Share the story of your kit and feature in a global campaign celebrating creative sustainability. Reflect on how the tools of your trade have shaped your craft for an opportunity to reach new audiences, receive £500 honorarium and win tickets to the Aesthetica Film Festival 2025. 

Aesthetica has partnered with MPB – the UK’s top camera reseller – to launch MPB: The Next Shot, a unique opportunity for filmmakers to showcase their journey and share the personal stories behind the equipment that has shaped their careers.

Imagine your kit could tell its own story – of the places it has been, the sets, the people and all the moments it helped preserve. It’s been there during breakthroughs and quiet observations, in makeshift studios and on dream locations. Your camera isn’t just a piece of hardware – it’s a trusted collaborator and a witness to your growth as a filmmaker. MPB: The Next Shot is about capturing that narrative: a story of memory, creativity and transition.

This initiative invites filmmakers to reflect on their creative paths through the lens of the tools they’ve used along the way. It asks: What stories has your gear helped you tell? What was the first project that really mattered? How did it feel to pass that lens on to someone else, knowing it would help tell another story in new hands?

Selected filmmakers will have their stories transformed into a short-form film, created using past project footage and self-recorded interviews. There’s no need to shoot anything new – this is about drawing from your archive and reflecting on the emotional and creative connection you have with your kit. These films will be edited by Aesthetica and shared as part of the 2025 festival programme, reaching global audiences in person and online.

Each participant will receive:

• An edited short film featuring their story and past work
• A £500 honorarium
• A showcase at the Aesthetica Film Festival 2025
• Promotion across Aesthetica and MPB’s platforms
• Visibility to an audience of curators, producers and industry decision-makers
• X 2 Unlimited Festival Passes

This is a rare opportunity to reach new audiences, extend your reach, and reflect on how the tools of your trade have shaped your craft. It’s also about creative sustainability. MPB’s model of recirculating gear connects artists across generations of storytelling. The camera you once used might now belong to a filmmaker just starting out. Your lens may go on to capture moments you’ll never see – but that’s the beauty of it. Each piece of kit carries echoes of the stories it helped tell.

To apply, filmmakers will respond to a series of reflective prompts about their work, their tools, and the emotional resonance of letting go. Questions range from how it feels to upgrade your gear, to what kind of “character” your camera might be if it could speak. We’re looking for honesty, originality, and strong storytelling – above all, a clear connection between you and the equipment that’s defined your creative journey.

MPB: The Next Shot is about legacy and forward momentum. It’s a chance to take stock, to honour what’s brought you here, and to give voice to the often-unseen parts of the filmmaking process. Your story – and your kit’s story – deserve to be seen and heard.

Apply Here | Deadline: 8 September

About MPB

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