– James Hicks contributed to this report.
Lincoln Shorts entered its third year on Friday, February 8th, 2013, as the event once again drew in a crowd from all over Lincolnshire.
Having sold-out in previous years, Lincoln Shorts also received more submissions than ever before, showcasing original videos from local talent at Lincoln’s Drill Hall.
The show was created by Tim Johns, when he “made a couple of silly films and wanted to showcase them on a big screen”. He decided to put on an event “to give the people of Lincoln an original and unique outlet for their work”.
The crowd took their seats and there was an expectant silence as darkness fell, ready for the first film. The line-up included a variety of diverse films from producers across Lincoln.
There were 22 unique and different shorts shown in total. The films ranged from the hilarious to the deeply thoughtful – from hedgehogs, to songs about potatoes and even a day in the life of chewing gum.
However, behind the big screen, a huge amount of hard work and organisation had gone into each film.
Director Ross McGowan showed his short documentary “The Last Reel”, featuring the decline of video projectors in cinemas. He told The Linc that he initially felt scared about showing his work to hundreds of people: “It was scary at first, but people seemed to react well, so it was worth it.”
The evening wasn’t only about films either as rock band Up Down Go Machine played, getting the audience’s feet tapping during the interval.
A sense of pride for the talent that Lincoln seems to produce so easily was very much present during the evening. The audience was very encouraging of each entry, with countless rounds of applause and showing their support to the filmmakers in attendance.
Simon Hollingworth, director of the Lincoln Drill Hall, said he enjoyed hosting Lincoln Shorts once again: “From my perspective, it was a just a great night. Moving, funny, affecting and so inspiring. The band were just fantastic.”
He continued: “It was the kind of night that makes me feel very privileged to do what I do!”
There was a genuine buzz as the night ended, with many audience members walking away with smiles and debating which ones were their favourite.
Even if you’re not an independent film enthusiast, Lincoln Shorts is well-worth seeing. What could be better than supporting local film talent with music, laughs and a great cinematic experience?