Three Production Design Oscar nominees took the top film trophies tonight at the 20th annual Art Directors Guild Awards at the Beverly Hilton. The Martian won for Contemporary Film, The Revenant picked up Period Film, and Mad Max: Fury Road raced away with Fantasy Film.
“Coming up here to the stage, I tried to control my breathing with yoga techniques — it didn’t work,” The Martian production designer Arthur Max said. “I’m going to ask for a refund for all those classes. The Martian is meant as a celebration of the human species. Using our wit and ingenuity to ultimately survive; sounds like every art department I’ve been with.” Of director Ridley Scott, he added, “He’s made the best film on this or any other planet.”
Said The Revenant PD Jack Fisk: “I’m kind of shocked,” Fisk said. “I’ve been humbled by all the talent in this room. It’s a great honor coming from art directors. I don’t feel worthy.”
Colin Gibson, tonight’s winner for Mad Max, said: “It never ceases to annoy me on how many people it takes to make me look competent. … I’d like to propose a toast to us: to the luckiest people in the world –all of us in this room.”
On the TV side, Deborah Riley and Game Of Thrones made it back-to-back ADG Awards to go with their repeat Emmy wins, and House Of Cards’ Steve Arnold won after being nominated last year. Other small-screen winners were American Horror Story, The Big Bang Theory, Key & Peele and The Muppets.
Five-time Oscar nominee David O. Russell was on hand to accept the guild’s Cinematic Imagery Award, presented to filmmakers whose work has “richly enhanced the visual aspects of the moviegoing experience.” “Our films are very specific, not giant-looking films,” he said. “We really really care a lot about what they look like and what they feel like. It’s the heart of soul of the film.” He also talked about how simple things like getting the right portrait in a Jersey home are very important to him. “Those are the things that make me so happy I want to die.” He told the crowd, “We all bleed together and we live together to make stories — and what better way to live our lives.”
The ADG recognized four people with its Lifetime Achievement Award: Oscar winning production designer Patrizia Von Brandenstein (Amadeus); Oscar-nominated matte artist Harrison Ellenshaw (The Black Hole); scenic artist Bill Anderson (The Sound Of Music); and William J. Newmon II (Poltergeist), Hollywood’s first African-American set designer.
Jeanine Oppewall introduced the 2016 ADG Hall of Fame inductees by saying, “It’s the year of the woman in the Art Directors Guild.” They are production designer Carmen Dillon, Oscar winner for 1948’s Hamlet; production and costume designer Patricia Norris, a six-time Oscar nominee including for 12 Years A Slave; production designer and illustrator Dorothea Holt Redmond, who worked on Gone With The Wind, The 10 Commandments, Rear Window and The Best Years Of Our Lives; and art director and set designer Dianne Wager, whose credits include Jurassic Park III, The Green Mile, Lethal Weapon 2 and Spaceballs..
Robert Osborne, who has served as host of Turner Classic Movies (TCM) since its 1994 launch, was set to receive the inaugural William Cameron Menzies Award for championing classic motion pictures but had a bad cold and could not attend.
ADG’s Marcia Hinds announced during the show that the guild’s trophy was redesigned this year and named for the first time. The Cinemagundi is named for the Hollywood art directors club started in 1924.
