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2016 45th National ACS Awards for Cinematography

CineKids

Gold Plaque: Catriona Warren (VIC) ~ Aria Taylor's Best Mistake

Student Cinematography

Gold Plaque: Jovan Atanackovic (NSW) ~ Harvest

Experimental & Specialised

Gold Tripod: Peter Nearhos ACS (VIC) ~ BBC Life Story - Courtship
Award of Distinction: Jonathan Rossiter ACS (SA) ~ Travel Deeper

Music Videos

Gold Tripod: Danny Ruhlmann ACS (NSW) ~ Madisen Ward and Mama Bear - Silent Movies
Award of Distinction: David Le May (WA) ~ Voyager - Hyperventilating

Syd Wood ACS Local & National News

Gold Tripod: Peter Steer (QLD) ~ Carjack Cameraman
Award of Distinction: Matt Jasper (VIC) ~ Batdan

Neil Davis International News

Gold Tripod: Aaron Hollett (VIC) ~ Gaza Airstrike
Award of Distinction: Matthew Allard ACS (NSW) ~ Sea Gypsies

Current Affairs

Gold Tripod: Leigh Huber ACS (QLD) ~ The Power of Ten
Award of Distinction: Benjamin Foley (NSW) ~ Afghanistan's Billion Dollar Drug War

John Bowring ACS TV Station Breaks / Promos (inc TV Magazine)

Gold Tripod : Simon Nicholls (SA) ~ Nomad Chef: Peru - Episode 7 - TV Magazine
Gold Tripod: Matt Wood (VIC) ~ Jake Simken Profile - Promo
Award of Distinction: Zoe White (NSW) ~ Foxtel - Smooth TV Ident - Promo

Corporate & Educational

Gold Tripod: Scott Kimber (QLD) ~ Processus - Ruby & Prankstar
Award of Distinction: John Wheeler ACS (VIC) ~ Argyle Pink Diamond - Australian Ballet

Web Content & New Media

Gold Tripod: Emma Paine (NSW) ~ We Will
Award of Distinction: Ross Giardina ACS (NSW) ~ BPM - Elegant Hedonism

Documentaries

Gold Tripod: Torstein Dyrting ACS (WA) ~ Prison Songs
Award of Distinction: Justin Hanrahan ACS (NSW) ~ Why Anzac with Sam Neil

Ron Taylor AM ACS Wildlife / Nature

Gold Tripod: Pawel Achtel (TAS) ~ Sea of Love Teaser

Advertising - Local/Regional

Gold Tripod: Timothy Tregoning (NSW) ~ Angus Barrett - The Saddler
Award of Distinction: Ross Giardina ACS (NSW) ~ NRMA - Home

Advertising - National/International

Gold Tripod: Jeremy Rouse (VIC) ~ Vodafone - Bucket List
Award of Distinction: Ross Giardina ACS (NSW) ~ Shell - Real Destinations

Dramatised Documentaries

Gold Tripod: Torstein Dyrting ACS (WA) ~ The Waler Australia's Great War Horse
Award of Distinction: Dave Cameron ACS (NSW) ~ The Monster of Mangatiti

Short Films

Gold Tripod: Sky Davies (VIC) ~ Goodnight Sweetheart
Award of Distinction: Geoffrey Hall ACS (SA) ~ Flat Daddy

Drama or Comedy Series & Telefeatures

Gold Tripod: Germain McMicking (VIC) ~ Gallipoli - Episode 7
Award of Distinction: Geoffrey Hall ACS (SA) ~ Deadline Gallipoli - Episode 4

Features ~ Cinema

Gold Tripod: John Seale AM ACS ASC (NSW) ~ Mad Max Fury Road
Award of Distinction: Adam Arkapaw ACS (VIC) ~ Macbeth

The Ron Windon ACS Contribution Award

Ted Rayment ACS
John Seale AM ASC ACS

The ACS - John Leake OAM ACS Award

Simon J Walsh

The Drew Llewelyn ACS Camerimage Scholarship

Drew English

The Hall of Fame

Louis Irving ACS
Ellery Ryan ACS

Milli Award - Australian Cinematographer of the Year

Milli: John Seale AM ACS ASC ~ Mad Max Fury Road

ACS 2016 Milli Award - Australian Cinematographer of the Year goes to: ........

