Excellence & Awards

VCE Season of Excellence

Budding filmmakers recognised at Top Screen awards

Darcy Cousins, winner of the 2018 Top Screen Jury Prize

Top Screen 2018 broke previous attendance records, with more than 4100 people sampling short films from 2017 VCE Media students. The People's Choice Award and Jury Prize were awarded to two outstanding films, recognising the talent and creativity of the young Victorian filmmakers who made them. Both of the prize-winning films were comedies, but of very different kinds.

The Top Screen People's Choice Award is awarded to the film that has the highest number of audience votes across the Top Screen season, demonstrating a high level of audience engagement. This year's winner, The Unspoken Rule by Con Coutis (Scotch College), is a silent film – with a twist. The crime comedy-drama was inspired by silent movie classics, such as the films of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, and continues to evolve the genre by parodying scenes from a number of more recent crime films and television shows to comedic effect.

The Top Screen Jury Prize recognises outstanding filmmaking talent based on a range of criteria, including originality, conceptual development, and the use of genre and style. The award winner was selected by a panel that included documentary director, Hollie Fifer; Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) film educator and writer, Garry Westmore; and the State Reviewer for VCE Media, Brett Lamb. It was a difficult decision for the panel, in light of the range and depth of filmmaking talent displayed by this year's Top Screen films.

This year's Jury Prize was secured by the 1990s partitioned-cubicle world of telephone salesman Brent in The Sauce of My Success by Darcy Cousins (Peninsula Grammar). Filmed with incredible attention to the detail of the characters' dress and appearance, Darcy used a range of filmic techniques to capture intimate moments which, although potentially embarrassing for the characters, are charming and hilarious when viewed onscreen.

Winners were announced during a presentation at the final screening of Top Screen 2018 on Wednesday 9 May at ACMI. Both winners received certificates from the VCAA, Madman Entertainment online store vouchers and a prize pack from the unique art and product design store, Third Drawer Down.

Top Screen is part of the annual VCE Season of Excellence, which also includes the Top Arts (visual arts) exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, the Top Designs (technology and design) exhibition at Melbourne Museum, Top Class performances and the Top Acts concert.

Back to Top

VCE Season of Excellence 2018 feedback surveys

The VCAA would appreciate honest and constructive feedback from those who attended the VCE Season of Excellence, via surveys on Top Screen, Top Class and Top Designs 2018. Please refer to Notice to Schools 49/2018.

Back to Top

Plain English Speaking Award

Plain English Speaking Award gets underway as students have their say

Luke Macaronas, winner of the state and national final of PESA in 2016 and International Public Speaking Competition in 2017.
Photo: Nicole Cleary

With regional finals well underway in 22 locations across Victoria, there is growing competition to 'Speak your mind' as part of this year's Plain English Speaking Award (PESA).

Each year, students aged 15–18 years from government, Catholic and independent schools are invited to speak to their peers from other schools on topics they are passionate about.

Young public speakers, often graduating from internal speaking competitions, have an opportunity to pit their skills, words and ideas against their peers and in front of experienced speakers and past champions.

'Taking part in PESA is about being active in a broader community of individuals engaging with current issues. I have gained so much from my journey in public speaking, which started out with PESA. This time around, I want to show the same spirit of support and encouragement that I received to the next generation of public speakers', said Luke Macaronas, former state and national PESA champion and winner of the 2017 International Public Speaking Competition in London, who is returning to adjudicate for PESA 2018.

Several other past PESA champions are being welcomed back to the program to help adjudicate this year, including Joshu Faye-Chauhan and Ellie Jamonts. Joshu, who now plans and delivers chess coaching workshops at primary schools around Victoria in between his university commitments, competed in the state final of PESA in 2015 with 'Light milk, it's heavier than you think'. Ellie, who was state and national PESA winner in 2011, has taken time out of a busy schedule that includes volunteering at SYN youth radio and the Australian Film Institute to encourage this year's PESA participants.

Luke describes the community of public speakers around the world as an 'incredible and outgoing family of thinkers' and has made friends through public speaking around the world, even in non-English speaking countries such as Spain and Lebanon. Luke's advice for PESA participants is not to shy away from the big political and ideological issues but to 'deeply and critically reflect on how you might use your voice to make a difference about something that matters'.

The PESA 2018 semifinals will take place on Monday 25 June and Tuesday 26 June 2018. Audience members are encouraged to attend and show support for participants at the PESA 2018 state final, which will be held on Wednesday 25 July 2018 at Treasury Theatre, East Melbourne. For more information, see the PESA webpage.

Back to Top