The Art Directors Guild (ADG, IATSE Local 800) announces that Stephen Myles Berger, best known for his work in theme parks around the world and on films such as The Sunshine Boys, Basic Instinct and Robin Hood: Men in Tights, will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Set Designers and Model Makers (SDMM) Council at the 24th Annual ADG “Excellence in Production Design” Awards. Berger’s illustrious career spans five decades and has earned him international acclaim. The 2020 ADG Awards will be held at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown in the Wilshire Grand Ballroom on Saturday, February 1, 2020. This is the third of four Lifetime Achievement Awards to be announced by Art Directors Guild.
“Stephen’s artistic abilities have traversed television, film and theme parks for the last half century. Those who have had the chance to work with him enjoy his energy, enthusiasm and skill. We appreciate his years of service as a teacher, a mentor, a trustee in the Guild and are proud to have him as an example of a person who represents the best of the Set Design craft,” said Kristen Davis, ADG Set Designers and Model Makers Council chair.
Berger comes from a family of talented entertainment art directors. His father, Ralph Berger, was an RKO art director, Desilu television pioneer and a member of the Cinemagundi Club, forerunner of today’s Art Directors Guild. Both Stephen and his brother Richard have been members of the Guild since the early ‘60s.
Stephen Myles Berger’s list of television credits reads like the history of the entertainment industry over the past 50 years, including Scandal, Malcolm in the Middle, Desperate Housewives, Wonder Woman, MacGyver, Hawaii Five-O, Spiderman and Serpico. His numerous film credits include The Way We Were, The Adventures of Pipi Longstocking, Silent Movie, The Sunshine Boys and Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
Berger’s talents transitioned to award winning designs of numerous theme parks around the globe including Universal Studios Theme Parks in Los Angeles, Orlando and Japan; Magic Mountain in California; Motion Gate Theme Park in Dubai; MGM/Disney Studios in Orlando; Sama World Theme Park in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia; and Six Flags Over Mid-America in St. Louis.
He studied at Chouinard Art Institute and University of Southern California. He is a member of the Motion Picture and Television Academies and is currently an ADG trustee.
The ADG Lifetime Achievement Awards are presented to outstanding individuals in each of the guild’s four crafts. As previously announced, Joe Alves will receive the ADG Lifetime Achievement Award from the Art Directors Council (AD) and Denis Olsen from the Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists Council (STG). The honoree for the Illustrators and Matte Artists Council (IMA) will be announced shortly.
The producer of this year’s ADG Awards (#ADGawards) is production designer Scott Moses, ADG. Online nomination voting will be held November 18–December 6, 2019. Nominations will be announced December 9, 2019. Online balloting will be held December 18, 2019–January 30, 2020 and winners will be announced at the dinner ceremony on Saturday, February 1, 2020. ADG Awards are open only to productions when made within the U.S. by producer’s signatory to the IATSE agreement. Foreign entries are acceptable without restrictions.
SMPTE elects board officers, regional governors
SMPTEยฎ,the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has revealed the board officers and regional governors who will serve terms beginning in January 2025.
Three new officers--Richard Welsh as SMPTE president, Eric Gsell as SMPTE executive VP, and Polly Hickling as SMPTE Education VP--have been elected for a two-year term from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026. One SMPTE officer, Lisa Hobbs, will be continuing her service as SMPTE secretary and treasurer for another two-year term. Additionally, Raymond Yeung will be stepping into the role of standards VP on Jan. 1, 2025.
โSMPTEโs membership has spoken,โ said SMPTE interim executive director Sally-Ann DโAmato. โThese officers have been tasked with an important responsibility, one each of them is prepared to tackle head-on. These next two years are looking bright for SMPTE!โ
In addition to the officers, 10 regional governors were elected by the Society to serve two-year 2025-2026 terms.
These include the following regional governors, re-elected to continue their service:
Asia-Pacific Region Governor
Tony Ngai, Society of Motion Imaging Ltd.
EMEA - Central & South America Region Governor
Fernando Bittencourt, FB Consultant
United Kingdom Region Governor
Chris Johns, Sky UK.
USA - Central Region Governor
William T. Hayes, Consultant
USA - Eastern Region Governor
Dover Jeanne Mundt, Riedel Communications
USA - Western Region Governor
Jeffrey F. Way, Open Drives
Also elected were four newcomers to the SMPTE Board:
Canada Region Governor
Jonathan Jobin, Grass Valley
USA - Hollywood Region Governor
Allan Schollnick, Voxx... Read More