Peterborough Film Awards

Young OLS Film Maker Scoops Top Prize at Peterborough Film Awards

photoCompeting against teams of film makers from other Peterborough secondary schools (some of which have Media Specialist status) at this year's 4th annual Peterborough Young People's Film Awards, OLS post-16 student and writer / director / editor Joel Crookes deservedly won the coveted Best Overall Film award ahead of three other finalists from The Voyager School.

His short feature "Retired Laughs", one of three films Joel entered into the awards for OLS, had earlier been named Best Year 12 / 13 Drama - Thriller or Film Noir (Live Action) beating off competition from Ormiston Bushfield Academy and Peterborough Regional College (as well as another of his own entries!) before being put forward into the prestigious Best Overall Film section.

photoJoel also clinched a runner-up award in the Year 12 / 13 Documentary category with viral-inspired "Trees Bleed" and following the plaudits his CGI animation "Robot V Gingerbread Man" received from Hollywood animation professionals at last year's awards, he was asked to produce a short animated piece to be used to introduce this year's awards ceremony itself.

This is Joel's second taste of overall success at the increasingly high profile awards as two years ago he took the Best Overall Production award for his slickly made "I Knew a Guy".

Joel's Peterborough Young People's Film Awards entries (and some of his other film work) can be viewed on his YouTube Page, or at the individual links below...

OLS also took another Runner Up slot in the Best Year 10 / 11 Drama - Mystery / Fantasy category with the film Broken Truths made by the Silver Sunlight Media collective.