APV and JMSC Names Lukas Messmer as First Recipient of the Mick Deane Scholarship for Video Journalism

Lukas Messmer, a 2015 Master of Journalism graduate from The University of Hong Kong’s Journalism and Media Studies Centre has been named the first recipient of the annual Mick Deane Scholarship for Video Journalism.

The scholarship fund was established by Asia Pacific Vision (APV) in partnership with The University of Hong Kong’s Journalism and Media Studies Centre (JMSC) to honour TV journalist Mick Deane who was killed while covering the Arab Spring in Egypt in August 2013. The winner exemplifies the talent, skills and commitment to excellence in video journalism of the award’s namesake.

Messmer, a Swiss national, was the team leader and coordinating producer of an award-winning documentary made by nine JMSC graduate students for the U.S. television network MSNBC, reporting on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests known as The Umbrella Movement. Messmer said he would use the HKD10,000 prize to tell the stories others ignore.

“The footsteps Mick Deane left behind are big ones to fill. He mastered the craft of telling untold stories with moving images. I hope to honor his legacy with my ongoing commitment to video journalism and the pursuit of the truth, which Deane did so courageously, ultimately costing him his own life,” Messmer said.

The scholarship will be awarded annually on the basis of academic merit, and preference will be given to students engaged in post-graduate studies. The JMSC will be responsible for shortlisting candidates for the consideration of the selection committee, which is composed of Mark Erder, APV’s co-founder, Yuen-Ying, Director of the JMSC and Professor of Journalism at HKU, and broadcast journalism veterans Kevin Sites and Rob McBride. The committee will also consider such issues as financial need, leadership and professional potential, and the applicants’ extra-curricular activities. 

About Mick Dean:
Mick Deane was a veteran British cameraman who was killed by a sniper’s bullet at the age of 62 while covering protests in Egypt in 2013. Mick had previously worked in Hong Kong from 1988 to 1994 as ITN’s Asia cameraman. For the last 15 years of his life he was with Britain’s Sky News, based in the United States and London and, more recently, the Middle East.

“Mick was the consummate television journalist. He knew his story and he knew what it took to get that,” says Mark Erder, co-founder of APV (Asia Pacific Vision) and a friend of Deane’s. “But what separated him from the pack was his generosity. He was competitive but never had a problem sharing story or technical information with others.”

Yuen-Ying Chan, Director of the JMSC and Professor of Journalism at HKU, says the scholarship “is for that student who best exemplifies Mick’s spirit; somebody who wants to excel at broadcast journalism but is also generous by nature; one who shares information with others and has the potential to be a teacher and mentor.”

About the Award Partners:

Asia Pacific Vision (APV)
APV is a media and communications company specializing in video strategy, consultancy and production. Established in 1991, APV’s services include Branded Content, corporate video production, media consultancy, broadcast management, outside broadcast production, crew and equipment hire, and all phases of post-production. Headquartered in Hong Kong, APV has representation in Shanghai, Beijing, and Tokyo, with an extensive network of resources throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

For more information, please contact Mark Erder, 852.28272122, or mark.erder@apv.asia.

The Journalism and Media Studies Centre of HKU
The Journalism and Media Studies Centre brings professional journalism education to Hong Kong’s premier university, creating an environment for vibrant interaction among students from Hong Kong, Mainland China, the Asian region and the rest of the world.

For more information, please contact Ying Chan, yychan@hku.hk.