Brisbane video production company Hired Goons was announced as winner of the People’s Choice Award at the Gold Coast’s Shorts in Paradise Festival (SIPFest), held on Sunday 22 April. The company, made up of filmmaking duo Tim Goodwin and Pearce Hoskinson, took out the prize for Please Do Not Feed the Ducks, a short film about a perfect day at the park and an unusually charismatic duck.
The aim to “challenge themselves to keep creating fun content” has paid off for the duo, who have years of film making experience under their belt. Having worked in the film and television industry, as well as taught overseas, Tim now specialises in the pre-production aspect, while Pearce’s years of editing and animation experience aid in his post-production work.
Featuring 139 of the best new short films from around Australia, SIPFest’s 2018 entries spanned genres including comedy, drama, documentaries and thrillers. The films were selected by an esteemed panel of judges, with winners taking home a share in an $8000 prize pool across the eight categories of Best Film, Runner Up Best Film, People’s Choice, Best Film by a Gold Coast Resident, Best Film Showcasing Surfers Paradise, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress.
As well as providing acknowledgement and opportunities for emerging filmmakers, SIPFest has become a much-loved Gold Coast event over its six-year history, with audience numbers growing each year, bringing significant economic benefits to the Surfers Paradise community.
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