Emmy Award proceedings like no other ever kicked off tonight (9/14) with the first of five virtual Creative Arts ceremonies this week.
Among the marquee winners during the opening night (9/14) of the Creative Arts Emmy ceremony were The Apollo (HBO) which took the Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special category, Queer Eye (Netflix) named Outstanding Structured Reality Program and Leah Remini: Scientology And The Aftermath (A&E) as Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special.
In her virtual acceptance speech, Remini reflected on the second consecutive year that her Scientology exposé won the Emmy, capping an eventful final season which she described as “a painful but meaningful ride.” She affirmed that this evening’s Emmy “belongs to all those who told you their stories.”
Two lauded documentaries also came up with major wins as Steven Bognar and Julie Reichert won directing honors for American Factory (Netflix) while The Cave (National Geographic) was recognized for its cinematography by Muhammed Khair Al Shami, Ammar Suleiman and Mohammed Eyad.
Topping night one was Apollo 11 (CNN) with three wins–Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program (Todd Douglas Miller, editor), Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Eric Milano, sound design) and Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Eric Milano, re-recording mixer).
Right behind were Cheer (Netflix) and RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1) with two Emmy wins apiece. Cheer scored for Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program (Greg Whiteley) and Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program (supervising editors Arielle Kilker and David Nordstrom, editors Kate Hackett, Daniel McDonald, Mark Morgan, Sharon Weaver and Ted Woerner).
In his virtual acceptance remarks, Whiteley said his win for the documentary series figuratively stood on the shoulders of a talented film crew which in turn stood on the shoulders of the featured subjects, a champion cheerleading team at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, under the aegis of coach Monica Aldama whose leadership has been described as a mesh of maternal and drill sergeant instincts.
Meanwhile RuPaul’s Drag Race topped the Creative Arts categories Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured Reality or Competition Program (lead editor Jamie Martin, editors Michael Roha, Paul Cross, Michael Deis and Ryan Mallick) and Casting for a Reality Program (casting by Goloka Bolte, Ethan Petersen).
Nicole Byer of Netflix’s hit reality competition baking series Nailed It! hosted this evening’s ceremony as she will the streaming proceedings on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights–and then the Creative Arts capper on Saturday, a two-hour broadcast on FXX. This will be followed by the Sunday primetime Emmy Awards telecast, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel on ABC.
Here’s a rundown of Creative Arts Emmy winners during the first night:
OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SPECIAL
The Apollo • HBO • HBO Documentary Films, Impact Partners and The Apollo Theater Foundation present in association with Polygram Entertainment, 164 OWR, Chicago Media Project, Macro, Bert Marcus Productions, Justfilms I Ford Foundation, Another Chapter Productions, Motto Pictures, A White House Pictures Production
Lisa Cortés, Produced by
Jeanne Elfant Festa, Produced by
Cassidy Hartmann, Produced by
Roger Ross Williams, Produced by
Dan Cogan, Executive Producer
Nicholas Ferrall, Executive Producer
Julie Goldman, Executive Producer
OUTSTANDING HOSTED NONFICTION SERIES OR SPECIAL
Leah Remini: Scientology And The Aftermath • A&E • The Intellectual Property Corporation in association with No Seriously Productions
Leah Remini, Executive Producer/Host
Eli Holzman, Executive Producer
Aaron Saidman, Executive Producer
Ray Dotch, Executive Producer
Devon Graham Hammonds, Executive Producer
Chris Rowe, Co-Executive Producer
Mike Rinder, Co-Executive Producer
OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM NONFICTION OR REALITY SERIES
National Geographic Presents Creating Cosmos: Possible Worlds • National Geographic • Ignition Creative
Erin Newsome, Executive Producer
Sarah Lavoie, Executive Producer
Maricruz Merlo, Supervising Producer
Meghan Gleason, Producer
Matt Wizan, Producer
Tatiana Villegas, Producer
OUTSTANDING STRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
Queer Eye • Netflix • Scout Productions, Inc. and ITV Entertainment, LLC
David Collins, Executive Producer
Michael Williams, Executive Producer
Rob Eric, Executive Producer
Jennifer Lane, Executive Producer
Jordana Hochman, Executive Producer
Adam Sher, Executive Producer
David George, Executive Producer
David Eilenberg, Executive Producer
Rachelle Mendez, Co-Executive Producer
Mark Bracero, Co-Executive Producer
OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A REALITY PROGRAM
RuPaul’s Drag Race • VH1 • World of Wonder Productions
Goloka Bolte, Casting by
Ethan Petersen, Casting by
OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A NONFICTION PROGRAM
The Cave • National Geographic • A Danish Documentary Production in co-production with Ma.Ja.De Hecat Studio Paris Madam Films Muhammed Khair Al Shami, Cinematography by
Ammar Suleiman, Cinematography by
Mohammed Eyad, Cinematography by
OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A REALITY PROGRAM
Life Below Zero • The New World • National Geographic • BBC Studios
Michael Cheeseman, Director of Photography
Danny Day, Director of Photography
Dwayne Fowler, Director of Photography
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DOCUMENTARY/NONFICTION PROGRAM
American Factory • Netflix • Higher Ground Productions and Participant Media
Steven Bognar, Directed by
Julia Reichert, Directed by
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A REALITY PROGRAM
Cheer • Daytona • Netflix • One Potato Productions, Boardwalk Pictures and Caviar
Greg Whiteley, Directed by
OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A DOCUMENTARY SERIES OR SPECIAL (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE)
Why We Hate • Tools & Tactics • Discovery Channel • South Cove Productions
Laura Karpman, Composer
OUTSTANDING NARRATOR
Seven Worlds, One Planet • Antarctica • BBC America • A BBC Studios Natural History Unit production co-produced with BBC America, Tencent Penguin Pictures, ZDF, France Télévisions and China Media Group CCTV9
David Attenborough, Narrator
OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR A NONFICTION PROGRAM
Apollo 11 • CNN • CNN Films, Statement Pictures, NEON
Todd Douglas Miller, Editor
OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR A STRUCTURED REALITY OR COMPETITION PROGRAM
RuPaul’s Drag Race • I’m That Bitch • VH1 • World of Wonder Productions
Jamie Martin, Lead Editor
Michael Roha, Editor
Paul Cross, Editor
Michael Deis, Editor
Ryan Mallick, Editor
OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR AN UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
Cheer • God Blessed Texas • Netflix • One Potato Productions, Boardwalk Pictures and Caviar
Arielle Kilker, Supervising Editor
David Nordstrom, Supervising Editor
Kate Hackett, Editor
Daniel McDonald, Editor
Mark Morgan, Editor
Sharon Weaver, Editor
Ted Woerner, Editor
OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A NONFICTION OR REALITY PROGRAM (SINGLE OR MULTI-CAMERA)
Apollo 11 • CNN • CNN Films, Statement Pictures, NEON
Eric Milano, Sound Design
OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A NONFICTION OR REALITY PROGRAM (SINGLE OR MULTI-CAMERA)
Apollo 11 • CNN • CNN Films, Statement Pictures, NEON
Eric Milano, Re-Recording Mixer
OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A NONFICTION PROGRAM
Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting An Internet Killer • Closing The Net • Netflix • A RAW Production
Mark Lewis, Written by
