Creo has just announced the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards, a brand new annual awards programme for short films sponsored by Sony. 

Thirty shortlisted filmmakers will be chosen and flown to Los Angeles for the Awards ceremony, which will take hold on the 22nd of February 2023 at the Sony Pictures studio lot in Culver City, California, in the Cary Grant Theatre.

Winners in six categories will be announced on the night and will receive cash awards as well as a variety of Sony Digital Imaging equipment. A jury of notable figures, chaired by award-winning theatre, television, and film director Justin Chadwick, will choose the winners.

Following the presentation of the awards, all 30 winners and shortlist members will participate in two days of workshops, screenings, and panel discussions conducted by Sony Pictures executives and leading experts in their disciplines.

The two-day programme will cover a variety of themes, including pitching, legal issues, working with talent agencies, and leveraging cutting-edge technology such as animation and CGI. This programme helps filmmakers advance their careers by giving them unprecedented access and unparalleled insight into the inner workings of the business.

Sony Future Filmmaker Awards categories

The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards include the following competitions and categories:

Filmmaker

  • Three categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction and Environment.
  • Entries must be between 5 to 20 minutes in length and can be shot on any device.
  • Shortlist of up to 15 filmmakers (maximum five per category). 
  • Winners and shortlist will receive a trip to Los Angeles to take part in the Awards ceremony and two-day workshop programme.
  • The three category winners additionally receive USD5,000 (RM22,280.23) and an FX9 Cinema Line Camera (plus lens).

Student Filmmaker

  • Two categories: Fiction and Non-Fiction.
  • Entrants must be studying a film course at a registered institution at a diploma or degree level worldwide.
  • Entrants must submit their application via their registered institution.
  • Entries must be between 5 to 20 minutes in length and can be shot on any device.
  • A shortlist of up to 10 is selected (maximum of five per category) to ensure representation of the different continents and a diverse range of global talent.
  • Winners and shortlist will receive a trip to Los Angeles to take part in the Awards ceremony and two-day workshop programme.
  • The two category winners and their institutions additionally receive a range of Sony’s Digital Imaging equipment.

Future Format

  • For 2023, submissions to be shot exclusively on a smartphone.
  • Entries must be between 2 to 5 minutes in length and can be shot on any smartphone.
  • A shortlist of up to five is selected.
  • Winner and shortlist will receive a trip to Los Angeles to take part in the Awards ceremony and two-day workshop programme.
  • The category winner additionally receives USD2,500 (MYR11,140.11) and a range of Sony’s Digital Imaging equipment.

All entries must be received by 13th December 2022, at 8PM. The two-day workshop session will take hold on 23rd and 24th February 2023, at the Sony Pictures studio lot in Culver City, California. In September 2022, the jury panel for the inaugural edition will be announced. More information on the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards may be found here.

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