FilmConvert’s annual film competition attracts hundreds of brilliant films and filmmakers every year, and 2016 was no exception. Below are the winners from each of our 7 categories, with notes from the judges.
People’s Choice Award
From over 16,000 votes cast by members of the public, ‘Farewell’ by Pece Zdravkovski was the winner of the People’s Choice Award. This short sci-fi film imagines a future world torn apart by war.
Best Music Video – ‘Next to You’, Kontra K, by Maximilian Niemann
“Next To You” is an addictive mystery-solving experience with beautiful cinematography. The viewer begins the experience as a fisherman that finds himself at a crime scene in front of a lake house. While moving through the scenery, he slowly finds out that a modern witch hunt has happened the night before.
Full interactive experience: http://andeinerseite.video
Judge’s notes
For me, color grading is the moment in which the cinematography, the locations, the story, the light, and all the other technical aspects irreversibly melt together to create a film that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Max’s work has this feeling. You can’t quite tease apart why it feels like a movie, but, you just know, it feels like a movie. Well done.
– Ryan Booth
Best Creative Film – ‘Five Minutes’, by Maximilian Niemann
Best Documentary – ‘Six Years’, by Steve Muza
Large format is the type of hobby that pulls you in and takes you down the rabbit hole. Mat Marrash tries to explain why this hobby, unlike so many others, has stuck with him for six years.
Judge’s notes
This film stood out to me in a number of ways. There is the obvious connection I have to the topic, but it was not that. The beauty of the shots, editing and grading felt perfectly in sync with telling the story. The length, whilst short, felt it was longer but in a good way. This is a sign of a perfect duration. The grading was subtle and complimentary. Whilst I wasn’t judging the actual cinematography it was hard not to be drawn in by the beautiful compositions. Six years is a really gorgeous mini doc.
– Philip Bloom
Best Action Film – ‘A Drone Through Africa’, by Naude Heunis
“This video was shot over the course of three years in various destinations all over Africa. It shows a unique perspective of Africa and that many wonders she holds. Being able to have filmed this with my friends and colleagues has been a huge privilege and has made me fall in love with Africa and a deeper level!” – Naude Heunis
Judge’s notes
“Highly technical and very beautiful!”
– Michael Sutton, Frozen Prosperity
Best Corporate / Commercial Video – ‘DETOUR, or How to make a fresh start’, by Vladimiro Leopoldo
G’DAY BYRON BAY is a creative studio born out of Ana Rita Sousa and Ivano Salonia. It started out as a way for them to express their visions and language in design, photography and branding.
Judge’s notes
For me it’s all about intentionality and execution. This film has a very strong sense of intentionality with its consistent style, color and tone, that mirror the aesthetic of the company and it’s founders and the story they want to tell.
– Eve Cohen, Seed & Spark
Best Wedding Film – ‘Merve & Nils – Elopement in Scotland’, by Riccardo Fasoli
“This is the elopement of Merve and Nils. We had the pleasure to document this adventure. It was an amazing experience with much rain and passion.” – Riccardo Fasoli
Judge’s notes
“I thought that this film was beautifully shot, and set a consistent tone that matched the cinematic location of the fog in Scotland. This film stood out to me both in narrative and technical quality”
– Jordan Snider
