Outrageous Fortune has taken eight awards at the Qantas Film and Television Awards including best drama. TVNZ's news and current affairs also took out eight awards, including the best news award.

The film award highlights included best director for Oscar-nominee Taika Waititi for Eagle Vs Shark and Aramoana tragedy Out of the Blue won best picture, best screenplay, cinematography, editing and lead and supporting actor awards for Matthew Sunderland and Karl Urban. Second-Hand Wedding co-stars Geraldine Brophy and Holly Shanahan won best lead and supporting actress. Outrageous Fortune has taken eight awards at the Qantas Film and Television Awards including best drama. TVNZ's news and current affairs also took out eight awards, including the best news award.

The film award highlights included best director for Oscar-nominee Taika Waititi for Eagle Vs Shark and Aramoana tragedy Out of the Blue won best picture, best screenplay, cinematography, editing and lead and supporting actor awards for Matthew Sunderland and Karl Urban. Second-Hand Wedding co-stars Geraldine Brophy and Holly Shanahan won best lead and supporting actress.In the low budget under $1 million category, A Song of Good won the best picture and cinematographer Ginny Loane won the award for outstanding technical contribution.

This year's Awards follow the merger of the New Zealand Screen Awards and the New Zealand Television Awards. More than 21 categories were awarded at the Craft Awards lunch-time ceremony on Friday September 12 with the remaining 37 categories awarded on Saturday night.

New Zealand Television Broadcasters' Council chief executive and organising committee member, Rick Friesen, said by combining the Awards the bar has been raised across the film and television industries.

"With 58 television, documentary, news and current affairs categories and 170 finalists the Awards reflect what it takes to sustain and grow an internationally competitive industry."

News and Current Affairs

Qantas Best News, One News, TV1

Best News or Current Affairs Presenter, Mark Sainsbury, Close Up TV1

TV Journalist of the Year, Mike Valintine and Hunter Wells, Sunday TV1

Best News Reporting, Lisa Owen, One News, TV1

Best Current Affairs Reporting for a weekly programme or one off current affairs special , Sarah Hall, Paula Penfold, George Murahidy and Catherine Hallinan, 60 Minutes, TV3

Best Current Affairs Reporting for a daily programme, Robyn Janes and Steve Hopkins, Close Up, TV1

Best Current Affairs Series, Sunday, TV1

Best News Camera*, Jared Mason, One News and Close Up, TV1

Best Current Affairs Camera*, George Murahidy, 60 Minutes, TV3

Best News and Current Affairs Editing*, Paul Enticott, 60 Minutes, TV3

Investigation of the Year, Mike Valintine and Hunter Wells, Sunday, TV1

General Television and Documentary

Images and Sound Best Drama Programme, John Laing, Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures, TV3

Best Comedy Programme, Paul Casserly, Eating Media Lunch, Great Southern TV, TV2

Best Factual Series, Fiona Copeland, The Big Picture, Filmwork Ltd, TV1

Best Maori Language Programme, Claudette Hauiti, Children of the Revolution, Front of the Box Productions Ltd, Maori Television

Qantas Best Children's/Youth Programme, Rachel Jean, Play It Strange 2007, Isola Productions Ltd, C4

Best Information/Lifestyle Programme, Mhairead Connor and Mark Albiston, The Gravy, Sticky Pictures Ltd, TVNZ 6

Best Entertainment Programme, Charlotte Hobson, Jono's New Show, C4

Best Sports Broadcast, John McDonald, Rugby World Cup 2007, TV3, TV3

Best Format/Reality Series, David Baldock, Sensing Murder, Ninox Television Ltd, TV2

Performance by an Actress in General Television, Robyn Malcolm, Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures, TV3

Performance by a Supporting Actress in General Television, Antonia Prebble, Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures, TV3

Performance by an Actor in General Television, Antony Starr, Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures, TV3

Performance by a Supporting Actor in General Television, Tammy Davis, Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures, TV3

Best Presenter Entertainment/Factual Programme, Jason Gunn, Dancing with the Stars, TVNZ, TV1

Best Script - Drama/Comedy Programme, Rachel Lang, Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures, TV3

Sony Achievement in Directing - Drama/Comedy Programme, Mark Beesley, Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures, TV3

Achievement in Directing - Factual/Entertainment Programme, Bryan Bruce, The Investigator, Red Sky Film & Television Ltd, TV1

Sony Achievement in Camera Work - Drama/Comedy Programme*, Dave Garbett, Ride with the Devil, Isola Productions Ltd, TV2

