The Art Directors Guild (ADG, IATSE Local 800) announced winners of its 24th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards in 11 categories of film, television, commercials, music videos and animation features, during a black-tie dinner gala at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown on Saturday night, February 1, 2020. Parasite (Lee Ha-Jun), Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (Barbara Ling), Avengers: Endgame (Charles Wood), Toy Story 4 (Bob Pauley) won Best Production Design for Feature Film. Television winners included The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Bill Groom), The Big Bang Theory (John Shaffner), The Umbrella Academy (Mark Worthington), Russian Doll (Michael Bricker), and Chernobyl (Luke Hull) respectively. Additional winners include MedMen: The New Normal (James Chinlund) and Drunk History (Monica Sotto).
The awards took place before an audience of more than 950, including guild members, industry executives and press. ADG President Nelson Coates, ADG, and Art Directors Council Chair Mark Worthington, ADG, presided over the awards ceremony with actress/comedian Debra Wilson serving as host. Producer of this year's ADG Awards (#ADGawards) was Production Designer Scott Moses, ADG.
“The 24th ADG Awards is dedicated to elevating our members. By raising the bar and lifting each other up, we create something special. This year’s nominees are shining examples of how, working together as a team, there are no limits to our imagination. We extend this approach to connect our members globally, widen our influence and expand the creativity of future generations of Designers,” said Moses.
Chuck Lorre, award winning television producer, writer and director, received the esteemed Cinematic Imagery Award, honoring his prestigious spectrum of extraordinary work over the past 20 years, and for keeping the multi-camera sitcom alive in creating hit series that generate mass appeal. A wonderful clip reel was presented, spotlighting the spectrum of Lorre’s award-winning work including the acclaimed comedies Young Sheldon, Mom, The Kominsky Method, The Big Bang Theory, Mike & Molly, Cybill, Dharma & Greg and Grace Under Fire, among many others. Bill Gardell, star of Bob ♥ Abishola, one of Chuck Lorre’s many shows currently on the air, presented the prize.
The late Oscar®-nominated Production Designers William J. Creber, best known for his work on the Irwin Allen disaster flicks The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno and the first three Planet of the Apes movies, and Roland Anderson, best known for his work on Breakfast at Tiffany’s, White Christmas and Cecil B. DeMille’s Cleopatra, were inducted into the ADG Hall of Fame for their extraordinary contributions to the visual art of storytelling with a special presentation by Production Designer Jack Taylor, ADG.
Syd Mead, the “visual futurist” and concept artist known for his design contributions to science-fiction films such as Star-Trek: The Motion Picture, Aliens, and Blade Runner, was honored with the esteemed William Cameron Menzies Award posthumously by director Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049). Receiving a standing ovation, Syd’s longtime partner Roger Servick accepted the special award recognizing his innovative neo-futuristic concept artwork on numerous legendary movies.
The Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to outstanding individuals in each of the guild’s four crafts. Oscar®-nominated Production Designer Joe Alves, ADG, best known for his work on Close Encounters of the Third Kind and the three Jaws films, received the ADG Lifetime Achievement Award from the Art Directors Council (AD), presented by Makeup Artist Greg Nicotero (Watchmen, The Walking Dead). Denis Olsen, a prolific artist on movies, television, theater and commercials known for his work on Ghostbusters, Rocky 2 & 3, The Muppet Movie, Romancing the Stone and Poltergeist, was honored by the Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists Council (STG), presented by Scenic Artist Jim Fiorito, ADG (Patriot Games). Stephen Myles Berger, ADG, spotlighted for his work in theme parks around the world and on films such as Sunshine Boys, Basic Instinct and Robin Hood: Men in Tights, was awarded by the Set Designers and Model Makers (SDMM) Council, presented by Production Designer Norm Newberry, ADG,(Avatar). Jack Johnson, ADG, best known for his work on films such as Edward Scissorhands, Toys and Jurassic Park III, was honored by the Illustrators and Matte Artists (IMA) Council, presented by Production Designer Bo Welch, ADG (A Series of Unfortunate Events).
Additional presenters for this year’s awards included Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek), Jim Norton (The Irishman), Alex Meneses (Why Women Kill), Melissa Joan Hart (No Good Nick), Eddie McClintock (No Good Nick), James Maslow (Katy Keene), Ed Begley Jr. (Bless This Mess), Anthony Alabi (Family Reunion), Kate Nash (Glow), among others.
Here are the winners at the 24th Annual Art Directors Guild Awards:
EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A FEATURE FILM:
PERIOD FILM
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Production Designer: Barbara Ling
FANTASY FILM
Avengers: Endgame
Production Designer: Charles Wood
CONTEMPORARY FILM
Parasite
Production Designer: Lee Ha-Jun
ANIMATED FILM
Toy Story 4
Production Designer: Bob Pauley
EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR TELEVISION:
ONE-HOUR PERIOD OR FANTASY SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: “Ep. 305, Ep. 308”
Production Designer: Bill Groom
ONE-HOUR CONTEMPORARY SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
The Umbrella Academy: “We Only See Each Other at Weddings and Funerals”
Production Designer: Mark Worthington
TELEVISION MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES
Black Mirror: “Striking Vipers”
Production Designer: Annie Beauchamp
HALF HOUR SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
Russian Doll: “Nothing in This World is Easy”
Production Designer: Michael Bricker
MULTI-CAMERA SERIES
The Big Bang Theory: “The Stockholm Syndrome,”
“The Conference Valuation,” “The Propagation Proposition”
Production Designer: John Shaffner
SHORT FORMAT: WEB SERIES, MUSIC VIDEO OR COMMERCIAL
MedMen: “The New Normal”
Production Designer: James Chinlund
VARIETY, REALITY OR EVENT SPECIAL
Drunk History: “Are You Afraid of the Drunk?”
Production Designer: Monica Sotto
The ADG Awards is proud to be sponsored by DESIGN ICON LEVEL: Sweetwater/NEP Live Events; DESIGN INNOVATOR LEVEL: Dazian, McLaren, Shutterstock; PREMIER LEVEL: Gallagher Staging, Inc.; DIAMOND LEVEL: Cush Light, ICM Partners, Sony Pictures Entertainment; PLATINUM LEVEL: Amazon Studios, Astek Wallcovering, NBC Universal Operations, Netflix, United Talent Agency, Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Animation; GOLD LEVEL: Fox Searchlight, The Gersh Agency, Warner Bros. Studio Facilities, Warner Bros. Television, Worldwide Production Agency; DOUBLE SILVER LEVEL: HBO, Local 44, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; SILVER LEVEL: Fox Studio Lot LLC, Murtha Skouras Agency, Neon TV, IMA Council, SDMM Council, STG Council, SDSU, ShowPro, WME Entertainment; VIP TRANSPORTATION: BLS; MEDIA SPONSORS: The Hollywood Reporter, Variety and SHOOT Magazine/SHOOTonline.
About THE ART DIRECTORS GUILD: Established in 1937, the Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800) represents 2,700 members who work throughout the world in film, television and theater as Art Directors; Set Designers and Model Makers; Illustrators and Matte Artists; and Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists. The ADG’s ongoing activities include a Film Society screening series, annual “Excellence in Production Design Awards” gala, bimonthly craft magazine (PERSPECTIVE), figure drawing and other creative workshops, extensive technology and craft training programs and year-round Gallery 800 art exhibitions. For the Guild’s online directory and website resources, go to www.adg.org.