All right, the results for Sony Tropfest 2006 is announced! (Check out my recap of the event here, which will help you know which film is which) So here are the winners:
FIRST PRIZE
Film: Carmichael and Shane
Director: Alex Weinress and Rob Carlton
State: NSW
Prize: QANTAS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
1ST Prize Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
Swifty's Thoughts: It's the crowd-pleaser of the night, and made with very low budget, but like many good short films, its success lies in the storytelling. Leaves a really deep impression. I wonder whether all single fathers of twins will do the same to their kids after watching this.
SECOND PRIZE
Film: Burst
Director: Juliet Lamont
State: NSW
Prize:
2ND Prize Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
Swifty's Thoughts: Like I said before, this is a beautiful, heartwarming short film, so it's deserving of a prize. I even thought that this would win the first prize too.
THIRD PRIZE – TIED
Film: The Story of Bubble Boy
Director: Sean Ascroft
State: NSW
Film: Fishy
Director: Dale Sidney
State: VIC
Swifty's Thoughts: One that makes you laugh, one that disturbs you. I personally prefer Fishy over Bubbleboy, but then, Bubbleboy is good with its lyrical, rhyming voiceover narration.
COINTREAU WOMEN IN FILM AWARD
Film: Goggles/Last Stop
Cinematographer: Katie Milwright
State: VIC
Prize:
Cointreau Women In Film Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
Swifty's Thoughts: I think this is a new award to reward the female filmmakers. Not sure. Among Last Stop and Goggles, I liked Last Stop more, but that's because my memory of Goggles is rather hazy.
SONY FOUNDATION YOUNG TALENT AWARD
Film: Pacific
Actor: Harry Greenwood
State: NSW
Prize:
Sony Foundation Young Talent Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
Swifty's Thoughts: The scenery in Pacific is incredible. And it is a film with heart, just that I wasn't too taken in by it. But yeah, it's a good film.
BEST MALE ACTOR
Actor: Rob Carlton
Film: Carmichael and Shane and How Many Doctors Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb?
State: NSW
Prize:
Best Male Actor Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
$3000 cash
Presented by NICOLE KIDMAN
Swifty's Thoughts: Well, Rob Carlton appeared in two films, one won the major prize and the other won 'Best Comedy', and then he himself won the acting awards for both films he was in, definitely a great night for him. Although my lady friend was more like 'What???? That wasn't acting!!!' Er, well, maybe he made things seemed so effortless that we forgot it was acting? Although in truth, I was more taken in by the acting from the guy in Fishy, and the two guys in Silencer.
BEST FEMALE ACTOR
Actor: Belinda King
Film: The Sister
State: NSW
Prize:
Best Female Actor Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
$3000 cash
Presented by NICOLE KIDMAN
Swifty's Thoughts: Was rooting for the woman in Burst, but then, I remembered Belinda King was simply splendid as the pissed off sister in The Sister, and managed to have all audiences rooting for her as the film went on. So good on her!
BEST COMEDY
Film: How Many Doctors Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb?
Director: Marie Patane
State: NSW
Prize:
Best Comedy Trophy
Presented by DINASOUR DESIGNS
$1500 cash
Presented by STREETS
Swifty's Thoughts: It's pretty damned funny.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Film: Silencer
Cinematographer: Tonu Huu
State: QLD
Prize:
Best Cinematography Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
$1500 cash
Presented by KODAK
Swifty's Thoughts: Shot like a stylish and intense Hollywood thriller with high budget, Silencer does have pretty freaking good cinematography.
BEST SCREENPLAY
Film: Applause
Writer/Director: Michael Noonan
State: QLD
Prize:
Best Screenplay Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
$1500 cash
Presented by STELLA ARTOIS SCREEN
Swifty's Thoughts: Yeah, it's pretty witty. And it also helped that it was in a foreign language!
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Film: The Story of Bubbleboy
Composer: Hylton Mowday
State: NSW
Prize:
Best Original Score Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
$1000 cash
Presented by SONG ZU
Swifty's Thoughts: Like I mentioned in yesterday's recap, The Story of Bubbleboy really had some great editing.
