So tell us all about the Oovie Schools Film Project.

Originally Oovie partnered with Dungog film festival to create the Schools Film Project for high school students. This year they’ve decided to expand it to the Cockatoo Island Film Festival in Sydney, so it’s really great. Each school pitches one idea for a three minute short film. Then those pitches are considered by a panel of industry experts and then three of those ideas are picked. Those three schools are invited to work with professional filmmakers and are given resources valued at a lot of money, $47600 dollars, and that includes a mentorship with writers, editors and producers and film equipment and editing equipment. What’s really cool is that kids get to come camp on the island for four days and make the film. Then they are premiered at the Cockatoo Island Film Festival.

That sounds like one cool sleepover!

Yeah it sounds like the best slumber party ever! It’s really cool, this year they have a theme and it’s “Island” and kids have to use that theme and work it into their pitch and if they get chosen then they are the luckiest kids in NSW and Victoria!

So did you ever make movies when you were in school?

Yeah I did. I was the first year that trialled the film studies subject so at the high school I went to I would study films and learn about how they were made and then we were given cameras and we got to go into the playground and make our own films. It was such a wonderful and fun subject to do at school. Now that kids are so much more tech savvy it teaches them skills they can use later on in life.

So you would have entered the film project if you could?

Absolutely, I was like, “I wish I could do this, it sounds like so much fun.”

What would you do if you had to make a film with this year’s theme ‘Island’?

Well, knowing now that there’s such diverse range of buildings on Cockatoo Island, there’s tunnels and you’ve got the jail, I reckon there will be quite a few horror stories and settlement stories coming out of the project because if you look around the island there are all these old industrial buildings. They recently had a festival of street artists which would make the best backdrops.

So what three things would you take with you if you were stranded on an island?

I would take a giant catalogue of books because I’d get bored. Even though I can’t play a musical instrument I’d take one because I’d figure I’d have a lot of time to learn and I’d probably take an avocado tree because it’s without a doubt the only food I could not live without. I would plant it on the island and have an endless supply of avocados.

The avocado tree is the strangest tree I’ve ever seen!

Yeah they are the weirdest looking trees. We had one when we were kids and it never had avocados on it and it took about 15 years and then all of a sudden it had so many on it! I think they are really temperamental, they are like “If I don’t feel like fruiting this year, then you’re getting nothing”.

Ha! So do you have any tips for aspiring filmmakers who might want to enter the Oovie Schools Film Project?

I think follow your own style and your own creativity, there’s no point in remaking someone elses stuff, let the judges see your personality of you and your school. Have fun with it too, the reason why people want to be in this industry is that it’s their favourite hobby and they get to do it everyday for a living. If you’re not having fun you’re not doing your job properly.

Do you have a message for any of our Girl Power readers who are thinking of entering?

Yeah, I’d just say I’d start sooner rather than later because this is a fantastic opportunity and I’m sure plenty of schools will be getting involved. Do it because if I was your age I’d be doing it and I hope someone gets to have all that fun!

Find out all about how to enter at www.cocktaoofilm.com or www.oovie.com.au. The pitch deadline is Wednesday February 29th, 2012.

Just a reminder that you have less than one week to enter our Arrietty comp! This fab flick is out January 12 and we’ve got five family movie passes to give away! To enter, email us at girlpower@next.com.au and tell us, if you could live under the floorboards of anyone’s house, whose house would it be and why? Don’t forget to include your name, age, postal address and phone number, too!

The competition closes at 9am on Monday, Jan 9, 2012.

You can read all about this wonderful movie here, plus see the trailer below!

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You’ve got to be in it to win it! Good luck!

- This competition is now CLOSED. Thanks for your amazing entries! –

Arrietty is a beautiful animated movie about a teeny, tiny 14-year-old girl called Arrietty who lives under the floorboards of a mansion. She lives with her family and they survive by “borrowing” things from the people who live in the house. When a 12-year-old human boy comes to stay at the house, Arrietty’s life changes forever. You can catch it in cinemas from January 12.

