National awards for student filmmakers

Our students' creative talents were recognised in 2012 when they won awards for animation and marketing at the National Student Television Association (NaSTAs).

The winners were members of the University's Student's Union television station, SUSUtv, which offers students a valuable opportunity to gain experience in the creative, technical and business aspects of television production. SUSUtv's entries were among over 300 submitted by 32 student stations for the 20 different NaSTA award categories.

Film student Tom Fummo won Best Animation for his video, Bedtime, Kevin! Tom says: "It's hard to express how happy I was that Bedtime, Kevin! got the award. Contributing to SUSUtv has been a wonderful opportunity."

Andreas Day, who studies French and linguistics and is SUSUtv's Head of Brand and Marketing, took the award for Best Station Marketing. The winning strategy included a focus on social media to publicise the station as well as an awareness-raising campaign which highlighted its presence on campus in a range of ways, from handing out business cards to wearing bright green, branded hooded tops when filming.

As well as winning two awards, SUSUtv was highly commended in the Best Technical category.

This year's success follows on from our students' achievements at the 2011 awards, at which English student Carly Brown won Best Drama. Her film, Flat 443, was filmed on campus at Glen Eyre halls of residence during the winter snows of 2010. Student scriptwriter Ellie Wilson also worked on Flat 443, which was described as "eerie and suspenseful" by the NaSTA judges.

SUSUtv production Petty Crimes, created by students Andreas Day and Alastair Mogford, also won the Best Comedy award in 2011 and the station was highly commended in the Best Video to Music and Best Animation categories.