Society: Last News

Best Picture Oscar nominees CODA, West Side Story and Don’t Look Up were among the winners at the Casting Society’s 37th annual Artios Awards, which were handed out today during a virtual ceremony that streamed live on YouTube. Check out the full list below.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor“CODA,” “Encanto” and “West Side Story” were received top honors at the 37th annual Artios Awards.The Casting Society honors excellence in casting across feature films, television and theater. The organization held a virtual ceremony on Wednesday, also celebrating its 40th anniversary.To kick off the virtual ceremony, a montage commemorating the anniversary as shown, demonstrating the significance of the Casting Society to casting directors and associates, past and present.“We are so excited to honor these immensely talented, creative and hard-working casting directors tonight,” said Casting Society president Kim Williams.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorThe American Society of Cinematographers handed out its top prize in feature film visual storytelling to “Dune.” Last year’s winner, Erik Messerschmidt for “Mank,” presented the feature film prize to Greig Fraser.The 36th Annual ASC Awards ceremony returned to a limited in-person component at the the ASC Clubhouse in Hollywood. Debbie Allen served as the night’s host.Other winners included “Pig,” which won the spotlight award ,and James Laxton, who took home the motion picture, limited series, or pilot made for television award for “The Underground Railroad.”Rachel Morrison, Stephen Hopkins and Jay Holben were among the cinematographers who presented the honoree awards.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor“Dune” and “Encanto” topped the winners at the 58th CAS Awards for outstanding achievement in sound mixing.Other winners included “Mare of Easttown,” while “Summer of Soul (Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” took home the awards for Motion Pictures: Documentary, and “Ted Lasso” scooped Television Series — Half Hour.As previously announced, Paul Massey received the CAS Career Achievement Award, and Ridley Scott was honored with the CAS Filmmaker Award.Massey, unable to attend in-person, accepted the award virtually. However, his mother Bernice,  flew in from England to accept his award, alongside his son Sean. “Paul’s father and I knew from a very early age he was going to revolve around music.

The 58th annual Cinema Audio Society Awards are underway Saturday night in a live, in-person ceremony at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown. The group will be presenting awards in seven categories honoring the year’s best achievements in motion picture and TV sound mixing, with Kristen Vangsness returning to emcee the event.

Vladimir Putin pledged a "self-cleansing" of Russian society.Four private Russian-flagged jets took off from Moscow Vnukovo airport between 10.30am local time this morning and 11am.Danish analyst Oliver Alexander observed the four jets leaving Moscow for Dubai on Thursday morning using flight tracking service FlightRadar24. It is unknown why the jets all flew out of Russia at the same time or who was on them.

Wilson Chapman editorThe Casting Society celebrates its 40-year anniversary this year just as the entertainment industry is marking the diversity and authenticity in the many roles in film and TV from “CODA” and “West Side Story” to “Bridgerton.” In honor of this landmark, the society’s leaders hoped to organize an in-person ceremony for the Artios Awards, their annual event honoring work by casting directors across film, television and theater. But when the Omicron surge showed the pandemic isn’t close to being over, CSA leadership realized it needed to pivot to a remote ceremony.

Mike Myers is back.

surgically-enhanced boobs in front of her kids – but has hit back by claiming her breasts are a "gift to society".Self-proclaimed "hot mum" Jennifer Ferguson has built quite the following on TikTok by being, well, a hot mum.Her long blonde locks, sassy attitude and killer figure have left her 220,000 fans swooning – with gushing 18-year-old lads in her DMs asking her to be their ‘sugar mummy’.The 31-year-old mum-of-three, from America, has proven that you don't have to take a back seat when you become a parent. But sadly, being in the spotlight has opened Jennifer up to criticism from keyboard warriors.

Piers Morgan blasted Jussie Smollett on Twitter today following the news that the American actor has been given jail time for pretending to be a victim of a hate crime.The journalist’s fans on Twitter had a mixed reaction to Piers’ words.Piers, 56, wrote in view of his 7.9 followers on Twitter this morning: “Jussie Smollett, for all his pathetic courtroom squealing, is an entitled, narcissistic, arrogant, lying, hypocritical, race-baiting douchebag…“And his despicable actions were the inevitable consequence of a virtue-signalling society that celebrates & rewards victimhood.”Jussie, 39, has been sentenced to 150 days in jail after a jury found he lied to police about being the victim of a hate crime.Piers’ followers took to the comment section to share their thoughts on the story and the journalist’s unrelenting criticism of the actor.Some people were quite amused by the level of rage Piers displayed over the issue.Cookster636 wrote: “Don't hold back Piers. Just say what you really think.”“But how do you really feel about him?” added Tristan Eley teasingly.“Wish you'd get off the fence Piers!!!” added Chris with a laughing emoji.While others agreed with the journalist, with Taun Richards writing: “For once… I agree with you.”Clarence added: “Spot on as per, thanks for always speaking the truth unlike Jussie.”Simon penned: “Obviously there are a lot of issues with racism in America, but what he did was truly pathetic.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorWhile businesses across the globe have been pulling out of Russia, many have wondered why the music industry largely has not been following suit. While sanctions have severely hampered Russia’s global business and the music industry is a very small part of that business, the optics on continuing to work in the country are not good.CISAC, the global confederation of authors societies such as ASCAP and PRS, has launched a new support fund dedicated to helping the victims of the war in Ukraine, although it stopped short of suspending operations with Russia, as Universal Music Group and many other companies have.

