Filmmaker Chris Anderson spent almost as much time on stage at the Renton FilmFrenzy Curvee Awards Gala Tuesday as emcee Jim Dever, collecting three awards for “Cliché and Carter.”

The film, made with co-producer Sam Graydon, won two top awards, first place in the Open Division of the 50-hour filmmaking competition, and Best Picture. Combined, the prize for the awards was $750.

The filmmaking duo, familiar around Renton when in filming mode, also were named The FilmSchool outstanding screenwriters.

Graydon missed the awards ceremony – he was on a night shoot.

But the stage at the IKEA Performing Arts Center at Renton High School was familiar territory for Anderson.

In 2008, the first year of the FilmFrenzy, Anderson (who also goes by Bob) and Graydon won the top awards for “Finger of God.”

How does the triumphal return to the stage feel?

“It feels great,” he said.

Last year, the team didn’t do quite as well because of what Anderson described as “time issues.”

This year, he said, “we put our all into it.” The result was an irreverent (what else) take on the buddy cop shows of the 1970s. “Cliché” was necessary in the title because everything from the 70s is a cliche, Anderson said.

One award that “Finger of God” didn’t win was the People’s Choice Award, chosen by a vote of the people at rentonreporter.com. The first People’s Choice winner was “Loaf’s Labors Lost,” a loaf of bread’s love story set in Renton.

The voting for this year’s People’s Choice award is under way now. Voting ends Nov. 9. The winner will be announced in the Nov. 12 Renton Reporter and presented at the Nov. 15 City Council meeting.

“Cliché and Carter” was one of 18 films entered into the third annual FilmFrenzy after the grueling, rain-soaked competition Oct. 8-10. The weekend started with 25 filmmaking teams.

The winning team in the Student Division decided to enter a little late. There was the Hazen Homecoming to work around and those SAT college entrance exams.

They had about 16 hours. But the team from Hazen High School, director Tyler Brown and his two actors, Grace Shockey and Aman Kainth, pulled off a story of a love story that wasn’t destined to last. It’s called “Backwards Reality.”

They received $250 in prize money and a Curvee Award designed and made by Uptown Glassworks.

To explain the film’s theme, Brown quoted from the poem Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote 150 years ago:

“’Tis better to have loved and lost

Than never to have loved at all.”

Actors who Brown had considered were busy elsewhere, but for some reason Shockey and Kainth said yes, he said.

The trio have posted its acting abilities on YouTube.

“But this was the first time we did something serious,” said Kainth.

Their film includes music composed by a German that Brown built the story around. Kainth spends a lot of time moving backward, as do vehicles and even birds.

The Special Judges’ Award, presented by emcee Dever of KING 5 TV, went to “Out of Darkness,” directed by Keith Bolling of Seattle and starring Lisa LeVan, whose character has been diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer. The film was shot entirely at night, through the darkened and empty streets of downtown Renton. She stops for a moment in front of the Renton Civic Theatre.

Bolling’s mother was diagnosed with cancer, which “was stirring through my brain,” he said.

But the film’s title is “Out of Darkness.” At the end a man sits next to LeVan, a bouquet of flowers in hand. He gently touches her hand.

“The theme is that no matter how bad it looks, there is a ray of hope,” Bolling said.

One Renton family that lives in the Highlands was recognized for its acting ability.

Father Chad Perkins won the Best Actor award for his portrayal of Jason in “Monday the 13th.”

“The only other actors were my kids,” he said.

Earlier in the evening the Perkins’ two children, Natty and Mikey, won a special acting award for their performances.

The idea to make a horror film actually came from Mikey, Perkins said.

Mom Heather worked mostly behind the scenes during the night, making sets and making Jason’s hockey mask look as gruesome as possible. Chad, an author and specialist in special effects, wrote the script.

The Renton FilmFrenzy is presented by the Renton Community Marketing Campaign, whose members include the Renton Chamber of Commerce, Valley Medical Center, Renton School District, Renton Technical College, Renton Visitors Connection and City of Renton. Renton Municipal Arts Commission is also a Renton FilmFrenzy partner.

The gala was also the venue for the world premiere of the campaign’s new videos that showcase Renton and its residents.

It also was announced that the marketing team is in the early planning stages for Renton to become a venue for the Seattle International Film Festival.

That festival is the largest in the country, regularly attracting about 155,000 attendees a year.

THE WINNERS

STUDENT DIVISION

First place, ‘Backwards Reality’

Second place, ‘Shades of Renton’

Third place, ‘Sassafras’

OPEN DIVISION

First place, ‘Cliché and Carter’

Second place, ‘Monday the 16th’

Third place, ‘Patent Pending’

BEST USE OF RENTON

‘Shades of Renton’

SPECIAL JUDGES’ AWARD

‘Out of Darkness’

REEL GRRLS OUTSTANDING WOMAN PRODUCER

Erin McAndrews, ‘Sassafras’

THE FILMSCHOOL OUTSTANDING SCREENWRITERS

‘Cliché and Carter,’ Sam Graydon and Chris Anderson

SPECIAL ACTING AWARD

Mikey and Natty Perkins

BEST ACTOR

Chad Perkins, ‘Monday the 16th’

BEST PICTURE

‘Cliche & Carter’

THE JUDGES

• Bill Taylor, Seattle University

• Jim Dever, KING 5 TV

• Britt McKenzie, Renton Municipal Arts Commission

• Reel Grrls Advisory Board