“We don’t want to lose that spirit” says Karen Shopsowitz, instructor of the Broadcasting - Radio, Television, Film & Digital Media program here at the Story Arts Centre. The spirit Karen’s referring to is that of the work and creativity that goes into The Donny Awards. This event provides an opportunity for students to submit shorts, docs, scripts, commercials, podcasts, photography projects, or Journal episodes, all of which get to be presented for an audience of other likeminded creatives. Due to COVID-19, plans came to a halt and the annual event had to be postponed. “Until we know what’s happening with school openings, we won’t know for sure… Originally it would have happened on May 13th, and it’s usually a wonderful event where we all get together at one of the local cinemas and we watch each other’s projects. What we’re hoping is that we will be able to do that again but just sometime in the Fall,” Karen explains.
The Donny Awards is open to students who were in the 2019-2020 academic year in the following programs: Advanced Television and Film – Script to Screen, Animation – 3D, Broadcasting – Radio, Television, Film & Digital Media, Television and Film – Business, and Children’s Media. In the past, submissions used to only consist of school assignments, but due to current circumstances, it has now opened up to include personal projects that have been completed outside of school. Karen says, “One of the things we did this year that I think is really cool is because of what’s going on, a lot of the students have said to me, ‘we’re working on something individually’ or ‘we’re going to try and do something on our own while still practicing physical distancing and abiding by all of the guidelines’ and so we wanted to let people do something if they were able to do it on their own and enter it.”
When does the submission window close? Karen says, “We’ve been very cautious in terms of not having an actual deadline because we don’t know, so we don’t want to limit what students think they can do. It will really be contingent on when we know if they can get into [the Story Arts Centre to] use other gear.” A deadline will eventually be released, but for now, submissions are still welcome. “Entries have started to come in so what we’re really hoping is that students will go ahead and enter their projects they’ve done in the past school year if they were able to finish them. We’re really hoping that when the Story Arts Centre eventually does open, even if it opens in August, that students can go in and finish up their projects.”
The Donny Awards is such a memorable and exciting time for students to show off their work. With its history of talented submissions and innovative ideas, carrying on with this year’s event, despite its setbacks, is important for everyone involved. Karen says, “It really is a chance for students to celebrate what they’ve done and to come together and see all the great things they have done. Even though this is a weird time and we don’t know exactly what’s going on, and we can’t commit to a deadline, we want to make sure students feel that the work that they did this year still has a place to be celebrated.” Dean Nate Horowitz also speaks very highly of the entire process and is in full support of the students and faculty involved. “It’s about giving students the opportunity to show their work, but it’s also about getting the best work so that the students and the industries they are going into can see it and react to it.” Right now, he says that planning is still occurring, with a focus on the event’s delivery as well as how judging will ensue. It is the hope that it will be held in-person, but taking it to an online stage is also not out of the question. What is certain is there will be a revamping of the event with a heavy importance placed on the quality of what is shown.
For more detailed information on the submission process, as well as what can be submitted and the awards that can be achieved, check out the 2020 Donny Awards website. Best of luck and we hope to see your storytelling skills put into action in the Fall.
By: Alexandra Few