2011 Creative Arts Emmy Award Winners

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Last night, on Reelz, the winners of the Creative Arts Primetime Emmys were announced. Today, let's see how I did, and how you might have done! I'll let you guys know in advance... as per my usual, I didn't do too well. Looks like I scored 14 / 61. Or, if I give myself half-credit on Outstanding Art Direction for a Multi-Camera Series and Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic), 15 / 61, which is still under 25%, LoL... Let's just hope I do better next week with the rest of the awards!

The categories are in the order in which I predicted them originally, and I've listed the winners, with my own thoughts after each category.

Outstanding Art Direction for a Multi-Camera Series
Hot in Cleveland "Sisterhood of the Traveling Spanx," "I Love Lucci: Part Two," & "LeBron Is Le Gone"
- Well, I mentioned that, although I ultimately chose the How I Met Your Mother submission, Hot in Cleveland was my second choice. So, I support the win.

Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series
Boardwalk Empire "Pilot"
- I mentioned that the detail in this show really made it stand apart here, and apparently I wasn't the only one who thought that way!

Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie
Mildred Pierce- I knew I wasn't really qualified to make an educated guess on this one, so it's pretty easy to see that my pick of Downton Abbey just didn't hold up.   

Outstanding Art Direction for Variety, Music or Nonfiction Programming
2010 MTV Video Music Awards
- A winner that I didn't see... they're bound to pop up all over the place. Apparently the art direction was better here than in Gettysburg, but I'm honestly still a little skeptical.

Outstanding Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series
Two and a Half Men "Hookers, Hookers, Hookers" - Steve V. Silver, Director of Photography
- I knew there were some wonderful candidates, however betting on Rules of Engagement apparently wasn't the way to go.

Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series
Boardwalk Empire "Home" - Jonathan Freeman, Director of Photography
- I mentioned that all of the Boardwalk Empire nominees blended together for me... I guess "Home" just stood out more for some people. Regardless, The Good Wife was not a good pick.

Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie
Downton Abbey "Part 1" - David Katznelson, DFF, Director of Photography
- from my prediction: "there's something beautiful about Downton Abbey that I think gives it an edge here."

Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations "Haiti" - Zach Zamboni, Todd Liebler, Directors of Photography
- Maybe I was just too Gettysburg-happy in my choices...

Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming
Deadliest Catch "Redemption Day" - Cinematography Team
- This was one of the blind categories for me, so I can't say I'm all that surprised that something beat my Top Chef choice.

Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
American Masters "John Muir in the New World" - Garth Neustafter
- It's generally not a safe move to choose an animated feature when a non-animation feature is up for the same award. So, Family Guy falls. Worse things have happened. 

Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score)
Mildred Pierce "Part 5" - Carter Burwell
- As brilliant and enriching as Sherlock: A Study in Pink was, Mildred Pierce apparently beat it in the eyes of others. 

Outstanding Music Direction
Harry Connick Jr., In Concert on Broadway (Great Performances) - Harry Connick Jr., Music Director

- Sad as it may be, I'm going to hide my poor selection of the 83rd Annual Academy Awards behind my original claim that "I'd be remiss if I didn't admit that I'm rather clueless in this category." 

Outstanding Original Music & Lyrics
Saturday Night Live "Host: Justin Timberlake" (Song: "Justin Timberlake Monologue") - Katreese Bares, Seth Meyers, Justin Timberlake, John Mulaney
- Well, it was Saturday Night Live. It was just Justin Timberlake as host rather than Jeff Bridges. 

Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
The Borgias (Trevor Morris)
- Big fail for my Camelot. 

Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series
So You Think You Can Dance "Season 7 Finale (Part 2)"

- Meh. I still can't stand any of the entries for this category, so I'm not upset that Conan didn't win.

Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special
53rd Annual Grammy Awards- Another loss on my part because I didn't actually see the nominee that won. The Grammys must have rocked, though, to beat the 83rd Annual Academy Awards.

Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series
Glee
- Glee did have the advantage that they cast a LOT of people as guests on that show. So, no big pains that The Big C did not win.

Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire- I don't know. I had said that "this one is really difficult for me," but I really thought that Game of Thrones was a contender here. So this is probably one of the first times I'm a little stumped and saddened that my pick did not walk away victorious. 

Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or Special
Mildred Pierce- Again, I fail due to lack of knowledge. My selection of Too Big to Fail ended up not making the cut.

Outstanding Costumes for a Series
The Borgias "Lucrezia's Wedding" - Gabriella Pescucci, Costume Designer, Uliva Pizzetti, Costume Supervisor
- What did I say? "I'm not familiar with "Lucrazia's Wedding." So, of course it won. That's the way it goes. Sorry, "Anastasia."

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series
Mad Men "Christmas Comes But Once a Year"
- Here, again, a bit put off. I didn't even justify my vote for Game of Thrones because I felt like it was the clear winner. Apparently not.

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or Special
Dancing with the Stars "Episode 1106"
- Cheers to a win for me!

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or a Movie
The Kennedys- Two wins in a row! See, I think I know something about hairstyling! Game of Thrones SHOULD have won earlier, LoL!

Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic)

Boardwalk Empire "Pilot"

- I had mentioned that I was between the pilot for Game of Thrones and the pilot for Boardwalk Empire, ultimately going with the former... while the latter walked away with the award. Tough call all around.

Outstanding Makeup for a Multi-camera Series (Non-Prosthetic)
Saturday Night Live "Host: Jon Hamm"
- A winner that I didn't see. sigh. too bad, Dancing with the Stars.

Outstanding Makeup for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special (Non-Prosthetic)
The Kennedys
- Once again, lack of knowledge trapped me with going Mildred Pierce instead.

Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a SpecialThe Walking Dead "Days Gone Bye"
- I should have known. Dead things always have an advantage in these areas, LoL. Too bad, Game of Thrones, too bad.

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire "Pilot"
- I got it wrong (went with Dexter), but it doesn't faze me that something else won.

Outstanding Picture Editing for a Comedy Series (Single or Multi-Camera)
How I Met Your Mother "Subway Wars"
- I'm just going to keep my same remarks from before... "This is one where, if I'm wrong, it's because I really don't know what I'm doing. I think that the picture editing for How I Met Your Mother's "Subway Wars" was amazing." 

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or a Movie
Cinema Verite
-More near-blind, more bad guesses. This time, I brought down Mildred Pierce with me.

Outstanding Short-Form Picture Editing
The 2010 ESPY Awards "Images Piece"
- I didn't watch the ESPY Awards. I watched the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, but apparently they didn't measure up. 

Outstanding Picture Editing for a Special (Single or Multi-Camera)
Lady GaGa Presents The Monster Ball Tour - At Madison Square Garden
- a correct guess.

Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming
Freedom Riders
- another correct guess. I'm not doing all that bad with picture editing... LoL. 

Outstanding Picture Editing for Reality Programming
Deadliest Catch "Redemption Day"
- Of course I start to fall as soon as I begin to celebrate. No award for Project Runway this year.

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series

Boardwalk Empire "Pilot"

- well, I did say that I struggle with sound editing, so maybe my pick of The Walking Dead wasn't ideal. Oh well. 

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special
The Pillars of the Earth "The Work of Angels"
- Again, I said Mildred Pierce, and it was wrong. 

Outstanding Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-camera)
Gettysburg
- yay! one right for sound editing!
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)
House "Bombshells"
- I missed in sound mixing... guess I'm not surprised. Though I did think that Glee stood more of a chance.

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie
The Kennedys
- The Kennedys took it over my Mildred Pierce. I think I go too Mildred Pierce-happy, LoL.

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation
Family Guy "Road to the North Pole"
- For some reason, this holiday episode of Family Guy is doing well... and I thought it was ridiculous. Sorry, Parks and Rec!

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special
American Idol "Finale"
- My hypothesis that The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards made the most sense here apparently didn't pan out.

Outstanding Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming
Deadliest Catch "Redemption Day"
- Clearly my angle at picking showing that have music didn't work... American Idol was trumped.

Outstanding Nonfiction Series
American Masters
- Well, I guess it's not that strange that American Masters would beat out Anthony Bourdain. 

Outstanding Nonfiction Special
Gettysburg
- I thought I was getting a little too focused on Gettysburg, but apparently not. I'm not sure why Jaws was my gut instinct, anyway.  

Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming
Gasland by Josh Fox
- Boo for "A Letter to Elia / Reflecting on Kazan" not winning. I liked that American Masters piece!

Outstanding Voice-Over Performance
Futurama "Lrrreconciable Ndndifferences" - Maurice LaMarche
-called it!

Outstanding Animated Program
Futurama 
- It's not my favorite show, but I guess Futurama can top my South Park pick at times.

Outstanding Short-Format Animated Program
Prep & Landing: Operation Secret Santa
- It was a brilliant piece and I'm glad it won. Hopefully it will continue to be a highlight of the holidays in the future. 

Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media

Oscar Digital Experience
- I was torn, but went with something that won, so that makes me happy. 

Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series
Boardwalk Empire "Pilot"
- You know, it seems that Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones are squaring off a lot this year, and I just keep going the wrong way.

Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Special
Gettysburg
- guess I didn't put my foot in my mouth after all! (Reminder, this was what I predicted: "Gettysburg is such an obvious choice to me that I hardly feel the need to finish the list. [Yes, I realize I may have put my foot in my mouth...]").

Outstanding Stunt Coordination
Southland "Graduation Day" - PeeWee Piemonte, Stunt Coordinator
- And I failed miserably in this one. I didn't even have Southland in my top two. Too bad, I think there was some nice stunt work on Spartacus.

Outstanding Main Title Design
Game of Thrones
- Here I went the other way. I went Boardwalk Empire and it was Game of Thrones.

Outstanding Choreography - TIE!!
So You Think You Can Dance Routines: Alice in Mia-Land "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" - Mia Michaels, Choreographer
So You Think You Can Dance Routines: "Scars" - Tabitha D'umo, Napoleon D'umo, Choreographers
- I had a pretty good chance of losing, since I went with Dancing with the Stars when ALL of the other nominees were from So You Think You Can Dance. Oh well. It was interesting to see a tie, tho!

Outstanding Technical Direction Camerawork, Video Control for a Series
American Idol "Finale"
- Fail for SNL. That darn AI always getting in the way...

Outstanding Technical Direction Camerawork, Video Control for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Special
Don Pasquale (Great Performances at the Met)- Here was another case where I didn't know what I was doing. Not upset that The Kennedy Center Honors lost. 

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special
The Kennedy Center Honors
- However I should have stuck with The Kennedy Center here, rather than Bette Midler. 

Outstanding Special Class Programs
64th Annual Tony Awards
- I thought that they deserved to win and they did. Yay!

Outstanding Special Class - Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Programs
The Daily Show Correspondents Explain
- Whoops. But I guess this isn't one of my skilled arenas. Sorry, 30 Rock!

Outstanding Children's Program
A Child's Garden of Poetry
- I wasn't thrilled with the nominees, and I'm not upset that Victorious lost.

Outstanding Children's Nonfiction, Reality or Reality-Competition Program
Nick News with Linda Ellerbee "Under the Influence: Kids of Alcoholics"
- I've always thought that Nick News does a great job. I look forward to their 9/11 project as well.