The winners were announced at a prestigious ceremony held this evening at the London Hilton, Park Lane, and was hosted by political comedian Ahir Shah.

The RTS Craft & Design Awards celebrate excellence in broadcast television and aim to recognise the huge variety of skills and processes involved in programme production. They span across 30 categories in total, and this year Chernobyl led the way with six wins across Costume Design – Drama, Make Up Design – Drama, Music – Original Score, Photography – Drama & Comedy, Production Design – Drama and Sound - Drama categories.

The Lifetime Achievement award was presented to Mike McCarthy, who has an incredible ongoing career, from working as staff at the BBC at the dawn of Television Centre's construction, to many years since as an incredibly popular freelancer, witnessing, and surviving, many changes within the industry. 

Sky Adsmart won the RTS Special Award, the service was recognised because of the ground-breaking work they are doing not only here in the UK but leading the way globally.

Chair of the Craft & Design Awards, Lee Connolly said: “We are constantly inspired and impressed with the incredible talent on display in our industry, and we are proud to honour the crafts people who make these shows possible – dedicating their time, energy and creativity to make some of the most impactful programming of the past year.”

Click here for a full list of winners and nominees

 

Costume Design – Drama

Odile Dicks-Mireaux Chernobyl Sister / The Mighty Mint & Word Games for Sky Atlantic & HBO

The winning programme was unforgettable in its unflinching attention to detail and perfect characterization, a total immersive, cinematic experience. We felt as an audience that everything worn had come out of 1980s Belarus, Ukraine and Moscow.  It was totally cohesive and the collaboration between departments quite extraordinary, with perfect attention to detail, heightening the sense of terror and horrifying reality.  

Nominees:

Tom Pye & Nadine Clifford-Davern Gentleman Jack A Lookout Point Production in association with HBO for BBC One
Charlotte Holdich The Long Song Heyday Television / NBC Universal for BBC One

Costume Design - Entertainment & Non Drama

Sam Perry Don't Forget the Driver Sister / Hootenanny for BBC Two

The winning design created characters that were believable, realistic and appealing, without falling into the trap of caricature.  Wonderful attention to detail and subtlety was developed throughout the series. 

Nominees:

Orla Smyth-Mill Brassic Calamity Films for Sky One
Vicky Gill Strictly Come Dancing BBC Studios for BBC One

Design - Programme Content Sequences

Studio AKA, Steve Small, Nikki Kefford, Artworking & Animation Team Black Earth Rising Forgiving Earth for BBC Two

Striking, emotive and artistically ambitious these beautifully designed and executed animations are impactful and moving. They are devastatingly effective, conveying upsetting events in a sensitive and beautiful way.  They successfully combine different source materials into one coherent and consistent yet very unique style.

Nominees:

BBC Studios with Lola Post Production The Planets BBC Studios for BBC Two
Made in Colour Holocaust - Finding My Family Made in Colour for CBBC

Design – Titles

Matt Willey Killing Eve Sid Gentle Films and BBC America for BBC One

In this Netflix age of 'skip intro' this sequence redefines programme titles. A clever idea beautifully executed, with bold typography and punchy colours, perfectly reflecting the chilling nature of the programme. It sustains repeated viewing and leaves the viewer wanting more.

Nominees:    

D8 The Cry Synchronicity Films for BBC One
Ben Hanbury, Hugo Moss, Paul McDonnell & Tamsin McGee The ABC Murders Mammoth Screen Ltd / Agatha Christie Productions for BBC One

Design - Trails & Packaging

BBC Sport, BBC Creative & Park Pictures FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 BBC Sport, BBC Creative & Park Pictures for BBC Sport

The media had a job to do to elevate the platform of women's football, for the FIFA 2019 Women's World Cup, and this campaign hit the message firmly on the head. Gutsy, modern, dynamic and, most importantly, memorable this well thought out campaign unapologetically placed women's football centre stage. 

Nominees:

BBC Creative BBC Two Rebrand Superunion for BBC Two
Nick Meikle, Sarah Gerona, Laura Whittell & Natalie Fox Dynasties BBC Studios Creative for BBC One and BBC Earth

Director - Comedy Drama/Situation Comedy

Nida Manzoor Enterprice Fudge Park Productions for BBC Three

The jury were hugely impressed by the innovative and unapologetic approach taken by this entry. Mining comedy from small moments and real environments, its limited budget did not hold it back from achieving a truly distinct and memorable style.

