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About Paul Robeson
Born in Princeton, New Jersey, on April 9th, 1898, Robeson graduated from high school with honors at the age of 16, and entered Rutgers University on an academic scholarship. At Rutgers he won the class oratorical prize, four years in a row, earned 15
varsity letters in football, basketball, track and baseball – and he became the university’s first African American All-American football player. Paul Robeson, the class valedictorian, graduated from Rutgers in 1919.
While studying law at Columbia University in 1924, Robeson appeared on a Harlem stage in Eugene O’Neill’s “All God’s Chillun Got Wings” and in the famous “The Emperor Jones.” As a recognized vocalist, Paul Robeson was soon called one of the greatest interpreters of African American spirituals.
During the 1930s and ‘40s, Robeson became one of the most highly acclaimed African American artists in the world – performing on radio, concert halls and theatrical stages throughout America and Europe. His major theater credits include “Showboat,” “Porgy and Bess” and the title role in Shakespeares’s “Othello.” Also, Paul Robeson became a major film presence, starring in Oscar Micheaux’s “Body and Soul,” “King Solomon’s Mines” and “Song of Freedom,” just to name a few.
At the pinnacle of his artistic career, Paul Robeson turned his attention to human and civil rights. He became an eloquent and powerful spokesman against racism and discrimination. In 1946, Robeson was the leader of the Anti-Lynching Crusade, and he later espoused several leftist causes which seriously curtailed his artistic career in the U.S., but not necessarily overseas. But it cost him his passport, and made him a controversial figure for more than two decades.
Your browser may not support the display of this image. Paul Robeson was a towering figure, whose artistic and sociopolitical convictions never wavered. He died at the age of 77 on January 23rd, 1976.
Mission Statement
This award is designed by the faculty of the Department of Radio, Television and Film to promote and celebrate the artistic expression of those students whose work reflects Paul Robeson’s social consciousness, political courage, and his commitment to human rights and social justice throughout the world. Each year a distinguished artist in the field of film, television, or audio production, whose body of creative work and life example is in the tradition of Paul Robeson, is honored.
“The artist must take sides, he must elect to fight for freedom or slavery. I have made my choice. I had no alternative.”
— Paul Robeson
Past Honorees
Gordon Parks, Sr., Charles Burnett, Orlando Bagwell, Ernest Dickerson, Russell Williams, Al Freeman, Jr., Carl Franklin, Euzhan Palcy, Haile Gerima, Spike Lee, Gregory Allen Howard, Harry Belafonte and Ossie Davis, Raoul Peck, Cathy Hughes & William Greaves.
Past student honorees have gone on to write, produce and direct professional, award winning productions – recognized by such nationally renowned awards as the Princess Grace Award, ABC Entertainment Television’s New Talent Development Award and Paramount Pictures/Eddie Murphy Screenwriting Fellowship.
2010 Paul Robeson Awards Honoree Acclaimed Filmmaker Julie Dash ("Daughters of the Dust")
AWARD CATEGORIES
Category |
Evaluation Criteria |
Best TV Pilot |
Length: Sitcom [22min] OR Drama [44min].
Creative Concerns: Adhere to a genre.
Technical Requirements: Formatted on Final Draft. |
Best Short Script |
Length: Up to 30 pages
Technical Requirements: Properly formatted on Final Draft.
Creative Concerns: Adhere to a genre: Comedy; Drama; Sci-fi/ Fantasy; Horror; Family; Action; Thriller.
Adherence to Structure |
Best Feature Script |
Length of Project: 80-120 pages
Technical Requirements: Properly formatted on Final Draft.
Creative Concerns: Adhere to a genre: Comedy; Drama; Sci-fi/ Fantasy; Horror; Family; Action; Thriller. Adherence to Structure. |
Best Documentary |
Length of Project: Up to 30 minutes
Technical Requirements: Use of music, sync, effects, narration
Creative Concerns: Is there a hook? Is there a premise & story?
Completed story lines |
Best Editing |
Technical Requirements: Spatial, emotional, temporal & performance continuity
Appropriate use of framing
Setting of tone, mood, pace
Creative Concerns: Do visual supports story?
Does style support story?
Completed story lines.
Structure |
Best Director |
Technical Requirements: Blocking
Performance Evenness
Pacing
Creative Concerns: Distinctive voice
Story structure {beginning/middle/end} |
Best Cinematography / Videography |
Technical Requirements: Camera Technique: Command of optics, grayscale, exposure, framing, color.
Creative Concerns: Is there a visual design?
How do visuals support and advance story? |
Best Sound Mix |
Technical Requirements: Use of FX (Folly)
Dialogue-mix
Creative Concerns: Does sound support narrative? |
Best Radio PSA/ Commercial |
Length of Project: 30 seconds or 60 seconds
Technical Requirements: Adequacy of mix, levels, editing, timing
Voice, music bed, sound effects
Creative Concerns: Creative use of ALL elements
Script is organized, cohesive, and informative |
Best Radio / Audio Documentary |
Length of Project: 3-5 minutes
Technical Requirements: Adequacy of mix, levels, editing, timing
Voice, music bed, sound effects
Creative Concerns: Creative use of ALL elements
Script is organized, cohesive, and informative |
Best Short Production {Producer} |
Length of Project: Up to 30 minutes
Technical Requirements: Cohesive use of the required technical aspects, at the service of the story.
Creative Concerns: Overall storytelling ability |
Best Actor |
Creative Concerns: Level of performance |
Best Actress |
Creative Concerns: Level of performance |
Audience Choice Award |
Vote on YOUR favorite during the OFFICIAL SELECTION SCREENING, March 26th, 2010 |
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