The Royal Television Society announced the winners of the RTS Craft & Design Awards 2017 last night at a ceremony at the Hilton, Park Lane.
 
BBC One drama Taboo and the broadcaster’s World War One Remembered: Passchendaele each picked-up three awards.
 
For their work on Taboo, which starred Tom Hardy, costume designer, Joanna Eatwell, received the prize for Costume Design – Drama; Erika Okvist, Jan Archibald and Audrey Doyle won the Make Up Design – Drama category and the sound team collected the award for Sound – Drama.
 
World War One Remembered: Passchendaele, which marked the centenary of the Battle of Passchendaele, secured the Judges’ Award, which recognised the incredibly complex and ambitious nature of the BBC live event series, while Nigel Catmur collected the award for Lighting for Multicamera and the sound team the award for Sound – Entertainment & Non Drama.
 
The BBC’s nature documentary series, Planet Earth II, received the Design & Craft Innovation and Photography – Documentary/Factual & Non Drama gongs. White Gold (BBC Two) and Three Girls (BBC One) also picked-up two prizes each, with Caroline Pitcher receiving the award for Costume Design – Entertainment & Non Drama and Damon Beesley picking up the Director – Comedy Drama/Situation Comedy category for White Gold. Úna Ní Dhonghaíle collected the Editing – Drama prize and Matt Gray BSC received the Photography – Drama & Comedy award for Three Girls.
 
Netflix was also a winner on the night with The Crown’s digital effects team, One of Us, taking home the Effects – Digital prize and Joel Collins and James Foster securing the win in the Production Design – Drama category for Black Mirror: Nosedive.
 
Julian Jarrold collected the Director – Drama award for his work on The Witness for the Prosecution (BBC One) and Dan Edge and Lauren Mucciolo won the Director – Documentary/Factual & Non Drama prize for Last Days Of Solitary (BBC Four).
 
In music, Dru Masters picked-up the Music – Original Score gong for Damilola, Our Loved Boy (BBC One); while the Music – Original Title award went to Martin Phipps for ITV’s royal drama Victoria. Other ITV shows to take home prizes included Love Island and Britain’s Got Talent. Love Island’s editing team picked up the Editing – Entertainment & Comedy award while Florian Wieder won the Production Design – Entertainment & Non Drama category.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to sound supervisor Tony Revell, who in a career spanning more than 30 years has worked on shows including Top of the Pops, Only Fools and Horses, The Eurovision Song Contest and Strictly Come Dancing.

In sport, Matt Roberts, Kevin Evans, Jordan Buckingham and Scott Deaming collected the Editing – Sport award for their work on the UEFA Champions League final 2017 – Real Madrid v Juventus (BT Sport); while the Multicamera Work – Sport accolade went to Helen Kuttner, Tim Moses, Mark Dennis and the Camera Team for the 2017 IAAF World Athletics Championships. Also in the multicamera category, Richard Valentine and Matt Ingham picked up the Multicamera Work award for One Love Manchester (BBC One).
 
Other awards handed out on the night included: Design – Programme Content Sequences which was collected by Made In Colour for Finding My Family – Partition (CBBC); Design – Titles, which went to Huge Designs’ Hugo Moss, Paul McDonnell and Ben Hanbury for ITV’s Fearless; Design – Trails & Packaging which was picked-up by Rob Heath, John Cryer, Shizuka Hata and Rachel Warr for Film Fear (Film4); Editing – Documentary/Factual which was won by Sam Santana for Bring Me Back To Life (Channel 4); Effects – Special which was collected by Real SFX for Sherlock (BBC One); Make Up Design – Entertainment & Non Drama which went to Siobhán Harper-Ryan for The Drug Trial: Emergency at the Hospital (BBC Two) and Picture Enhancement which was awarded to Dan Gill for Hospital – Series 2 (BBC Two).

The RTS Craft & Design Awards are chaired by Lee Connolly, Creative Director at ITV Studios Entertainment. The winners were announced at a ceremony, hosted by comedian and Love Island presenter, Iain Stirling, on Monday 27 November 2017 at the London Hilton, Park Lane. For more information visit https://www.rts.org.uk/award/craft-design-awards-2017.

