Cambridge filmmaker Mark Wong triumphed at the Jameson’s Empire Awards – Done in 60 Seconds Competition for his remake of eighties classic, Top Gun
Out of 5,000 entries and against very stiff competition from around the world, Director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz), who headed the Done in Sixty Seconds jury, awarded Director Mark Wong the Jameson Empire Award. Wong wrote, produced, directed, edited and starred in the £500 remake which was filmed on location in the East of England. Volleyball scenes were filmed in Norfolk near Walcott, Top Gun Naval Flying School scenes were filmed at RAF Alconbury in Cambridgeshire and the fighter jet scenes were shot at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk. To achieve the true Top Gun look, Wong managed to get co-operation from the Public Affairs Office at RAF Lakenheath to allow him to film around a real United States Air Force F-15 fighter jet!
This is the first year that the competition was open to entries from Holland, Ireland, Russia, South Africa, Sweden and Turkey. However, this is the third time Wong has entered the competition having previously honed his skills on the mini blockbuster versions of Pearl Harbour and Speed. On winning his award, Wong said: “I’ve been doing this competition for three years now so you have no idea how much this means to me. I want to thank Jameson, Empire, Edgar and the guys for making the right decision as far as I’m concerned. I want to thank my co-director who got us access to a real fighter jet and made incredible things happen”.
The five finalists and fifteen shortlisted videos can be viewed online at www.empireonline.com/awards2010/donein60seconds/. Skillset is a proud partner of the Jameson Empire Awards: Done in Sixty Seconds competition. Keep an eye out for future news on entering the competition.