The Association of Music Producers is heading uptown. The advertising music trade association has announced plans to hold the 5th Annual AMP Awards for Music and Sound at a new venue in New York. The event, scheduled for Tuesday, May 23, 2017, will move from City Winery, site of the four previous AMP Awards shows, to the Diamond Horseshoe at the Paramount Hotel in the Theatre District.
The new venue is designed to transform the presentation into not just the loudest awards show in the business, but one where the work can be more properly honored, the networking can be even more gossipy and the artists better appreciated then at past AMP events.
An official call for entries, which signals the opening of the online entry portal for the competition, will be announced in the coming weeks, as will more news and details about the event.
“This is a great move for us,” said Jason Menkes, AMP National Board president, and partner/EP at COPILOT Music + Sound. “The Diamond Horseshoe has been transformed by its designers into an eclectic venue that’s as much the star of the show as the artists who appear on its stage. With this being our fifth birthday, our show has grown into one of the mainstays of the awards season in New York. It was time to take it up a notch, and our 2017 event will be all that and more.”
The AMP Awards is the only juried advertising contest to focus on the unique contributions made to the industry by creators and producers of music and sound. This year’s awards also marks the 20th Anniversary of the founding of its sponsoring organization, the Association of Music Producers, which was founded in 1997 to promote the work of advertising’s music and sound companies and audio mixing and recording facilities.
Judged by agency, label, publishing and music production professionals, the awards will present trophies in 11 unique categories as well as a Best In Show honor chosen by its Curatorial Committee. The 2016 Best In Show went to We Are Walker for “More Than Brains,” an ad for the University of Phoenix created by 180 in Los Angeles.
AMP’s new home is a site replete with history yet in many respects brand new. The Diamond Horseshoe, one of New York’s most celebrated historic venues, is located in the basement of the Paramount Hotel on West 46 Street. First opened in 1938 by theatrical showman and impresario Billy Rose, it was known for its vaudeville-style reviews and chorus of showgirls. In 2013 the landmark was restored and relaunched, resulting in an opulent space featuring avant-garde accents mixed with old world splendor.
In addition to presenting its signature awards, AMP will also induct another iconic brand into its AMP Hall of Fame at event. This award honors progressive advertisers for Outstanding Achievement in the Use of Music to Define the Brand and has been presented to marketers whose use of music and sound has been fundamental to building strong consumer perceptions. Past inductees include Volkswagen, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Budweiser, Nike, Chevrolet and Pepsi.
The End of The “Rust” Criminal Case Against Alec Baldwin May Unlock A Civil Lawsuit
The conclusion of a criminal case against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer clears the way for a related civil lawsuit by relatives of the deceased woman and efforts to depose the actor under oath, attorneys for plaintiffs in the civil suit said Tuesday.
At a news conference in Los Angeles, victims' rights attorney Gloria Allred said that the parents and younger sister of deceased cinematographer Halyna Hutchins were disappointed that prosecutors won't appeal the dismissal of an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin. The criminal charge against Baldwin was dismissed halfway through trial in July on allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense.
Hutchins died shortly after being wounded during a rehearsal in the movie "Rust" in October 2021 at a film-set ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Baldwin, the lead actor and coproducer, was pointing a pistol at Hutchins when it discharged, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
Allred said Hutchins' relatives are determined to pursue damages and compensation from Baldwin and "Rust" producers in New Mexico civil court, and want Baldwin to answer questions under oath in the proceedings. Hutchins' widower and son previously reached a separate legal settlement.
"With the withdrawal that was made public yesterday, we are now able to proceed with our civil case," Allred said. "Clearly, the rights of Alec Baldwin were protected, but the due process rights of the victims — Halyna Hutchins and her parents and her sister — were violated."
Allred said she's ready to prove that Hutchins had a close relationship... Read More