17th Annual Art Directors Guild awards

The great thing about the Art Directors Guild awards is that it is broader than say the Oscars, so period dramas are not competing with sci-fi or modern contemporary art direction. 15 feature films, in three different categories, have been nominated for the 17th annual Art Directors Guild Excellence in Production Design Awards. The ceremony, with Paula Poundstone (Wait, Wait, Dont Tell Me) serving as host for the fourth year, will take place February 2nd at the Beverly Hilton.

With the much closer working relationship between art department and visual effects than ever before, we proudly list this year’s nominees. Among them are outstanding work in so many areas – a few that really shone for us in the fxguide office. Argo’s perfect early 1980s styling – perfect but subtle – as was Skyfall – and every one of the films in the Fantasy category – Cloud Atlas/Pi/Prometheus/DKR/Hobbit – not a missed note in art direction between them (art department and VFX in perfect harmony).  It is also great to see Art Direction in television from such great shows as Game of Thrones, Game Change and Hatfields and McCoys. Plus TV spots like Halo 4.

NOMINEES FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A FEATURE FILM IN 2012

A scene from Argo.
Period Film

ANNA KARENINA
Production Designer: Sarah Greenwood
ARGO
Production Designer: Sharon Seymour
DJANGO UNCHAINED
Production Designer: J. Michael Riva
LES MISÉRABLES
Production Designer: Eve Stewart
LINCOLN
Production Designer: Rick Carter

Fantasy Film

CLOUD ATLAS
Production Designer: Uli Hanisch, Hugh Bateup
LIFE OF PI
Production Designer: David Gropman
PROMETHEUS
Production Designer: Arthur Max
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
Production Designers: Nathan Crowley, Kevin Kavanaugh
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
Production Designer: Dan Hannah

Daniel Craig in Skyfall.
Contemporary Film

FLIGHT
Production Designer: Nelson Coates
SKYFALL
Production Designer: Dennis Gassner
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
Production Designer: Alan MacDonald
THE IMPOSSIBLE
Production Designer: Eugenio Caballero
ZERO DARK THIRTY
Production Designer: Jeremy Hindle


NOMINEES FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION DESIGN IN TELEVISION FOR 2012

Commercials and Music Videos

BUDWEISER
Episode: The Return of the King  Production Designer: Jason Hamilton
MACY’S
Episode: Dream  Production Designer: Carlos A. Menendez
NIKE
Episode: Fast is Faster  Production Designer: Tino Schaedler
NIKE+
Episode: Game On World  Production Designer: James Chinlund
X-BOX
Episode: Halo 4 Commissioning  Production Designer: Christopher Glass

A scene from Game of Thrones.
One-Hour Single Camera Television Series

BOARDWALK EMPIRE
Episode: Resolution
Production Designer:Bill Groom
DOWNTON ABBEY
Episode: Christmas Special
Production Designer: Donal Woods
GAME OF THRONES
Episode: The Ghost of Harrenhal
Production Designer: Gemma Jackson
HOMELAND
Episode: The Choice
Production Designer: John D. Kretschmer
NEWSROOM
Episode: We Just Decided To
Production Designer:Richard Hoover

Television Movie or Miniseries

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM
Episode: I Am Anne Frank, Part 2
Production Designer: Mark Worthington
GAME CHANGE
Production Designer: Michael Corenblith
HATFIELDS and MCCOYS
Episode: Ep.#1.1-Night One, Ep.#1.2-Night Two, Ep.#1.3-Night Three
Production Designer: Derek R. Hill
HEMINGWAY & GELLHORN
Production Designer: Geoffrey Kirkland
MOCKINGBIRD LANE
Production Designer: Michael Wylie

Hemmingway & Gellhorn is one of the nominated television or miniseries productions.
Episode of a Half Hour Single-Camera Television Series

COMMUNITY
Episode: Pillows and Blankets   Production Designer: Denise Pizzini
GIRLS
Episode: Pilot   Production Designer: Judy Becker
MODERN FAMILY
Episode: Mystery Date   Production Designer: Richard Berg
PARKS & RECREATION
Episode: Soda Tax   Production Designer: Ian Phillips
THE NEW NORMAL
Episode: Sofa’s Choice   Production Designer: Tony Fanning

Episode of a Multicamera, Variety, or Unscripted Series

2 BROKE GIRLS
Episode: And The Silent Partner  Production Designer: Glenda Rovello
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION  Production Designer: Bruce Rodgers
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
Episode: The Magicians Code Part 1  Production Designer: Stephan Olson
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
Episode: Mick Jagger Host  Production Designer: Keith Raywood
THE VOICE
Production Designer: Anton Goss, James Pearse Connelly

Awards, Music, or Game Shows

84th ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS
Production Designer: John Myhre
GRAMMY NOMINATION CONCERT LIVE
Episode: Countdown  Production Designer: Matthew Russell
SUPER BOWL XLVI
Episode: Halftime Show Starring Madonna  Production Designer: Bruce Rodgers
THE 64th ANNUAL PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS
Production Designer: Steve Bass
THE AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS, 40th ANNUAL
Production Designer: Joe Stewart