Los Angeles, Calif. (August 21, 2010) – The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences on Saturday, awarded the Creative Arts Primetime Emmy Awards for programs individual achievements of 2009 at the 62nd Emmy Awards presentation at the NOKIA Theatre. Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Development were announced at an August 14 ceremony. Prime Time Emmys were presented Sunday at the 2010 Primetime Emmy Awards telecast. Emmys in 26 other categories will be presented August 29, during the 2010 Primetime Emmy Awards telecast.
Lao American Thavisouk Phrasavath won an Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit In Nonfiction Filmmaking for his film “Betrayal (Nerakhoon).”
Executive Producers Simon Kilmurry and Cara Mertes, along with producers Ellen Kuras and Flora Fernandez-Marengo worked in Association with American Documentary/POV for the television premiere of the Pandinlao Films, LLC production.
Nerakhoon was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
Phrasavath, who was raised in Laos during the Vietnam War, escaped to Thailand refugee camp after his father is sent to a re-education camp. He reunited with his mother and siblings and they went to America together to build a new life.
The film directors Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath followed Phrasavath as he returned to Laos as an adult to see his grandmother and sisters that were left behind. He witnesses the changes after 20 years and the impact that isolation and poverty in the communist nation has done to his family.
The competition for the award included My Lai (PBS, Ark Media); Brick City (Sundance Channel), with Mala Chapple, executive producer; Patti Smith: Dream Of Life (PBS); Pressure Cooker (BET) and Sergio (HBO).
Phrasavath was just in Minneapolis two weeks ago to speak at the first National Lao Writers Conference. He reminded the participants to not only be dream chasers, but to be “dream makers.”
Director Barak Goodman won Outstanding Directing For Nonfiction Programming for his film, My Lai (PBS, Ark Media productions). Dan Reed, Director of Terror In Mumbai (HBO) was also nominated.
Easter Xua is the Camera Operator on the Dancing With The Stars (ABC–BBC) technical crew that won the Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control For A Series, for its Episode 909A.
Easter Xua also ran a camera for three other productions all nominated for Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special. He worked on 82nd Annual Academy Awards (ABC); The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards (CBS); and the award winner, 25th Anniversary Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Concert (HBO) – a program that also won for Best Technical Direction, Camerawork and Video Control in the specials category.
The Outstanding Picture Editing For Nonfiction Programming went to By The People: The Election Of Barack Obama (HBO). The editing team included Sam Pollard, Geeta Gandbhir and Arielle Amsalem with the Green Film Company, Citi Productions, Class 5 Films and GOOD.
Ramin Djawadi was nominated for Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score) for his work on FlashForward – No More Good Days (ABC). The award went to Sean P. Callery, for his work on 24 (FOX).
Eugene Lee and Akira Yoshimura were members of the Production Design team for Saturday Night Live (NBC); and Mai Sakai was the NFL Network Art Director for The Who Super Bowl Halftime Show (CBS) that were both nominated for Outstanding Art Direction For Variety, Music Or Nonfiction Programming. The award went to the 82nd Annual Academy Awards (ABC).
Vanja Cernjul, Director of Photography for Nurse Jackie (Showtime) was nominated for Outstanding Cinematography For A Half-Hour Series. The award went to Weeds (Showtime).
Agnes Chu was the Producer of “Lost Presents: Mysteries Of The Universe – The Dharma Initiative” (ABC), which was nominated for Outstanding Special Class Program. The award went to the 63rd Annual Tony Awards (CBS).
Jamie Yukio Kawano was the Lead 3D Artist on Stargate Universe (Syfy) for the “Space” episode that nominated for Outstanding Special Visual Effects For A Series. The program was nominated twice. The award went to CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS).
Suzuki Ingerslev was the Production Designer on True Blood, Never Let Me Go, I Will Rise Up (HBO) that was nominated for Outstanding Art Direction For A Single-Camera Series. The award went to The Tudors (Showtime).
Jack Shih and Jenny Yu are Directors of Animation on South Park (Comedy Central – Central Productions) that was nominated for Outstanding Animated Program. The award went to Disney Prep & Landing (ABC).
Somvilay Xayaphone was the scriptwriter for The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack, episode Tee Hee Tummy Tums (Cartoon Network); and Dong Kun Won was the Overseas Director for Adventure Time (Cartoon Network) – both nominated for Outstanding Short-format Animated Program that went to Robot Chicken (Cartoon Network).
Daniel Osaki is the CGI Modeler for “Virtuality” (FOX) that was nominated for Outstanding Special Visual Effects For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special. The award went to The Pacific (HBO), which also won for Outstanding Art Direction For A Miniseries Or Movie; Outstanding Casting For A Miniseries; Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup; Outstanding Makeup For A Miniseries (Non-Prosthetic); and Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Miniseries Or A Movie.
Remi Adefarasin, B.S.C., Director of Photography for The Pacific (HBO) and Ousama Rawi, B.S.C., C.S.C., Director of Photography for The Tudors (Showtime) were both nominated in Outstanding Cinematography For A One Hour Series. The award went to CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS).
Dean Choe was nominated for Outstanding Stunt Coordination for his work on the Human Target (FOX). The award went to Danny Weselis for FlashForward (ABC).
Tim Hatayama is the Music Mixer for American Idol (FOX) that was nominated for Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Variety Or Music Series Or Special. The award went to The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards (CBS).
The award for Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series went to Mad Men (AMC/ Lionsgate Television). Also nominated was Dexter (Showtime), which includes C.S. Lee as a cast member.
The award for Outstanding Makeup For A Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic) went to “Grey’s Anatomy – Suicide Is Painless” (ABC), including Brigitte Bugayong as Key Makeup Artist. Mad Men (AMC Lionsgate), with makeup artist Maggie Fung was also nominated.
The award for Outstanding Hairstyling For A Single-Camera Series went to “Mad Men – Souvenir” (AMC Lionsgate). Castle (ABC) with Yuko T. Koach as key hairstylist was also nominated.
The award for Outstanding Picture Editing For A Special (Single Or Multi-Camera) went to The 25th Anniversary Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Concert (HBO).
The Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation, a juried award, went to Disney Prep & Landing (ABC), which includes Joe Mateo as Storyboard Artist. Chu-Hui Song is the Background Painter for “Generator Rex” (Cartoon Network); and Chris Do is the art director for The Day That Everything Changed (Cartoon Network) were also nominated.
The Outstanding Reality Program award went to Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution (ABC).