The winners:

Costume Design – Drama
Joanna Eatwell Taboo Scott Free London and Hardy, Son and Baker for BBC One and FX
“… just sensational. It was lavish, and textural, with incredible detail. Utterly unique.”
 
Nominees:
Rosalind Ebbutt Victoria – Series 1 Mammoth Screen for ITV
James Keast Guerrilla Fifty Fathoms for Sky Atlantic and Showtime

Costume Design – Entertainment & Non Drama
Caroline Pitcher White Gold Fudge Park Productions for BBC Two
“The costumes were utterly joyous and original. They looked like photography that had come to life. The lead characters’ suits perfectly portrayed who they were and the differences between them.”
 
Nominees:
Vicky Gill & The Costume Team Strictly Come Dancing 14 BBC Studios – Entertainment for BBC One
Heather MacVean The Keith and Paddy Picture Show Talkback for ITV
 
Design – Programme Content Sequences
Made In Colour Finding My Family – Partition Made in Colour for CBBC
“Outstanding cinematic and evocative piece. The look was distinct and original.  It was respectfully made and you really cared about the characters. Incredible on the budget.”
 
Nominees:
Made In Colour Inside My Head Made in Colour for CBBC
Marc Knapton / The Brewery The Marvellous World of Roald Dahl BBC Studios / Pacific Quay Productions for BBC Two
 
Design – Titles
Huge Designs – Hugo Moss, Paul McDonnell & Ben Hanbury Fearless Mammoth Screen for ITV
“Powerful, creative and stand out. A real extension of the show – it gave you the story. Nice concept and well crafted.”

Nominees:
Patrick Hall Broken LA Productions for BBC One
Alex MacLean The Durrells II Sid Gentle for ITV
 
Design – Trails & Packaging
Rob Heath, John Cryer, Shizuka Hata & Rachel Warr Film Fear Platform Post & 4Creative for Film4
“Fantastic campaign.  Well developed.  Impressively cohesive. Brilliant copy, witty and good use of music.”
 
Nominees:
BBC Marketing Team Taboo Scott Free London and Hardy, Son and Baker for BBC One and FX
Richard Gort, Julian Gibbs, Reuben Armstrong & The Intro Team Mexican F1 Grand Prix – Channel 4 Formula 1 2016 Intro / Whisper Films for Channel 4

Director – Comedy Drama/Situation Comedy
Damon Beesley White Gold Fudge Park Productions for BBC Two
“Nostalgically embraced the period with a great soundtrack, whilst being weirdly aspirational and fresh. It had great ambition, a good flow from scene to scene with a great balance of dark humour and slapstick comedy.”
 
Nominees:
Peter Kay Peter Kay’s Car Share Goodnight Vienna Productions for BBC One
Tom Marshall Chewing Gum Retort for E4
 
Director – Documentary/Factual & Non Drama
Dan Edge & Lauren Mucciolo Last Days Of Solitary Mongoose Pictures and Frontline PBS for BBC Four
“An exquisitely crafted assault on the senses. Directed with humanity, confidence and restraint… a thought provoking, insightful and moving portrayal of the inmates and staff of Maine State Prison. Shot over three years with astonishing access it is an outstanding testament to the directors’ mental strength and creative ability.”
 
Nominees:
Arthur Cary & Jonathan Taylor American Justice Minnow Films for BBC Two
Marcus Plowright American High School Swan Films for BBC Three
 
Director – Drama
Julian Jarrold The Witness for the Prosecution Mammoth Screen & Agatha Christie Productions for BBC One
“… a beautiful crafted and complete vision that brought performances, camera work, sound, and design together to make a rich and classy production… cleverly used all the tools of the trade without becoming self-conscious. With atmospheric imagery and a stylish colour palette it found a new way to present a period piece that felt relevant, contemporary and exciting.”
 
Nominees:
Philippa Lowthorpe Three Girls BBC Studios in association with Studio Lambert for BBC One
Euros Lyn Damilola, Our Loved Boy Minnow Films for BBC One
 
Editing – Documentary/Factual
Sam Santana Bring Me Back To Life The Garden Productions for Channel 4
“An arresting mix of brutal observational documentary, haunting reality and honest, heartfelt video diary blended with moments of wonderful humour and a brilliant score. Poetic editing at its finest. Outstanding.”
 
