The Art Directors Guild (ADG, IATSE Local 800) tonight announced winners of its 20th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards, in 11 categories of film, television, commercials and music videos during a black-tie ceremony at The Beverly Hilton. “The Martian” (Arthur Max), “Mad Max: Fury Road” (Colin Gibson) and “The Revenant” (Jack Fisk) won Best Production Design for Feature Film. Television winners included “Game of Thrones” (Deborah Riley), “House of Cards” (Steve Arnold), “American Horror Story: Hotel” (Mark Worthington), “The Big Bang Theory” (John Shaffner) and “The Muppets” (Denise Pizzini) respectively. The awards took place before an audience of more than 900, including guild members, industry executives and press. ADG President Nelson Coates and Art Directors Council Chair Marcia Hinds presided over the awards ceremony with comedian Owen Benjamin serving as host for the third year-in-a-row.
Director David O. Russell received the Guild’s prestigious Cinematic Imagery Award presented by Josh Brolin (Sicario). Oscar®-winning actress Eva Marie Saint (On the Waterfront) presented Turner Classic Movies (TCM) host Robert Osborne with ADG’s inaugural William Cameron Menzies Award, for his work in championing classic motion pictures. Accepting the award on Mr. Osborne's behalf was actress Diane Baker. Recipients of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Awards included Scenic Artist Bill Anderson, Oscar-nominated Matte Artist Harrison Ellenshaw, Set Designer William J. Newmon, II and Emmy® and Oscar-winning Production Designer Patrizia von Brandenstein. Four legendary women – Oscar and Emmy-winning Production Designer Carmen Dillon, Emmy-winning Production Designer and Illustrator Dorothea Holt Redmond, Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning Production and Costume Designer Patricia Norris, and Art Director and Set Designer Dianne Wager – were inducted into the Art Directors Guild (ADG) Hall of Fame.
Presenters for this year’s awards included Bryan Cranston (Trumbo), Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight), LL Cool J, Amy Landecker and Kelsey Reinhardt (Transparent), Anthony Anderson (Black-ish), Aubrey Plaza (Dirty Grandpa), Will Forte (The Last Man On Earth), Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory), Jaime Pressly (Mom), Niecy Nash (Getting On, Scream Queens), Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) and O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Outta Compton).
In celebration of their 20th anniversary, the Art Directors Guild inaugurated a new official trophy called the Cinemagundi, designed by guild member Fredrik Buch, which was handed out to tonight’s winners. ADG awards recognition always goes to the Production Designer, Art Director, Assistant Art Director and their team for each nominated and winning project.
For more info about the awards, please go to adg.org.
20th ANNUAL ADG WINNERS FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A FEATURE FILM:
1. PERIOD FILM
THE REVENANT
Production Designer: JACK FISK
2. FANTASY FILM
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
Production Designer: COLIN GIBSON
3. CONTEMPORARY FILM
THE MARTIAN
Production Designer: ARTHUR MAX
20th ANNUAL ADG WINNERS FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION DESIGN IN TELEVISION:
4. ONE-HOUR PERIOD OR FANTASY SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
GAME OF THRONES: “High Sparrow,” “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken,” “Hardhome”
Production Designer: DEBORAH RILEY
5. ONE-HOUR CONTEMPORARY SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
HOUSE OF CARDS: “Chapter 29,” “Chapter 36”
Production Designer: STEVE ARNOLD
6. TELEVISION MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES
AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL: “Checking In”
Production Designer: MARK WORTHINGTON
7. HALF HOUR SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
THE MUPPETS: “The Ex-Factor,” “Pig’s in a Blanket”
Production Designer: DENISE PIZZINI
8. MULTI-CAMERA SERIES
THE BIG BANG THEORY: “The Skywalker Incursion,” “The Mystery Date Observation,” “The Platonic Permutation”
Production Designer: JOHN SHAFFNER
9. AWARDS OR EVENT SPECIAL
THE OSCARS: 2015
Production Designer: DEREK McLANE
10. SHORT FORMAT: WEB SERIES, MUSIC VIDEO OR COMMERCIAL
APPLE MUSIC: “The History of Sound”
Production Designer: JESS GONCHOR
11. VARIETY, REALITY OR COMPETITION SERIES
KEY & PEELE: “Ya’ll Ready For This?” “The End”
Production Designer: GARY KORDAN
The sponsors for the 20th Annual ADG Excellence in Production Design are: PRESENTING SPONSOR – DXV by American Standard; TITLE SPONSOR – 20th Century Fox; PLATINUM SPONSORS – ICM Partners and Universal Pictures; GOLD SPONSORS – Bleecker Street, History for Hire, NBC Universal Operations, and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; SILVER SPONSORS are AMC American Movie Classics; Astek Wallcovering; Big Sky Movie Ranch; Bridgeman Images; Fox Studios Production Services; FX Productions; Illustrators & Matte Artists Council; JC Backings; Mirisch Agency; Scenic, Title, & Graphic Artists Council; Set Designers & Model Makers Council; Shutterstock; Turner Classic Movies; United Talent Agency; Warner Bros Studio Facilities and WME Agency; MEDIA SPONSORS include The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Below the Line and SHOOTonline.
Producer of this year's ADG Awards is Production Designer Tom Wilkins, co-produced by Art Director Judy Cosgrove. ADG Awards are open only to productions, when made within the U.S., by producers signatory to the IATSE agreement. Foreign entries are acceptable without restrictions.
ABOUT THE ART DIRECTORS GUILD
The Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800) represents 2,300 members who work throughout the United States, Canada and the rest of the world in film, television and theater as Production Designers, Art Directors, Assistant Art Directors; Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists; Illustrators and Matte Artists; Set Designers and Model Makers; and Previs Artists. Established in 1937, the ADG’s ongoing activities include a Film Society, an annual Awards Banquet, a creative/technology community (5D: The Future of Immersive Design), a bimonthly craft magazine (Perspective); and extensive technology-training programs, figure drawing and other creative workshops and year-round Gallery 800 art exhibitions. The Guild's Online Directory/Website Resource is at adg.org. Connect with the Art Directors Guild and #ADGawards on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.