BEST EDITING
Film: Fishy
Editor: Seth Lockwood
State: VIC
Prize:
Best Editing Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
$1000 cash
Sony Vegas+DVD software package valued at $949
Presented by SONY MEDIA SOFTWARE
Swifty's Thoughts: Yeap, Fishy is totally disturbing, and intense, and insane, and a psychothriller wouldn't work without great editing.
THE TROPICANA AWARD
Film: The Sister
Director: Belinda King
State: NSW
Prize:
The Tropicana Award Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
$1,500 cash & coffee for a year
Presented by the TROPICANA CAFE
Coffee machine & beans
Presented by LA CASA DEL CAFE
Subscription to Sydney Morning Herald OR The Age for 1 year (valued at $350)
Presented by SYDNEY MORNING HERALD or THE AGE
Dendy Cinemas Gold Pass (valued at $1,500)
Presented by DENDY CINEMAS
Swifty's Thoughts: I have no idea what's the Tropicana award for, but good on her. Gives hope to all people who film stuff via Mini DV... like me.
But here's something, one of the short films, Janos Zuzmara's Snakepit, was disqualified from Tropfest after being exposed for being a cheat when viewers voiced out its similarity to a 2004 short film called Snakeman by former Victorian College of Art student, John Inglis. Then, it was revealed that Zuzmara and Inglis are actually THE SAME GUY! And yes, Snakeman was aired before back in 2004, meaning that this short film wasn't made specifically for Tropfest. Although Snakepit IS a re-edited version. (More information of this can be found in this article)
Being a filmmaker myself, I am just as tempted as this guy to succeed in festival circuits. And what can be better than having your own film shown at the biggest short film festival in the world? And having your films judged by the likes of Toni Collette and Guy Pearce? (Or even receiving an award from Nicole Kidman?) However, I really can't see the satisfaction of winning something like this via cheating, I mean, just look at the consequences he has to face now, will people still believe in him when he will be remembered as the guy who cheated in Sony Tropfest 2006? And the screening of his short film meant that some other short film that was probably more deserving had lost its opportunity because of this. Which is quite sad.
FIRST PRIZE
Film: Carmichael and Shane
Director: Alex Weinress and Rob Carlton
State: NSW
Prize: QANTAS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
1ST Prize Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
Swifty's Thoughts: It's the crowd-pleaser of the night, and made with very low budget, but like many good short films, its success lies in the storytelling. Leaves a really deep impression. I wonder whether all single fathers of twins will do the same to their kids after watching this.
SECOND PRIZE
Film: Burst
Director: Juliet Lamont
State: NSW
Prize:
2ND Prize Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
Swifty's Thoughts: Like I said before, this is a beautiful, heartwarming short film, so it's deserving of a prize. I even thought that this would win the first prize too.
THIRD PRIZE – TIED
Film: The Story of Bubble Boy
Director: Sean Ascroft
State: NSW
Film: Fishy
Director: Dale Sidney
State: VIC
Swifty's Thoughts: One that makes you laugh, one that disturbs you. I personally prefer Fishy over Bubbleboy, but then, Bubbleboy is good with its lyrical, rhyming voiceover narration.
COINTREAU WOMEN IN FILM AWARD
Film: Goggles/Last Stop
Cinematographer: Katie Milwright
State: VIC
Prize:
Cointreau Women In Film Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
Swifty's Thoughts: I think this is a new award to reward the female filmmakers. Not sure. Among Last Stop and Goggles, I liked Last Stop more, but that's because my memory of Goggles is rather hazy.
SONY FOUNDATION YOUNG TALENT AWARD
Film: Pacific
Actor: Harry Greenwood
State: NSW
Prize:
Sony Foundation Young Talent Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
Swifty's Thoughts: The scenery in Pacific is incredible. And it is a film with heart, just that I wasn't too taken in by it. But yeah, it's a good film.
BEST MALE ACTOR
Actor: Rob Carlton
Film: Carmichael and Shane and How Many Doctors Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb?
