Watershed produced Electric December, its annual online countdown calendar, aimed at filmmakers aged 21 and under, from 1999 til 2012. Back then broadband was still in its infancy but Watershed recognised that the web had huge potential to be harnessed as a creative medium. Electric December was born and hasn’t looked back since.

It worked just like a traditional countdown calendar – every day in the run-up to Christmas you opened a virtual window, and behind it discovered a digital delight. Electric December started life as a festive pick 'n' mix, incorporating games, animations, films, and more. Latterly, the calendar focused exclusively on films, showcasing drama, comedy, documentary, animation, experimental filmmaking, and just about everything else in-between!

Visitors to electricdecember.org weren't the only people who have enjoyed this creative energy. Over the years Electric December brokered many partnerships between digital artists, filmmakers with schools and community groups to produce the virtual gifts.

In 2008, its tenth year, Electric December showcased content from across Europe. Young people from Spain, Germany, Poland, France, the Netherlands, Lithuania and other regions of the UK made the 24 virtual treats.

These partnerships have honed the skills of countless professionals and fostered an interest in the wonders of the web for the hundreds of people involved in the making of Electric December. Connections have been made in both the real and the virtual worlds.

Electric December went from being a showcase of talent from Bristol and the South West to a truly European celebration and exchange of young peoples’ ideas and filmmaking potential.

Ended in January 2012

---