The ATOM Awards are a group of awards offered to Australian and New Zealand "professionals, educators and students", honouring achievements in the making of film, television, multimedia, and from 2007 multi-modal productions.
The Awards were established in 1982 by the Australian Teachers of Media, "an independent, non-profit association to promote media education and screen literacy in primary, secondary and tertiary education and the broader community".
Awards are now offered in 36 categories as of 2005, broken down into awards for students, tertiary students, educational resources, and general. There is also a teacher's award'. This Award is made at the discretion of the judges, and recognises the commitment, dedication and inspiration of a teacher or school, and which the judges can observe informing a body of student work as submitted in either the primary, secondary or tertiary categories of the ATOM Awards. The Teachers’ Award can neither be sought nor applied for, and is given solely at the judges’ discretion.
The awards attract student filmmakers, educational films, and even professional industry practitioners. This makes it one of the only awards of its kind.
Entries are open to Australian and New Zealand students and media industry professionals.
Schools
Best Junior (K-8) Film Video Production. (includes music clips, short drama, documentaries, experimental)Best Junior (K-8) Multimedia ProductionBest Senior (9-12) Multimedia Production. (Multimedia production: combination of image, text, audio, video & interactivity)Best Secondary Animation (claymation, drawing, cell 2D & 3D)Best Secondary DocumentaryImages of Age Sub-category (open to Vic residents only)*Best Secondary FictionBest Secondary Music VideoTertiary, A production made by a student or individual enrolled at a tertiary or TAFE institution at the time of the production
Best Short FictionBest ExperimentalBest DocumentaryImages of Age Sub-category (open to Vic residents only)*Best AnimationBest Music VideoBest Multimedia (includes web)Best Interactive GameGeneral
Best Short Fiction (50 minutes or less)Best ExperimentalBest AnimationBest Music VideoBest Children’s Television SeriesBest Multi-modal production†Best Documentary Short Form (30 minutes or less)Best Documentary GeneralImages of Age Sub-category (open to Vic residents only)*Best Documentary Social & Political IssuesBest Documentary Science, Technology & The EnvironmentBest Documentary Human StoryBest Multimedia (inc. installations and web)Best Interactive GameEducational/Vocational
These category entries will be judged cross platform. Judges will be assessing best teaching/training practice, methodology, suitability to the audience, delivery and content. These entries may be websites, TV programs, videos, film, DVD, CD-ROMs or a convergence of the above, including installations.
Best Primary Education ResourceBest Secondary Education ResourceBest Tertiary Education ResourceBest Instructional/training ResourceBest Multimedia Learning Reference (includes web)Best Multi-modal production†Best Indigenous ResourceNotable past ATOM Award nominees and winners
Hunt AngelsHunt Angels ProductionsATOM Award winner 2006The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello2005 Academy Award nominee(Anthony Lucas, 3D Films)ATOM Award winner 2005Noah & Saskia(ACTF)ATOM Award winner 2005Adam Elliot2003 Academy Award winnerATOM Award winner 1998Wildness(Big and Little Films in association with Film Australia)ATOM Award winner 2004The 20 Cent QuestATOM Award winner 2003A Wedding in Ramallah(Sherine Salama, Habibi Films)ATOM Award winner 2003Gulpilil – One Red Blood(Darlene Johnson, jotz Productions)Martha's New Coat(Rachel Ward, New Town Films)ATOM Award winner 2003Harry’s War(Richard Frankland, Golden Seahorse Productions)Tulip(Rachel Griffiths)ATOM Award Nominee 1999Wicked Science(Jonathan M Shiff Productions)ATOM Award winner 2004Round the Twist(ACTF)FrontLine(Working Dog Productions)ATOM Award Winner 1998