The Royal Television Society Northern Ireland (RTS NI) is delighted to announce the nominations for this year’s Student Television Awards, supported by Northern Ireland Screen. 

Now in its 7^th year, the RTS NI Student Awards Ceremony will be hosted by UTV’s Eden Wilson and takes place in the Black Box, Belfast on Tuesday 24 March 2020 with BBC Three Youth Executive, Maeve McLoughlin delivering this year’s keynote speech.

Vikkie Taggart, Chair, RTS NI said:  “The RTS is first and foremost an educational charity and these Awards give us the opportunity to celebrate the exceptional audiovisual work being created by students in all manner of disciplines here in Northern Ireland, including Animation, Comedy & Entertainment, Drama, Factual, Short-Form and new for the RTS NI in 2020 News.

“The judges were hugely impressed by the creativity and imagination shown in this year’s entries and we are delighted to provide our emerging talent with a high-profile platform to showcase their work. The local universities and colleges are to be congratulated for the vital role they play in ensuring our future generations graduate with the skills necessary ready to start work in the fast moving and vibrant Northern Ireland creative industries sector.”

Bernard McCloskey, Head of Education, Northern Ireland Screen said: “Northern Ireland Screen is delighted to be able to support these awards in partnership with RTS NI. The awards are a great way to nurture and encourage the fantastic emerging creative talent we have here in Northern Ireland.”

UTV on screen journalist Eden Wilson, host of this year’s RTS NI Student Awards says: “I am delighted to host this year’s Awards, having delivered the keynote speech last year on my experience in getting started in the industry. The RTS NI plays a huge role in supporting the next generation of content creators and winning such an Award provides students with a prestigious accolade to help them with their future careers.”  

The Nominees for this year’s Awards are:

Animation Category

• Cosmic Echoes: Phoebe Long, John Hannon, Jakub Bojanowski and Jack Creaner, Ulster University.
• Home: Rhea Hanlon and Méabh Gilheany, Ulster University
• Biggie Likes Jazz:  James Dixon, Belfast Metropolitan College.

Comedy & Entertainment Category

• Last Order: Callum Donaldson, Cameron Graham, Jack McDermott and Samantha Dennison, Queens University.
• Fun Times in Sinister Pines: Carolan Brolly, Benjamin Porter and Jared Green, Ulster University.
• Crème Brulee or Chocolate Souffle? Michael Murray Draine, Stacey Burns, Jack Devlin, Ronan Karicos, Mark Hanna, Callum Russell, and Dylan Kane, Belfast Metropolitan College.

Drama Category

• The Man in the Bath: Elsa Hunter-Weston, Caoilfhionn MacEoin-Manus, Caleb Roberts, Shauna Luckie, Queens University Belfast.
• Circle: Marc McCabe, Samantha Davies, Stephen Parker and Lee Seales, NI Film & Television School at SERC, Bangor.
• Progress: Turlough McDonald, Carly McClay, Sofia Beltramini and Ellen Wright, Queens University Belfast.

Factual Category

• Anorexia Nervosa: Caitlin Fitzsimmons, Rebecca Connor and Ciara McLarnon Queens University Belfast.
• Visions of Success: Callum Harrison, Peter Young and James Nugent, Queens University Belfast.
• A Love Letter to my Mum: Margaret Mackel, Ulster University.

Short-Form Category

• In the Now: Marie-Louise McKenna and Caoimhe Lennon, Ulster University.
• Big Boys Don’t Cry: Ellery Wooff, Queen’s University Belfast.
• Macy: Shanti Mawhinney, Conor Culbert, Orin Ferguson, Nikita Cochrane and Josh Fisher, Belfast Metropolitan College.

News Category – NEW CATEGORY FOR 2020

• What about Us: James Duffy, Daire NiChanain, Ciaran Lockhart, Brogan Doherty, Niamh Meenan, Patrick Sharkey, Tanisha Harron, TJ Harvey and Adam McIntyre, North West Regional College.
• Voices of the Border: Brighid Sheridan, Michael Kane, Dionne Meehan, Darren Harkin, Daire Villa, Moya O’Donnell and Joe Kennedy, North West Regional College.
• Rising from the Ashes: Raffaella Carter, Belfast Metropolitan College.

 

Sponsored by UTV, Carson McDowell, Stellify Media, Westway Films, Nice One TV, Play The Game TV and Performance Film and Media Insurance, the winners of these Awards go forward to the national RTS Student Media Awards which will be held in London later this year.  The winners will also be invited to this year’s RTS NI Programme Awards, where their work will be showcased in front of the top professionals across the screen industries.​