We asked our 2024 Production Jury President, Medb Riordan, Co-MD / EP / Owner, Academy Films, on her tips.
As basic as it sounds, a great idea, well crafted, and leaning away from tropes and cliché is the strongest. Your juries could be watching hundreds of films, so think “how does my film stand out from the rest?”
What kind of work are you hoping to see in the Production category?
I’m really hoping I see innovation, something new, that’s exciting. I really hope I don’t see a whole load of transition shots, a borescope lens through a plug hole. I’m over that now, it’s been done to death.
I’d also LOVE to see some powerful, emotional work too! I think we’ve been leaning a lot towards comedy and lightness for the last few years, understandably given the global mood, but gritty, raw, emotional work that moves you, that would be exciting.
How should entrants approach the edit?
Sometimes, directors and creatives can lean towards a longer edit, but that’s not necessarily the best version. If a story can be told well in 60 seconds or even 30 seconds, then it doesn’t need to be 3 minutes long, even if you have heaps of amazing footage.
What should you always include in your entry?
It’s always interesting to know if a director or producer has tried something new – a new camera, a different approach to casting, a specifically designed build.
We don’t often know what goes into making a piece of work stand out. If there is information an entrant feels is important to note about the Production, then as a producer myself, that’s always appreciated.
