AFTRS alumni have claimed nine nominations across six categories for the Australian Writer’s Guild’s 53rd annual AWGIE Awards. The event celebrates the best homegrown talent in writing for feature film, television, documentary, theatre, audio, animation and children’s television.
2012 Master of Screen Arts alumna Lisa Hoppe has been recognised in the Feature Film – Adaptation category for feature H is For Happiness, which, after making its debut at Melbourne International Film Festival, received a special mention at Berlin International Film Festival, won Best Film at CinefestOZ and has been acquired in several international markets.
Genevieve Clay Smith (Graduate Certificate in Screenwriting Fundamentals, 2014; Masters of Screen Arts, 2013) is up for the Documentary – Public Broadcast (Including VOD) or Exhibition award for Perspective Shift: ‘Daniel’, a work that has also earned her an Australia Director’s Guild nomination.
Acclaimed series The Heights is represented in two Television – Serial categories for its alumni screenwriters: Megan Palinkas (Graduate Certificate: Directing, 2010) for Season 2, Episode 28 and Warren Clarke (Graduate Diploma in Screenwriting, 2012) for Season 2, Episode 30. Nominated in the Television Series or Miniseries (of more than four hours duration) category are Belinda Chayko (Bachelor of Arts (Film & Television) Scriptwriting, 1989) for Stateless: ‘Panis Angelicus’ and Pip Karmel for Total Control, Episode Three.
Beck Cole (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Documentary, 2001) and Erica Glynn (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Directing, 1998) received two of the three nominations in the Children’s Television – (Preschool – under 5 Years) for their work on episodes of Little J & Big Cuz.
Kacie Anning (Graduate Diploma in Directing (Fiction & Non-Fiction), 2011) is competing in the Comedy – Situation or Narrative category with her work on an episode of STAN series The Other Guy. Anning recently made her US directing debut for episodes of Amazon Prime’s Upload and is also up for an ADG Award for directing an episode of ABC Me series Hardball.
In addition to being nominated in their respective categories, each winner will be eligible for the Major Award, given to the most outstanding script of the year.
Winners will be announced in a virtual ceremony broadcast on Tuesday 8 December 2020. Tickets for the free broadcast will be available in late October.
See the full list of nominations for the 2020 AWGIE awards here.
AFTRS ALUMNI NOMINATED AT THE 53RD AWGIE AWARDS
FEATURE FILM – ADAPTATION
H is for Happiness – Lisa Hoppe (Master of Screen Arts, 2012; Graduate Diploma in Producing and Screen Business, 2011)
DOCUMENTARY – PUBLIC BROADCAST (INCLUDING VOD) OR EXHIBITION
Perspective Shift: ‘Daniel’ – Genevieve Clay-Smith (Graduate Certificate in Screenwriting Fundamentals, 2014; Masters of Screen Arts, 2013)
TELEVISION – SERIAL
The Heights: Season 2, Episode 28 – Megan Palinkas (Graduate Certificate: Directing, 2010)
The Heights: Season 2, Episode 30 – Warren Clarke (Graduate Diploma in Screenwriting, 2012)
TELEVISION – SERIES OR MINISERIES OF MORE THAN 4 HOURS DURATION, INCLUDING
ORIGINAL AND ADAPTED WORKS
Stateless: ‘Panis Angelicus’ – Belinda Chayko (Bachelor of Arts (Film & Television) Scriptwriting, 1989)
Total Control: Episode 3 – Pip Karmel (Bachelor of Arts (Film & Television) Directing & Editing, 1988)
CHILDREN’S TELEVISION – ‘P’ CLASSIFICATION (PRESCHOOL – UNDER 5 YEARS), ORIGINAL
OR ADAPTED, ANIMATED OR PERFORMED
Little J & Big Cuz: Season 2, ‘Finding Home’ – Beck Cole (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Documentary, 2001)
Little J & Big Cuz: Season 2, ‘Goodbye Swooper’ – Erica Glynn (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Directing, 1998)
COMEDY – SITUATION OR NARRATIVE
The Other Guy: Season 2, ‘The Escape Room’ – Kacie Anning (Graduate Diploma in Directing (Fiction & Non-Fiction), 2011)
