Denis Olsen, prolific artist on movies, television, theater and commercials, is set to receive the Art Directors Guild (ADG, IATSE Local 800) Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists Lifetime Achievement Award at the 24th Annual “Excellence in Production Design” Awards on Saturday, February 1, 2020, returning this year to the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown in the Wilshire Grand Ballroom. This is the second of four Lifetime Achievement Awards to be announced by the Art Directors Guild.
“I am very fortunate to have known and worked with Denis for several decades. He is a wonderfully talented and very interesting man,” said Patrick DeGreves, Scenic, Title & Graphic Artists Council chair.
Olsen began his career as an art director at KCOP (Channel 13) in L.A. He worked for various studios and other entertainment companies for more than 40 years including Superior Backings as a scenic and sign painter, The Walt Disney Studios in entertainment development, Warner Bros. Studios in its scenic department and J.C. Backings Corp. as the lead man on backdrops and special artwork for movies, television, theater and commercials. Olsen’s career also included countless productions at 20th Century Fox, MGM Studios, KNXT and CBS-TV.
His numerous film credits include Ghostbusters, Rocky 2 & 3, The Muppet Movie, Romancing the Stone, Mr. Mom, Star Trek 2 & 3, Johnny Dangerously and Poltergeist. His TV credits include All in the Family, Soap, Three’s Company, One Day at a Time, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Fame. In addition to his set work on the Emmys® and the Oscars®, Olsen’s talents have graced several television variety shows including The Carol Burnett Show, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, The Smothers Bros. Show, Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In and Cher. He also worked on projects for Disney World and Disneyland, Epcot, Tokyo Disneyland, Marineland, Universal Studios Tours and Six Flags Magic Mountain. Olsen is credited for creating some of the stunning Las Vegas show sets including the MGM Grand stage, Folies Bergère, David Copperfield and Siegfried & Roy.
Olsen was curator at the ADG’s Gallery 800 in North Hollywood, retiring in 2017. He created over 40 art exhibits highlighting personal artwork of members of the ADG. He also served on the ADG Executive Board for several years.
The ADG Lifetime Achievement Awards are presented to outstanding individuals in each of the guild’s four crafts. As previously announced, Joe Alves will receive the ADG Lifetime Achievement Award from the Production Designers and Art Directors Council. The honorees for the Set Designers and Model Makers, and Illustrators and Matte Artists will be announced shortly.
The producer of this year’s ADG Awards is production designer Scott Moses, ADG. Online nomination voting will be held November 18–December 6, 2019. Nominations will be announced December 9, 2019. Online balloting will be held December 18, 2019–January 30, 2020 and winners will be announced at the dinner ceremony on Saturday, February 1, 2020. ADG Awards are open only to productions when made within the U.S. by producer’s signatory to the IATSE agreement. Foreign entries are acceptable without restrictions.
Additional honorees for Lifetime Achievement, Cinematic Imagery and new inductees into the Guild’s Hall of Fame will be announced at a later date.
Kevin Costner to receive MPSE Filmmaker Award; Greg Hedgepath named recipient of MPSE Career Achievement honor
Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) will present Oscar®-winning filmmaker and actor Kevin Costner with the 2025 MPSE Filmmaker Award, bestowed annually to a filmmaker of distinction. And supervising sound editor Greg Hedgepath will receive the Career Achievement Award for his prolific career in sound editing. Both awards will be presented during MPSE’s 72nd Annual Golden Reel Awards Gala on February 23, 2025 at the Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.
The MPSE Filmmaker Award is bestowed upon an individual outside the sound community whose career has demonstrated a great appreciation and understanding of the impact of sound editing. The MPSE Career Achievement Award is presented to a person whose career has made a significant impact on the sound community through exemplary work, service or leadership.
“Kevin Costner has captivated audiences with his powerful storytelling throughout his illustrious career,” said MPSE president David Barber. “From epic Westerns to poignant dramas, his use of sound as an integral component of his cinematic storytelling has stirred our emotions and immersed viewers in the worlds he’s created for decades. This passion for sound is abundantly clear in his latest ambitious project, the Horizon saga. We are thrilled to honor him with the Filmmaker Award, recognizing his exceptional contributions to the art of storytelling through sound in film and television.”
Barber added, “Greg Hedgepath is a true titan in the world of sound. His contributions to cinema are immense, spanning decades and encompassing a remarkable range of genres. From the heart-pounding intensity of ‘Speed’ and ‘Twister’ to the nuanced drama of ‘Selma’ and ‘Straight Outta Compton’, Greg’s work has consistently elevated... Read More