For full video coverage of the event click here
On March 24 the second RTS NI Student Television Awards took place at the Black Box in Belfast. Over 80 guests joined host Aidan Browne and keynote speaker Judith Hill to toast the rising stars of the creative industries and celebrate the key relationship between the creative sector and the education section. In recognition of this the Minister for Learning and Employment, Dr Stephen Farry MLA, attended the event and presented awards to the winners.
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Supported by the Creative Industries Innovation Fund, the RTS NI Student Television Awards exist to recognise the importance of education within the television and creative industry. Last night highlighted how crucial it is that the sectors work together as the MLAs and industry figures joined tutors in supporting the student winners and nominees.
The winners of the RTS NI Student Television Awards will be automatically put forward to the national RTS Student Media Awards which will be held in London later this year. At these awards they will compete against fellow media students at a national UK level.
Minister Farry said: “The creative media industry is of growing importance to Northern Ireland and we need to encourage and develop the creative talent of our students to achieve further success in this economically important sector.
“This event is proof that collaboration between industry and our educational establishments is encouraging the innovative approaches which provide the knowledge, skills, research and development that are fundamental to our economy’s future success.”
Michael Wilson, Chair of RTS Northern Ireland Centre, said:
“The RTS NI Student Television Awards offers the opportunity for talented media students from across Northern Ireland to showcase their work to some of the creative industry’s biggest names. Winning an RTS NI Student Television Award will give media students within Northern Ireland a real profile in the industry as well as a recognised accolade to put on their CV and I am overwhelmed to see such support for the annual awards ceremony.”
Lorraine McDowell, Director of Operations, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented;
“The Arts Council is pleased to support the RTS NI Student Television Awards through the Creative Industries Innovation Fund. The creative industries are vital to the growth of the Northern Ireland economy and this event highlighted the importance of mutual co-operation and effective working relations between the creative and education sectors for successful and sustained growth. Congratulations to all award winners and I wish them well as they go on to compete nationally.”
The winners in each category were:
Drama Award sponsored by Westway Films
Conal Tutin and Joel Spence
Tout
Belfast Metropolitan College
Comedy & Entertainment Award sponsored by Stellify Media
Naomi Doherty
Classroom Coliseum
Northern Regional College
Factual Award sponsored by Crawford McCann
Frankie Price and Conor Shearer
White Heat
Belfast Metropolitan College
Open Award sponsored by Sixteen South
Richard Parke
Say Something
Northern Regional College
RTS Northern Ireland announces Winners of
Student Television Awards
SEE FULL VIDEO COVERAGE OF THE EVENT HERE: /eye-player-menu
26 March 2014 - The Royal Television Society (RTS) Northern Ireland Centre held its first Student Television Awards on Tuesday 25 March, at Belfast Metropolitan College. Justin Edwards, Belfast Metropolitan College’s Assistant Chief Executive and Director of Curriculum welcomed the student and VIP guests to the event while Kieran Doherty, Managing Director of Stellify Media, delivered the keynote. UTV’s Judith Hill presented the awards, which were given in four categories: Animation, Fiction, Factual and Entertainment.
Students from the University of Ulster took away awards in two categories. The Entertainment award was presented to Laura Coyle for Breaking Convention, while the award in the Fiction category went to Mark McGuinness for his entry, ‘Harbouring Hell’.
The award in the animation category was presented to Michael White from Northern Regional College for ‘A Christmas Surprise’ and the Factual award went to Thomas McKeown and Johnson Orr from Belfast Metropolitan College for ‘£13 an hour’.
Michael Wilson, Chair of the RTS Northern Ireland Centre, said: “I am delighted to welcome so many students along to the inaugural RTS Northern Ireland Student Television Awards. The standard of entries was incredibly high, showcasing the hard work, dedication and talent of the students who all rose to the challenge admirably. This is concrete evidence of the importance of education within the television and media industry and I hope that these students, and their tutors, are extremely proud of their achievements. I wish them all the best with the next stage of their careers.”
The Winners:
Entertainment
Winner: Breaking Convention
Laura Coyle, University of Ulster
Shortlisted: Ed Sheeran, Give Me Love
Matthew McKnight, Belfast Metropolitan College
Animation
Winner: A Christmas Surprise
Michael White, Northern Regional College
Shortlisted: Switch On Switch Off
Laura Coyle, University of Ulster
Shortlisted: Grave Encounters
Christopher McKenna, University of Ulster
Factual
Winner: £13 an hour
Thomas McKeown & Johnson Orr, Belfast Metropolitan College
Shorlisted: Mobility Challenge
Nicola Clyde, Northern Regional College
Shortlisted: When The Gate Drops
Jamie Huddleson, University of Ulster
Fiction
Winner: Harbouring Hell
Mark McGuinness, University of Ulster
Shortlisted: The Violent Type
Jonathan McGilloway, University of Ulster
Shortlisted: Power of Persuasion
Frances Mitchell, University of Ulster