By Ayah-Sofia Semlali
At the beginning of this week the annual Edinburgh Schools Film Competition awards ceremony took place.
The award ceremony started off with a introductory talk by Stevi Manning, Principal Officer for Arts and Learning followed by a screening of the films nominated for an award.
Vayda Okpa, winner of Best Cinematography category said:- “We as a group were extremely happy that we won our award, especially since cinematography is key in any film. For the idea, the other actor (Ben King-Beck) had read a short story by Douglas Adams and paraphrased it to us, so we just ran with that idea and created ‘Cookies’.”
Stefan Robertson, winner of Best Performance, exclaimed:- “I was kind of surprised at winning and kind of confused. If you were there you might have seen me go up twice for the award (once before they said my name as a picture came up with the winner’s names on it)!
“Of course I am also very happy about winning it. We filmed in January and as it was snowing it was absolutely freezing!! Â In fact, I got a really bad cold from doing the push-ups in the snow and of course falling over every time I ran over ice.”
The winners were as follows:-
Best Comedy
Nominees: Most Haunted, What is life?, Cookies, Hero
Winner: What is life? by Firrhill High School
Best Performance
Nominees: What is life?, Unfinished business, Video is unavailable, Cookies
Winner(s): Video is unavailable, Unfinished business
Best Cinematography
Nominees: Jack & Jill, Cookies, Intoxicated, The life and times of imagination land
Winner: Cookies  by James Gillespie’s High School
Best Trailer/Advert
Nominees: The target, The delivery, Jack & Jill, Intoxicated, He twigs fast
Winner: Jack & Jill
Best Art Design
Nominees: Cookies, Credo, Jack & Jill, Unfinished business, The life and times of imagination land
Winner: The life and times of imagination land
Best Screenplay
Nominees: Unfinished business, Credo, Llyndon’s story, About a bench
Winner: Llyndon’s Story by Firrhill High School
Special Jury Award
Winner: Hero by St Thomas of Aquin’s High School
Best Picture
Nominees: Unfinished business, Credo, Cookies, The life and times of imagination land
Winner: Credo by St Thomas of Aquin’s High School
Every school won a certificate and all the winners won a unique ‘clapperboard’ award.
The films nominated were as follows:
James Gillespie’s High School – Cookies A hilarious film about an ‘awkward’ situation.
Broughton High School – About a bench A nostalgic film revolving the life of a bench.
Royal High School – The delivery An action film involving a top secret folder.
Firrhill High School – Most haunted A very funny film about ghosts.
St Thomas of Aquin’s High School – Credo A clever film following the life of a play dough.
Liberton High School – The Target A tense film about a bomb in a school.
Firrhill High School – Video is unavailable An action film about a student killing a police officer.
Boroughmuir High School – Intoxicated An insightful film about a teenager hosting a ‘dance craze’.
Currie High School – He twigs fast An interesting film about a monster harming litterbugs.
Firrhill High School – What is life? An emotional film about the perceptions of a student’s life.
James Gillespie’s High School – Unfinished Business A rocky-esque film about a sportsman’s ‘unfinished business’.
Firrhill High School – Llyndon’s Story A moving film about a remorseful ‘juvie’.
Boroughmuir High School – Jack & Jill A horror film adapting the story of Jack & Jill.
Broughton – The life and times of imagination land A perceptive film about a boy’s fantasy land.
St Thomas of Aquin’s High School – Hero An amusing film involving students lip-syncing the treasured song ‘Hero’.
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