Here is the complete list of winners:
CONTEMPORARY FILM
THE MARTIAN
Production Designer: ARTHUR MAX
PERIOD FILM
THE REVENANT
Production Designer: JACK FISK
FANTASY FILM
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
Production Designer: COLIN GIBSON
ONE-HOUR PERIOD OR FANTASY SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
GAME OF THRONES: “High Sparrow,” “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken,” “Hardhome”
Production Designer: DEBORAH RILEY
ONE-HOUR CONTEMPORARY SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
HOUSE OF CARDS: “Chapter 29,” “Chapter 36”
Production Designer: STEVE ARNOLD
TELEVISION MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES
AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL: “Checking In”
Production Designer: MARK WORTHINGTON
HALF HOUR SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
THE MUPPETS: “The Ex-Factor,” “Pig’s in a Blanket”
Production Designer: DENISE PIZZINI
AWARDS OR EVENT SPECIAL
THE OSCARS: 2015
Production Designer: DEREK McLANE
MULTI-CAMERA SERIES
THE BIG BANG THEORY: “The Skywalker Incursion,” “The Mystery Date
Observation,” “The Platonic Permutation”
Production Designer: JOHN SHAFFNER
VARIETY, REALITY OR COMPETITION SERIES
KEY & PEELE: “Ya’ll Ready For This?” “The End”
Production Designer: GARY KORDAN
SHORT FORMAT: WEB SERIES, MUSIC VIDEO OR COMMERCIAL
APPLE MUSIC: “The History of Sound”
Production Designer: JESS GONCHOR
The show is getting under way about 20 minutes after the scheduled start time.
Robert Osborne will receive the inaugural William Cameron Menzies Award before the first award is given out. It recognizes his 35 years as a film historian, columnist, critic and trade reporter championing visual entertainment.
Osborne’s also the official biographer of the Academy Awards. His book, 85 Years of the Oscar, was written at the request of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and has been called the definitive tome on the subject.
Comic and actor Owen Benjamin is hosting tonight for the third consecutive year.
The William Cameron Menzies Award is named for the credited production designer on Gone With the Wind.
The crowd was just told that Robert Osborne is home sick with a bad cold, so Diane Baker accepted the Menzies Award on his behalf.
Accepting for Osborne, Baker said: ““He is sick with a bad cold. He said, ‘Would you please tell [the art directors] how incredible grateful I am?’”
He see the films, he knows the work you do … He’s found this incredible synergy with TCM.”
Host Benjamin says: “Give it up for the people who put this show together because they didn’t have power for most of they day… In LA the electricity goes out from a gust of wind.”
Among the scheduled presenters tonight are Bryan Cranston, Josh Brolin. Aubrey Plaza, Anthony Anderson, Will Forte, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Jaime Pressley, Thomas Middleditch, Kunal Nayyar, Amy Landecker and Nicey Nash
The first award tonight will be for shortform — web series, music video or commercial.
Jennifer Jason Leigh also set to present tonight. Can’t forget her!
Winner:
SHORT FORMAT: WEB SERIES, MUSIC VIDEO OR COMMERCIAL
APPLE MUSIC: “The History of Sound”
Production Designer: JESS GONCHOR
““These things [commercials] are so short and you don’t always get to do what you want to do,” Jess Gonchor says, praising the director for a great collaboration giving him the liberty to do what he wanted to do.
Here’s the winning ad:
Winner:
VARIETY, REALITY OR COMPETITION SERIES
KEY & PEELE: “Ya’ll Ready For This?” “The End”
Production Designer: GARY KORDAN
The Key & Peele win came over SNL, Conan, Ellen, The Voice and Top Chef.
“This proves one thing: Comedy Central did not pay for a table. We’re way over there,” Gary Kordan said pointing way to the back.
More from Gary Kordan: “Key & Peele is over. … We did about 400 sketches. We did it week after week for a very small budget, cable budget. … But I couldn’t have done it without my crew — without them I would be staring at a wall.”
Oscar-winning Amadeus production designer Patrizia von Brandenstein is tonight’s first Lifetime Achievement Award honoree. She also was Oscar-nommed for Ragtime and The Untouchables.
“When Marcia Hines called me, I was so thrilled I couldn’t speak,” von Brandenstein said. “I want to talk about how our guild binds us together. … Fear comes because we think we might no be good enough to the challenge. It binds us and it drives us, that’s a good thing.”
More from von Brandenstein: “We share a secret talent because we are magicians, we are shape shifters … and this secret talent means we have to alchemy to change gold into a vision. If you think of it that way, aren’t we so lucky?”
Tom Walch gives a touching tribute to the late Murray Weissman, also a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient: “Murray will remain our guiding light.” He died December 28.
