Movie mad Melanie ready to join judging panel

10:10pm Thursday 14th August 2008

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FILM buff Melanie Hussey is ready for action, as she prepares to join movie great Kevin Spacey to judge big screen contenders.

Melanie, of Abbey Meads, has won a place in the judging panel of a short film competition – Virgin Media Shorts.

The 45-year-old has been short-listed from hundreds of entries and impressed film experts with her knowledge at a casting day in London last weekend.

Sir Richard Branson and former Adrian Mole actor Stephen Mangan will also join Melanie on the panel.

Melanie says she can’t wait to meet some of Britain’s great film talents.

She said: “I am so excited about the prospect of judging the short films and will take my role as judge seriously, as this could potentially change the winning film maker’s life.”

She beat five other short-listed candidates to secure her place, which involves attending the celebrity awards ceremony in London in September where the winner will be announced.

Melanie – whose favourite film is sci fi film Blade Runner is looking for a thought provoking film.

The maker of the chosen short film gets £30,000 and the chance to work with the UK Film Council and Virgin Media.

Now Melanie has to spend the next few weeks pouring over the films looking for originality and camera work.

She is armed with plenty of knowledge, as she has a Masters Degree in cinema and has attended the Cannes and Edinburgh film festivals.

Ashley Stockwell, MD of Change at Virgin Media, said: “This is an amazing opportunity for Melanie.

“Her knowledge and passion for all film genres really impressed us and I’m sure she will be bring interesting perspective to an already experienced judging panel.”

Other judges include British film director Gurinder Chadha, Oscar-nominated short-film director Daniel Barber, film critic James King, head of the New Cinema Fund at the UK Film Council Lenny Crooks and Malcolm Wall, CEO of content at Virgin Media.

The aim of the competition run in association with FilmFlex is to find undiscovered talent.