Tillema wins Hermes Gold award

Tiffany Tillema, resident of Hopkins County and owner of 4T Studios was recently awarded the “Hermes Gold Award” for her pro bono non-profit short film.

Her entry “Winnsboro Center for the Arts - 20 Years in the Making,” featured the full scale theatre and arts exhibit of downtown Winnsboro for its 20th year anniversary. The center has brought in the acts of Miranda Lambert and Michael Martin Murphey and plans on bringing in more famous acts with their new facility, slated for a grand opening next year.

Tillema created the promotional video for the center in hopes to help them raise money for the new building, which will feature a two story studio exhibit with plenty of natural lighting and a sleek modern look that will bolster their growing reputation as a recognized center for the arts. Along with big concerts, the non-profit organization provides classes, workshops, theatre performances and premiers the many talents of local artists through their art gallery.

As a dedicated artist and videographer, Tillema offered to write, shoot and edit the promotional video herself pro bono over the next four months. “This was my contribution to the city,” she mentioned. Tillema has owned her own video service in Winnsboro for the last five years. The short film was a creative project she was excited about. “I enjoy creating videos and writing scripts,” said Tillema. Bringing aboard a freelance voice actor, Scott Azure, the film gained something special. “He sounds just like Morgan Freeman,” she mentioned.

She usually creates ads and videos for local businesses, which was what the arts video started out as until she decided it needed to be longer. The short documentary, beginning as a five minute promo, ended up being a 13 -, winning her a very high honor in an international competition called the “Hermes Creative Awards.”

Tillema, was unknowingly submitted as a candidate for the competition and subsequently won the Hermes Gold Award in the category for ‘documentary short.’ “Someone else applied for me and I still haven’t figured out who it was,” she said laughing. The Hermes Creative Awards reviewed 6,500 entries from 27 different countries for the 2022 competition. Tillema was entered into three categories and not only won the gold for short documentary, but also received honorable mention for ‘electronic media and video.’ She received a certificate and trophy - a trophy which was made by the same company that produces the Oscar statuettes.

Each year, the Hermes Creative Awards honors the “messengers and creators of the information revolution.” A panel of judges from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP) evaluate the creative industry’s best publications, branding collateral, websites, videos and advertising, marketing and communication programs. The awards are honored to creative professionals involved in concept, writing and design of traditional and emerging media. The competition recognizes outstanding work in the industry while promoting the philanthropic nature of marketing and communication professionals. AMCP fosters and supports the efforts of creative professionals who contribute their unique talents to public service and charitable organizations.

The judges look for companies or individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry.

Tillema is excited about her future in videography and plans on putting herself out there as a professional and recognized business owner in the surrounding area. “I plan to run my business full-time,” she stated. Highly regarded for her abilities, Tillema believes the Hermes recognition will contribute to her growing success.

If you would like to take a look at her work, visit her business website at ‘4Tstudios.com’ or follow her on facebook.

Her business is located in Winnsboro at 1010 West Broadway.