Nominees:

Tom Kingsley Ghosts Monumental Television in association with Them There for BBC One
Alex Winckler This Way Up Merman Television Ltd for Channel 4

Director - Documentary/Factual & Non Drama

Wendie Ottewill David Harewood: Psychosis and Me Films Of Record for BBC Two

An invisible subject matter made visible in a powerful and emotionally engaging film which clearly evidenced sensitive and brave directing skills. 

Nominees:

Arthur Cary War In The Blood Minnow Films for BBC Two
Anthony Philipson 8 Days: To the Moon and Back BBC Studios for BBC Two

Director – Drama

Shane Meadows The Virtues Warp Films for Channel 4

A different league! Said the Jury.  It felt completely real and was head and shoulders above anything else. 

Nominees:

Toby Haynes Brexit: The Uncivil War House Productions for Channel 4
Johan Renck Chernobyl Sister / The Mighty Mint & Word Games for Sky Atlantic & HBO

Director – Multicamera

Bridget Caldwell The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance BBC Studios for BBC One

The jury thought the very sympathetic direction wonderfully captured all the action to bring the audience a mesmorising experience. This was clearly extensively planned with nice refreshing camera moves expertly choreographed and overall well executed. 

Nominees:

Nick Wood Not Going Out Avalon Television for BBC One
Marcus Viner Jazz 625 Live: For One Night Only Somethin' Else for BBC Four

Editing - Documentary/Factual

Claire Guillon Egon Schiele: Dangerous Desires BBC Studios PQP for BBC Two

Innovative and brave. The breath-taking & wonderfully anarchic style of editing brought a 100 Year Old Subject instantaneously and convincingly into the 21st century. The heady mix of juxtaposed dancing and art images with talking heads and dramatic interludes, was immediately engaging and articulated a brilliant reconstruction of a wayward life with élan.  The editing displayed the real additional contribution that an exceptional editor can add to a director’s vision.

Nominees:

Sunshine Jackson 100 Vaginas Burning Bright for Channel 4
John Steventon & Ed Horne Sacred Wonders BBC Studios PQP for BBC One

Editing – Drama

Matthew Gray The Virtues Warp Films and Big Arty Productions for Channel 4

The jury admired the emotional power of the piece.  At times it was hard to watch, for all the right reasons.  It had great impact on the viewer.  Much of this emotional effect the jury felt could be attributed to the editing.  They particularly admired the use of flashback material at just the right points to hint at the reasons for the lead character’s actions.   A superb, memorable piece of work. 

Nominees:

Gary Dollner Killing Eve (Series 1) Sid Gentle Films and BBC America for BBC One
Matthew Cannings Brexit: The Uncivil War House Productions for Channel 4

Editing - Entertainment and Comedy

Simon Whitcomb & Christine Pancott The Heist Shine TV for Sky One

The suspense and tempo of this fast-paced multi-camera reality sequence was a visual assault on the senses. A technically challenging edit with its numerous narrative arcs of multi-layered storytelling, action and jeopardy all creatively balanced to create a fast-paced thriller. The smooth yet complex weaving of all the strands together, lifted the editing talents above its contemporaries, demonstrating it to be the model of how to do this sort of thing without putting a step wrong. 

Nominees:

Mike Holliday Ghosts Monumental Television in association with Them There for BBC One
Tom Hemmings Don't Forget the Driver Sister / Hootenanny for BBC Two

Editing – Sport

Lukas Musil & David Snowdon UEFA Champions League Final - Official Film IMG Media for UEFA / BT Sport

The jury described this as great story-telling, classy, clever, ambitious and with brilliant shot selection. 

Nominees:

Joe Snell, Tim-Mackenzie Smith, Jay Gill, Pete Burton & Frank Callaghan Women's World Cup Input Media (now renamed Gravity Media) for BBC Sport

Kevin Evans, Ian Grech, Joe Snell, Mike Osborn & Jordan Buckingham BT Sport - Wretch 32 Road To Madrid 2019 - UEFA Champions League Final VT (SDR Production) BT Sport

Effects

One Of Us The OA: Part II Plan B Entertainment for Netflix

The originality of thought, the attention to detail and the design aesthetic that went into the production of all the on-screen effects was hugely impressive. 

Nominees:

Effects Team Les Misérables A Lookout Point / BBC Studios Production, co-produced with Masterpiece for BBC One
Axis Studios Happy! Season Two NBC Universal / Netflix UK for SYFY

Lighting for Multicamera

Tim Routledge Stormzy – Glastonbury Taw Box for BBC

Watching this felt like a true piece of art being crafted. The boldness of creative choices created a very special performance. 

