Judges revealed for first Sony Future Filmmaker Awards

Creo has revealed the panel of judges for the inaugural edition of the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards; a major new annual programme for short films, providing a gateway for the development of creative excellence and free for anyone to enter.

Also announced are further details about the three days of workshops, screenings and panels, led by Sony Pictures executives. This exceptional opportunity offers winning and shortlisted filmmakers exclusive access and unparalleled insight into the inner workings of the industry.

Chaired by award-winning director Justin Chadwick, this year’s jury comprises leading and celebrated figures from the film industry including:

• Jeremy Barber, Partner, Motion Picture Literary and Talent, United Talent Agency
• Nicole Brown, President of TriStar Pictures
• Sir Roger A. Deakins CBE BSC ASC, Oscar-winning cinematographer.

“I am honoured to preside over this panel of highly distinguished individuals and I look forward to working with my fellow jury to discover fresh talent from across the globe,” said Justin Chadwick. “It was through the medium of short films I made my directorial debut and began receiving recognition for my work and I’m excited by the unique opportunities this new Awards programme has to offer to young and emerging filmmakers.”

The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards ceremony will take place on 22 February 2023 in the Cary Grant Theatre at the historic Sony Pictures Studio lot in Culver City, California. Thirty shortlisted filmmakers will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the ceremony and workshop programme. Winners from six categories will be announced on the night and rewarded with cash prizes and a range of Sony’s Digital Imaging equipment.

More about the Awards

The first edition of the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards opened for entries on 26 July 2022. It comprises six categories across three competitions:

Filmmaker
The Filmmaker competition includes three categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction and Environment. The Environment category is run in association with Sony Pictures Television’s “Picture This” initiative, which champions creativity that communicates a positive future for the planet.

Student Filmmaker
The Student Filmmaker competition includes two categories: Fiction and Non-Fiction.

Future Format
The Future Format competition comprises a changing technical brief each year. For 2023, filmmakers are asked to submit entries shot exclusively on a smartphone.

Full competition and category descriptions and requirements can be found on the Awards’ Website. The deadline for all entries is 13 December 2022, at 07:00 AM (CT).