North East & The Border Centre, RTS AWARDS 2005

BEST STUDENT FACTUAL PRODUCTION

Winner:
WORKING THE ZONE
Produced, Directed and Edited by Danielle Jones
University of Teesside

(l to r) Danielle Jones, Steve Salam (Dene Films)

This year there were 27 entries from 5 of our education institutions running media courses. The criteria for judging was for work showing outstanding mastery of craft skills, innovation and initiative, freshness, originality and audience appeal — all within the constraints of the law and broadcasting practice. As usual, the winner of each of the three categories will represent this region in the RTS National Student Awards which will be held in London in April later this year.

In the BEST STUDENT FACTUAL PRODUCTION there were 9 entries covering a wide range of topics, and including one from second year students at the University of Teesside.

All the entries were of a good standard, although the panel felt that some of the productions lacked a balanced perspective. 2 entries in particular satisfied the criteria for the category — showing originality rather than mimicking existing types of programmes.

HOUDINI (from the Cumbria Institute of the Arts) impressed the judges with a strong storyline and central character, whose openness together with the reality approach made the piece engaging to watch.

WORKING THE ZONE (from the University of Teesside) tackled a compelling theme with journalistic maturity. It incorporated a good range of relevant interviews, sympathetically dealt with, within a well-structured piece.

The judges decided to award a COMMENDATION to HOUDINI from the Cumbria Institute of the Arts — Matt Wiggins, camera and director, Kevin Dart, camera, producer and editor, and S. Bannan camera.

But the winner (who also receives the Dene Films Trophy) was a unanimous decision by the judges. It was WORKING THE ZONE produced, directed and edited by Danielle Jones of the University of Teesside.