Jon Burlingame editorIn a possible preview of what may take home Oscars for music, “No Time to Die” songwriters Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell and “Encanto” composer Germaine Franco won Society of Composers & Lyricists awards Tuesday night at Los Angeles’ Skirball Center.Franco’s Colombian-flavored music for “Encanto” took the award for outstanding original score for a studio film, overtaking scores for “Dune” and “The Power of the Dog,” among others, in the balloting. Daniel Hart’s medieval sounds for “The Green Knight” won original score for an independent film.

The Society of Composers & Lyricists’ announced the winners of its 3rd Annual SCL Awards this evening at The Skirball Cultural Center. The event, which was hosted by rapper Aloe Blacc, recognizes composers and songwriters in all visual media.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor“Dune” has taken top honors at the VES Awards garnering four awards including Photoreal feature winner. Disney’s “Encanto” was named top animated film, also winning four awards.The Visual Effects Society (VES), the industry’s global professional honorary society, held the 20th Annual VES Awards, the prestigious yearly celebration that recognizes outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in film, animation, television, commercials, video games and special venues.This marks the Society’s 20th VES Awards program, and is being celebrated during the organization’s milestone 25th Anniversary.Industry guests gathered at the Beverly Hilton to celebrate VFX talent in 25 awards categories.  “Foundation” The Emperor’s Peace was named best photoreal episode.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAs more and more companies have cut ties with Russia in the wake of the country’s invasion of Ukraine, many have wondered why more music companies have not done the same.Early Tuesday, the U.K.’s performing rights organization, PRS for Music, said it has formally and immediately suspended its rights representation relationship with RAO, the Russian collecting society for musical works, “pending confirmation of its separation from the Russian Government and those individuals and companies on the sanctions lists.“We are also working with CISAC to consider the ongoing membership of Russian societies in the global network. It is not our desire to punish the Russian composer, songwriter and publisher communities who support peace, and we will work with the global community to identify opportunities to amplify the voices of protest.

Steven Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story for 20th Century Studios and FX’s crime drama Snowfall claimed top honors at the Society Of Camera Operators Awards held virtually on Saturday night, with Mitch Dubin, SOC, and “B” Camera John “Buzz” Moyer, SOC taking home the award for Camera Operator of the Year in Film for their work on the former title, and Manolo Rojas, SOC, and “B” Camera Pauline Edwards, SOC claiming Camera Operator of the Year in Television for their work on the eighth episode of the latter’s fourth season.

Lanark Amateur Musical Society (LAMS) return to the stage of Lanark Memorial Hall later this month with their new musical revue LAMSTRAVAGANZA.

K.J. Yossman The Royal Television Society (RTS) has unveiled the nominees for this year’s RTS Programme Awards.“It’s a Sin” has scored six nominations, including nods for Keeley Hawes and Olly Alexander (pictured above), while Tahar Rahim has been nominated for his performance in “The Serpent.”Of the U.K.’s broadcasters, the BBC scored the most noms, boasting 30 across 24 categories, followed by Channel 4, who scored 28, Sky with 10 and ITV who scored 8.BBC One, ITV and Sky Arts have all been nominated for the Channel of the Year award.

J. Kim Murphy The Set Decorators Society of America has penned an open letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences expressing its “extreme disappointment” regarding the decision to not broadcast certain categories — best production design, particularly — live during this year’s Oscars ceremony.The letter, addressed to Academy president David Rubin, CEO Dawn Hudson, the AMPAS board executive committee and the AMPAS awards committee, expresses solidarity with other branches that the “Academy has elected to demote from equal recognition” during its upcoming ceremony.“The diminution of these specific awards, which you declare to be ‘the fat in need of trimming’ from the broadcast in order to make it more entertaining, is punitive not only to the individual artists singled out for this treatment, but to entire industries represented by each one, who take enormous pride in their part in the creation of each nominated and winning film in the Academy competition,” the letter reads.

Lynwen Brennanm, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Lucasfilm, will be the recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the Visual Effects Society (VES) in recognition of her contributions to visual arts and filmed entertainment.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorThe Visual Effects Society will present Guillermo del Toro with VES Award for Creative Excellence on March 8.del Toro will be honored for his consummate artistry and expansive storytelling that blends iconic visual effects and unforgettable narrative. Harnessing his intuitive vision, del Toro has created a distinctive cinematic style mixing the world of monster movies, comic books and exuberant visuals straight from his imagination.“Guillermo is a fiercely inventive storyteller, who has pushed the boundaries of filmmaking,” said VES Board Chair Lisa Cooke.