FilmLight has finalised the prestigious jury for the 2024 FilmLight Colour Awards and announced Australian film director, screenwriter and producer, George Miller, as guest of honour, and award-winning Australian cinematographer, Mandy Walker, as 2024 jury president.
George Miller, AO, is known for directing the dystopian action-adventure films Mad Max (1979), Mad Max 2 (1981) and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), which went on to win six Academy Awards with Miller receiving a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Director, and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024). Other projects include The Witches of Eastwick (1987), Babe (1995), Happy Feet (2006) and more.
“Just as slow-drying oil-based paint allowed renaissance art practice to become more iterative, so have the digital tools of the colourist expanded the plasticity of each frame of moving image,” comments Miller.
Mandy Walker, AM, ASC, ACS is an Australian cinematographer known for work on Elvis (2022), Mulan (2020), Hidden Figures (2016), Tracks (2013), Australia (2008) and more.
“I am honoured to be presiding over this jury in the company of such revered film makers from all around the world,” says Walker. “It’s very exciting to have the opportunity to showcase the talent and scope of artists working in the field of colour grading.”
FilmLight also welcomes the following international talent to complete this year’s highly prestigious jury:
Kaitlyn Battistelli – senior colourist and partner at ETHOS STUDIO in LA. Kaitlyn is known for her fun and vibrantly hued films across a diverse range of platforms and her work has earned her numerous awards and acclaim. Her work on the feature film Dìdi, won the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
Greg Fisher – senior colourist at Company 3, London. Fisher is among the world’s most sought-after colourists and a pioneering technologist in the field of image development. Recent work includes Yorgos Lanthimos-directed Poor Things (2023), which has received multiple awards and The Book of Clarence (2023).
Jose Francisco Neto – senior colourist and founder of DOT in São Paulo. His work spans a wide range of projects, from short films and feature films to major episodic productions like Disney’s Aruna’s Magic. He has also served as a post-production supervisor and VFX supervisor on various projects, which contributes to his unique perspective as a colourist.
Catherine Goldschmidt – award-winning cinematographer known for her work on the 12th Season of Doctor Who, the Emmy-nominated show Dummy, the critically acclaimed BBC/Amazon series Chloe and HBO’s hit series House of the Dragon, for which she was nominated for a 2023 Emmy Award and the ASC Award for Outstanding Cinematography in a One Hour Television Drama.
Birgit Gudjonsdottir – award-winning Icelandic cinematographer with an extensive career in commercials, documentaries, and feature films since the late 1980s, including Goodbye, Lenin! (2003) and The Bourne Supremacy (2004). The first feature film she shot, Jargo (2004), premiered at the Berlinale in 2004.
Jax Harney – founder and senior colourist at X-LDN in London. With over two decades in advertising, Harney is known for her innovative approach and work with luxury brands in commercials, television, and film.
Yong Hou – acclaimed Chinese cinematographer, director, professor at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, doctoral supervisor, and president of the Chinese Society of Cinematographers. Hou is celebrated for films such as Jasmine Women (2004) and Manifesto (2023) and for his collaboration with director Zhang Yimou. He has received multiple Golden Rooster Awards and international recognition.
Tim Kuhn, BVK – award-winning German cinematographer, known for his influential work on series like Breaking Even (2020) and amazon series Luden (2023). Kuhn is a member of the German BVK and the German film academy and his projects, Dear Mr. Führer (2022) and Luden (2023) have both been winners at the FilmLight Colour Awards.
Michael Liu – distinguished Chinese cinematographer, who has developed a reputation for his innovative visual storytelling and his ability to blend traditional Chinese aesthetics with modern cinematic techniques. Liu’s portfolio includes a diverse array of films and his notable works include The Wandering Earth series.
Tim Masick – senior colourist at Company 3, New York. Masick co-founded Company 3 New York in 2002 and is known for pushing the boundaries of what is possible in colour grading. Masick won the Commercial award at the FilmLight Colour Awards in 2023 (Zara Man SS23) and 2021 (Dior Spring Summer 2021 Collection). He has worked on a wide variety of commercials for top directors and cinematographers and an impressive list of major global brands, including luxury fashion and beauty campaigns and projects.
Avik Mukhopadhayay – esteemed Indian cinematographer known for his work with directors like Mrinal Sen and Aparna Sen. Mukhopadhayay has received numerous accolades, including two Filmfare Awards for Best Cinematography.
Marina Starke – Berlin-based senior colourist with a notable portfolio in feature films, series, commercials, and music videos. Starke is a five-time FilmLight Colour Awards nominee and 2023 Music Video winner for her work on Horra by Mayyas.
Jason Zukowski – senior colourist at Fort York VFX in Toronto. Zukowski worked as a DoP, editor, and director before finding his niche in the world of colour grading. He has contributed to award-winning commercials and collaborated with top directors and brands.
These talented creatives join the previously announced jury members to complete this year’s jury: Ben Gervais – freelance technical producer; Mahak Gupta – senior colourist at Bridge PostWorks; Elodie Ichter – senior colourist at Light Iron; Natasha Leonnet – senior colourist, Picture Shop; Dirk Meier – freelance colourist, lecturer and 2023 FilmLight Colour Awards winner; Erik Messerschmidt, ASC – cinematographer; Yov Moor – senior freelance colourist; Robert Richardson, ASC, ACK – cinematographer; and Damien Vandercruyssen – senior colourist at Harbor.
The FilmLight Colour Awards are open to colourists on any grading platform and close for entry on 31 July. A shortlist will be announced in autumn and the winners unveiled at EnergaCAMERIMAGE in November.
