The Poco Film Fest, which marked its inauguration last weekend, showcased 20 short films including documentaries and music videos from Australia's brightest filmmakers.

The Best Short Film award went to Beautiful They, directed by Cloudy Rhodes from New South Wales. It came with a $5000 cash prize.

The Jury Prize was awarded to The Bends, directed by Tom Campbell from Sydney. He received $1000.

Slap, by Domini Marshall, was awarded Best Student Short Film, with Marshall receiving a brand new cinema camera.

Director of the music video Drowning by Aboriginal musician Miiesha, Clare Nica Chapman - formerly from Adelaide but now calls Ballarat home - said it was an honour to have her piece screened as part of the festival.

"Ballarat is really lucky to have Poco encouraging and strengthening the art scene in Ballarat. There's so much talent here and there are plenty of arts enthusiast so it was really lovely to be a part of that," Ms Chapman said.

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She said her intention with the music video, which was filmed in Miiesha's hometown of Woorabinda, Queensland, was to capture as much of the community as possible.

"My goal was to really illuminate how remarkable they (the community) are and to illuminate a positive representation of First Nations people, but also have the music video stand as a rebuttal to Tony Abbott's insensitive comments around Aboriginal peoples lifestyle choices," she said.

Ms Chapman, who has worked previously with Miiesha, said she built an "instant connection" with the artist and it was her acting manager at the time who invited her to Woorabinda to create the music video.

"I had met Miiesha two months earlier, to shoot her PR images so I did her press shots and from then on we built an immediate rapport," she said.

"When they (Miiesha's management) asked me whether I was willing to come up to Woorabinda to work on a music video I was happy to do so and really excited.

"I shot the video over three days and the cast is all the Woorabinda community."

Darren Collinson is another Ballarat creative who took part in the Poco Film Fest.

Mr Collinson is an executive producer of the comedy and drama based short film, Hatchback.

Directed by Riley Sugars and starring prominent Australian actor Stephen Curry, Mr Collinson said he first got involved with the film through meeting Mr Sugars via social media.

"Riley sent me the script and when I found out that they had Stephen Curry as an actor, it was a bit of a no brainer to get involved," he said.

"The film is all about bringing some fun, some laughter and some of that good Aussie larrikinism back out into the world during a period when everything was a bit glum and doom and gloom so we knew it was going to be absolutely brilliant."

While Mr Collinson helped contribute to the film predominately on a financial basis, he also oversaw the film's shooting, music and editing processes.

"Along the way (of making the film) when there was a new cut done, Riley would send it through to me and I was able to provide feedback and that was really great. It was a really collaborative approach and that was the bit I loved the most," he said.

Mr Collinson, who formerly ran Ballarat-based graphic design business, Small Dog Design, also provided his marketing expertise to the film's promotion.

"Anything from poster design to social media Riley would always come to me for a bit of feedback and some opinions because I've worked in that industry for 30 odd years," he said.

Mr Collinson said he was excited to have Hatchback as a finalist at the film festival.

"To have the film screened and viewed in my hometown surrounded by peers, family, friends and colleagues it's been amazing," he said.

"It was a great opportunity and it provided Riley, an up-and-coming director the chance to have his work showcased."

Looking to the future Mr Collinson said he hoped the festival provided Mr Sugars a platform to turn his film from a short into a full-length feature.

Kitt, directed by Ben Dean also had connections to Ballarat.

To learn more about the Poco Film Fest click here.

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