Animation student film wins prestigious industry award

A team of animation students have picked up the top prize for use of sound at the Royal Television Society North West Student Awards 2021, the industry pinnacle for student filmmaking. 

Final year BA (Hons) Animation students Jedd MacRae, Geraint Thomas and Billy Varden have taken home the Craft Skills – Sound award with their second-year film ‘First Man’, which was created as part of their studies.

The annual Royal Television Society North West Student Awards recognises and celebrates the best audiovisual work created by students at undergraduate and postgraduate level within the region.

The craft skills award categories recognise excellence in in camerawork, editing, production design, sound and writing.  

The winning film ‘The First Man’ is focused around a lonely neanderthal who longs for company in pursuit of his race.

He begins crafting a fundamental relationship with a woman who appears on the scene, only to be interrupted by peering into the future of what has come of modern humanity. Unimpressed, he decides against the idea of creating an offspring.

Thomas said: “Receiving an RTS award for our student film, ‘First Man’, was a proud moment for us as a team, and a massive confidence boost. The recognition and success of our work was somewhat unexpected, making it a very pleasant surprise - also providing a new incentive for us to complete our final year films to as high a standard as possible.”

MacRae said: “I am tremendously proud of us for winning this award while wrapping up our degree, what a delight! This is also a huge motivation for me progressing to a Masters in Sound Design!”

Receiving an RTS award for our student film, ‘First Man’, was a proud moment for us as a team, and a massive confidence boost.

Two other student films were also shortlisted for the Craft Skills – Sound award, which is testament to the strength in this aspect of filmmaking practice on the animation course at Manchester School of Art.

Current final year students Emilia Schneider and Maciej Repeta, who collaborated with music composer Alex Lescionok, were shortlisted for the Craft Skills – Sound award with their film ‘Lampion’ alongside Samuel Carson, Mya Whittaker, Karla Engstrom and Abbey Hardman with their film ‘Silk Worm’.

‘Silk Worm’ was also shortlisted for the Best Animation award alongside 2020 graduates Sanna Rasanen, Emily Griffith Mortimer, Em Rothwell, Sophie Pickup and Ryan Quigley with their film ‘Takatalvi’.

The animation staff team are incredibly proud of our students and we are looking forward to sharing the wonderful films they have produced this year.

This follows on from last year’s success at the prestigious awards which saw graduate film ‘Luz’ picking up the Best Animation prize, demonstrating the continued strength of filmmaking production on the course.

Marianne Patera, Senior Lecturer in Animation said: “The animation staff team are incredibly proud of our students and we are looking forward to sharing the wonderful films they have produced this year. We would also like to thank our sound and music colleagues for providing valuable advice and supporting the animation students.”