TheBritFromOz 2020
Awards
So, 2020, where do we start.
Most years are full of ups and downs – 2020 however, takes
this to the limit. The (lock)downs were so low that some normal ups are thrown
as high as the stratosphere in comparison.
For me, the combination of all the COVID lockdowns and
anxieties with trying to keep on top of a university to-do list longer than The
Beatles’ entire discography has meant that my railway filmmaking has been a
welcome distraction. This was furthered by me receiving a new camera for my
birthday in April, which had a proper Zoom function (and I don’t mean for
video-calling) and allowed for some more interesting filmography than had been
possible with my iPhone. As a result, some of the twenty-seven videos I’ve made
this year rank among my best.
XP2014 City of Grafton leads WT27 Central West XPT
through Blackheath on 07/11/20, in 158F: Springtime In Blackheath
Usually, I put the BritFromOz Awards onto my end-of-year
video. This year though, I opted instead for a straight highlights clip show,
after the filming I did for the awards video wasn’t to my liking. Instead, the
awards are being done in written form, which you’re reading right now.
You can watch the end-of-year video here.
So, let’s get on with it. We have twelve awards to get
through and we’ll start, as always, with
1. 2020 Turkey Award – Worst Film of 2020
158F: An Afternoon At East Hills was an average product of a not-so-good shoot. There’s nothing wrong with the film itself really, but the clips themselves let it down. These were shot with my iPhone 6S+, the camera of which had developed a fault at the start of the year making videos appear fuzzy and jittery. This is unfortunately quite obvious in in An Afternoon At East Hills and it distracts from what most viewers are here for – the trains.
 |
| C9 & C13 arrive at East Hills with a City Circle - Macarthur via Sydenham working |
Now for something a bit more positive.
2. Grand New Place – Best New Location for 2020
This year, I’m awarding this award to Scarborough
for its appearance in the atmospherically changeable 158F: Scarborough Four Seasons.
There were fewer new locations visited this year than previous years on account of the reduced opportunities to produce films. Scarborough had been on the “want-to-do” list since the Kiama Picnic Train had started running again in late September/ early October. The station provides the opportunity for many interesting shots with a lot of pretty backdrops, so this year, it gets the Grand New Place award.
3. First Time Brilliance Award – Best New Train of
2020
We had a very famous locomotive return to NSW metals this
year which I was lucky enough to see.
That locomotive, of course, is 3801.
3801 charges across the Wingecarribee River Bridge in Burradoo
with a Picton - Moss Vale load trial, with 4201 on the rear of the train.
The famous engine made its first appearance on TheBritFromOz
in 158F: Wingecarribee Trains, on a trial run from Picton to Moss
Vale on 06/02/20. Although still looking a bit patchwork at the time, this shot
is one of my favourites of the year. It was an absolute joy to have the famous
engine back after twelve years of being cooped up in Chullora being taken apart
and reassembled.
4. Long Time No See: Location – Best Location to
return in 2020 after 2+years off screen
Honourable mention to Casula for its appearance in 158F:Casula Southern Diverts (09/12/20) – this was easily off-screen for the
longest amount of time, having last appeared in the 2015-shot South West In December feature-length film.
- not much different from its last appearance in SWID.
Casula as it appears in Casula Southern Diverts
But the winner...
Menangle, for its appearance in 158F: A Misty Morn’ At Menangle (16/12/20).
The station last appeared in 2017’s Menangle And Bargo series.
Like Scarborough, it is a lovely station with several lovely backdrops, but
with high historical significance, with its building dating from 1863 - one of
the state’s oldest.
5. Long Time No See: Train – Best Train to return in
2020 after 2+years off-screen (New this year)
 |
| 5917 at Mount Kuring-gai on 18/12/20 with the Baldwin to Broadmeadow run. |
5917's last appearance, back in SOV51: Hunter Valley Steamfest (2016) - Part Four
Up until 2020, this was 5917's only appearance on any iteration of TheBritFromOz.
6. TOTO Award – Wettest Shoot of 2020
A very wet Mount Kuring-gai on 18/12/20
7. On A Wim Award – Best Unplanned Film of 2020
The criteria for this award is that I have to have woken up
in the morning not planning to shoot it. The winner is…
158F: The Ghan Comes To Sydney
I only decided to make this film about an hour before
starting filming – I didn’t realise The Ghan (or part of it) had come to Sydney until a
few hours earlier. Although unplanned, the film was still quite good.
