Some of AFTRS’ most talented directors – emerging and established – have been recognised by the Australian Directors’ Guild (ADG). Announced today, the nominations for the annual ADG Awards include a staggering 21 nods across 12 categories for AFTRS students and alumni.
Wayne Blair’s (AFTRS Andrew Myer Fellowship, 2007) work on box office hit, Top End Wedding earned him a nomination in the Feature Film (Budget $1M or Over) category, while nominations in the Feature Films (Budget under $1M) category have gone to Luke Sullivan (Graduate Certificate in Directing Fundamentals, 2013) for Reflections in the Dust, Samuel Van Grinsven (Master of Arts Screen, 2018; Foundation Diploma, 2014) for his graduate film Sequin in a Blue Room, and Lucy Coleman (Graduate Certificate in Screenwriting Fundamentals, 2014) for Hot Mess – the first of two nominations for Coleman, who is also up for Best Direction In Commercial Content for Koala Presents: Mattress (Ex)orcism.
Two alumni have been recognised in the TV or SVOD Drama Series category: Rachel Perkins (Specialist Extension Course Certificate Producing, 1995) for her work on Total Control, Episode 4 and Tony Krawitz (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Directing, 2000) for Secret City, Episode 1, Season 2. Representing alumni in the Best Direction in a Documentary Series category is Genevieve Clay-Smith (Graduate Certificate in Screenwriting Fundamentals, 2014; Master of Screen Arts, 2013) for her episode one of Perspective Shift.
Three of the four nominees in Best Direction in a Children’s TV or SVOD Drama Program are alumni Kacie Anning (Graduate Diploma in Directing (Fiction & Non-Fiction), 2011) for Hardball, Episode 6, Lucy Gaffy (Master of Screen Arts, 2009) for The Unlisted, Episode 10, and Rebecca O’Brien (Bachelor of Arts (Film & Television) Design, 1995) for The Unlisted, Episode 13.
Off the back of her Best Documentary win at St Kilda Film Festival, Dr. Karen Pearlman’s (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Editing, 2000) I Want to Make a Film About Women is in the running for Best Direction in a Documentary Subject, competing against fellow alumnus Logan Mucha (Graduate Diploma in Documentary, 2012) and his We’re All In This Together.
Nominations have also been claimed by Darlene Johnson (Master of Arts Honours: Film, Television and Digital Media in Writing & Directing, 2006; Graduate Diploma (Film & Television in Directing, 1997) in the Best Direction in a TV or SVOD Drama Serial category for The Heights, Episode 22, Michael O’Neill for Australia’s Best Street Car Racer in the Best Direction in an Online Comedy Series category, while impressive first-year Master of Arts Screen: Directing student Ven Gia is vying for Best Direction in Commercial Advertisement for Made here. By us. (Corowa Distilling Co.).
After earning him Mardi Gras Film Festival’s ‘My Queer Career’ Emerging Filmmaker Prize, Simon Croker’s AFTRS student work All Good Things has scored a nomination for Best Direction in a Short Film alongside fellow alumna Melissa Anastassi, who is being recognised for her direction of Chlorine.
Competing for Best Direction in a Student Film are fellow 2019 Master of Arts Screen graduates Peter Skinner (Lost Boy) and Naomi Fryer (This River), alongside Alies Sluiter for Ayaan, which has just made appearances at Sydney Film Festival and St Kilda International Film Festival.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony taking place at Sydney’s City Recital Hall on 19 October.
See the full list here.
AFTRS STUDENTS AND ALUMNI NOMINATED FOR THE 2020 ADG AWARDS
BEST DIRECTION IN A FEATURE FILM (BUDGET $1M OR OVER)
Wayne Blair (AFTRS Andrew Myer Fellowship, 2007) – Top End Wedding
BEST DIRECTION IN A FEATURE FILM (BUDGET UNDER $1M)
Lucy Coleman (Graduate Certificate in Screenwriting Fundamentals, 2014) – Hot Mess
Luke Sullivan (Graduate Certificate in Directing Fundamentals, 2013) – Reflections in the Dust
Samuel Van Grinsven (Master of Arts Screen, 2018; Foundation Diploma, 2014) – Sequin in a Blue Room
BEST DIRECTION IN A TV OR SVOD DRAMA SERIES
Tony Krawitz – (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Directing, 2000) – Secret City, Episode 1, Season 2
Rachel Perkins – (Specialist Extension Course Certificate Producing, 1995), Total Control, Episode 4
BEST DIRECTION IN A DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Genevieve Clay-Smith (Graduate Certificate in Screenwriting Fundamentals, 2014; Master of Screen Arts, 2013) – Perspective Shift, Episode 1
BEST DIRECTION IN A CHILDREN’S TV OR SVOD DRAMA PROGRAM
Kacie Anning (Graduate Diploma in Directing (Fiction & Non-Fiction), 2011) – Hardball, Episode 6
Lucy Gaffy (Master of Screen Arts, 2009) – The Unlisted, Episode 10
Rebecca O’Brien (Bachelor of Arts (Film & Television) Design, 1995) – The Unlisted, Episode 13
BEST DIRECTION IN A TV OR SVOD DRAMA SERIAL
Darlene Johnson (Master of Arts Honours: Film, Television and Digital Media in Writing & Directing, 2006; Graduate Diploma (Film & Television in Directing, 1997) – The Heights, Episode 22
BEST DIRECTION IN COMMERCIAL CONTENT
Lucy Coleman – Koala Presents: Mattress (Ex)orcism (Koala Mattress)
BEST DIRECTION IN COMMERCIAL ADVERTISEMENT
Ven Gia (current Master of Arts Screen: Directing student) – Made here. By us. (Corowa Distilling Co.)
BEST DIRECTION IN AN ONLINE COMEDY SERIES
Michael O’Neill (Advanced Diploma in Producing: Story, Audience, Finance, 2015) – Australia’s Best Street Car Racer
BEST DIRECTION IN A DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
Dr. Karen Pearlman (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Editing, 2000) – I want to make a film about women
Logan Mucha (Graduate Diploma in Documentary 2012) – We’re All In This Together
BEST DIRECTION IN A SHORT FILM
Simon Croker (Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production, 2018; Foundation Diploma, 2014) – All Good Things
Melissa Anastasi (Graduate Diploma in Directing, 2012; Graduate Certificate in Directing, 2011) – Chlorine
BEST DIRECTION IN A STUDENT FILM
Alies Sluiter (Master of Arts: Film, Television and Digital Media Screen Composition, 2005) – Ayaan
Peter Skinner (Master of Arts Screen, 2019; Graduate Diploma in Directing, 2013) – Lost Boy
Naomi Fryer (Master of Arts Screen, 2019) – This River