Rock the House and Film the House are Parliament's largest run competitions, engaging musicians / filmmakers (and the respective industries) with Parliamentarians for the aim of promoting Intellectual Property rights. It brings acts from all over the country to play or showcase their films in the unique surroundings of the Houses of Commons, and is a chance for MPs and constituents to engage, as well as to meet rock legends such as Brian May, Alice Cooper, and Fightstar's Charlie Simpson. The success and reputation of Rock the House has meant that competitions will also be held this year in the U.S. Congress, the Australian Parliament and the European Parliament.
The application process starts online, and more information about this can be found at http://www.filmthehouse.com/apply/ and http://www.rockthehousehoc.com/apply/
After registering, Mark Garnier then nominates one local entrant per category for the "semi-finals" in London. These constituency winners are judged by leading people from the music and film industries. The winners nationwide will be selected and there is a range of prizes on offer, including a chance to play at Download festival. The closing date for entries is the 31 December 2014 and the finals will be held on the 18th of March 2015.
The Rock Categories are:
- Under 19 solo artist
- Under 19 band
- Solo artist
- Band
- Music venue
- People's choice award
The Film Categories are:
- Drama/Thriller (19 years+)
- Comedy (19 years+)
- Documentary (19 years+)
- Action (19 years+)
- Under 19 (any genre)
MP Mark Garnier, said: "For the past two years, Wyre Forest has put on a strong show. In 2013 The Boar's Head in Kidderminster won best small music venue, and this accolade it can still draw from today. I am excited to hear what Wyre Forest has to offer this year. I'd encourage as many people to apply as possible. It's a great chance for local groups to boost their profile, as well as getting experience playing or showcasing their films in front of some of the best people in the industry."