SYDNEY, 19 March 2024 – Sony has announced the opening of entries for their 2024 Catchlight Film Festival. Now in its fourth year, the Catchlight Film Festival once again celebrates the best short-form filmmaking shot on Sony cameras across Australia and New Zealand. The festival continues its mission to encourage filmmakers at all levels, from passionate amateurs to industry veterans, showcasing the exceptional talent and abilities of cinematographers and filmmakers who are using Sony systems to capture their stories.
At the recent Sony Mentor Day, a unique educational prize awarded to two of last year’s winners, Jahvis Loveday the director, actor and producer of the 2023 winner of the Fiction category Bangay Lore said, “It was a real privilege to win the Catchlight Film Festival’s Fiction category. A really unique experience. The Catchlight Film Festival is what a film festival should be. It gives you recognition, you win useful gear, get mentored by amazing industry experts and veterans and all of this means you can significantly develop professionally. The Catchlight Film Festival really does help the careers of new and budding filmmakers.”
The 2024 Catchlight Film Festival has expanded and in addition to the existing categories of Fiction (scripted), Non-Fiction (documentary), Student Fiction and Music Video there is a new category – Cinematic Social – designed to recognise striking and beautiful work created specifically for the small screen.
Cinematic Social is for the kind of short form evocative content that has risen to prominence on social media in recent years, most often in the form of travel and lifestyle reels. This content does not follow a typical fiction or non-fiction story line. The sequence of content may follow a theme, idea, location, or concept. The key is the visual identity of the content remains the same which unifies the short film.
Winner of the 2023 Catchlight Film Festival Non-Fiction category for his film Pitch Black and fellow Mentor Day winner and attendee, Guillym Davenport added, “Overall the Sony Mentor Day was amazing. It was great to meet the other category winners and the mentors themselves were truly inspiring. Sony and the Catchlight Film Festival provide opportunities through real and valuable support for new, emerging short filmmakers. They offer significant value that other festivals simply do not. It is wonderful to have my work recognised and to have won this incredible award. The overall experience has really helped and inspired me to move forward and create more.”
2024 also sees a tweaking of the festival’s prize structure for the major categories to better suit the needs of the prize winners.
Where previous prize winners would take away $10,000 worth of Sony camera gear, that value is now split into $5,000 worth of gear and a $5,000 filmmaking grant, allowing winners much more flexibility to make the most of their winnings.
In addition, the Student Fiction category prize has been brought in line with the other major categories, now awarding the same split of $5,000 in Sony gear and a $5,000 grant prize pack.
Prizes
In partnership with Sony Pictures Releasing, winners in Fiction, Non-Fiction and Student Fiction will be awarded with a unique mentoring experience in addition to the prize packages described below.
In addition, thanks to the support of the festival’s partners at Atomos, Lemac, VA Hire, Videocraft and Southern Cross Cameras, Sony are continuing the Catchlight Laurel Awards, to celebrate and reward exceptional cinematography. The Best Sony Lens Work Laurel also continue, to recognise skilful use of Sony’s native lens range.
Fiction Winner
• VIP tickets for the Catchlight Film Festival award ceremony in Sydney for up to 5 people from the production crew.
• A filmmaker’s prize package consisting of:
• $5,000 worth of Sony Digital Imaging products.
• A Sony Digital Imaging product loan, up to the value of $5,000.
• A $5,000 grant.
• Up to 3 people from the production team will receive a Sony Pictures Professional Development/Mentoring Session with a Senior Executive at Sony Pictures Releasing and a prominent Australian Producer.
• A double pass to attend the AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards 2024.
Fiction Runner-Up
• VIP tickets for the Catchlight Film Festival award ceremony in Sydney for up to 5 people from the production crew.
Non-Fiction Winner
• VIP tickets for the Catchlight Film Festival award ceremony in Sydney for up to 5 people from the production crew.
• A film-maker’s prize package consisting of:
• $5,000 worth of Sony Digital Imaging products.
• A Sony Digital Imaging product loan, up to the value of $5,000.
• a $5,000 grant.