Achievement in Editing - Drama/Comedy Programme*, Bryan Shaw, Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures, TV3

Achievement in Original Music in General Television*, Christian Biegai, Riki Gooch and Dave Whitehead, The Big Picture, Filmwork Ltd, TV1

Achievement in Sound Design in General Television*, Don Paulin and Ian Leslie The Killian Curse 2, TVNZ, TV2

Achievement in Production Design in General Television*, Ant Sang, bro'Town, Firehorse Films Ltd, TV3

Contribution to Design in General Television*, Claire Palmer, Costume Design Dancing with the Stars, TVNZ, TV1

NZ on Air Best Documentary, Annie Goldson, An Island Calling, Occasional Productions, TV3

Achievement in Directing - Documentary, Justin Pemberton, The Nuclear Comeback, The TV Set Ltd, TV1

Achievement in Camerawork - Documentary/Factual Programme*, Wayne Vinten, An Island Calling, Occasional Productions, TV3

Achievement in Editing - Documentary/Factual Programme*, Bryan Shaw, The Wahine Disaster, Mr Smith TV Ltd, TV1

Film

Qantas Best Picture - budget over $1 million, Steven O'Meagher, Tim White and Robert Sarkies, Out of the Blue, Desert Road Films Ltd/Condor Films Ltd

Best Picture - budget under $1 million, Mark Foster and Gregory King, A Song of Good, Robber's Dog Films

Achievement in Directing in Film (budget under and over $1 million), Taika Waititi, Eagle vs Shark, Whenua Films Limited

Jameson Irish Whiskey Performance by an Actor in a leading role in Film, Matthew Sunderland, Out of the Blue, Desert Road Films Ltd/Condor Films Ltd

Performance by an Actress in a leading role in Film, Geraldine Brophy, Second-Hand Wedding, Garage Sale Productions Ltd

Performance by an Actor in a supporting role in Film, Karl Urban, Out of the Blue, Desert Road Films Ltd/Condor Films Ltd

Performance by an Actress in a supporting role in Film, Holly Shanahan, Second-Hand Wedding, Garage Sale Productions Ltd

Best Screenplay in Film, Graeme Tetley and Robert Sarkies, Out of the Blue Desert Road Films Ltd/Condor Films Ltd

Achievement in Cinematography*, Greig Fraser, Out of the Blue, Desert Road Films Ltd/Condor Films Ltd

Achievement in Editing in Film*, Annie Collins, Out of the Blue, Desert Road Films Ltd/Condor Films Ltd

Achievement in Original Music in Film*, John Gibson and Jack Body, Rain of the Children, Wayward Films Ltd

Achievement in Sound Design in Film*, Tim Prebble, Gethin Creagh and Gilbert Lake, Black Sheep, Livestock Films Ltd

Achievement in Production Design in Film*, Phil Ivey, Perfect Creature, Sensible Films/Minute Productions

Achievement in Costume Design in Film*, Kirsty Cameron, Perfect Creature, Sensible Films/Minute Productions

Achievement in Make-Up Design in Film*, Dave Elsey, Black Sheep, Livestock Films Ltd

Outstanding Technical Contribution in Film - budget under $1 million*, Ginny Loane, Cinematographer, A Song of Good, Robber's Dog Films

Images and Sound Best Short Film, Christopher Dudman and Vicky Pope, The Graffiti of Mr Tupaia, POP Film Ltd

Performance in a Short Film, Rawiri Paratene, The Graffiti of Mr Tupaia, POP Film Ltd

Atomic Coffee Roasters Best Screenplay for a Short Film* Paul Stanley Ward, The Graffiti of Mr Tupaia, POP Film Ltd

Outstanding Technical Contribution to a Short Film*, Ginny Loane, Director of Photography, This Is Her, Passenger Films

* Award was presented at the Qantas Film and Television Craft Awards on Friday 12 September 2008 at Auckland's Civic Theatre.

About the Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand

The Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand (SDGNZ) represents New Zealand Directors and Editors. The Guild creates a forum where creatives can define, defend and further their professional industry. The SDGNZ is dedicated to the artistic excellence, employment opportunities and economic wellbeing of its members.

About the New Zealand Television Broadcasters' Council

The New Zealand Television Broadcasters' Council is an industry organisation representing the non-competitive interests of free-to-air television broadcasters in New Zealand. The members are TVWorks, Television New Zealand and Maori Television.

14/09/08