John Seale AM ACS ASC
'Mad Max Fury Road'

• Click to view the Winners Showreels »

The continued success of the Society has been made possible by the work of many, particularly within each and every Branch, whose Branch committees dedicate and give generously of their time and energy to the Society. It does not go unnoticed, and that was confirmed yet again last night in no uncertain terms by the SA Branch National Awards committee, who gave us a truly fantastic Awards presentation preceded by some marvelous events for the members and those industry colleagues here in Adelaide.

The 2016 ACS National Awards for Cinematography were a resounding success, hosted and organised superbly by the South Australian Branch. The volume of time put into any Awards presentation is enormous, and in many cases for that period of time, lives are put on hold in order to ensure the success of these presentations. There were too many highlights to go into detail about, but some of the very special moments were, Louis Irving’s emotional and heartfelt response to receiving his induction into the Hall of Fame, along with ACS stalwart, Ellery Ryan ACS.

There was no surprise at the humility of both John Seale AM ACS ASC and Past Federal President Ted Rayment ACS upon receiving their Ron Windon ACS Contribution Awards. John and Ted are both quiet achievers and as the Awards reflected, great contributors to the Society on many levels.

It was also pleasing to see the smiling faces of Sue Greenshields from Lemac and Paul Jackson from Panavision being recognised with special Awards for the support over decades of both their companies towards the ACS and the industry. But it’s the reaction of the Gold Tripod and Distinction recipients that makes everything we do so worthwhile, including the always enthusiastic CineKids winner, Cat Warren from Victoria, a delightful young lady who represents herself, her family and the Society with great aplomb.

The evening was tinged with a little sadness, as our ACS Historian, Ron Windon ACS could not attend, and as I have said many times before, it is Ron who inspires us all to continue the work started all those years ago by many others, including himself.

Of course, there was many other Awards associated events including: A tour of the hallowed turf of the Adelaide Oval and the historic scoreboard. It was noted that one of our senior members had to be forcibly removed from the center pitch area, as he was continually running up to bowl, and left some damage to the area. Who would do that!

A fantastic Screening/Q&A of David Brill’s very personal film about Dean Semler AM ACS ASC on his career, and in particular the journey Dean made back to his home town of Renmark, after being invited there by a group of schoolchildren, who were big fans of Mr. Semler…..aren’t we all!

We held our second ACS SOUTHERN LIGHT EXPO under the sponsor banner of the SAFC, which was attended by around 300 and supported by many of our very generous sponsors, both at a National, International and a Stare level, who again made the Expo concept a popular success.

Kim Batterham ACS moderated a “Meet the Nominees” session which saw an intriguing and revealing Q&A with a very impressive and diverse group of cinematographers, including John Seale ACS ASC, along with Emma Paine from NSW who was nominated in the Web & New Media category, Student cinematographer, Mark Deslatov from Queensland, Judd Overton, Queensland news shooter Peter Steer, from the Territory Stephen Cavanagh ACS, Torstein Dyrting ACS, the always enthusiastic Pawel Achtel from Tasmania, Miles Rowland, Ross Giardina ACS, and Geoffrey Hall ACS.

The very popular Ray Martin Retrospective, was again well attended and Ray’s presentation always proves to be a fantastic insight into the talents of this very generous man.

To all the sponsors who participated in the Expo and the associated Q&A Presentations, of which there were 15, thank you for being a part of the events, and for being so willing and so positive about exhibiting at the SAFC – ACS Southern Light Expo 2016. Without the confidence our sponsors have in the Society and our administration, an event like this would be out of our reach.

Ron Johanson OAM ACS
National ACS President