning ZOOM

- David Smith from the UK (There Will Be Blood)
- Joao Carrilho from Portugal (Vertigo)

Joao Carrilho receiving his 2014 Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds Global Final Award from Judges Ben Wheatley, Jon S. Baird, Alex Zane, Edith Bowman and Empire Editor Mark Dinning ZOOM

To go through to the final round of selection. With David Smith deservedly being handed the Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds trophy at the prestigious Jameson Empire Awards 2014 by Ben Wheatley on Sunday evening.

David Smith receiving his 2014 Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds Global Final Award from Judges Ben Wheatley, Jon S. Baird, Alex Zane, Edith Bowman and Empire Editor Mark Dinning ZOOM

David Smith Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds Global Final 2014 Winner ZOOM

Congratulations to David Smith for a deserved win as well as all those that made it through to the finals. For those that didn't there is always next year.

Judges Ben Wheatley, Jon S. Baird, Alex Zane, Edith Bowman and Empire Editor Mark Dinning are pictured with all the successful finalists at the 2014 Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds Global Final. ZOOM

To watch the 2014 Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds entries in all their glory, visit the Jameson YouTube channel: youtube.com/jamesonempirediss

FIVE AMATEUR FILMMAKERS TO ATTEND THIS YEAR’S JAMESON EMPIRE AWARDS AFTER BEING NAMED AS FINALISTS IN GLOBAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION
JAMESON EMPIRE DONE IN 60 SECONDS FINALISTS CHOSEN BY THE KILL LIST DIRECTOR, BEN WHEATLEY AND PANEL OF FILM EXPERTS

The five budding filmmakers in the running to win the Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds amateur short film competition have been announced, after battling it out at a Global Final held in London this evening.

The five finalists and their entries are; Leigh Lahav from Israel (Gravity), Michael Hall from the UK (Gravity in 2D), Ramil Karipov from Russia (Paranormal Activity: Bad Realtor), David Smith from the UK (There Will Be Blood) and Joao Carrilho from Portugal (Vertigo). They will now compete to see who will be crowned the overall winner at the Jameson Empire Awards 2014 tomorrow evening.

A total of 24 shortlisted contestants from 16 countries attended the Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds Global Final last night at The Brewery, East London. A panel made up of Directors, Ben Wheatley and Jon S. Baird, and fellow film buffs, Edith Bowman, Alex Zane and Empire Magazine’s Editor, Mark Dinning, chose the five finalists, who will be heading to the Jameson Empire Awards where one of them will be crowned this year’s winner.

To be in with a chance of winning, filmmakers were required to submit a 60 second remake of their favourite film. Spanning Oscar winners, to Indies, and romance to thrillers, the wide array of entries becomes more impressive every year.

The UK takes home this year’s Done in 60 Seconds trophy at the Jameson Empire Awards 2014
AMATEUR FILMMAKER, DAVID SMITH WAS PRESENTED WITH HIS PRIZE BY THE KILL LIST DIRECTOR, BEN WHEATLEY AND FELLOW FILM BUFFS, EDITH BOWMAN AND ALEX ZANE AT THE CEREMONY IN LONDON

David Smith, a 23 year-old from Yeovil, Somerset has won the annual Done in 60 Seconds short film competition, unveiled at this year’s Jameson Empire Awards in London earlier tonight.

Smith’s entry, There Will Be Blood was a clever remake of the blockbuster film of the same name. Taking a rather different approach to the original plot line, Smith chose a turf war between two local milkmen as the focus of the story for his hilarious 60 second remake of the film.

David said of his win: “It was very unexpected; I couldn’t believe it when they called my name. I felt like a nervous wreck when I was on stage – it’s all just rather unbelievable. Now I’m going to go and celebrate at the after party with a nice glass of Jameson Whiskey!”

In the running for tonight’s top prize were entries from across the world. The four other finalists; Leigh Lahav from Israel (Gravity), Michael Hall from the UK (Gravity in 2D), Ramil Karipov from Russia (Paranormal Activity: Bad Realtor) and Joao Carrilho from Portugal (Vertigo) each impressed the judges with their original and unique takes on some iconic films.

To be in with a chance of winning, budding filmmakers were required to submit a 60 second remake of their favourite film. A total of 24 shortlisted contestants from 16 countries then had to battle it out at the Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds Global Final the previous night at The Brewery, East London. A judging panel made up of Directors, Ben Wheatley and Jon S. Baird, Edith Bowman, Alex Zane and Empire Magazine’s Editor Mark Dinning, chose the five finalists, who then competed for the title at the Jameson Empire Awards this evening.

To watch the 2014 Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds entries in all their glory, visit the Jameson YouTube channel: youtube.com/jamesonempirediss.

The Establishing Shot: I HEAD TO THE VERY SWISH JAMESON EMPIRE DONE IN 60 SECONDS GLOBAL FINAL #JAMESONEMPIRE60SECS - EVENT REPORT