Winners of the first RTS Scotland awards 2014

The Royal Television Society (RTS), Britain's leading forum for television and related media, has announced the winners of the first RTS Scotland Awards.

Scotland, 11 June 2014 – The Royal Television Society (RTS), Britain's leading forum for television and related media, has announced the winners of the first RTS Scotland Awards.

The award for drama was presented to Slate North and BBC Scotland for Field of Blood; Piper Alpha: Fire in the Night from STV Productions and Berriff McGinty Films picked up the award for Factual; and Limmy’s Show Christmas Special, produced by The Comedy Unit, won the Comedy award. The News Coverage award went to STV News, while Scoop of the Year went to Mark Daly and Murdoch Rogers at BBC Scotland News and Current Affairs. Mark Daly was awarded Television Journalist of the Year.

The RTS Scotland Award, which is given at the discretion of the RTS Scotland Awards committee, was presented to Peter Capaldi, acknowledging his outstanding contribution to television.

The RTS Scotland Awards cover all forms of production in Scotland, recognising excellence and innovation across a range of genres and crafts. They are chaired by April Chamberlain. Bobby Hain, STV Director of Channels, is the RTS Scotland Awards committee chair and the committee includes Channel 4’s Director of Creative Diversity, Stuart Cosgrove; Donalda McKinnon, Head of Programmes and Services, BBC Scotland; Jane Muirhead, Chair of Pact in Scotland; and James Wilson, RTS Scotland Chair and Head of Creative Industries, City of Glasgow College.

The winners were announced at an awards ceremony hosted by Catriona Shearer and Sanjeev Kohli on Wednesday 11 June 2014 at the Oran Mor, Glasgow.

Winners

Factual

Title: Piper Alpha: Fire in the Night
Production Company: STV Productions and Berriff McGinty Films
Broadcaster: BBC Two
Nominees:
Donald Campbell: Speed King
The Day Kennedy Died

“An outstanding piece of work, demonstrating real ambition and storytelling strengths. It offers a fresh insight to a tragic event which remains the world’s worst ever offshore oil disaster.

Drama

Title: Field of Blood
Production Company: BBC Scotland/Slate North
Nominees:
The Challenger
Shetland

“The jury unanimously agreed this was one of the strongest dramas to emerge from Scotland in recent years. It was felt the production had evoked the period extremely well and the design of the 1980’s newsroom was so convincing you could smell the stale alcohol and discarded woodbines.”

News Coverage

Title: STV News – Clutha Helicopter Crash
Production Company: STV
Broadcaster: STV
Nominees:
STV News North – Piper Alpha Anniversary
BBC Reporting Scotland & BBC Scotland Investigates – Clutha Helicopter Crash

“A solid piece of work, which took a breaking news story and covered it well. The programme was well linked by presenter John McKay, contained some excellent packages and interviews within the programme.”

Scoop of the Year: Mark Daly and Murdoch Rodgers

Title: Paedophilia in the Catholic Church
Production Company: BBC Scotland News and Current Affairs
Nominees:
Nicole Kleeman and Cathy Newman - Lord Rennard Exposure
Peter Smith - Rangers Football Club Coverage

“A most significant story which led to serious repercussions in the Catholic Church. The scoop involved meticulous, old fashioned research and the story had tension and drive.”

Sport - Live Event

Title: BT Sport Friday night football - Motherwell v Celtic
Production Company: Sunset & Vine Productions Ltd
Broadcaster: BT Sport
Nominees:
Bank of Scotland Great Scottish Run
The Scottish Communities League Cup Final – St Mirren v Heart of Midlothian

“An excellent young presentation team combined with high production values and a positivity about the product on offer creates a distinctive and stimulating programme.”

 

Sport: Programme

Title: Driven: The Fastest Woman in the World
Broadcaster: BBC Two
Nominees:
Gothenburg '83
The Adventure Show: The Celtman

“The story of Susie Woolf is documented by a film-maker who doesn’t dodge the uncomfortable moments in a difficult season and is complemented by unrivalled

access to big name interviewees and beautifully natural moments between family members.”

Comedy

Title: Limmy's Show Christmas Special
Production Company: The Comedy Unit
Broadcaster: BBC One
Nominees:
Bob Servant
Mrs Brown's Boys

“Limmy has created a distinct world populated with cleverly drawn characters and a dark authored style that is original, innovative and most importantly funny.”

 

Children's

Title: Katie Morag and the Tiresome Ted
Production Company: Move on Up/Struay Pictures
Broadcaster: CBeebies
Nominees:
Officially Amazing
All over the place USA

“This programme is innovative and daring in its adaptation of an iconic property. At the heart of it is an exceptional performance from the lead character.”