This movie is based on the much-loved book The Borrowers by Mary Norton and it’s seriously sweet. The best way to find out all about it is to watch the trailer below!

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Isn’t the animation amazing? Fun fact: It’s made by the Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli – they did Spirited Away and Ponyo! It screens in both an English language version and a subtitled Japanese version. Cool!

Thanks to Madman Entertainment, we’ve got 5 family passes to the movie to give away! Yay! To enter, email us at girlpower@next.com.au and tell us, if you could live under the floorboards of anyone’s house, whose house would it be and why? Don’t forget to include your name, age, postal address and phone number, too!

The competition closes at 9am on Monday, Jan 9, 2012. Good luck!

- This competition is now CLOSED. Thanks for your amazing entries! –

This awesome movie brings the classic ballet to the screen! It’s about a young prince who is cursed and turned into a wooden doll by the evil rat king! Ahh! Years later, a young girl is given the doll and her world is changed forever…

Do you like adventure, music, mystery and magic? Then you’ll adore this awesome holiday flick! Did you know…

• The voice of the Nutcracker is Shirley Henderson… she was Moaning Murtle in Harry Potter!
• The movie features the amazing music from the ballet. It’s by a famous composer called Tchaikovsky!
• Elle Fanning is actually a super talented ballet dancer!

Check out this magical movie – it’s out on DVD and Blu-Ray from December 1!

As well as the doco, you’ll get to see a live acoustic set from the boys, a live Q&A with the fans PLUS a copy of the DVD! Woo hoo!

The premiere starts at 6:30pm with a red carpet at Event Cinemas, George St, Sydney and then the whole event will be beamed to cinemas around the country at 7pm. For details on tickets and cinemas, visit cinemalive.com

To celebrate, we’ve got three amazing Short Stack prize packs to give away! Each one includes:

• A signed copy of their latest album This is Bat Country
• A signed poster
• A glow-in-the-dark dog tag necklace – cool!

To enter, email us at girlpower@next.com.au with your full name, age and postal address and tell us who is your favourite Aussie music artist and why! Include a big pic for your chance to be in the mag!

Good luck girls and don’t forget to get your tix to this amazing event at www.cinemalive.com

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Spooky Buddies is out on Disney DVD and Blu-Ray now!

To celebrate, we’ve got a super cute musical scene for you to enjoy! Check it out below!

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Get your mitts on this cool collection – it’s in stores tomorrow, October 5!

To celebrate the release of Honey 2 on Blu-ray and DVD we’ve got 10 copies to give away! All you’ve got to do is email us at girlpower@next.com.au with the subject line ‘Honey 2 Comp’ and tell us what your fave dance move is! Don’t forget to include your full name, age, postal address and phone number!

Also click below for an AWESOME comp where you can create your own dance crew on Facebook and go into the draw to win every member a watch and a copy of the DVD, plus an iPod and earphones for you! Plus there’s 20 copies of Honey 2 on Blu-ray or DVD as runners up prizes. If you fancy yourself as the next Maria then click below!

It’s a super cute flick that will reunite you with all your old friends, as they search for Eeyore’s tail and track a mysterious monster called Backson! Argh! Check out this super cute clip – it’s too cute!

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For more Winnie the Pooh cute-ness, get Winnie the Pooh on DVD and Blu-Ray, exclusively in Big W stores from October 5.

We want you to enjoy this awesome movie too… so…. we’ve got a cool comp for you! You can WIN a private preview screening of Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer for you and 20 of your friends and family! To set the party mood, snacks and soft drinks will be provided! Yay!

How to enter:

• Email us at girlpower@next.com.au with the subject line ‘Judy Moody Comp’ or send a letter to Girl Power, Judy Moody Comp, Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards, NSW, 1590.
• Tell us about your best summer ever!
• Include your full name, age, address and phone number. PLUS tell us which celebrity is featured on the I heart Helping page in the October issue of Girl Power (the one with Victoria Justice on the cover!). You must include this to enter!

Good luck!