LOS ANGELES --

The Art Directors Guild (ADG), IATSE Local 800, has set new rule changes for its Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards, it was announced by ADG Council chairman John Shaffner and awards co-producers Dave Blass and James Pearse Connelly. The rule changes will be in effect for the upcoming ADG Awards, set for January 31, 2015, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

PERIOD, CONTEMPORARY OR FANTASY FEATURE FILM CATEGORIES
Rule changes in the Feature Film categories include:
· Period Films must now have the majority of sets and locations designed to portray a time period at least 20 years prior to the present awards year.
· Contemporary Films must have the majority of sets and locations designed to portray places of a realistic nature within 20 years either side of the present awards year.
· Fantasy Films continue to qualify when the majority of sets and locations are designed to portray places of imaginative and inventive nature.
· The Guild’s Feature Film Reminder List will specify each eligible film’s genre/category before voting begins to make the process easier for voters.

TELEVISION CATEGORIES
Rule changes for the Television categories include:
· Design teams are now allowed to submit up to three different episodes in order to qualify with 60% of screen time or set count consisting of new sets or locations for their program.
· Location work must be significantly redressed or designed to count toward the 60% requirement.
One-Hour Period or Fantasy Single-Camera Television Series category:
· A one-hour period single-camera series is defined as having the majority of sets and locations designed to portray a time period at least 20 years prior to the present awards year.
· A one-hour fantasy single-camera series has the majority of sets and locations designed to portray places of an imaginative and inventive nature.
One-Hour Contemporary Single-Camera Television Series:
· Must have the majority of sets and locations designed to portray places of a realistic nature within 20 years either side of the present awards year.

AWARDS AND EVENT SPECIALS CATEGORIES
Awards and Event Specials will have their own category this year:
· In order to qualify in this area, a television program that is produced in the US or Canada must be produced under an IATSE Agreement and must have been exhibited as one segment or program.
· The program must be designed and supervised by a Production Designer or Art Director.

AREA AWARDS:
Area I – Short Format: Web Series, Music Video or Commercial
· To qualify in Area I, a web series that is produced in the US or Canada must be produced under an IATSE Agreement and must have a minimum of two episodes/webisodes aired in the series’ regular time frame.
· Short Format Web Series includes single or multi camera situation comedy, drama, and variety programs.
· There must be a single title for the series, and each episode/webisode must be related in kind and continuity and executive supervision.
· The submitted episode/webisode must be designed and supervised by a Production Designer or Art Director, must be 15 minutes or less in length and the program must be based on an original script.
· Music Videos or Commercials must be at least 30 seconds in length and, if produced in the US or Canada, must be produced under an IATSE Agreement.
· Music Videos or Commercials must first be publicly exhibited in the United States, via any medium, between January 1, 2014 and midnight of December 31, 2014.
· Paid commercials, PSAs, Promos and Music Videos are eligible and there must be a minimum of five submissions for this category to be valid and placed on the ballot.

Area II – Episode of a Variety, Competition, Reality, or Game Show Series.
· To qualify, a television series that is produced in the US or Canada must be produced under an IATSE Agreement and have a minimum of two episodes aired in the series’ regular time frame.
· There must be a single title for the series, and each episode must be related in kind and continuity and executive supervision.
· The submitted episode must be designed and supervised by a Production Designer or Art Director and be recorded primarily with three or more cameras used simultaneously, regardless of the recording medium.
· Area ll includes Variety & Non-Fiction Programs shot primarily on sets.

A final ballot, listing all the Nominees, will be made available online to all active members and retirees in all Local 800 craft classifications that are in good standing.

For a complete list of the ADG Award Rules, click here.

Nominations for this year’s ADG Excellence in Production Design Awards will be announced on January 5, 2015. The ADG will present winners in 11 competitive categories for theatrical films, television productions, commercials and music videos on January 31, 2015. A recipient of the Guild’s Outstanding Contribution to Cinematic Imagery Award and three new inductees into its Hall of Fame will be announced in the upcoming months.

The ADG Council also announced expansion of its honorary Lifetime Achievement Awards to annually include members selected from all four of its crafts. As previously announced, Emmy®-winning and Oscar®-nominated Production Designer Jim Bissell has been voted this year’s recipient of the ADG Council’s Lifetime Achievement honor. The additional Lifetime Achievement Awards honorees from the other crafts – Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists; Illustrators and Matte Artists; Set Designers and Model Makers; and Previs Artists – will be announced in the near future.

ADG Awards are open only to productions, when made within the US, by producers signatory to the IATSE agreement. Foreign entries are acceptable without restrictions.

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