A new group of independent film-makers had its first screening in Dublin yesterday. The Solus collective aims to give film-makers a platform and help find screen venues. The group put on a screening of eight shorts, ranging from five to 20 minutes long, at the Irish Film Centre in Temple Bar, Dublin, yesterday.

The members of the collective come from a variety of backgrounds. "We have absolutely nothing in common as film-makers," says Mark Wale, whose Scribelodium, was among the films on view yesterday. Among the members are designers, writers, painters, editors.

However all regularly shoot fims.

"An intuitive loose style is common to a lot of the filmmakers in the collective," says Alan Lambert, whose Memory & Enchantment was among yesterday's screenings. This 20-minute work was inspired by Charlie Chaplin's childhood memories of his insane mother.

Lambert explains that the aim of the collective is to act as a platform for film-makers who work on Super 8mm, VHS or other equally non-commercial media and help them to find venues to screen their work. The collective has 15 members who "make alternative, non-narrative and non-thematic films."

One of the films screened yesterday was made with the pupils of sixth class in Dalkey School Project National School. The Visit, by Johnny Hildrick, "uses sounds and animated objects to evoke the atmosphere of the school as experience by an unusual visitor".

The collective will also serve as a database for information on processing, stock and camera/editing equipment for low-budget but serious film-makers. For information contact Alan Lambert - phone and fax (01) 873 1303, email at youngsheng70@hotmail.com