Actress and comedian Aidy Bryant will host the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards. This 2024 Spirit Awards will mark the 39th edition of the annual awards show honoring the best of independent cinema and television, while also celebrating the 30th anniversary of Film Independent’s influential Artist Development program.
The awards nominees will be announced on December 5th at 7 a.m. PST. Winners will be revealed at the awards show on February 25th in Santa Monica and will be streamed live on the IMDb and Film Independent’s YouTube channels, and across other social platforms, beginning at 2 p.m. PST.
“We’re thrilled to have the incandescently talented Aidy Bryant joining us to host the 39th annual Spirit Awards” said Josh Welsh, president of Film Independent. “Through her humor, skill and seemingly endless supply of energy she has been entertaining audiences for years, and we can’t wait to see what she has in store for us as we celebrate independent artists on February 25th.”
An acclaimed comedian and actress, Bryant got her start as a writer and performer with The Second City in Chicago before joining the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2012, where she starred for 10 seasons. During her time on SNL, Bryant was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics. While still performing on the show, Bryant split her time to star in, co-create and showrun the Hulu series Shrill for three seasons. She was nominated for her third Primetime Emmy Award for her performance in Shrill, this one for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Bryant recently signed an overall deal with Universal Television, where she is currently in development on multiple projects including her new television vehicle, Lonely Hearts Club, which Ari Aster is producing for Peacock. Bryant also currently lends her voice as the lead character, “Emmy the Lovebug,” in Netflix’s animated series, Human Resources.
Past Spirit Awards hosts have included Hasan Minhaj, Megan Mullaly and Nick Offerman, Melissa Villaseñor, Aubrey Plaza, Nick Kroll and John Mulaney, Kate McKinnon and Kumail Nanjiani, Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell, Patton Oswalt, Andy Samberg, Rainn Wilson, Joel McHale, Sarah Silverman, Samuel L. Jackson, Queen Latifah and John Waters.
The Spirit Awards is the nonprofit arts organization’s primary fundraiser for its year-round slate of programs, which cultivate the careers of emerging filmmakers and promote diversity and inclusion across the film industry. The upcoming show will mark Film Independent’s second collaboration with Emmy Award-winning producer Eddie Delbridge of Live Digital Entertainment. Shawn Davis is returning for his 22nd year with the Spirit Awards, as executive producer. Also returning are producers Danielle Federico and Andrew Schaff.
California Film Commission awards $108.6 Million in tax credits
The California Film Commission (CFC) has awarded $108.6 million in tax credits to 10 film and television projects through its Film and Television Tax Credit Program and Soundstage Filming Tax Credit Program. This latest round of awards includes one relocating television series, one recurring television series, five new television series, one miniseries, and two non-independent feature films. Together, these productions are expected to generate $509 million in qualified California expenditures, supporting local businesses and creating 3,583 cast and crew jobs.
In an effort to retain more productions in California, the CFC added additional application windows this fall. Since the industry experienced a major labor disruption due to the dual strikes last year, the CFC added these windows to demonstrate a proactive commitment to addressing industry needs. This approach included three newly scheduled application windows: two for television series in September and October, followed by one for non-independent feature films in November.
“We are working hard to keep productions filming in California,” said Colleen Bell, director of the California Film Commission. “These tax credits help us keep jobs here in our state and drive economic growth, but the impact goes beyond the entertainment industry – it supports families, local businesses, and communities statewide.”
Collectively, these projects will invest $276 million in below-the-line wages, employing 1,666 cast members, 1,917 crew members, and 28,404 background performers, measured in days worked. The productions will also generate 835 filming days throughout California.
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