Businesses will get their moment in the spotlight, thanks to an ambitious competition being run by Shipley College.

The college’s Centre of Excellence for Business, the first of a number of new education centres planned for the district, hopes the project will help students get a feel for the world of film-making, advertising and business.

The centre has teamed up with Bradford City of Film to hold Business on Film (BOF), a competition for children aged from nine, as well as college students.

It will see them forming production teams before they pick a Bradford business they will research and speak to the owners about before writing, producing and directing a 60-second film about that company.

Winners in each category will get £1,000 for their school as well as a “BOFTA” – the local equivalent of a Bafta.

Based in the Victoria Building of Shipley College, the centre for excellence is the first of several planned centres that will open across the district, each specialising in vocational training and sponsored by some of the biggest local businesses and employers.

The Shipley centre is a partnership with Titus Salt School, Yorkshire Water, the University of Bradford, Incommunities and other partners.

David Wilson, director of Bradford City of Film, said: “As the world’s first UNESCO City of Film we realised that linking with the COE for Business could provide the perfect platform for creative work to be seen and shared and so the idea of a short film competition was born.

“It’s an exciting opportunity for the young people of Bradford to use film in an innovative way. In doing so they will not only learn more about the film-making process but more about the business they are trying to promote.

“I look forward to seeing genuine talent from creative young people emerge.

“In my job I get to meet a lot of people connected with the film and TV industry and there is almost always a defining moment where they were involved in something like this at school or college and it inspired them to go on to work in the sector.

“We hope BOF will become an annual event and urge Bradford businesses to get behind it.”

Shipley College principal Nav Chohan said: “As a board member of the Centre of Excellence for Business we are excited to be involved in this project to motivate the next generation of entrepreneurs through the medium of film.”

Entries can be submitted from February 1. The deadline is Friday March 21 at 5pm.

For more information call (01274) 327328, e-mail bofcompetition@ gmail.com or visit bradford-city-of-film.co.uk/business-on-film-cofe4b/