Out of the 58 category winners at the 58th Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards held last Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Chicago Marriott Downtown, 11 were production/non-broadcast companies whose programs aired on local television.
Among those non-station golden statuette awardees was post house Cutters Studios.
It won in the category of Off Air – Directing, for its video version of “Feast,” a play about Chicago’s unique food culture that was presented by multi-cultural Albany Park Theater Project and Cutters. Cutters taped and edited the performance at the Goodman theatre and WTTW/11 aired it last May.
Director was Daniel Andries; Cutters’ Craig Duncan was executive producer; Chris Gotschall edited; colour correction/finish by Christopher Elliot and audio recording, Alison Ho.
Since 2011, Cutters has partnered with APTP to help create videos for its original stage productions. “There are dozens of people in the Cutters Studios family that contribute to these projects and make them possible,” said Duncan.
Nicolas DeGrazia’s Bitter Jester Productions, that has garnered 28 Emmys in 15 years, won two Emmys, out of six nominations: Public/Current Affairs Programming for” A Day in the Life of a Cristo Rey Student,” and WGN/9’s Pat Tomasulo won Outstanding Achievement in On-Camera Talent – Correspondent for their “Pilsen Preps for the Big Event.”
Other non-broadcast station winners were:
Documentary Programs – Cultural to Middle Passage Productions, Inc. for “Standing On Common Ground: Ten Years Later.” Producers, Barbara Allen, Evan Allen-Gessesse, Gail F. Baker, Producers; Rubin Daniels Jr., Catherine Lynch, Darlene Sealls, Associate Producers.
Informational/Instructional Programming – Program/Special/Series to Juneteenth Productions for “Chicago’s True Nature: The Forest Preserves of Cook County” that aired on WYCC. WYCC producers: Judith McCray, Felix Mendez, Jamin Townsley, Eryn Walanka, Heidi Zersen. Supervising producer, Shelley Spencer. Executive producer, Mary Pat Dailey Cross.
Informational/Instructional Programming – Segment to the University of Chicago / University Communications for “Ragsdale Lab: Octopus Intelligence & Genome Research at UChicago.” Producer, Anthony Penta.
Magazine Programming – Program/Special/Series/Segment to Picture Show, LLC for Mike Leonard’s “Nothing Special” Christmas Special.” EPs: Mike Leonard, John O’Brien, Pat O’Brien, Mary Kay Wall. Producers, James Fleischel, Brian Gailey, Brendan Leonard, Matt Leonard, Katie Prentiss, Producers.
Public Affairs/Current Affairs Programming – Program/Special to Rocket Productions for “Reaching for the Stars.” Producers: Charlie Celenza, Hector Perez, Daniel Perez. Reporter: Henry Godinez. (This was Rocket’s sixth Emmy win.)
Human Interest Off-Air – Graphics Arts/Animation/Art Direction/Set Design for “Chicago Cubs’ New Videoboard.” Producers: Aaron Asbury, Mike Fernandez, Patrick Joliat Dahl, Thomas Jurgensen, David Knickerbocker, Alison Miller, Jim Oboikowitch, Matt Romito.
Sports program Feature/Segment to Chicago White Sox for “#SoxStories: Southpaw’s Surprise.” Producers Brad Boron, Kevin Maci, Tad Hathaway.
Sports Programs – One Time Special to Banner Collective and Chicago Blackhawks for “Hat Trick.” Co-producers: Will Armistead, Matthew Dominick, Patrick Joliat Dahl, Adam Kempenaar.
To see the entire list of 2015-16 Emmy winners, click here.
