Balazs Bolygo BSC HCA has won Photography – Scripted at the Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards for his work on Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.
Bolygo pipped fellow nominees Sam Thomas (Until I Kill You) and Si Bell BSC (What It Feels Like for a Girl) to the prize.
“The jury were overwhelmed by the exceptional standard of work in this category,” the RTS said.
“With so much craft and artistry on display, it was hard to find a shortlist of three. However, the jury loved how brilliantly the camera drew the viewer into this story, manufacturing tension without feeling exploitative and bringing a fresh cinematic language to depict events that are so often sensationalised. The eye for detail repeatedly astonished.”
Speaking about his process for the show, Bolygo told British Cinematographer: “To honour the reality of the events, I immersed myself in the details.
“I studied extensively — not only the IPCC findings but also press clippings, eyewitness testimonies and officer accounts. I reviewed raw, often harrowing footage from the bombings and watched documentaries such as Path of Blood, composed of authentic Al-Qaeda material.
“This was not morbid curiosity, but a necessity to understand the protagonists’ world. The conviction, chaos and profound disconnection from humanity struck me deeply and lent weight to our cinematographic choices.”
Suspect also saw Martin Phipps and Dan Jeffries take home Music Original Score – Scripted.
Meanwhile, Charlie Hamilton James, Johnny Rolt and Bertie Gregory scooped Photography – Non-scripted for Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story.
The RTS said: “The jury felt that the outstanding photography at the heart of the documentary not only captured the beautiful landscapes of the Shetland Islands but also created an emotional connection for the viewer with the beautiful depiction of relationships in this film.”
The trio’s work on the documentary beat out competition from Andy Pritchard (Marw Gyda Kris / Death with Kris) and Marcel Mettelsiefen (State of Rage).
The full list of winners is available below.
Casting Award
WINNER – Shaheen Baig Adolescence Warp Films, Matriarch Productions and Plan B Entertainment for Netflix
Costume Design – Scripted
WINNER – Joanna Eatwell Wolf Hall – The Mirror and the Light A Playground and Company Pictures production for BBC One
Design – Programme Content Sequences
WINNER – Huge Designs Code of Silence Mammoth Screen for ITV1
Design – Titles
WINNER – Sky Creative Sky Sports Lions Series 2025 Sky Creative, Konstantina, Coffee & TV, Molecular Sound and Absolute for Sky Sports
Director – Multicamera
WINNER – Lance Kneeshaw EastEnders BBC Studios for BBC One
Director – Non-scripted
WINNER – Charlie Hamilton James Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story Silverback Films for National Geographic and Disney+
Director – Scripted
WINNER – Julia Ford Until I Kill You World Productions for ITV1
Editing – Sport
WINNER – Steve Wakeford The Late Cut Everyfield Films for Sky Sports
Editing – Entertainment and Comedy
WINNER – Nikki McChristie Ludwig Big Talk Studios in association with That Mitchell & Webb Company for BBC One
Editing – Non-scripted
WINNER – Andre Prunetti Boybands Forever Mindhouse Productions for BBC Two
Editing – Scripted
WINNER – Simon Brasse Black Doves SISTER and Noisy Bear for Netflix
Effects – SFX
WINNER – Luke Murphy Andor (Season 2) Lucasfilm for Disney+
Effects – VFX
WINNER – Daniel Rauchwerger, Raphael Hamm, Ian Fellows & Paul Bongiovanni Silo (Season 2) AMC Studios in association with Apple for Apple TV
Lighting for Multicamera
WINNER – Nigel Catmur, Oliver Lifely, Martin Higgins & Matt Lee Gladiators (Series 2) Hungry Bear Media and MGM Alternative UK for BBC One
Make Up Design – Scripted
WINNER – Barrie Gower The Last of Us (Season 2) HBO in association with Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint and Naughty Dog for Sky Atlantic
Multicamera Work
WINNER – Vince Spooner & Camera Team BBC Proms 2024 Livewire Pictures for BBC
Multicamera Work – Sport
WINNER – Will Sawrey-Cookson England v India Test Series, Final Day EMG for Sky Sports
Music Original Score – Non-scripted
WINNER – Leo Geyer & Jonathan Gibson The Lost Music of Auschwitz Windfall Films for Sky Arts
Music Original Score – Scripted
WINNER – Martin Phipps & Dan Jeffries Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes Etta Pictures, a part of ITV Studios and KDJ Productions for Disney+
Photography – Non-scripted
WINNER – Charlie Hamilton James, Johnny Rolt & Bertie Gregory Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story Silverback Films for National Geographic and Disney+
Photography – Scripted
WINNER – Balazs Bolygo Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes Etta Pictures, a part of ITV Studios and KDJ Productions for Disney+
Picture Enhancement
WINNER – Daniel Gill & James Beynon Our Oceans Wild Space Productions for Netflix
Production Design – Non-scripted
WINNER – Mathieu Weekes / Bizibot Productions The Traitors Studio Lambert for BBC One
Production Design – Scripted
WINNER – Adam Tomlinson, Paul Tormey, Ian Tomlinson & Jordan McHale Adolescence Warp Films, Matriarch Productions and Plan B Entertainment for Netflix
Production Management Award
WINNER – Production Team Adolescence Warp Films, Matriarch Productions and Plan B Entertainment for Netflix
Sound – Non-scripted
WINNER – Kate Hopkins, Graham Wild, Renzo Spiteri, Paul Ackerman & Ellie Bowler Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story Silverback Films for National Geographic and Disney+
Sound – Scripted
WINNER – Sound Team Adolescence Warp Films, Matriarch Productions and Plan B Entertainment for Netflix
RTS Special Award
WINNER – Craft Team for Adolescence
Oustanding Contribution Award
WINNER – Hilary Briegel
