The Rory Peck Trust, an international non-governmental organization that supports freelance journalists and their families in crisis, is inviting professional freelance journalists and filmmakers from around the world to submit entries for the 2024 edition of the Rory Peck Awards. Based in London, United Kingdom, the Trust provides practical and financial support to freelance journalists and their families worldwide.
Established in 1995, the Awards highlight the significant contribution of freelance journalists to the international media industry and celebrate the most outstanding work produced each year. Since its inception, the Rory Peck Awards have recognised the talent and dedication of freelance journalists working in news and current affairs worldwide.
The Rory Peck Awards highlight and celebrate the efforts of freelance journalists and filmmakers who bring stories from around the world. Across four categories, the Awards recognize quality, creativity, and impact of the work, while also taking into account skill, endeavor, and journalistic integrity.
The awards are given in four categories:
- News Award: This award recognizes the work of freelance journalists in the video coverage of a news event, focusing on the immediacy of the story. Agency feeds are accepted in this category. Submissions should be up to 10 minutes in length.
- News Features Award: This award recognizes the work of freelance journalists in video news features that provide a more in-depth look at a story, beyond the immediacy of the news. Submissions should be up to 30 minutes in length.
- Sony Impact Award: This award recognizes the work of freelance journalists in long-form current affairs video or film that examines a single issue, story, or situation and has a significant impact on the viewer, policy, or public awareness. Submissions should be up to 60 minutes in length.
- Martin Adler Prize: This award honors a local freelance journalist or field producer working in any medium whose work with international and domestic media outlets has made a significant contribution to newsgathering.
To be eligible, all entries must have been shot, produced, or reported by a freelance journalist or filmmaker. For the purposes of the Rory Peck Awards, “freelance” is defined as someone who does not have a permanent or rolling contract or salary but may be on a retainer with one or more organizations, works on commission, or is paid by the piece.
Entries must have been first broadcast or published between July 6, 2023, and July 5, 2024. The News Award, News Features Award, and Sony Impact Award are open to video and film entries only. The Martin Adler Prize is open to journalists working in any medium, including print, radio, online, video, and film.
All entries must be submitted and titled as first broadcast, published, or screened and must have been broadcast, published, or screened by a recognized professional television channel, streaming platform, broadcaster, publication, news agency, online news platform, film festival, or other media outlet.
Entrants may submit as many entries as they wish, provided they meet the entry criteria. However, a separate entry form and entry fee are required for each submission.
Winners across all categories would be awarded £1,000 and a trophy while finalists across all categories get £500 and a trophy. The winner of the Sony Impact Award will receive a Sony camera and lens.
All finalists will have the opportunity to attend the Awards ceremony on November 28, 2024, and network with top industry professionals at the BFI Southbank in London.
Submission of entries closes on July 5, 2024.
For more information and to apply, please visit https://rorypecktrust.org/awards/.