• Up to 3 people from the production team will receive a Professional Development Session with a panel of industry professionals.
• A double pass to attend the AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards 2024.
Non-Fiction Runner-Up
• VIP tickets for the Catchlight Film Festival award ceremony in Sydney for up to 5 people from the production crew.
Music Video Winner
• VIP tickets for the Catchlight Film Festival award ceremony in Sydney for up to 5 people from the production crew.
• A filmmaker’s prize package consisting of:
• $5,000 worth of Sony Digital Imaging products.
• A Sony Digital Imaging product loan, up to the value of $5,000.
• a $5,000 grant.
• A double pass to attend the AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards 2024.
Music Video Runner-Up
• VIP tickets for the Catchlight Film Festival award ceremony in Sydney for up to 5 people from the production crew.
Cinematic Social Winner
• VIP tickets for the Catchlight Film Festival award ceremony in Sydney for up to 5 people from the production crew.
• A film-maker’s prize package consisting of:
• $5,000 worth of Sony Digital Imaging products.
• A Sony Digital Imaging product loan, up to the value of $5,000.
• a $5,000 grant.
• An opportunity to work with Sony Australia Limited on a social media and digital marketing campaign
• A double pass to attend the AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards 2024.
Cinematic Social Runner Up
• VIP tickets for the Catchlight Film Festival award ceremony in Sydney for up to 5 people from the production crew.
Student Fiction Winner
• VIP tickets for the Catchlight Film Festival award ceremony in Sydney for up to 5 people from the production crew.
• A film-maker’s prize package consisting of:
• $5,000 worth of Sony Digital Imaging products.
• A Sony Digital Imaging product loan, up to the value of $5,000.
• a $5,000 grant.
• Up to 3 people from the production team will receive a Professional Development Session with a panel of industry professionals.
• A double pass to attend the AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards 2024.
Student Fiction Runner Up
• VIP tickets for the Catchlight Film Festival award ceremony in Sydney for up to 5 people from the production crew.
The 5 Cinematography Laurels will be awarded one per category as follows:
• The Cinematography Laurel winner in the Non-Fiction category will receive a $2500 rental equipment package, courtesy of VA Digital Hire Pty Ltd.
• The Cinematography Laurel winner in the Fiction category will receive a $2500 rental equipment package, courtesy of Videocraft Australia Pty Ltd.
• The Cinematography Laurel winner in the Music Video category will receive a $2500 rental equipment package, courtesy of Lemac Films Australia Pty Ltd.
• The Cinematography Laurel winner in the Cinematic Social category will receive a $2500 rental equipment package, courtesy of Southern Cross Cameras.
• The Cinematography Laurel winner in the Student Fiction category receives one Ninja Ultra Kit courtesy of Atomos Pty Ltd.
Best Sony Lens Work Laurel
• The Best Sony Lens Work Laurel winner across all submissions receives $2,500 worth of Sony lens gear from the promoter.
Entries for the Catchlight Film Festival 2024 are open now and close for submissions at 12pm AEST on Monday, 24 June 2024. Judging will commence on Tuesday 25 June 2024 with all finalists notified from Monday 29 July 2024. If finalists cannot be contacted by Monday, 5th August 2024 their entry will be deemed invalid and another finalist will be selected in their place.
The Catchlight Film Festival Awards ceremony will take place in September 2024, with online screenings in the month preceding.
To enter and for more information about the 2024 Catchlight Film Festival, click here.
About Sony Corporation
Sony Corporation is a creative entertainment company with a solid foundation of technology. From game and network services to music, pictures, electronics, image sensors and financial services – Sony’s purpose is to fill the world with emotion through the power of creativity and technology. For more information, visit: http://www.sony.net/.
About Sony Australia
Sony Australia Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Sony Corporation of Japan, and a leading manufacturer of audio, video, communications and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Committed to producing innovative and quality electronic products, the range includes BRAVIA TVs, Alpha digital interchangeable lens cameras and Cyber-shot digital cameras, headphones, Walkman MP3 players and other audio products, and professional broadcast equipment. For more information on Sony Australia, visit www.sony.com.au.
