Pioneering Producer-Director Serge Viallet to Receive FOCAL International Lifetime Achievement Award

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Pioneering producer-director, Serge Viallet, is to receive the FOCAL International Award for Lifetime Achievement, at the fourteenth annual FOCAL International Awards, to be presented on May 25th, 2017. This Award is a gift of the FOCAL International Executive, as a mark of gratitude for Serge’s dedicated and exhaustive support of the footage archive world through his prodigious body of work.

In a celebrated and innovative career, Serge Viallet has been creating documentary films specializing in the use of archive footage for almost 30 years. He has worked with multiple archives across the world and has been lecturing on archive documentation, research and use in film at Sorbonne University since 2012. He has won several awards for his meticulously crafted productions, including FOCAL International awards in 2008 and 2009 for The Rape of Nanking and Mysteries in the Archives, and was nominated for an Emmy for Kwai, his landmark and revealing film on the true story behind the building of the bridge over the river Kwai.

Upon receiving news of his win, Viallet said: “I am so proud and moved to have been honored with this award. I am so thankful to all my mentors around the world who have supported me throughout my career. I am also grateful to all the wonderful archivists and archive lovers whose work has been so valuable in helping me produce my films. Thank you FOCAL!”

Historian and archive expert, Jerry Kuehl, comments: “Serge Viallet makes programs that are scrupulous in their commitment to archival integrity - and eminently watchable.  In this era of 'post-truth' and 'alternative facts' he stands for the finest in our documentary tradition. He richly deserves this recognition.”

Not only has Serge been a great friend and champion of archives from behind the camera, and on the industry’s frontline, he has also played an important role in facilitating the preservation of over 30 years of Medecins Sans Frontiere footage, shot for and by the famed humanitarian organization, and this collection is now safely established at INA, France’s national audiovisual archive.   

Hardeep Singh-Cohli will host the gala FOCAL International Awards Ceremony on May 25th at the Lancaster London Hotel. Apart from the Lifetime Achievement Award, fourteen further awards will be presented on May 25th to celebrate the achievement of producers and directors in the creative use of footage in all variety of genres, across all media platforms, plus the contribution made to the global production industry by archivists, film libraries, researchers and technicians, as well as the work done to restore and preserve these irreplaceable assets.

Jurors from across the world are shortlisting the FOCAL International Awards 2017; these fascinating and diverse submissions are joined together by their creative and integral use of archive footage. The FOCAL awards have become a vital way of celebrating the best and most effective use of archive footage in storytelling on screen, and this year is no different. And while they celebrate productions, the awards also celebrate the people that make everything possible, with exceptionally strong competition for the categories of best archive researcher, library and footage employee of the year.

The final shortlist of all categories will be announced on March 17th and all details on the productions will be listed on FOCAL's website.

Tickets for the Gala Awards Ceremony are on sale now, so you'll need to hurry if you want to book a table http://www.focalint.org/focal-international-awards.

 

FOCAL's Footage Awards 2017 Now Open for Submissions and Sponsorship

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FOCAL International has opened the submissions phase of their annual FOCAL International Awards, to be presented on 25 May, 2017, with a call for creative professionals worldwide to submit their work for consideration in one of 15 award categories. Now in its 14th year, the FOCAL International Awards showcase the creative use of stock, library and archival footage by producers, directors and production companies worldwide, as well as contributions made to the global production community by archives, film libraries, researchers and technicians, as well as the work done to restore and preserve these irreplaceable assets. The deadline for all productions premiered in 2016 is set for 1st December but productions premiered later in the year can request a late entry.

The FOCAL International Awards celebrate achievement in the use of footage in all variety of genres, across all media platforms plus its restoration. Recent winners for their Best use of Footage in a documentary include many prominent, critically-acclaimed films such as Amy, Senna and Night Will Fall. Lifetime Achievement winners have included Rick Prelinger, Grover Crisp and Raye Farr. FOCAL International were also honored to have Martin Scorsese personally collect the prize for the Best Restoration of the Red Shoes. 

