Tropfest has announced Daniel ‘Cloud’ Campos and Spencer Susser the winners of Tropfest Australia with Shiny – a stop motion animation that challenges the materialistic status quo.
In just under four minutes of the seven allowed for Tropfest films, Shiny was a clear winner with the judges, also having won two Tropfest Craft Awards for Sound Design and VFX. Campos and Susser will receive a Hyundai Tucson for a year, $10,000 cash, a trip to Los Angeles for a week of meetings with film executives, an HP Spectre x2 as well as a Nikon D810 and Nikkor lenses and accessories.
Australian Hollywood legend Mel Gibson, The Mentalist star Simon Baker, Australia’s favorite TV mum Rebecca Gibney, Moulin Rouge! Cinematographer Don McAlpine and Jocelyn Moorhouse, Director of 2015’s top Aussie film The Dressmaker, and AACTA-nominated documentary filmmaker Maya Newell, announced Shiny amongst other Tropfest winners tonight.
Nick Baker and Tristan Klein from Sydney picked up second prize for their animation Postcards to Ulay. Third Prize went to Rick Donald from Sydney for The ATM. A $3,000 prize generously donated by Nicole Kidman went to Best Male Actor Rick Donald for his role as Frankie in The ATM, and Best Female Actress Natalie Bassingthwaighte for her performance as Sarah in Why Would I Lie?
Jeff Harding won the Nikon DSLR Film category, for Andrew Kennedy and Tim Chatfield – a documentary about Australia’s first World Light Heavyweight Champion. The duo will be taking home a brand new Nikon D610 and $3,000 RRP worth of Nikkor lenses and accessories.
Shiny screened to approximately 100,000 people in Sydney’s Centennial Parklands and at other live venues across Australia. SBS 2 broadcast the Festival live and online, streaming all the action into thousands more homes across the nation.
“I congratulate Daniel ‘Cloud’ Campos and Spencer Susser on taking home the Tropfest trophy this evening,” said John Polson, Tropfest Founder and Director. “Tonight’s turn out shows Tropfest is more alive and relevant than ever. It’s thrilling to see so many supporters of short film come out to celebrate grassroots storytelling.”
“Tropfest’s ability to celebrate the phenomenal talent of these filmmakers with film industry heavyweights and such a huge national audience is the part of the magic that has taken many of our winners to the next level of their careers.”
For the first time since 2012, Tropfest‘s Craft Awards returned, recognising excellence in six fields. The winners were: Viv Scanu Acs for cinematography; Josh Grom for editing; Andy Scott for scoring; Nick Baker for screenwriting; Daniel ‘Cloud’ Campos & Spencer Susser for VFX; and Derek Vanderhorst for sound design.
For more information, visit: www.tropfest.com for details.
Image: Tropfest winner Spencer Susser (supplied)