The American Film Institute (AFI) announced today the official selections of AFI Awards 2014–11 outstanding films and 10 outstanding television programs deemed culturally and artistically representative of the year’s most significant achievements in the art of the moving image. This is the first time in AFI Awards history that the voting procedure, including tiebreakers, has resulted in the inclusion of 11 motion picture honorees for what has traditionally been a list of 10.
An almanac documenting works of excellence that mark a moment in time, AFI Awards is also the only national honor for the community’s creative teams as a whole, acknowledging the collaborative nature of the art form. With no winners or losers, honorees are selected based on works which best advance the art of the moving image, enhance the rich cultural heritage of America’s art form, inspire audiences and artists alike, and/or make a mark on American society.
“We celebrate these films and television programs as more than just milestones in a year of excellence.” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “They are a part of our American cultural heritage–collectively, a new chapter in the story of the art form and of our nation.”
AFI MOVIES OF THE YEAR
AMERICAN SNIPER
BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE)
BOYHOOD
FOXCATCHER
THE IMITATION GAME
INTERSTELLAR
INTO THE WOODS
NIGHTCRAWLER
SELMA
UNBROKEN
WHIPLASH
AFI TV PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR
THE AMERICANS
FARGO
GAME OF THRONES
HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER
JANE THE VIRGIN
THE KNICK
MAD MEN
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
SILICON VALLEY
TRANSPARENT
Marking the 15th chapter in the American Film Institute’s ongoing chronicle of the moving image in the 21st century, the 2014 entries join a notable pantheon of previous AFI honorees–works of significance that not only contribute to the rich cultural legacy, but also define the state of the art form.
AFI Awards selections are made through a jury process in which AFI Trustees, scholars, film and television artists and critics determine the most outstanding achievements of the year, as well as provide a contextual rationale for each selection.
This year’s juries–one for film and one for television–were chaired by producers and AFI Board of Trustees vice chairs Tom Pollock (former vice chairman of MCA, chairman of Universal Pictures) for the movies and Rich Frank (former chairman of Walt Disney Television, president of Walt Disney Studios, president of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences) for television, and includes award-winning artists such as Anne Garefino (AFI Class of 1988), Vince Gilligan, Marshall Herskovitz (AFI Class of 1975), Patty Jenkins (AFI Class of 2000), Kasi Lemmons, Matthew Libatique (AFI Class of 1992) and Phylicia Rashad; film historian Leonard Maltin; renowned authors and scholars from prestigious universities with recognized motion picture arts programs; AFI Board of Trustees; and critics from leading media outlets such as The Huffington Post, Rolling Stone, TIME, TV Guide, USA Today and more.
In a non-competitive atmosphere, honorees gather for recognition at the annual AFI Awards private luncheon on January 9, 2015 in Los Angeles–an event favored by the entertainment community for its informal intimacy and its inclusive acknowledgement of excellence.
SCHROM x Yacht Club and Be Electric Studios Launch Electric XR for Virtual Production
SCHROM x Yacht Club, a full-service live-action, tabletop, and postproduction company, has teamed with Be Electric Studios, a soundstage, equipment rental, and virtual production company, to launch Electric XR, a virtual production collective.
Industry veteran Thomas Rossano will lead the new venture, which provides advanced virtual production solutions across multiple facilities. He brings over 25 years of experience in live-action, tabletop, postproduction and talent curation to enhance Electric XR’s offerings as a resource for brands and agencies, as well as other production companies in need of virtual production solutions. Additionally Rossano continues to serve as EP at XR New York (XR-NY), a role he’s held since December 2022. SCHROM x Yacht Club originally established XR-NY to help provide XR services for third-party rentals. While XR-NY will continue to function independently for SCHROM X Yacht Club, it now operates under the Electric XR umbrella.
Rossano’s expertise spans producing live-action commercials, branded content, interactive and experiential content. In addition to leading Electric XR, he holds responsibilities at SCHROM x Yacht Club which include driving business development, collaborating with sales reps and expanding the company’s creative talent network. Rossano’s career includes serving as an exec producer at Hungry Man for about 11 years, right from that company’s inception. He then went on to become a partner at Station Film where he also had a lengthy tenure. Later he was a partner at PRISM. Then after the pandemic hit, he became a freelance EP for nearly two years, looking into opportunities in virtual production, which led him to XR NY and now Electric XR. Over the years, he has produced high-profile... Read More