Robertson Public School students Isla and Toby McAlary, and Bowral High School student David Remm created and submitted films for the Bell Shakespeare Shorts Festival.

Primary and high school students across the country were asked to retell or reimagine a play, as well as show a range of places in their films, or reflect parts of their community.

Isla and Toby's film The Writer's Room won the Excellence in Performance Award and the Top Primary Film.

The Excellence in Performance Award meant the students won $100 Officeworks vouchers, a Rode Universal vlogger's kit and an acting masterclass with Bell Shakespeare.

The students created the movie with their friends in greater Sydney earlier this year.

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Although the students have created iMovies with their friends before, this was the first time they have entered a national competition.

"We entered just for fun, we weren't aiming to win," Year 5 student Toby said.

The Writer's Room shows Isla, Toby and their friends brainstorming ideas to pitch for the festival to a four-year-old director.

Classic Shakespeare plays like Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream were pitched in the brainstorming session.

Shakespearean plot points like people being poisoned and fights were also referenced.

"I just loved it," Isla from Year 6 said.

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"I found it really enjoyable working with friends, it was not at all really stressful."

Head of education at Bell Shakespeare Joanna Erskine said the performance was a favourite for the judges.

She also read writer and judge Hilary Bell's feedback, where she said the "performances were Oscar worthy and the sense of joy was palpable."

Year 12 student David Remm's film Fool for Hire won the Creative Vision Prize and the Top Secondary Film.

"I did not think I would get the top prize I was very surprised and pretty shocked," he said.

The Creative Vision Prize meant he has won a $100 Officeworks voucher, a Rode Universal vlogger kit and a Bell Shakespeare workshop or masterclass.

The student has wanted to be a filmmaker since he was six years old, and created Lego stop-motion and action figure movies when he was younger.

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Fool for Hire was filmed at David's home during lockdown, where he created a set in the garage, bought a green screen and used his parents as extras.

The Year 12 student wanted to continue the story of King Lear's Fool who disappeared during the play.

The Fool instead finds himself in modern times in this adaptation.

"I felt like I was creating an action movie, it felt like a movie set," he said.

"It's really satisfying and rewarding when you complete a film, you put in so much work."

"It was mind boggingly creative and really surprised me with the attention to detail, the sheer imagination and artistry of its production," actor and judge Geraldine Hakewill's feedback read.

You can watch The Writer's Room (skip to 11 minutes and three seconds) and Fool For Hire (skip to 40 minutes and 42 seconds) below.

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