Out of this world chance for young film-makers

Britain’s first official astronaut is preparing to blast into space for a six month stay on the International Space Station - and he’s looking for your help to keep him occupied in those quieter moments floating 250 miles above the earth.

This is the first time young people will get their short films screened in space

Yen Yau, Into Film

Young film-makers are being invited to make short, three minute movies around the theme of ‘space and exploration’ for Major Tim Peake to watch in between spacewalks and complex scientific research.

The competition has been organised by education charity Into Film in partnership with the UK Space Agency which will select six films to beam to the ISS during Major Peake’s mission.

“This is the first time young people will get their short films screened in space and is an amazing opportunity to be part of a real space journey,” said Yen Yau, Talent Development Manager for Into Film.

Film-makers have long had a fascination with stories outside of our atmosphere, whether involving alien visitors such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, or mankind’s thirst for exploration like Star Trek.

Kip Thorn, Professor of theoretical physics at the California Institute of Technology and executive producer of the the Oscar-winning Hollywood movie Interstellar said films also have the power to get young people interested in science.

Films such as Interstellar can interest young people in science

A number of people I trained as a physicist with got involved with science because of movies

Kip Thorn, Interstellar Executive Producer

"Films such as Interstellar or Contact or 2001: A Space Odyssey are inspirations for young people. A number of people I trained as a physicist with got involved with science because of movies like these. So if you are going to have a film that really does attract young people to science it had best be scientifically accurate.”

Young film-makers are being encouraged to make their submissions on a camera or a smartphone, while Into Film has organised space themed screenings, talks from visual effects professionals and film-making workshops throughout the UK.

Entrants can submit their movie as a solo project or part of a school or youth group.

Judges choosing the winning films include television presenter and scientist Kevin Fong and Libby Jackson of the UK Space Agency. The winning films will be projected up to the Space Station for viewing in April.

The British European Space Agency astronaut lifts off in December on the Russian Soyuz shuttle.