The next career honoree is Bill Newmon, the first African-American set designer. He gets a standing ovation and starts his speech by thanking the people in service, wounded warriors and veterans.
Newmon: “I must give God the glory because without him none of this would’ve happened.”
Winner:
MULTI-CAMERA SERIES
THE BIG BANG THEORY: “The Skywalker Incursion,” “The Mystery Date
Observation,” “The Platonic Permutation”
Production Designer: JOHN SHAFFNER
John Shaffner to presenter Anthony Anderson: “Om sorry we didn’t win for Guys With Kids.”
More Shaffner: “Working with Chuk Lorre is like being struck by lighting multiple times.”
Winner:
AWARDS OR EVENT SPECIAL
THE OSCARS: 2015
Production Designer: DEREK McLANE
And the ADG goes to … the Oscars.
Derek McLane also won the Art Directors Guild Award last year for the 2014 Oscars. He was competing against himself tonight — also being nominated in this category for The Wiz Live.
Jeanine Oppewall introduced the 2016 ADG Hall of Fame inductees by saying, “It’s the year of the woman in the Art Directors Guild.” They are production designer Carmen Dillon, production and costume designer Patricia Norris, production designer and illustrator Dorothea Holt Redmond and art director and set designer Dianne Wager –
Dillon’ credits date to 1938 and include The Omen and an Oscar for 1948’s Hamlet.
Dorothea Holt Redmond, who died in 2009, worked on Gone With the Wind, The 10 Commandments, Rear Window, The Best Years of Our Lives and dozens of other films.
Dillon’s credits date to 1938 and include The Omen and an Oscar for 1948’s Hamlet.
Jeanine Oppewall introduced the 2016 ADG Hall of Fame inductees by saying, “It’s the year of the woman in the Art Directors Guild.” They are production designer Carmen Dillon, production and costume designer Patricia Norris, production designer and illustrator Dorothea Holt Redmond and art director and set designer Dianne Wager.
Dianne Wager worked on such disparate films as Jurassic Park III, The Green Mile, Lethal Weapon 2 and Spaceballs.
Patricia Norris was on hand for her Hall of Fame induction. She received the ADG Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
Norris is a six-time Oscar nominee for 12 Years a Slave, Sunset, 2010, Victor/Victoria, The Elephant Man and Days of Heaven.
Back to the awards now.
Winner:
HALF HOUR SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
THE MUPPETS: “The Ex-Factor,” “Pig’s in a Blanket”
Production Designer: DENISE PIZZINI
It’s the first ADG nod for Denise Pizzini, who was nommed twice before for Community.
“Working on The Muppets is pure joy — it’s the best job ever,” Pizzini says. “It’s exhausting and challenging … but I work with the best group of people, the art departments. … It’s the best way to start our last week of shooting.”
Pizzini added that The Muppets has yet to be renewed for Season 2, “So please watch!”
Winner:
TELEVISION MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES
AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL: “Checking In”
Production Designer: MARK WORTHINGTON
It’s the fourth ADG Award for Mark Worthington — third for the American Horror Story anthology and an another for Ugly Betty. This was his 10th nomination.
“Horror Story is a show that lives up to its name in many respects,” Worthington says in accepting.
Next Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is Harrison Ellenshaw. He did many of the matte visual effects background for Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back.
Ellenshaw also worked on Tron and Francis Ford Coppola’s short Captain Eo, starring Michael Jackson.
Captain Eo, of course, played at Disneyland for many years. Ellenshaw headed Walt Disney Studios’ Buena Vista Visual Effects department from 1990-96, overseeing 63 films.
“I’m very honored and humbled and truly grateful for this,” Ellenshaw said. “Visual storytelling gives hope and power to our dreams.”
The next career honoree, Bill Anderson, also has Disney connections, with his work being featured at Disneyland, Disney’s Epcot Center, Tokyo Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure.
Anderson’s backgrounds and mural artistry can be seen in such classic films as Cleopatra, The Sound of Music, Fantastic Voyage and Hello, Dolly!
