[press release from WA Screen Academy]
Edith Cowan University filmmaking students and graduates from The WA Screen Academy, the Film and Video program and WAAPA are celebrating after receiving 20 nominations in the WA Screen Awards.
The WA Screen Awards is the premier event for emerging filmmakers in WA, and will be held at the Octagon Theatre on Saturday, 21 March.
Six films produced by Screen Academy students in 2008 have been nominated in what organisers are describing as the most outstanding round of entries to date.
Ace Neally was nominated for Best Tertiary Film, and The People’s Plot earned a Best Cinematography nomination for Screen Academy students Sarah Clarke and Mikael Bones Olsen.
Screen Academy student Palko Juhas is nominated for Best Sound for his work in the film Commodity Fetish.
Acting students from the WA Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) were also well represented with TJ Power nominated for Best Actor in Iris and Best Actress nominations for Elise Jansen’s role in Misconception and Alexandra Fisher in Spirited.
The Director’s Cut, a low budget horror comedy feature by Screen Academy graduate Paul Komadina received six nominations including Best Film and Best Director.
Screen Academy graduate Damien Spiccia received three nominations for his film The Deep End which was funded through the ScreenWest – Film and Television Institute Link initiative.
Fellow graduate Robbie Studsor was nominated in the Screenwriting category for The Making of A Dead Guy, a hilarious and stinging satire which he made as his Honours project.
John Rapsey, Director of the WA Screen Academy and Head of Scriptwriting at ECU, is delighted by both the number and breadth of the nominations.
“ECU filmmakers have received nominations in nearly every category, reflecting the high standards that are being set in ECU Screen programs,” he said.
“Nominations were earned by our students at every level – undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate.
“I congratulate all of the nominees and wish them good luck at the Awards.”
The WA Screen Academy at ECU offers intensive hands-on programs in screen production, developing industry-ready skills in Producing, Directing, Screenwriting, Editing, Cinematography and Sound.