Attention youth of Bathurst – get ready to have your name up in lights with the launch of the Bathurst 24 Short Film Competition.

An initiative of the Bathurst Youth Council, the film competition is open to young people aged 12 to 24 years.

Thanks to a grant from the Youth Action and Policy Association (YAPA), the inaugural film competition is already creating a buzz in town.

Youth Council mayor Mitchell Dwyer, 17, said the grants were available to stage events that had never been run before, and the film competition was a popular idea.

“It’s a 24 hour film competition, they need to produce, direct and create their own film in just 24 hours,” Mitchell said.

“There will be a theme for the films and a few standard things that will have to be included.”

Mitchell said the filming will take place for 24 hours from 10am Saturday, August 27, with participants finding out the theme that morning.

There will be three age categories for the competition – 12 to 16 years, 17 to 20 years and 21 to 24 years, with each winner receiving a $500 cash prize.

“There is no limit to the number of people in your group and entries are still open.”

Films must be three to six minutes long, with the finalists shown in an event open to the local community at BMEC at 6pm on Sunday, August 28. Entry is by gold coin donation.

Anyone interested in taking part can pick up an entry form at the Bathurst Youth Council, Bathurst Regional Library or through BMEC. Registrations close at 5pm on Monday.

For more information contact the Bathurst Youth Council on 6333 6523.