Said Anderson: “When I got the call about this award three months ago, I thought it would be a big deal. Wow! This is a huge deal. I’m blown away.”
Two more big TV categories to go before we get to the feature film awards.
OK, host Owen Benjamin just did a song. Some lyrics:
“If emails cost money, producers will stop with the email chains.”
“Steven from the network says he hates blue/Does anyone know who Steven from the network is?/What does he do.”
“There’s not enough budget there’s not enough time/We have the budget for water, but they’re asking for wine.”
Winner:
ONE-HOUR CONTEMPORARY SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
HOUSE OF CARDS: “Chapter 29,” “Chapter 36”
Production Designer: STEVE ARNOLD
Arnold has been the production designer for the Netflix series’ entire run and was nommed for the ADG last year.
He won an ADG for a Call of Duty commercial four years ago.
Tonight’s ceremony was slated to wrap by around 9:30. That ain’t happening.
Winner:
ONE-HOUR PERIOD OR FANTASY SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
GAME OF THRONES: “High Sparrow,” “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken,”
“Hardhome”
Production Designer: DEBORAH RILEY
That makes it two straight ADG Award wins for Deborah Riley and Game of Thrones. She also won for Moulin Rouge! back in 2002.
Riley also has scored back-to-back Emmy wins for HBO’s bloodfest.
“Game of Thrones looks impossible on paper, and it stays that way for a long time,” Riley said. She credits the art department for letting it not stay that way for very long.
There was just some miscommunication between Josh Brolin and the ADG production team. Apparently he changed his speech and they didnt change it on the telepromter, so he just told them to turn it off because he wrote the speech.
“I rewrote the speech,” Brolin said before introducing Cinematic Imagery Award winner David O. Russell. “You can turn that off — I’m serious.”
The guild’s Cinematic Imagery Award honor filmmakers whose work has “richly enhanced the visual aspects of the moviegoing experience.”
David O. Russell, a five-time Oscar nominee, is accepting his award now. “Our films are very specific, not giant-looking films. … We really really care a lot about what they look like and what they feel like. It’s the heart of soul of the film.”
The Fantasy Film category is up next. The nominees are Cinderella, Jurassic World, Mad Max: Fury Road, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and
Tomorrowland.
More from David O. Russell: “I ask for nothing less than meticulous,” he said of his designers.”Movies become a lifeline. I wanted to live in those worlds. I would watch every detail of those worlds.”
Russell also talked about how simple things like getting the right portrait in a Jersey home are very important to him. “Those are the things that make me so happy I want to die.” He told the crowd, “We all bleed together and we live together to make stories — and what better way to live our lives.”
Winner:
FANTASY FILM
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
Production Designer: COLIN GIBSON
This was the first ADG Award nom for Gibosn, who’s also up for the Oscar next month.
“It never ceases to annoy me on how many people it takes to make me look competent,” Gibson said. “I may never get a change again. I like to propose a toast to us: to the luckiest people in the world all of us in this room. To us”
Winner:
PERIOD FILM
THE REVENANT
Production Designer: JACK FISK
It’s the second ADG trophy for Fisk, who also won for There Will Be Blood in 2008. He also scored an Oscar nom for that pic.
I’m kind of shocked,” Fisk said. “I’ve been humbled by all the talent in this room. It’s a great honor coming from art directors. I don’t feel worthy.”
Winner:
CONTEMPORARY FILM
THE MARTIAN
Production Designer: ARTHUR MAX
“Coming up here to the stage, I tried to control my breathing with yoga techniques — it didn’t work,” Arthur Max said. “I’m going to ask for a refund for all those classes. The Martian is meant as a celebration of the human species. Using our wit and ingenuity to ultimately survive; sounds like every art department I’ve been with. With a 13-week schedule, I think possible conceived by Martians. It’’s a triumph.”
Of director Ridley Scott, Risk added, “He’s made the best film on this or any other planet.”
That’s a wrap for tonight.
