The glittering talent of Ratcliffe College gathered on the evening of June 24th to celebrate the annual ‘Night at the Oscars’. Media students convened with baited breath in the Old Library, to view the myriad productions nominated for awards such as Best Original Concept and Best Photography in a Print Production. Winners came from all the year groups represented (11-13) which is testament to the holistic and supportive approach of the department, and the creativity and ingenuity of the students.
Particularly noteworthy this year was the short documentary produced by Demi-Leigh Chamberlain and Holly Powell, in Year 13, called Figure Me Out. This production highlighted the sensitive topic of pro-anorexia internet sites, and required careful and thorough preparation to enable the girls to interview and film a subject who had previously suffered from the disease. Staff and parents alike commented on the hard-hitting and important nature of the production, and were duly impressed with its faultless execution.
Figure Me Out was nominated in four categories and walked away with two gongs, for Best Editing and Production Most Likely to Succeed in a Real Media Context. The production has also now been passed to B-eat eating disorders charity, and the students have also been contacted by the BBC for the production to feature on a BBC blog.
On a completely different note, the other big winner of the evening was Timothy Loe and Reiko Ma’s horror trailer, Paralysis (Year 13). A terrifying exploration of a small boy’s possession by an evil entity, the production had the audience jumping out of their seats as they were bombarded with jump cuts to horrifying visions and a screeching dissonant score. Again, staff and parents commented on the authenticity and technical excellence of the production, and it justly deserved its accolades of Best Cinematography and Best Film Product. It also featured an impressive performance by young actor, Arran Grant (Year 7): definitely a star in the making!
This year, we were also pleased to celebrate an increased commitment to print production. Olivia Dexter and Alexander Butler, both in Year 11, were recognised for their respective advertising campaigns, for a new make-up launch and new computer game release. It is encouraging to see our students gain additional skills in graphic design and widen the scope of this thriving department.
Supported by a stunning showcase of the nominated productions, designed by Media technician, Alan Ball, the evening was a fitting reminder of all our students can achieve within the creative and supportive environment of Ratcliffe College. We are delighted to retain most of our GCSE cohort into A level this year, and ‘A Night at the Oscars’ 2013 has certainly laid down the gauntlet for those aspiring movie makers and graphic designers of 2014. Good luck guys!