Nominees:

Nigel Catmur The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance BBC Studios for BBC One
Tim Routledge CHRIS - Live from the Salle De Pleyel Done & Dusted for Apple Music

Make Up Design – Drama

Daniel Parker Chernobyl Sister / The Mighty Mint & Word Games for Sky Atlantic & HBO

The best make up design was awarded to the programme, which was so painstakingly crafted, recreating appalling scenes of absolute horror and decay, without ever being gratuitous. Using a slight of hand and subtlety that sensitively portrayed the devastating tragedy. The work exhibited huge amounts of challenges, research and wonderful characterisation both before and after the disaster. 

Nominees:

Lin Davie Gentleman Jack A Lookout Point Production in association with HBO for BBC One
Meinir Jones-Lewis The Durrells Sid Gentle Films for ITV

Make Up Design - Entertainment & Non Drama

Lisa Armstrong Strictly Come Dancing BBC Studios for BBC One

The winner had created characters and transformations that were daring and exciting.  Consistently impressing audiences and fans, never failing to entertain and constantly exhibiting an amazingly, varied array of skills and techniques. 

Nominees:

Bean Ellis Don't Forget the Driver Sister / Hootenanny for BBC Two
Jo Jenkins Year of the Rabbit Objective Fiction for Channel 4

Multicamera Work

Giuseppe Bianchi Master of Photography Ballandi & Sky Arts Production Hub for Sky Arts

The jury felt the multicamera work and planning brought life to the subject matter. A very considered craft in how to achieve the stylised look. 

Nominees:

Paul Dugdale & Simon Fisher Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour Den Of Thieves for Netflix
Camera Team The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance BBC Studios for BBC One

Multicamera Work – Sport

Rhys Edwards, Matt Roberts & Laura McManamon SailGP Whisper & BT Sport

Technically brilliant to see something of this scale delivered so well. Made the event enthralling to watch and exciting to follow. 

Nominees:

Matthew Griffiths Six Nations - Wales v England BBC Sport for BBC One
Andrew Clement Wimbledon 2019 - Men's Final BBC Sport & Wimbledon Broadcast Services for BBC

Music - Original Score

Hildur Gudnadottir Chernobyl Sister / The Mighty Mint & Word Games for Sky Atlantic & HBO

A unanimous verdict, the jury felt the winning score was utterly unique, totally integral to the drama and, as a result, completely terrifying. The juxtaposition of textures that underscored the drama against the simple beauty of the Russian choir accompanying the closing montage demonstrated extraordinary imagination, versality and depth of understanding on the part of the composer. 

Nominees:

Murray Gold Years and Years Red Production Company for BBC One
Isobel Waller-Bridge Fleabag Two Brothers Pictures for BBC Three

Music - Original Title

Samuel Sim The Bay Tall Story Pictures for ITV

Haunting, unsettling and atmospheric, this beautiful theme lent an ominous quality to the opening montage. The music somehow exaggerated the colours within the visuals and within seconds you knew something bad was going to happen. The music gave a Nordic Noir feel to Morecambe. 

Nominees:

Lorne Balfe The Cry Synchronicity Films for BBC One

Nainita Desai Extraordinary Rituals BBC Natural History Unit for BBC Two

Photography - Documentary/Factual & Non Drama

Daniel Dewsbury, Stuart Bernard & Jonny Ashton The Mighty Redcar 72 Films for BBC Two

Capturing everyday life in a northern town, the strikingly executed photography subverts expectations by giving the town and its characters an evocative cinematic flair. 

Nominees:

Lindsay McCrae Dynasties: Emperor BBC for BBC One
Arthur Cary & Johann Perry The Last Survivors Minnow Films for BBC Two

Photography - Drama & Comedy

Jakob Ihre Chernobyl Sister / The Mighty Mint & Word Games for Sky Atlantic & HBO

The panel were unanimous in their opinion that the cinematographer had done great service to the drama with their revolutionary approach to lenses and filming techniques that made this drama immediate, powerful and totally authentic. 

Nominees:

Chloë Thomson The Long Song Heyday Television / NBC Universal for BBC One
Stuart Bentley I Am - Kirsty Me and You Productions for Channel 4

Picture Enhancement

Matt Brown Brassic Calamity Films for Sky

Working within a modest budget and without having any previous experience of delivering in the broadcasters chosen format of HDR (High Dynamic Range). The picture enhancement was a masterclass in measured grading, using multiple layers applied on a shot by shot basis to create moody, yet bold scenes, that popped with colour.

Nominees:

Aidan Farrell Summer of Rockets Little Island Productions for BBC Two
Dan Gill The Mighty Redcar 72 Films for BBC Two

Production Design – Drama

Luke Hull Chernobyl Sister / The Mighty Mint & Word Games for Sky Atlantic & HBO

Rich, realistic, beautiful and horrible all at the same time.  Astonishing research that was real, sensitive and with unmatched passion for design.

