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nations and regions
good vibrations
BAFTA/LA is teaming up with the American Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (ATAS) to honour British talent nominated for the 2003 Primetime Emmy Awards. This 1st Annual Emmy Nominees Tea Party is simi- lar to the highly successful BAFTA/LA Tea Party honouring nominees for the British and American Film Awards (now in its 10th year). This highly anticipated celebration, leading up to the 55th Emmy Awards and spon- sored by BBC America and the St. Regis Hotel Los Angeles, is a visi- ble example of the success of British talent and the British shows and formats now appearing on television throughout the world.
The Nominees Tea Party is recognition of the exceptional contributions that U.K. talent has made to television in the United States. It is also a chance to increase the ties between Hollywood television professionals and their London counterparts, says BAFTA/ LA Chairman, Gary Dartnall. “It’s been building for a long time, since before Three’s Company (which began as a British sitcom). There are a lot of very talented British professionals working in Los Angeles. In addi- tion, the American broadcasters are sophisticated enough to keep a very close eye on Britain for formats and for talent that can transfer to the United States,” Dartnall maintains.
Coupling, Weakest Link and American Idol are just a few of recent successful British formats to have established a large American audience. While the British have rarely been strangers at the Emmy awards, the list of this year’s nominees is extraordi- nary. Helen Mirren is up for two Emmy awards, for her lead role in The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone and her supporting role in Door to
Door. Also up for awards are British actors Maggie Smith and Helena Bonham Carter. Other high-profile British names on the nominees list include writer Hugh Whitemore (My House in Umbria); producers Jon Cassar and Joel Surnow (24); Danny Cannon, executive producer of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and directors Mick Jackson (Live From Baghdad) and Richard Loncraine (My House in Umbria). These are just a few of the British nominees this year.
“I think (our higher profile) has been helped by the proliferation of channels in the United States in recent years,” Dartnall suggests. The multi-channel environment has not only provided a platform here for British programming on such outlets as BBC America, A&E and PBS, but has also seen wide- spread recruitment from the United Kingdom for the big cable networks such as HBO, Showtime and TNT.
Rebecca Segal, BBC Senior VP, US Acquisitions and Co-productions and the co-chair of BAFTA/LA’s TV Committee along with Granada’s Antony Root, points to the prolifera- tion of big British entertainment companies now based in Hollywood. “You have the BBC, Granada, Carlton, Fremantle, 19 Prods., September Films and RDF, among others. It’s probably the biggest British presence ever to have been located here”.
Television Academy President Todd Leavitt said “Having been a member of BAFTA/LA for many years and having had many busi- ness dealings with the British film and television industries, it gives me great pleasure to see this year’s nominees celebrated with this new event”
BTritannia rules
he run-up to the 12th Annual Britannia Awards is also keep- ing the BAFTA/LA office very busy. This year’s star-studded Gala Dinner will be held on 8th November at The Century Plaza Hotel & Spa. The Britannia Awards have become the biggest British entertainment event in America in recent years.
BAFTA/LA is proud to announce that Hugh Grant will receive the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film; Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman & CEO Sony Corporation of America will receive the Britannia Award for Contributions to Worldwide Entertainment; Australian director, Peter Weir, will receive the first Annual John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Artistic Excellence and Angela Lansbury CBE will receive the Britannia Award for Lifetime Achievement in Television and Film.
Honourees are selected for their excellence and contribution to international entertainment. Last year’s recipients were George Lucas and HBO Original Programming. Previous honourees include Steven Spielberg KBE, Sir Peter Ustinov, Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, Sir Michael Caine CBE, Martin Scorsese, Anthony Hopkins, Dustin Hoffman, Bob and Harvey Weinstein, Aaron Spelling, John Travolta, and the late Stanley Kubrick, for whom the Film Award was renamed in 1999. This presti- gious award has twice presented by members of the British Royal Family, and HRH Prince Edward is expected to present the Britannia Award this year. As always, BAFTA/LA looks forward to hosting many BAFTA members, and encourages members to visit www.baftala.org for the latest news regarding entertainment and presenters for this prestigious Gala Dinner.
DBay-to-day at BAFTA/LA AFTA/LA is dedicated and committed to various other activities as well as screen- ings and Q&As. Recent seminars have explored the business of writing for film, the business of writing for television, and the busi- ness of directing. The next semi- nar will explore the Business of Commercials, and will be moder- ated by John Cleese. Panelists will include many acclaimed international directors and pro- ducers. BAFTA/LA encourages its members and fellow professionals in the Los Angeles entertainment industry to attend these seminars, and especially enjoys welcoming visitors from the UK.
The Academy is pleased to announce that Zoe Green, a Cambridge graduate studying Film Directing/Production at UCLA, is the most recent winner of BAFTA/LA’s Fellowship. British students studying film and televi- sion in Los Angeles are eligible to apply for this fellowship, which is awarded annually to graduate students at UCLA.
IBn the archive
AFTA/LA has recently had several inquiries regarding licensing its growing Heritage Archive Video Interviews. These archive tapes, now also on DVD, are available to students and professionals for research and education. Over 20 videotapes are now available, including among others, inter- views with Ken Adam OBE, Ken Annakin OBE, Sir Michael Caine CBE, Dick Clement and Ian LaFrenais, Anne V. Coates, Guy Green, Patrick Macnee, Sir Ian McKellen CBE, Sir John Mills CBE, Roger Moore, Ronald Neame CBE, Sir Alan Parker CBE, and a soon-to-be completed archive tape with Jean Simmons.
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