Press release from Kodak
Swinburne University of Technology’s film student, Edward Goldner has won the Australian national first prize of the 2010 Kodak Film School Competition for his cinematography on Morning Star.
The short film, directed by fellow student Jessica Lawton and produced by Lani Kingston, is set in the early 1900s in an ominous, rural town, where a young widow finds her faith is restored through the presence of a mysterious man. Morning Star shows us that desperation can sometimes make us blind.
“Having the opportunity to shoot Morning Star with state of the art equipment and film stock was an amazing experience. I am absolutely thrilled to have won this award, I certainly didn’t expect it,” says Goldner. Morning Star was shot Super16 on Kodak’s new Vision3 250D for daylight interiors and exteriors, and Vision3 500T for night scenes. On choosing to shoot film, Goldner says, “Jess and myself were keen to shoot on film right from the start, given the film’s period setting, which we felt would have been difficult to construct on other formats.”
The national competition was judged by Director of Photography, Philip M. Cross ACS, whose credits include Under The Radar, Cubby House, and Blurred. “Morning Star instantly stood out in this years Kodak Film School Competition, showing maturity in both his handling of the technical aspects of being a cinematographer, as well as being creative and daring in the use of the camera to be more than just a recorder of events but as an active and vital part of the storytelling process,” comments Phil.
“This film achieves its potential with the work of every department being supported by Ed's creative and technically proficient work as the cinematographer.”
Jeff Bird, Lecturer in Film & TV, Multimedia Design, Faculty of Design at Swinburne University of Technology, was thrilled to learn of the award. “Edward is not only one of our most talented students, he is also one of the hardest working. It’s wonderful to see all his hard work rewarded.” Advanced cinematography is a key component of Swinburne’s film and television course, which is supported by industry standard production equipment and professional cinematography training. This is the second year running for Swinburne; in 2009 Swinburne student Simon Walsh won the Kodak award for his cinematography work on Dirt.
The annual competition, which forms part of Kodak’s Worldwide Education Segment initiatives, is designed to encourage outstanding young filmmakers who specialise in cinematography and provides international recognition and tangible support for talented young filmmakers at an important juncture in their careers. The winner from the Asia Pacific Region judging will receive the major prize of a trip to the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival in France.
Kodak’s ongoing support of student filmmakers and educators encourages excellence in the field of motion picture education. The company’s efforts include a range of opportunities that enrich the knowledge and learning experience of the art and craft of filmmaking. Initiatives range from scholarships, educational materials, and product grants to awards, seminars and workshops. Student film showcases and the annual Kodak Film School Competition also contribute to raising the profile and recognition of emerging talent.
For more information, visit www.kodak.com/go/filmschoolcompetition
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About the Kodak Film School Competition
Launched in 2000 as part of Kodak’s education initiatives, the Kodak Film School Competition recognizes outstanding achievement in cinematography. Entries must be produced on film by a student crew and are open to students and recent graduates from Asia, Latin America, Canada, Europe and the Middle East, and the U.S. and Canada. The competition provides international recognition and tangible support for talented young filmmakers at an important juncture in their careers. For more information, visit www.kodak.com/go/education.