Producers, filmmakers and other creative professionals who have used library footage in a documentary, feature film or any other form of production over the last year are encouraged to submit their work for consideration. There are also Awards for best archive researcher, library and restoration work. 

FOCAL International has enjoyed support from all areas of the industry over the past 14 years and would welcome inquiries from new sponsors at all levels – main sponsorship and category sponsorship. For a brief overview of the Awards, check out FOCAL’s Awards Ceremony Promo video.

Stock, library and archival footage play a central role in many of today’s most critically acclaimed films, and, for over a decade, FOCAL International has worked to recognize and celebrate the skill and artistry with which leading filmmakers source and implement this indispensable creative asset. The world renowned FOCAL International Awards Ceremony is a magnet for all leaders of the global footage community and will take place on 25th May 2017 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, UK.

The 2017 FOCAL International Award Categories are follows:
•    Best Use of Footage in a History Production
•    Best Use of Footage in a History Feature
•    Best Use of Footage in a Factual Production
•    Best Use of Footage in an Entertainment Production
•    Best Use of Footage in an Arts Production
•    Best Use of Footage in a Music Production
•    Best Use of Sports Footage
•    Best use of Footage about the Natural World
•    Best Use of Footage on Other Platforms
•    Best Use of Footage in a Cinema Release
•    Best Archive Restoration & Preservation Project
•    The Jane Mercer Footage Researcher of the Year Award
•    Footage Employee of the Year
•    Footage Library of the Year
•    Lifetime Achievement Award

The qualifying period is productions premiered in 2016 and entry is via the FOCAL website until the closing date 1st December.  Any productions being premiered during December can make a late submission, by prior arrangement.

In all the production title categories the submission fee is £75. For other categories there is no fee.

Click here for full details and the submissions entry form.  Those interested in sponsorship opportunities should contact FOCAL International, info@focalint.org or Tel: +44 (0) 20 3178 3535.

 

 

 

Footage Award Winners Honored at FOCAL’s 13th Annual Gala Awards

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The 13th annual FOCAL International Awards in association with AP Archive took place last Thursday night at The Lancaster London Hotel, honoring producers, filmmakers and other creative professionals who have used library footage in a documentary, feature film or any other form of production released in 2015.  The BBC’s Kate Adie hosted the gala ceremony, which also served as an occasion to bid farewell to event organizer Julie Lewis, who is retiring from FOCAL this year. Under Lewis’s leadership, the FOCAL Awards have evolved over the last decade into a major event in the archival production community.

“The success of the awards over the last thirteen years has been due in large part to the energy, drive and commitment of Julie Lewis,” said Sue Malden, Chair of FOCAL International. “It is both a highly polished event and a major annual destination among the global production community. Her contribution to the event and to FOCAL itself has been indispensable and will be greatly missed.”

Awards in sixteen categories, including Lifetime Achievement, were handed out and several high-profile documentaries took home top honors. Academy Award Winner Amy, about the life of Amy Winehouse, won the Award for Best Use of Footage in both the Music Production and Cinema Release categories, edging out Cobain: Montage of Heck in both categories. Archive Producer Paul Bell was there to collect both awards.

The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution directed by Stanley Nelson won for Best Use of Footage in a Factual Production, and Best of Enemies featuring the acerbic public debates between Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr, which was short listed twice, prevailed in the Entertainment category. The BBC's Imagine strand saw off Arena: Night and Day, celebrating 40 years of the their longest running Arts series, with The Ecstasy of Wilko Johnson directed by Julien Temple.

Twenty-five European films were shortlisted for this year’s FOCAL International Awards. Among them, Every Face Has a Name, from Swedish production company Auto Images, won for the Best Use of Footage in a History Production, beating A German Youth from Local Films (France) and Red Gold from Vivement Lundi (France) whilst the Award for Best use of Sports Footage was collected by Yuzu Productions (France) for Free To Run.

The FOCAL Awards also honour the work of archival researchers, footage archivists and film preservationists, with this year’s Lifetime achievement award going to legendary film preservationist Robert Gitt. In a career spanning more than fifty years, Robert Gitt has gained an international reputation as one of the foremost experts in the preservation and restoration of motion pictures.

