Announcing Our 2017 Official Nominees!

A BIG "Shout Out" to the independent filmmakers who submitted their projects to the First Annual I See You® Awards! We see how hard you've worked and we're thrilled to recognize your accomplishments! So, without further ado, here are the 2017 Official Nominees!

Feature Film Category

The Best Thanksgiving Ever: A Detroit Holiday Misadventure

Writer/Producer: David Paulus

Director: JD Shapiro

On the Sly: In Search of the Family Stone

Writer/Director/Producer: Michael Rubenstone

Producer: Pat Sheehan

Struggling to Make a Dollar

Writer/Producer/Director: Jane Dabish

Random Karma

Writer/Producer/Director: Randy Ayres

Iron Brothers

Writer/Producer/Director: Tate Smith

Writer/Producer/Director: Josh Smith

Short Film Category

The Bill

Writer/Director/Producer: Caralene Robinson

Producer: Deborah Riley Draper

Producer: Crystal Whaley

Conundrum

Writer/Producer/Director:

Christopher Eppes

Swing Low

Writer/Producer: Phil Elam

Director: Marvin Towns, Jr.

Thick Air

Writer: Meredith Dobbs

Writer: Tony Eggert

Producer/Director: Meredith Dobbs

The Corridor. Defended.

Writer/Producer: Mike Targus

Producer: Eric Townsend

Producer: Paul Walter Hauser

Director: Daniel Zagayer

The Gift

Writer/Producer/Director: Anthony Green

Saturday Night

Writer/Producer/Director: Jack Gorman

Producer: Liana Gorman

No Goodbye

Writer/Producer/Director: Ludo Vici

Individual Nominees – Short Films

Best Director

Meredith Dobbs, Thick Air

Christopher Eppes, Conundrum

Caralene Robinson, The Bill

Marvin Towns, Jr., Swing Low

Best Lead Actor Nominees

Phil Elam, Swing Low

Martin Green, The Gift

Michael Lopetrone (August Rhodes), Thick Air

Mike Targus, The Corridor. Defended.

Matt Vance, Saturday Night

Best Supporting Actor Nominees

Curtis Lee Vest, Swing Low

M.C.Gainey (Bartender), The Corridor. Defended.

DeMorge Brown (Franklin/Mysterious Bar Sage), The Corridor. Defended.

Best Lead Actress Nominees

Kayla Symone, Conundrum

Mary Rose Naoum, Thick Air

Perri Camper (Lena Logic), The Bill

Rose Rylotte, Saturday Night

Sandra Steffl, No Goodbye

Chevonne Wilson (slave), Swing Low

Best Supporting Actress Nominees

Julie Brister (Day Bartender), The Corridor. Defended.

Brooke Mallon (Master’s wife), Swing Low

Tina Gloss (Harriett Vaughn), Thick Air

Best Cast

Swing Low

The Bill

The Corridor. Defended.

Thick Air

Best Original Screenplay

Conundrum

No Goodbye

Saturday Night

Swing Low

The Bill

The Corridor. Defended.

The Gift

Thick Air

Best Editing

Swing Low

The Bill

The Corridor. Defended.

The Gift

Thick Air

Best Soundtrack

Swing Low

The Bill

The Corridor. Defended.

Thick Air

Best Cinematography

Eric Foss, The Corridor. Defended.

Geoff George, Swing Low

James Northrup, The Bill

Best Picture

Conundrum

Swing Low

The Bill

The Corridor. Defended.

Thick Air

Individual Nominees – Feature Films

Best Director

Randy Ayres, Random Karma

JD Shapiro, The Best Thanksgiving Ever: A Detroit Holiday Misadventure

Josh & Tate Smith, Iron Brothers

Best Lead Actor Nominees

Zak Marzouq, Random Karma

Jay Seals (Kevin), The Best Thanksgiving Ever: A Detroit Holiday Misadventure

Porter Smith (Henry Iron) (younger brother), Iron Brothers

Tate Smith (Abel Iron), Iron Brothers

Best Supporting Actor Nominees

David Paulus (Brad), The Best Thanksgiving Ever: A Detroit Holiday Misadventure

Eric Roberts (Rod), The Best Thanksgiving Ever: A Detroit Holiday Misadventure

Luke Kalmar (Randall), Iron Brothers

Jake Baker (Nick Valentine), Random Karma

Best Lead Actress Nominees

Maria Edelstein (“Working Girl” Carmen Dinero), Random Karma

Elizabeth Gray, Struggling To Make A Dollar

Best Supporting Actress Nominees

Heather Adair, Best Thanksgiving Ever: A Detroit Holiday Misadventure

Tate Hanyok (Margret), The Best Thanksgiving Ever: A Detroit Holiday Misadventure

Mary Neilson (Sabrina), Random Karma

Alethea Varner, Struggling To Make A Dollar

Best Cast

Iron Brothers

Random Karma

The Best Thanksgiving Ever: A Detroit Holiday Misadventure

Best Original Screenplay

Iron Brothers

Random Karma

The Best Thanksgiving Ever: A Detroit Holiday Misadventure

Best Editing

Iron Brothers

Random Karma

The Best Thanksgiving Ever: A Detroit Holiday Misadventure

Best Soundtrack

Randy Ayres, Random Karma

Sean Williamson and Porter Smith, Iron Brothers

G Tom Mac, The Best Thanksgiving Ever: A Detroit Holiday Misadventure

Best Cinematography

Randy Ayres, Random Karma

Josh Smith, Iron Brothers

Mark Wilkinson, The Best Thanksgiving Ever: A Detroit Holiday Misadventure

Best Picture

Iron Brothers

Random Karma

Struggling To Make A Dollar

The Best Thanksgiving Ever: A Detroit Holiday Misadventure

Best Documentary

On The Sly: In Search of the Family Stone

Writer/Director/Producer: Michael Rubenstone

Into the Wind – Everest to End Duchenne

Producer/Director: David Welton

Screenplays

Best Screenplay

One Last Shot, Pete Rendina

I’m Having An Affair With My Wife!, Jen Finelli

Special Recognition Honorees

Hollywood Excellence Award

Don Cheadle, Miles Ahead

Trailblazer Award

Ava DuVernay

People’s Choice

Just as the name implies, the winners of the People’s Choice Awards will be decided on by the people! To help select the winner, the public is invited to attend screenings of the films at the Emagine Theater in Novi on Thursday, August 24, 2017. More details, including ticket information, is coming soon, so stay tuned!

Congratulations and good luck to all of the nominees! We see you!

Editor's Note: All photographs are the property of the individual filmmakers.