State: NSW
Prize:
Best Male Actor Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
$3000 cash
Presented by NICOLE KIDMAN
Swifty's Thoughts: Well, Rob Carlton appeared in two films, one won the major prize and the other won 'Best Comedy', and then he himself won the acting awards for both films he was in, definitely a great night for him. Although my lady friend was more like 'What???? That wasn't acting!!!' Er, well, maybe he made things seemed so effortless that we forgot it was acting? Although in truth, I was more taken in by the acting from the guy in Fishy, and the two guys in Silencer.
BEST FEMALE ACTOR
Actor: Belinda King
Film: The Sister
State: NSW
Prize:
Best Female Actor Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
$3000 cash
Presented by NICOLE KIDMAN
Swifty's Thoughts: Was rooting for the woman in Burst, but then, I remembered Belinda King was simply splendid as the pissed off sister in The Sister, and managed to have all audiences rooting for her as the film went on. So good on her!
BEST COMEDY
Film: How Many Doctors Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb?
Director: Marie Patane
State: NSW
Prize:
Best Comedy Trophy
Presented by DINASOUR DESIGNS
$1500 cash
Presented by STREETS
Swifty's Thoughts: It's pretty damned funny.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Film: Silencer
Cinematographer: Tonu Huu
State: QLD
Prize:
Best Cinematography Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
$1500 cash
Presented by KODAK
Swifty's Thoughts: Shot like a stylish and intense Hollywood thriller with high budget, Silencer does have pretty freaking good cinematography.
BEST SCREENPLAY
Film: Applause
Writer/Director: Michael Noonan
State: QLD
Prize:
Best Screenplay Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
$1500 cash
Presented by STELLA ARTOIS SCREEN
Swifty's Thoughts: Yeah, it's pretty witty. And it also helped that it was in a foreign language!
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Film: The Story of Bubbleboy
Composer: Hylton Mowday
State: NSW
Prize:
Best Original Score Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
$1000 cash
Presented by SONG ZU
Swifty's Thoughts: Like I mentioned in yesterday's recap, The Story of Bubbleboy really had some great editing.
BEST EDITING
Film: Fishy
Editor: Seth Lockwood
State: VIC
Prize:
Best Editing Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
$1000 cash
Sony Vegas+DVD software package valued at $949
Presented by SONY MEDIA SOFTWARE
Swifty's Thoughts: Yeap, Fishy is totally disturbing, and intense, and insane, and a psychothriller wouldn't work without great editing.
THE TROPICANA AWARD
Film: The Sister
Director: Belinda King
State: NSW
Prize:
The Tropicana Award Trophy
Presented by DINOSAUR DESIGNS
$1,500 cash & coffee for a year
Presented by the TROPICANA CAFE
Coffee machine & beans
Presented by LA CASA DEL CAFE
Subscription to Sydney Morning Herald OR The Age for 1 year (valued at $350)
Presented by SYDNEY MORNING HERALD or THE AGE
Dendy Cinemas Gold Pass (valued at $1,500)
Presented by DENDY CINEMAS
Swifty's Thoughts: I have no idea what's the Tropicana award for, but good on her. Gives hope to all people who film stuff via Mini DV... like me.
But here's something, one of the short films, Janos Zuzmara's Snakepit, was disqualified from Tropfest after being exposed for being a cheat when viewers voiced out its similarity to a 2004 short film called Snakeman by former Victorian College of Art student, John Inglis. Then, it was revealed that Zuzmara and Inglis are actually THE SAME GUY! And yes, Snakeman was aired before back in 2004, meaning that this short film wasn't made specifically for Tropfest. Although Snakepit IS a re-edited version. (More information of this can be found in this article)
Being a filmmaker myself, I am just as tempted as this guy to succeed in festival circuits. And what can be better than having your own film shown at the biggest short film festival in the world? And having your films judged by the likes of Toni Collette and Guy Pearce? (Or even receiving an award from Nicole Kidman?) However, I really can't see the satisfaction of winning something like this via cheating, I mean, just look at the consequences he has to face now, will people still believe in him when he will be remembered as the guy who cheated in Sony Tropfest 2006? And the screening of his short film meant that some other short film that was probably more deserving had lost its opportunity because of this. Which is quite sad.
