The short-films were created in the most part by sixth-form colleges and youth groups aged 11-19 with the help of university students studying the discipline.

In the early phases of the competition over 100 entries pitched their film plans to a panel of experts before they were shortlisted to 36 nationally. Made into films with their production partners and a budget of £1000, each group had the opportunity for their films to be shown on screens in city centres in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The participating institutions whose films were shown in Woolwich include: Central St Martins, Ravensbourne and the National Film and Television School (NFTS), University of East Anglia, University College for the Creative Arts and the University of Bedfordshire.

We spoke to students from NFTS who worked with charity ‘Aik Saath – Together as One’, from Slough to create a humorous film commenting on the differences and similarities between different ethic races.

You can watch the film, A Human Race, and our interview with NFTS students Tim Patridge and Omar Kenawi after their film was screened here.

Another group whose film was shown was the dual production of Bacon’s College and Ravensbourne University. Their film 'Teen Pregnancy: the boy's story' showed the boy's side of teenage pregnancy, and something rarely publicised: the boy being responsible.

The Bacon’s College group Georgina Bull, Hollie Jeffs and Jordan Lammas from year 13 and Katie Johnson, Lily Murray and Aimee Bates from year 10 enjoyed their experience, speaking to Podium after as seen in the video below.

Paralympic wheelchair basketball player and TV presenter Ade Adepitan attended the screening, congratulating the students on their work, and saying: “It’s always important to support any programme that young people do. This is a chance for them to express their views and try something different, and is possibly an opening for what they’ll do in the future.

“If it wasn’t for people inspiring me when I was younger, I wouldn’t have achieved things in my life. The Paralympic and the Olympic Games is all about giving people an opportunity, it’s not just about sport, it’s about trying to be the best you can possibly be, that can be translated to anything in life. Whether you want to be an artist, doctor or whatever it is you dream about doing, you can hopefully be inspired by the people in the Games.”

Anne Bailey who organised the screening said: “The event was absolutely brilliant; people from all over London have turned out to support the young people and really talented young performers. It’s great just to see what happens when people give young people a chance.”

A ‘People’s Choice’ winner will now be chosen by the public - so go online to watch  and vote for your favourite.

By Ruth Faulkner