 

Student Television Award: Michael Crumley, Rosemary Levine and Jonathan Blair

Title: Hannah
Production Company: Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Nominees:
Pawel Grzyb, Christopher McGill and Michal Zagorski, - Untold Story
Fist Punch, Ally Lockhart, Ruth Gallacher, Chris McGarrity, Kyle Spence and Guy Thomson - Fist Punch
Adam Gierasmiuk - Poyo and Neko

Television Journalist of the Year: Mark Daly

Title: BBC Scotland Investigates and Newsnight
Broadcaster: BBC Scotland
Nominees:
David Cowan - STV News at Six

“The jury praised Mark’s investigation into allegations against the
Catholic Church, his work on Rough Justice and his crusading work on Scotland’s baby cremation scandal. On each story the research was meticulous and his work created repercussions which other news media had to follow up on.”

 

Professional Excellence: Camera: Carlo D’Alessandro

Title: Michael Palin in Wyeth’s World
Production Company: BBC Scotland
Broadcaster: BBC Two
Nominees:
Richard Cook - Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands
Alan Harcus - BBC Current Affairs

Professional Excellence: Sound: John Cobban

Title: Vinnie Jones: Russia's Toughest
Production Company: Tern TV
Broadcaster: National Geographic
Nominees:
Jim Hunter - Jim Hunter – Comic Relief Does Glee Club Live Final, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo & Hogmanay Live
Nainita Desai and Malcom Laws - The Day Kennedy Died

The sound on this production was remarkably solid and well built, particularly considering the location. A great combination of effects and dialogue.”

Professional Excellence: Post production: Editing: Laura Wilson

Title: Michael Palin in Wyeth's World
Production Company: BBC Scotland
Broadcaster: BBC Two
Nominees:
John Steventon - Super Human Challenge
Jonathan Seal - Sincerely, F Scott Fitzgerald

“The way the programme was edited totally engaged the viewer.”

Professional Excellence: Post production: Graphics & Titling: Damien Smith, Mark Breslin and Clyde Lawson

Title: The Shooting Gallery
Production Company: ISO Design/Channel 4
Nominees:
Kevin McCrae and Johnny Harris - Dreaming the Impossible: Unbuilt Britain
Damien Smith, Mark Breslin and Clyde Lawson - Bear Grylls: Escape from Hell

“The graphics were classy and were actually like a piece of televisual art – consistent, great attention to detail.”

The Digital Innovation Award: Damien Smith, Mark Breslin and Clyde Lawson

Title: The Gallery of Lost Art
Production Company: ISO Design/Tate/Channel 4/AHRC
Nominees:
Allan MacDonald and Margot McCuaig - BookCity Edinburgh

“A Stunning design and a wonderful way of navigating such content. Captured entirely the ethos of the Tate and could potentially be extended to all sorts of areas with links to all sorts of things and places.”

The RTS Scotland Award: Peter Capaldi

Nominees:

“The RTS Scotland Award is for the outstanding contribution to television in Scotland and beyond. RTS Scotland is delighted to announce that the recipient of this year’s award is Peter Capaldi. An acclaimed writer, performer and director, Peter has achieved phenomenal success at home and abroad. Original, memorable, engaging and definitive – his contribution to television has been exceptional, and the committee feel he is a worthy and much deserved winner of this inaugural award.”

About The Royal Television Society:

The Royal Television Society is Britain’s leading forum for television and related media. Membership is open to everyone with an interest in the medium.

The RTS was granted its Royal title in 1966 and HRH The Prince of Wales became Patron of the Society in 1997.

The RTS brings together people to exchange ideas, debate and explore key issues. The RTS Awards are an internationally recognised hallmark for quality and originality.

For over 80 years, the RTS has provided the UK’s main platform for debate about the future of television. Its lectures, events and publications make a substantial contribution to raising standards and developing practice. The RTS organises dinners with influential speakers, lectures, monthly sessions on current issues, and the world famous biennial Cambridge Convention sets the agenda for the future.

Television, the leading UK monthly on television issues and broadcasting policy, is distributed free to members. Separate RTS Awards events cover Programme Making, Television Journalism, Craft and Design, Students and Innovation.

Many of the Society’s dinners and conventions are oversubscribed. Patron and individual membership entitles members to priority applications and advanced booking.

There are 12 regional centres in the UK, and a Republic of Ireland Centre located in Dublin. Each Centre provides a mix of programme, technical, and craft events.

The Society is an educational charity, embracing all aspects of television, including the creative community, broadcasting, equipment manufacture, professional consultancy, journalism, design, research and development, cable, satellite, video and interactivity.

The Society relies for its future on the contributions of individual members, corporate Patrons and the hard work of its volunteers. Individual membership is available from £65.00 per year.

 

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