LOS ANGELES -- (SPW) --

The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA^®) has opened its Call for Entries in Creative Categories for the 12th annual HPA Awards. These awards are considered standard-bearing honors for groundbreaking work and artistic excellence, recognizing creative artistry in color grading, editing, sound, and visual effects in feature film, television, and commercials.

The HPA Awards shine a spotlight on talent, innovation and engineering excellence in the professional media content industry. The 12th annual gala awards presentation will be held on the evening of November 16, 2017 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, California.

Entries are now being accepted in the following competitive categories:

•  Outstanding Color Grading – Feature Film
•  Outstanding Color Grading – Television
•  Outstanding Color Grading – Commercial
•  Outstanding Editing – Feature Film
•  Outstanding Editing – Television
•  Outstanding Editing – Commercial
•  Outstanding Sound – Feature Film
•  Outstanding Sound – Television
•  Outstanding Sound – Commercial
•  Outstanding Visual Effects – Feature Film
•  Outstanding Visual Effects – Television 
•  Outstanding Visual Effects – Commercial 

Entries for the Creative Categories will be accepted between May 15 and July 10, 2017, and Early Bird Entries (reduced entry fee for the Creative Categories) will be accepted through June 12, 2017. To be considered eligible, work must have debuted domestically and/or internationally during the eligibility period, September 7, 2016 through September 5, 2017. Entrants do not need to be members of the Hollywood Professional Association or working in the U.S.

As announced previously, the Call for Entries remains open for the Engineering Excellence Award, which will be bestowed at the November gala until May 30^th, 2017. Additional special honors, including the HPA Lifetime Achievement Award, will be announced in June.

Seth Hallen, President of the HPA and a founding member of the HPA Awards Committee, commented, “The HPA Awards have grown into an unmissable evening, bringing the creative community together. The judging is peer driven, so these honors resonate to winners and nominees alike. In the past 12 years, we have judged and honored the most compelling creative work. And, every year, in every category, the submissions are of the highest caliber. I sincerely encourage individuals and companies to enter the HPA Awards. It’s where we show the world the talent, fierce dedication and hard work behind the story. We look forward to another very special event on November 16th."

Complete rules, guidelines and entry information for the Creative Categories and all of the HPA Awards are available at: www.hpaawards.net. For a list of the previous years' winners, click here.

The HPA Awards are made possible through the generous sponsorship of Foundation Members Avid, Co3, Deluxe, Dolby, EFILM, and Encore; and Platinum Sponsors IMAX and Sohonet. For sponsorship or program advertising opportunities, contact Jeff Victor at jvictor@hpaonline.com or calling 213.614.0860. Opening of ticket sales will be announced shortly.