Queensland schools take top film prizes

October 26 2011

Mooloolaba State School and Helensvale State High School have scooped top prizes for Queensland at the annual Panasonic Kid Witness News (KWN) New Vision Awards.

More than 170 excited primary and secondary students from across the country travelled to Sydney from far and wide to represent their states at the national awards ceremony.

Mooloolaba State School took home top prize, the prestigious Australian Regional Award, as well as the Queensland State Primary Award and National Primary Award for its film, Grandpa.

The students were also recognised for their technical excellence, taking home two National Spotlight Awards in the Concept and Writing categories.

Their film is a special dedication that tells in animation the true story of Mooloolaba student Ruby Lawrence's Grandpa - Ian 'Yappy' McDonald - a prawn fisherman who went down with his boat called Jodie off Caloundra in 1982.

Helensvale State High School received the Queensland State Secondary Award for First Aid, a documentary-style short film that shows just how vital the knowledge learned in first aid training is to saving someone's life.

Department of Education and Training Teaching and Learning director Anna Brazier attended the awards to celebrate the achievements of all Queensland students involved in the 2011 program.

Panasonic Australia managing director Steve Rust said: 'The KWN program provides students with a creative outlet where they can collectively use their imaginations to devise a story and through the use of modern technology bring the film to life with award winning results.'

This year the KWN competition invited 64 primary and secondary schools from across the country to script, produce, direct, star in and edit their own short film. The judges critiqued the films, looking at the originality of the concept and the quality of the script, sound, videography and editing.

Panasonic launched the KWN program in Australia in 2004 following the success of the program in other parts of the world.

The Panasonic KWN program aims to boost creativity, enhance communication skills and foster teamwork through the collaborative art of film production in school students.

Participating schools are provided with Panasonic equipment, and are offered film making workshops, online video tutorials and group mentoring sessions from industry experienced judges.

For a full list of 2011 KWN winners, please visit: the Kid Witness News website.