London, June 22 (IANS) The 2010 Rory Peck Awards, sponsored by Sony Professional, has opened for nominations to honour global excellence in freelance news and current affairs camerawork.
These are the only awards dedicated to the work of professional freelance camerapersons and welcome entries from all over the world.
The London-based Rory Peck Trust was established in 1995, two years after Northern Irish freelance cameraman Rory Peck was killed while reporting on the siege of the Moscow White House in 1993.
It was set up by Peck’s widow, Juliet, and his close friend John Gunston, to provide help to freelancers and their families that nobody else would give. They subsequently established the Rory Peck Awards to honour the work of freelance news cameramen and women. The awards are sponsored by Sony UK Ltd.
The Awards come in three categories. First, the Rory Peck Award for News looks for excellent freelance camerawork in the coverage of a news event where the focus is on the immediacy of the story.
Second, the Rory Peck Award for Features honours freelance camerawork in in-depth news and current affairs features which look beyond the immediacy of a news story.
Third, the Sony Professional Impact Award is for freelance camerawork in either news or current affairs which raises humanitarian issues and whose broadcast has had an international impact or contributed to a change in perception or policy. The winner of this award will be decided by an on-line vote, chosen from the three finalists.
The closing date for entries is September 6. The winners of all awards will be honoured at the annual function at the British Film Institute in London’s Southbank Nov 17.
(Venkata Vemuri can be contacted at venkata.v@ians.in)