Nominees:
Editing Team The Trial: A Murder in the Family Dragonfly Film and Television for Channel 4
Production Team Planet Earth II BBC Studios, The Natural History Unit for BBC One
 
Editing – Drama
Úna Ní Dhonghaíle Three Girls BBC Studios in association with Studio Lambert for BBC One
“The skill and expertise to weave multiple non-linear timelines together whilst enhancing the emotional context was outstanding. The pace of the editing always kept you in the moment. The shot selection was incredibly poignant and sensitively constructed. It told the story simply, truthfully and with compassion.”
 
Nominees:
Patrick Hall Broken LA Productions for BBC One
Johnny Rayner Murdered for Being Different BBC Studios for BBC Three
 
Editing – Entertainment & Comedy
Editing Team Love Island – Series 3 ITV Studios / Motion Content Group for ITV2
“Outstanding editing packed full of personality with an exceptionally slick quality, especially given the tight turnaround of this daily reality show. Impressive editing that showcased a sense of humour and a brilliantly selected soundtrack.”
 
Nominees:
Matt Brown Peter Kay’s Car Share Goodnight Vienna Productions for BBC One
William Webb White Gold Fudge Park Productions for BBC Two
 
Editing – Sport
Matt Roberts, Kevin Evans, Jordan Buckingham & Scott Deaming UEFA Champions League final 2017 – Real Madrid v Juventus for BT Sport
“This short film immediately grabbed the attention of everyone in the room and left us all transfixed with the perfectly timed edits, fabulous shot selection and subtle sound design, all centered around the intelligent, sensitive and eloquent storytelling of Loyle Carner.”
 
Nominees:
Andy Collins Silverstone Grand Prix – Opener Whisper Films for Channel 4
Timothy Lee, Lukas Musil, Marc Connor & James Wilson 2017 UEFA Champions League Final IMG Productions for BT Sport
 
Effects – Digital
The Digital Effects Team, One Of Us The Crown Left Bank Pictures for Netflix
“… flawless, breathtaking and utterly true to the world it was trying to convey without you ever being able to see the join… hard to believe that digital effects could ever have been done better.”
 
Nominees:
BDH Creative Digital Effects Team The Secrets Of Your Food BDH Creative / BBC Science for BBC Two
Justin Hutchinson-Chatburn, Framestore, Glassworks & Painting Practice Black Mirror: Playtest House of Tomorrow for Netflix
 
Effects – Special
Real SFX Sherlock Hartswood Films / Masterpiece for BBC One
“… brilliant not only in execution and imagination but in their sheer range across the programmes… love, effort and attention to detail in every scene."
 
Nominees:
Chris Reynolds The Crown Left Bank Pictures for Netflix

Lighting for Multicamera
Nigel Catmur World War One Remembered: Passchendaele – For The Fallen BBC Studios for BBC One and BBC Two
“… the subtle, sympathetic lighting… contributed to the power and emotion of the event. A hugely impressive achievement.”
 
Nominees:
Andy Hibbert Peter Kay’s Car Share Goodnight Vienna Productions for BBC One
Gurdip Mahal, Rob Bradley & Bill Peachment Let It Shine BBC Studios for BBC One
 
Make Up Design – Drama
Erika Okvist, Jan Archibald & Audrey Doyle Taboo Scott Free London and Hardy, Son and Baker for BBC One and FX
“… so distinctive and original, fully fitting the narrative. Each character was enhanced and brought to life by the make up, across the main and supporting cast. There was a strong concept, with a thorough approach to detail, lavish and gorgeous.”
 
Nominees:
Nic Collins Victoria – Series 1 Mammoth Screen for ITV
Jenna Wrage & Harriet Thompson Murdered for Being Different BBC Studios for
BBC Three
 
Make Up Design – Entertainment & Non Drama
Siobhán Harper-Ryan The Drug Trial: Emergency at the Hospital Raw TV for BBC Two
“… jaw dropping in its veracity. It was totally believable, restrained, but brilliant. It was superbly executed, and a fantastic achievement on a low budget.”
 