Nominees:

Kristian Milsted Killing Eve (Series 1) Sid Gentle Films and BBC America for BBC One
Maria Djurkovic & Tatiana Macdonald The Little Drummer Girl The Ink Factory / BBC / AMC for BBC One

Production Design – Entertainment & Non Drama

Dominic Tolfts Michael McIntyre's Big Show Hungry McBear for BBC One

The jury were blown away by the intricate set changes and impressed by the versatility of the production design. 

Nominees:

Richard Drew This Time with Alan Partridge Baby Cow Productions for BBC One
Samantha Harley Year of the Rabbit Objective Fiction for Channel 4

Sound – Drama

Stefan Henrix, Joe Beal, Harry Barnes & Michael Maroussas Chernobyl Sister / The Mighty Mint & Word Games for Sky Atlantic & HBO

Excellent dynamic range that left space where needed.  Original use of sound design and effects that work seamlessly with the score.  Beautifully authentic foley recordings and crystal-clear dialogues, often recorded in difficult sonic locations. 

Nominees:

Ronald Bailey, James Ridgway, Rodney Berling, Robert Brazier & Chris Roberts Pure Drama Republic for Channel 4
Nigel Edwards, Glen Marullo, Lee Critchlow & Linda Murdoch Black Earth Rising Forgiving Earth for BBC Two

Sound - Entertainment & Non Drama

Greg Gettens, Kim Tae Hak, Chad Orororo & Andy Paddon Married To A Paedophile Brinkworth Films for Channel 4

So brilliantly executed, that anyone tuning in halfway through could be forgiven for not realising that the original audio had been resynced to the actors miming.  A incredible technical feat that would require great time and skill in both production and post. 

Nominees:

Ben Ormerod, Marc Wojtanowski & Duncan Paterson 8 Days: To The Moon and Back BBC Studios for BBC Two
Christian Henson, Paul Freeman & Adam Tandy Inside No.9 live – ‘Dead Line’ BBC Studios for BBC Two

RTS Special Award

Sky Adsmart

Over the course of TV history there have been many significant technological milestones, but very few led by an advertising development.  From Gibbs SR toothpaste, the first ever TV commercial, TV ads have retained their unrivalled position in marketing, one that we are reminded of more than ever this time of year.  ‘As Seen on TV’ became seen as a stamp of approval and trust – that you were big enough to be able to afford to advertise on TV. TV was the reserve of the big spenders and was too expensive, broad and wasteful for everyone else.

But what was originally planned as a project to deliver relevant promos, evolved into a 7 year, £100m project that fundamentally changed TV advertising for good.  

In 2014 Sky launched its addressable TV platform – and in the last 5 years has gone-on to transform who and how TV advertising can be used. A major technical achievement able to seamlessly, with frame by frame accuracy, replace ads in live linear content across millions of homes simultaneously based of almost unlimited audience and location attributes. Effectively turning set-top- boxes into local ad servers, this massively complex project would level the playing-field without anyone really noticing.

Addressable TV has democratised the advertising landscape. This year Sky released the collective findings from nearly 20,000 campaigns - from reducing channel switching in ad breaks by nearly half, increasing ad engagement & enjoyment by a third, and with 70% of brands using the platform ‘new to TV’ it’s delivered on its promise to make TV advertising available to businesses of all shapes and sizes.  And attracting new money into TV the virtuous circle of investment means more money into producing world class UK content and shows.

Not only Is this ground-breaking in the UK but leading the way globally – Comcast, Sky’s new owner have now adopted the AdSmart brand and it’s recently been announced both Channel 4 and BBC will be using the technology too. 

This years’ RTS Special Award goes to Sky Adsmart.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Michael McCarthy

The winner of this year's Lifetime Achievement award has an incredible ongoing career, from working as staff at the BBC at the dawn of Television Centre's construction, to many years since as an incredibly popular freelancer, witnessing, and surviving, many changes within the industry. 

It is a career that has spanned 6 decades, the list of incredible shows he has helped bring to life is endless and many of you in this room will have worked with him, I guarantee all of you will have seen his work. 

When we asked for a few lines from some of the people he has worked with, we were inundated. So much praise for his professionalism, for his willingness to make things work with the minimum fuss. They say He's the best of the best, an absolute legend, the ultimate professional........the Peter Pan of Sound Designers, and to this day, thankfully, he still has a hand on the sound of Saturday Night Television.