HPA Awards opens call for creative entries

The 2023 Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) Awards call for entries for creative categories opened today. Submissions will be accepted until July 28, 2023.

Changes in this year’s awards include additional recognition for Outstanding Restoration, as well as refinement in honours for animation in VFX and colour grading for feature films and episodic non-theatrical work.   

Unique among the many awards shows that honour creative and technical disciplines, the HPA Awards encompass the incredible breadth of talent behind the beauty and spectacle of media and entertainment in a single event. The 2023 gala will mark their 18th year, during which time they have come to be known as the standard bearer for artistry behind the screen. Judged by experts and artists at the top of their careers, submissions for the HPA Awards include the most compelling and beautifully executed work from around the world. 

Submissions are now being accepted in the following competitive categories: 

• Outstanding Color Grading – Live Action Theatrical Feature 

• Outstanding Color Grading – Animated Theatrical Feature 
• Outstanding Color Grading – Live Action Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature 
• Outstanding Color Grading – Animated Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature 
• Outstanding Color Grading – Documentary 
• Outstanding Color Grading – Commercial 

• Outstanding Editing – Theatrical Feature 
• Outstanding Editing – Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature (30 Minutes and Under) 
• Outstanding Editing – Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature (Over 30 minutes) 
• Outstanding Editing – Documentary 
• Outstanding Sound (Design, Editing, Mixing) – Theatrical Feature 

• Outstanding Sound (Design, Editing, Mixing) – Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature 
• Outstanding Sound (Design, Editing, Mixing) – Documentary 
• Outstanding Visual Effects – Live Action Feature 
• Outstanding Visual Effects – Animated Feature 
• Outstanding Visual Effects – Live Action Episode or Series Season 

• Outstanding Visual Effects – Animated Episode or Series Season 
• Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects – Episode or Series Season 
• Outstanding Achievement in Restoration 

The Restoration category launched during the 2022 Awards cycle as a juried (non-submittable) award. In consideration of this award’s status change, entries that were publicly released during the 2022 period of eligibility will be eligible for Awards consideration during the 2023 call for entries. Entries that were publicly released between September 8, 2021 and September 4, 2023 may be submitted. For all other creative categories, to be considered eligible, work must have debuted domestically and/or internationally between September 7, 2022 and September 4, 2023. Membership in the Hollywood Professional Association is not required for submission, and work from outside of the United States is encouraged. 

Seth Hallen, HPA President and a founding member of the HPA Awards Committee, said: “As the HPA Awards have matured, we have seen the need to differentiate documentary work from scripted. These new categories are in direct response to an industry trend, but also to our audience of creatives, who have submitted and promoted this category over the years. At the same time, we see such tremendous work being done in the field of restoration and preservation, and the value of that work to our industry is undeniable. It’s thrilling to announce these additional awards as I open the call for entries for creative categories for the 2023 HPA Awards. I look forward to being gathering again in November to honour, connect, and enjoy what I’m sure will be yet another spectacular event.”   

The call for entries for the HPA Engineering Excellence Award, honouring products and processes representing outstanding technical and creative ingenuity in media, content production, finishing, distribution, and archive, opened last month and submissions will be accepted until June 16, 2023.   

The HPA Awards gala will return to the Hollywood Legion Theatre on November 9. Details for the event, including ticket sales, will be forthcoming. The HPA Awards are made possible through the generous sponsorship of diamond title sponsor Blackmagic Design as well as foundation members Avid, Dolby and Sohonet. For sponsorship or program advertising opportunities, contact Joyce Cataldo at jcataldo@hpaonline.com.

Complete rules, guidelines and entry information for the creative categories and all of the HPA Awards, as well as a list of previous winners, are available at hpaonline.com.