Nominees:
Lulu Hall The Windsors – Christmas Special & Series 2 Noho Film & Television for Channel 4
Nadine O’Toole & Reza Karim The Keith and Paddy Picture Show Talkback for ITV
 
Multicamera Work
Richard Valentine & Matt Ingham One Love Manchester BBC Studios for BBC One
“Despite the restrictions on time and resources, this production perfectly captured the emotionally charged event, making the crowd a key part of the experience.”
 
Nominees:
Camera Team World War One Remembered: Passchendaele BBC Studios for BBC One and BBC Two
Nikki Parsons & The Camera Team Strictly Come Dancing 14 BBC Studios – Entertainment for BBC One
 
Multicamera Work – Sport
Helen Kuttner, Tim Moses, Mark Dennis & Camera Team 2017 IAAF World Athletics Championships Sunset+Vine (Host Broadcaster)
“… the skill shown by the production team, shifting effortlessly between different events. The story behind every moment was captured perfectly with effortless camerawork.”
 
Nominees:
Pete Andrews, Micky Payne, Bill Morris & Dave White The Boat Races 2017 BBC and CTV for BBC One
Matthew Griffiths, Chrissie Collins, Sam Maynard & Andrew Jackson Six Nations Wales v England BBC Sport and Telegenic for BBC One
 
Music – Original Score
Dru Masters Damilola, Our Loved Boy Minnow Films for BBC One
“Incredibly sensitive with a clever use of space within the music which allowed you the freedom to feel the emotion that was happening on the screen. The understated arrangements allowed the story to build and be told. Simple use of melody would often frame the moment, it never overpowered any scene. An exceptional score, for an exceptional film.”
 
Nominees:
Rupert Gregson-Williams The Crown Left Bank Pictures for Netflix
Natalie Holt Three Girls BBC Studios in association with Studio Lambert for BBC One
 
Music – Original Title
Martin Phipps Victoria – Series 1 Mammoth Screen for ITV
“… a masterpiece. The simple, percussive opening creates an immediate tension, that then builds slowly. Each new sound, each new theme brings another wave of hope, yet the percussive tension still lies beneath, setting the tone of the drama. The use of vocals by the Medieval Babes was also another way of creating a haunting, yet glorious theme, a theme that stays with you way longer than the opening credits plays out.”
 
Nominees:
Dan Jones SS-GB Sid Gentle Films for BBC One
Max Richter Taboo Scott Free London and Hardy, Son and Baker for BBC One and FX
 
Photography – Documentary/Factual & Non Drama
Production Team Planet Earth II BBC Studios, The Natural History Unit for BBC One
“Brilliantly creative and innovative… simply amazed at the incredible camera work involved in capturing so much of this series.”
 
Nominees:
Arthur Cary & Jonathan Taylor American Justice Minnow Films for BBC Two
Dan Edge & Tim Grucza Last Days Of Solitary Mongoose Pictures and Frontline PBS for BBC Four
 
Photography – Drama & Comedy
Matt Gray BSC Three Girls BBC Studios in association with Studio Lambert for BBC One
“A sensational piece of work… the emotional intimacy that the photography achieved enabled you to be inside the characters heads during this incredibly powerful and emotional story.”
 
Nominees:
Carlos Catalan Broadchurch – Series 3 Kudos / Imaginary Friends / Sister Pictures for ITV
Gavin Finney The State Archery Pictures for Channel Four
 
Picture Enhancement
Dan Gill Hospital – Series 2 Label 1 for BBC Two
“displaying powerful rawness… the picture enhancement is an example of low cost craft that takes this excellent production to another level without attempting to over-beautify or hype it.”
 
Nominees:
Ross Baker The Missing – Series 2 New Pictures for BBC One and Starz
Patrick Hall Broken LA Productions for BBC One

Production Design – Drama
Joel Collins & James Foster Black Mirror: Nosedive House of Tomorrow for Netflix
“This drama was total design.  It drew you in and felt hyper real… the colour pallet was extremely effective.”
 
