LiveLab Creative Director Richard Fabb said the award recognised the work done by GFS- the onlyfilm school in Australia with a permanent in-house commercial studio.
“We believe it’s vital to offer students year-round opportunities to gain industry experience while they are studying,” he says.
“Projects like this are a fantastic opportunity for our students, offering a wide collaboration on an important social issue.
“To be recognised for our work internationally is remarkable.”
Ky’s Storyfollows Hugo’s 16-year-old nephew, Ky Greenwood, who has autism spectrum disorder.
Blending live action sequences with cutting-edge animation, the film was designed to raise awareness of the disorder and is available as a free resource for organisations working with autism.
GFS graduate Cameron March, who directed the live action sequences featuring Hugo and Ky, said the experience was “a real honour”.
“I was really humbled to be chosen to direct the live action elements,” he says.
“It was important to me to build a relationship with Ky, and make sure that he was comfortable with me and the environment.
“It was also an amazing opportunity to work with a Hollywood A-lister like Hugo Weaving.”
“It was a very surreal experience, sitting behind the monitor, thinking about all of the other directors like Peter Jackson and George Miller who have worked with Hugo.”
Griffith Film School student Ashley Spiteri worked on the animated sequences, mentored by Luke Harris and Griffith graduate Alexis Dean-Jones from Brisbane-based animation studio Hotel Lima.
“This project turned out to be much larger than we imagined, so it was a real learning experience,” she says.
“Animation definitely stands out and has its own personality. It was a punchy way to tell Ky’s story and a great way to show a younger and older version of Ky, which was an integral part to the story.”