Winners of Film London competition announced (From Times Series)

Barnet’s winners of Film London competition announced

2:30pm Wednesday 4th May 2011 in Local Video News By Natalie O'Neill

A SCHOOLBOY from Edgware said he was “gobsmacked” after winning a Barnet-wide film competition.

Rye Amin was chosen as the borough’s Film London in 90 Seconds competition winner for his motion picture Lionel and Bertie: Absolutely Capital … What!!

This year budding filmmakers were invited to submit a clip based on the theme Capital Tales, telling a story about London in a minute and a half.

Twelve-year-old Rye lives with his mum and dad, Sheena and Mukesh in Gibbs Green and was inspired to create his piece after watching The King’s Speech.

He said: “I’m interested in creating films and when I saw the film I just thought it would be interesting to look at how Bertie, the king, must have felt not being able to speak properly and then how he overcame it.”

Having played with Lego all his life, Rye decided to make his film using the small plastic building blocks and Lego figures.

He took over 1,200 photos of the figures, moving them into a new position for each shot and after working on the footage for a total of around 12 hours, he put his shots together to create the final piece.

Rye said: “Creating the stop animation took a long time and it was quite difficult to condense a two-hours-long film into 90 seconds.

“But I really enjoyed doing it – it was nice to be able to do something on your own without anyone else to help you.”

Both Rye, winner of the Under 20s category, and Colin Platt, winner of the Over 20s category, were awarded a £250 cash prize.

Mr Platt, 43, is a freelance film director from Finchley and made his film My Barnet with the help of his friend William Johns.

He said: “I based the idea on Barnet Fair being cockney rhyming slang for hair.

“We went round hair salons in High Barnet and spoke to people about what they knew about the rhyming slang and Barnet in general.

“I was delighted when I found out I was a winner – I’, planning on taking my wife and friend out for a slap up meal with the money.”

The competition, run in partnership with the London Borough of Barnet, Film London and Hendon Times, was launched in Barnet as well as ten other boroughs across the capital.

Lionel and Bertie: Absolutely Capital … What!! will now be judged against winners from boroughs across London, and the winner will be announced at a special screening by BAFTA later this year.

Rye’s film will also be screened for one week as a trailer to the main feature at East Finchley’s Phoenix Cinema from Friday May 20.