Nominees:
Grenville Horner Man in an Orange Shirt Kudos for BBC Two
Sonja Klaus Taboo Scott Free London and Hardy, Son and Baker for BBC One and FX
 
Production Design – Entertainment & Non Drama
Florian Wieder Britain’s Got Talent Thames SYCO for ITV
“It looked like an expensive chocolate box.  A very clever use of filling a space and using tiered seating to give the impression of a real theatre.”
 
Nominees:
Antony Cartlidge Murder In Successville Tiger Aspect / Shiny Button Productions for BBC Three
Mo Holden The Windsors – Christmas Special & Series 2 Noho Film & Television for Channel 4
 
Sound – Drama
Sound Team Taboo Scott Free London and Hardy, Son and Baker for BBC One and FX
“An outstanding piece of work with huge attention to detail. Taboo’s Thameside world was full of brilliantly crafted sound design, even Delaney’s house sounded like a ship, creaking and groaning and battered by the elements… the soundscapes created a full, rich and immersive atmosphere, which really lifted the drama to the next level.”
 
Nominees:
Brian Nelson & Gary Desmond Broken LA Productions for BBC One
Sound Team Sherlock – Series 4 Hartswood Films / Masterpiece for BBC One
 
Sound – Entertainment & Non Drama
Sound Team World War One Remembered: Passchendaele BBC Studios for BBC One and BBC Two
“… a technical feat that took a huge amount of effort – a live OB on a major scale with minimal rehearsal and yet with the essential ingredients of speech, music and sound effects to contend with… the quality of the transmission… was a stunning example of sound craft of the very highest technical and creative standards.”
 
Nominees:
Gary Kelly Ambulance – Series 2 Dragonfly Film & Television for BBC One
Production Team Planet Earth II BBC Studios, The Natural History Unit for BBC One
 
Design & Craft Innovation
Planet Earth ll BBC Studios, The Natural History Unit for BBC One
“The award this year goes to a documentary series that was simply gorgeous to look at – watching it was to marvel at how those images could even exist. It brought us a world of wildlife drama bigger and better than ever before, clearer, brighter and more comprehensive. From their home in Bristol, the brilliant programme makers behind this show have, for over half a century, pioneered the use of ground-breaking technical and creative innovation to open our eyes to the wonders of the natural world. But technology can only take us so far. Like all great programmes, it needs dedicated, talented professionals across the whole production. One reviewer summed it up perfectly when they said… “It has become predictable to heap superlatives upon the BBC Natural History Unit and wax lyrical about Attenborough’s status. But both institutions should be treasured while we’re lucky enough to still have them.””
 
Judges’ Award
World War One Remembered: Passchendaele BBC Studios for BBC One and BBC Two
“The Judges’ Award goes to a live event that whilst being incredibly complex and ambitious was nevertheless delivered with a flawless brilliance. It was a true collaboration of content and technology working seamlessly as one to enable the history of the First World War to be brought to a LIVE television audience in an innovative and original way. From the incredible projection mapping to the detailed and emotive storytelling, together with orchestras, military bands, choral music, never seen before archive, global stars, and not least a team of hugely talented people. These elements all came together to tell the tragic story of one of the most horrific battles of the First World War in the place where it happened, a century on… A truly memorable and engaging piece of television.”

Lifetime Achievement Award
Tony Revell
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award deservedly goes to a sound supervisor who for more than 30 years has been at the very top of his game. From Top of the Pops to Only Fools and Horses, from The Eurovision Song Contest to Strictly Come Dancing, on every type of programme imaginable, his contribution to television has been, and continues to be immense. It’s in LIVE situations where he raises the bar, sets the standard for others to follow, whether its BBC’s Millennium Night Celebrations, over 48 hours of live global television, or Children in Need, Comic Relief, The Voice, Eurovision, and of course Strictly… in fact the list of his achievements is so long we’d be here until tomorrow… In short then, he is a hugely talented, and yet incredibly modest man, whose impressive career is one to be proud of. He is quite simply one of the good guys, and if the rumours are true that he is retiring at the end of the year, then it’ll be a great loss to the industry.”     
 

Jon Creamer

Share this story

Share Televisual stories within your social media posts.
Be inclusive: Televisual.com is open access without the need to register.
Anyone and everyone can access this post with minimum fuss.