And while Cobain: Montage of Heck and the team at End of Movie LLC went home empty handed, Jessica Berman-Bogdan snagged the Jane Mercer Footage Researcher of the Year Award, primarily for her outstanding work on that film. 

Historic Films won the Library of the Year Award, and Tim Emblem-English formerly of BBC Studios and Post Production won for Footage Employee of the Year.

The Best Archive Restoration/Preservation Award went to The Memory of Justice and was collected by The Film Foundation's, Margaret Bodde.

Julie Lewis thanked her colleagues, the sponsors, competitors and the 80 plus jurors who had worked so hard to deliver the results and for bringing the event to where it is today. 

Please see below for a full list of all 2016 FOCAL International Awards winners.

Best Use of Footage in a History Production  - Sponsored by Getty Images / BBC Motion Gallery
•    Every Face Has a Name - Auto Images (Sweden) 

Best Use of Footage in a Current Affairs Production – Sponsored by Bloomberg Content Service
•    The Queen of Ireland - Blinder Films (Ireland)

Best Use of Footage in a Factual Production - Sponsored by Bridgeman Footage 
•    The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution - Firelight Films, Inc (USA)

Best Use of Footage in an Entertainment Production  - Sponsored by FremantleMedia Archive
•    Best of Enemies - Tremolo Productions / Magnolia Pictures (USA)

Best Use of Footage in an Arts Production - Sponsored by Film London & London's Screen Archives
•    Imagine: The Ecstasy of Wilko Johnson - Essential Arts Entertainment/Nitrate Film//BBC (UK) 

Best Use of Footage in a Music Production - Sponsored by Shutterstock 
•    Amy - On The Corner (UK)

Best Use of Sports Footage - Sponsored by ITV Sport Archive
•    Free to Run - Yuzu Productions (France) Point Prod (Switzerland) and Eklektik Productions (Belgium)

Best Use of Footage in an Advert or Short Production - Sponsored by Broadcast Tech
•    Lenor 'Odes to Clothes: Marvellous Scarf' - The Director Studio for Grey Düsseldorf (UK/Germany)

Best use of Footage about the Natural World - Sponsored by Global ImageWorks
•    The Nature of Things: Jellyfish Rule! - CBC (Canada)

Best Use of Footage on non-Television Platforms - Sponsored by Visual Data 
•    The Beatles 1+ Video Collection - Apple Corps Limited (UK)

Best Use of Footage in a Cinema Release - Sponsored by British Pathé
•    Amy - On The Corner (UK)

Best Archive Restoration / Preservation Project or Title - Sponsored by Prasad Corp
•    The Memory of Justice - The Film Foundation / Academy Film Archive (USA)

The Jane Mercer Footage Researcher of the Year Award  - Sponsored by AP Archive 
•    Jessica Berman-Bogdan (USA) for  Cobain: Montage of Heck and Narcos 

Footage Employee of the Year - Sponsored by Creative Skillset
•    Tim Emblem English (BBC Studios and Post Production)

Footage Library of the Year - Sponsored by Bonded Services
•    Historic Films Archive

Lifetime Achievement Award - A gift of the FOCAL International Executive
•    Robert Gitt

 

Historic Films Among Three Finalists for FOCAL's Footage Library of the Year Award

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Congratulations and good luck to our friends (and long-time Footage.net content partner) Historic Films for being one of the three finalists for FOCAL Internationals Library of the Year Award. Historic Films Archive is "a small but industrious stock footage archive located on the eastern end of Long Island New York." 

In business since 1991, Historic Films is one of the world's top collections of of musical performance and entertainment footage, spanning a century and containing over 50,000 individual performances from televisions most important networks and programs.

Huntely Film Archives and Kinolibrary are also finalists for the Library of the Year Award, and we wish them luck as well.

Set to take place on 26th May, 2016 at the Lancaster London Hotel, the FOCAL International Awards recognize producers, directors, researchers and other creative media professionals for excellence in the use and preservation of stock and archival footage across 16 production categories.