AWARDS FILMMAKER OF THE YEAR
OPEN WINNER: MARK FORBES FOR TRISTAN V CHRISTANN The first feature film shot by Mark Forbes, Mother & Wild , was the winner of the open category in last year’s Pro Moviemaker Filmmaker of the Year Awards. That success made him jump at the chance to enter again this year – and wouldn’t you know it, he’s come up trumps again. This time with a very different feature film in a documentary style. “ Tristan v Christann is my second feature film and was shot around the same time as Mother & Wild ,” Forbes tells us. The 90-minute film chronicles the real-life prolific adventures of Tristan, a fashion maker and filmmaker living in London. “It features his battle with oppression, the Covid-19 pandemic, his personal journeys, unexpected fame, societal pressures surviving as an artist without compromising his creative ideals,” adds Forbes. It’s an intimate portrait of a charismatic character that’s wonderfully shot and edited – and engages with the subject’s unique life. The style mixes traditional fly- on-the-wall documentary and talking head interviews, plus unique lighting and well-executed audio.
WEDDING WINNER: DREW AND TRACY JOHNSTONE FOR JST MARRIED When the entries for the awards started to come in, the first in the wedding category was from Toby Sleigh-Johnson at Handcraft Pictures, a stylish and artistic creative already named as one of British Vogue ’s top three wedding filmmakers. His beautifully shot and edited entry was for Kasia and Bartek, who flew him out from the UK for their wedding just outside Warsaw in Poland. And it set the benchmark for others to match. Then, in the final week of the contest, came a film by Drew and Tracy Johnstone of Jst Married Weddings Films, showing the wedding of Emma and Daniel in Wiltshire – a long journey from the filmmakers’ Scottish base. After hours of debate, the judges decided to highly commend Toby Sleigh-Johnson, but the win goes to Jst Married for a stylish, romantic, evocative and cinematic film. “This is one of my favourite wedding films we created in 2023,” reveals Drew. “It was the hottest day of the year, which added its own challenges. With an outdoor ceremony and multiple locations, the pressure was on. The ceremony was a seven-hour drive from our home, but it was worth it. We used multiple cameras and hoped not to overheat in the summer light as guests fanned themselves.” The couple’s personalities became the focus of the story. All the thought and attention to detail of the day helped deliver authenticity. “Filming around the couple and their families, you see a powerful emotional connection that continued from morning to night,” says Drew. “In our work, we search for distinctive and delicate moments to showcase the couple’s personalities. With natural light, a touch of artistry and non-intrusive method, we created a wedding film that the couple can’t wait to share with friends and family. That’s what we love to do.”
EDITING WINNER: FRÉDÉRIC ANNE FOR FELLOWSHIP OF THE SURFING
A great edit brings together the story, lighting, camerawork and audio to create something more than the sum of its parts. It’s a skill mastered by Frédéric Anne’s doc that mixes stunning landscape shots with slow motion, behind-the-scenes views and dialogue to tell an incredible human story of people sharing a passion for surfing. Shot in a stunning beachfront retreat in Costa Rica’s Santa Teresa North, complete with glorious light on soft sand surrounded by palm trees, it would have been easy to let the incredible visuals dominate. But Anne’s video shows how careful editing is key in making sure each shot complements the next. There’s no flashy transitions or jarring cuts that take away from the story. It’s an edit that doesn’t get in the way, which is why it’s a winner. Anne says: “I wrote the script on the plane from Portugal to San José. Editing and grading were done daily in my room using DaVinci Resolve and Flame.” The film was shot in 15 days in partnership with the Selina Film Residency Program.
If you want to film weddings, then it makes sense to have back-ups of all your kit, which can be a very expensive burden. So save cash by buying used cameras and lenses, as long as they have been fully tested and are guaranteed. Buying used but fully tested equipment from a specialist like MPB, that has massive stocks of everything you need, is the best option. And you can even part-exchange your old kit or sell it for cash to MPB.
As the UK’s number one used camera specialist, MPB has stocks of the latest cine cameras, camcorders, mirrorless and DSLR, as well as lots of choices when it comes to lenses and accessories. Everything is individually photographed and graded on MPB’s website for peace of mind. Not only will you save money, you’ll be helping the planet by recycling old kit instead of storing it in a cupboard. For every type of filmmaker, choose MPB when it comes time to upgrade.
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PRO MOVIEMAKER
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