The Hollywood Post Alliance (HPA) is launching the HPA Awards, an annual competition designed to recognize creative and technical excellence in the art, science and craft of postproduction.
Via the move, the HPA hopes to fill what it views as an awards show void. HPA president Leon Silverman, who is also president of Hollywood-based Laser Pacific Media Corp., described postproduction as a frequently overlooked sector of the industry.
Referring to the creative artisans and innovators in the post community, Silverman related, “Too often their significant contributions are hidden and unacknowledged.” The HPA Awards competition is looking to help post talent attain a higher profile.
Plans call for the inaugural HPA Awards to have 12 craft categories, as well as an award recognizing the Outstanding Contribution to Advancing the Field of Post Production, and Engineering Excellence Awards. Guidelines for the latter will be announced at the HPA Technology Retreat in Palm Springs, which was about to get underway at press time. The Outstanding Contribution honor, which will be awarded at the discretion of the HPA board of directors and awards committee, can be bestowed upon an organization, company or individual.
The 12 craft categories encompass commercials, features and TV, with each discipline having four categories: Color correction, audio post, editing and compositing.
The craft category awards will be judged and voted upon by a jury of peers in each category. A call for judges will go out in early summer.
The HPA Awards will be handed out during a gala ceremony to be held on the evening of Nov. 2. Eligible work for HPA Award entries must have debuted during a period from Sept. 4, 2005, to Sept. 4, ’06.
Entry forms will be available on June 8, and submissions will be accepted from June 15-Aug. 15, ’06. Nominations will be announced on Sept. 25 and final judging is slated for Oct. 14.
The HPA is a trade association that represents the professional community of businesses and individuals who provide expertise, support, tools and the infrastructure for the creation and finishing of motion pictures, TV programs, commercials, digital media and other dynamic media content.
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