8. Highest Ratings Award – Most-watched film of 2020
(as of Boxing Day)
158F: Wingecarribee Trains takes this one in a landslide with 1,182 views, largely thanks to it featuring 3801.
It is one of only three films I’ve made which have clocked
up more than 1,000 views, the others being Epping to Chatswood: ThePenultimate Day (2018) and SOV41: Tangaras On The Carlingford Line
(2016) with 1,023 and 2,490 views respectively.
9. Filming Fun Award – Most Fun had on a film shoot in
2020 (New this year)
I have a lot of fun on my film shoots (usually), but I’m
giving this award to…
Christmas Special 2020: LEGO Christmas Train
Being able to share with my viewers the joy of putting
together a LEGO® set was a brilliant idea for a Christmas special and I had a
lot of fun doing it – almost forgot I was making a film at one stage!
10. Quick Sticks Award – Best “Quickie” Film of 2020 (New
this year)
A “quickie” film is a video which is under six minutes in length
and usually only depicts one, two or three trains. This is the first year I’ve
referred to them as “quickies”, and the winner is…
158F: An XPT At Turramurra (03/09/20 - Quickie)
This was quite a historical sight as 03/09/20’s NT31 Sydney – Casino XPT (not Brisbane as the border was shut at the time) was the first XPT to operate via the North Shore Line in almost sixteen years. I thought I wouldn’t ever see an XPT pass my local station, but there we are!
158F: An XPT At Turramurra was also the runner-up for
the Highest Ratings Award, with 485 views.
11. Takes The Cake Award – Best Films of 2020
(shortlisted to five)
5.
I’ve talked about this film enough really.
4.
T’BIRDS: Fall Of The Routemaster was also the first Thunderbirds short that I finished – you can read about the making-of process here.
3.
158: Wednesday At Wondabyne (11/11/20)
My first full-length Wondabyne film since 2017 (save for its brief appearance in the 2019 Hunter Valley Steamfest film) became my favourite. I covered its history much more in-depth this time and it also provided my first sight of a D set, as well as Vintage Rail Tours’ Golden West Rail Tour. Still don't know where the name came from though...
2.
158F: Springtime In Blackheath (07/11/20)
I tipped this one as the winner of this award when I made it – a very fun shoot after a long time not doing any full-length videos thanks to uni and lockdowns. It featured a lot of nice trains, including the history-making sight of an OSCAR west of Springwood, at a lovely location and was generally a very nice film to shoot and edit.
But even if Springtime In Blackheath was tipped win, it didn't. And so, the best film of 2020 is...
1.
The final new film to enter 2020’s
catalogue, 158F: A Misty Morn’ At Menangle was good for all the same
reasons as 158F: Springtime In Blackheath, but it being only the second
Main South entry for 2020 (the first being Wingecarribee Trains) made it
that little bit more special. What’s more, I wasn’t planning to see a few of
the highlight trains in this film and met some people at Menangle that I’m now
good friends with. So, this atmospheric film wins 2020.
And now for the final award…
12. Best Of The Year – My
Favourite Clip of 2020
I’ll give you a few seconds to
guess.
Ok, this didn’t win, it’s the
runner-up. But of all the clips I took with my Canon Legria this year, this one
of WT28 Central West XPT passing Newbridge, taken from 158F: BulletsAnd Xs – Part Two was my favourite. It nicely captures my favourite NSW
train passing a picturesque disused station in a scenic part of the world.
But the winner – again, can you
guess?
Yes, it’s 3801 and 4201 charging across the Wingecarribee River en route from Picton to Moss Vale in Wingecarribee Trains.
So, 2020. A not-so-nice year for
many, but as far as my filming was concerned, this year was one of my best.
Let’s see what 2021 brings.
Peace & Love!
-Duck
LEGAL BITS
All photos taken by me.
All awards given on my own opinions of each film, location or train (except for Highest Ratings). These awards are just meant as a bit of fun and are not to be taken seriously.
TheBritFromOz 2020 Awards
C. Duck Wilson MMXI
All Rights Reserved
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