Shots awards two new directors for 2011

The winner of the Shots New Director Award 2011 Asia/Pacific was announced at the Blue Hotel on the wharf at Woolloomoolo in Sydney on Tuesday night. The cocktail party kicked off Circus the Festival of Creativity which continues in Sydney throughout the week. Over 250 key industry figures flew in from across Australia to watch the finalists shortlist on a huge screen at the hotel’s Waterbar. Stephen Carroll from The Otto Empire in Melbourne scooped up the top prize voted in by a panel of international cyber judges including Rattling Stick director Daniel Kleinman, president and executive creative director at BETC Euro RSCG Stephane Xiberras, executive creative director at London’s SapientNitro Malcolm Poynton, Wieden + Kennedy London’s Rob Steiner and Crispin Porter Bogusky’s chief creative officer Rob Reilly. Kleinman described Carroll’s winning music video for Cordrazine in his judge’s notes as a "great film, moody, nicely lit, a simple concept interestingly developed that fits the song. It has a metaphorical meaning and is surprising". Unsigned director Shannon Alexander won the shots Student New Director AWARD Asia/Pacific with his test spot for Panasonic which he wrote and directed himself. Interestingly both shots new directors originally hail from Perth. Among the 15 finalists the following new directors received special commendations from the cyber judges: Kiku Ohe, Paola Morabito, Helen Clemens, Lucinda Shreiber, Penny Vozniak and Mark Tintner. Shots would like to thank its partner Emma Daines at Fin Design and Effects for making the event possible.