Engineer Bill Vinten OBE (1920 - 2015) was the son of William Vinten who founded the now world leading manufacturer of manual and robotic camera supports. Bill worked as a cinematographer during World War II with the Royal Navy Film Unit and following the war, he joined J. Arthur Rank’s Gate Studios before returning to the family firm.

Like his father, Bill was a keen inventor and he was responsible for designing the first camera pedestal that allowed a cameraman to track and jib simultaneously without losing sight of the viewfinder. He also designed the Vinten MKIII. Launched in 1958, it was the first pan and tilt head to meet the BBC’s specifications for manoeuvrability. Bill received the first annual award from the GTC in 1974, and also the 'Technical Achievement Award' from the Society of Camera Operators, for his work on the Fulmar pedestal.

Bill Vinten was a long time supporter of the GTC (Guild of Television Camera Professionals). His desire to encourage camera craft skills and young people in television led to the creation of the Bill Vinten GTC University Awards. These film Awards, originally sponsored by Vinten, a Vitec company, the GTC and the Television and Camera Craft Educational Trust, are now in their eighth year.

With high fees and unease about media-type degrees, potential students are becoming more and more discerning about their choice of university. The Bill Vinten GTC University Trophy represents a prestigious mark of quality and useful recruiting tool for the winning faculty, college or university.

Student finalists winning the Bill Vinten Award find the paid work experience provided by camera professionals invaluable, while any GTC member who volunteers to arrange the work experience will know that they are employing the very best of the future generation of camera professionals.

Awards & Prizes

The winning faculty, college or university will be awarded the Bill Vinten University Trophy.

The winning student will receive work experience (subject to availability), paid with expenses, equivalent to £2,500.00, plus 1 year's Associate Membership of the GTC.

Two runners-up will receive work experience (subject to availability), paid with expenses, equivalent to £750.00 each, plus 1 year's associate membership of the GTC.

Rules & Terms

A single portfolio from a single faculty, college or university located in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. A University means any educational establishment.

Each portfolio must contain three complete films.

Each film in the portfolio must be of a different TV genre such as: Sports, Sitcom, Documentary, Soap, Travel, Holiday, Kids, Drama, Makeover, Current Affairs, Cookery, Reality TV, Talk Show, Shopping, Game Show, Music, Gardening, Lifestyle, DIY, Charity, Pets, Wildlife, Animation (excluding computer generated).

Each film in the portfolio must have been shot during the period that the entrant was an undergraduate at the entering faculty, college or university.

Each film in the portfolio must include a specific camera credit, who must be, or have been, a final year undergraduate at the entering faculty, college or university during the period June 2022 to June 2023. Only one entry per film for DOP, Lighting Camera, Operator etc. The judges will take into consideration the type of credit in relation to industry-wide standards.

Final year means the final year of a graduate course at the entering faculty, college or university. Postgraduate courses of any form are not eligible.

Each film should have information about the camera crew details of the camera(s) used. Full contact details should also be included for each student.

No more than one film from each camera student.

Individual entrants will be judged on three criteria: camerawork; camerawork that enhances content; and content.

The winning student will receive work experience (subject to availability), paid with expenses, equivalent to £2,500.00, plus 1 year's Associate Membership of the GTC.

The two runners-up will receive work experience (subject to availability), paid with expenses, equivalent to £750.00 each, plus 1 year's Associate Membership of the GTC.

The faculty, college or university whose portfolio accumulates the highest score total will be awarded the Bill Vinten GTC University Trophy.

Winners must be eligible to work in the United Kingdom. The work experience is not available to applicants who are not eligible to work in the UK. There is no cash alternative.

No single film and no individual entries will be accepted.

Portfolio entries that do not fully meet the eligibility rules are allowed but the scoring system may, at the organisers' discretion, reflect errors, omissions and/or non-compliance.

FilmFreeway guarantees the film's rights and will not allow commercial exploitation. However, the GTC obviously needs the right to view and show the film. By making a submission through this website, the GTC is authorised to screen the film (or an extract) at the award event and on the GTC website. If any special permissions are required, it is the responsibility of the submitter to ensure they are in place.

The regular free entry closing date for submissions is Sunday 30 July 2023.
The absolute final closing date incurring a late entry fee is Sunday 27 August 2023.