The work of young Hawke's Bay film-makers came under close scrutiny at a special "emergency" screening at the Globe Theatre in Ahuriri yesterday.
Students from seven schools across the region, primary, intermediate and secondary, have spent the past four months writing, preparing, filming and editing short features to raise the Civil Defence "preparedness" message.
Their efforts in the Shortest Ever Disaster Movie Competition 2013 were viewed by a team of 13 judges brought together by Hawke's Bay Regional Council community engagement coordinator Philippa Green.
They included Ilai Amir from the Auckland-based Outlook For Someday sustainability film challenge, as well as TVHB's Murray Sawyer, new Napier City Council chief executive officer Wayne Jack and regional council chairman Fenton Wilson.
The Napier City Council's community resilience and communications manager Marcus Hayes-Jones said civil defence had been running a competition for schools every two years, and the latest competition which kicked off in May had resulted in some "very good" efforts.
The students were tasked to make an emergency awareness film of under 10 minutes which got the "be prepared" message across to viewers of all ages, but particularly young people.
Some schools had submitted more than one film, he said, adding there were 15 films to view and critique.
"From what I've seen of them so far they have worked hard and a couple of them really get the point across quickly," Mr Hayes-Jones said, adding he was impressed at the standard of some of the special effects the young film-makers had come up with.
The students of Waipawa Primary School will be hoping to follow up their win in 2011 - and there are prizes for primary, intermediate and secondary.
Other schools taking part are Taradale High School, Napier Girl's High School, Taradale Intermediate, Havelock North Intermediate, Takapau School and Omakere School.