Melissa Jun RowleyThe 2010 Streamy Awards are just two days away, and buzzing members of the Los Angeles web series community can't wait to get their hands on those silver swirly paperweights. If the Streamy Craft Awards that took place Wednesday evening at Los Feliz's Barnsdall Gallery Theater are any indication of what's to come on the big night, there could be a few upsets.
Overall, the modest-sized theater filled with about 285 people contained a most pleasant and uplifting energy. The best part of the ceremony? It was short and sweet, kind of like the host Jim Festante. Fully equipped with quirky jokes and a prop here and there, Festante kept the show moving. However, about 10 minutes into his bit the stage was crashed by what appeared to be an up-and-coming web show creator and his camera operator, who essentially walked around appearing lost and mumbling into Festante's mic before being physically removed from the building by makeshift security guards. Tubefilter co-founder and Streamys producer Marc Hustvedt assured us the act was not staged (but it still seems a little suspect).
Craft Awards crasher makes his move on host Festante; Credit: Erin Broadley
Uhhh…; Credit: Erin Broadley
Crasher gets kicked out of the theater; Credit: Erin Broadley
Highlights of the night included when Kevin Pollak's Chat Show won Best Live Production in a Web Series.
“It feels pretty fucking great,” said Pollak, surrounded by his glowing creative team.
Pollak FTW; Credit: Erin Broadley
We also enjoyed a thank you a cappella serenade from the Auto-Tune the News cast when they nabbed their first award of the night. The harmonizing team took home Best Experimental Web Series and Best Original Music in a Web Series.
Auto-Tune the News rakes in two craft awards; Credit: Erin Broadley
Illeana Douglas accepts for Easy to Assemble; Credit: Erin Broadley
It was no surprise that the Best Product Integration in a Web Series honor went to Easy to Assemble (IKEA). During her acceptance speech, the show's creator and star Illeana Douglas touched upon her creative journey, as well as her concern about net neutrality. “It's not good for us independent producers,” asserted Douglas.
While we thought The Bannen Way was a shoe-in for Best New Web Series, the accolade went to the high-profile press generator Odd Jobs. But Bannen didn't walk away empty-handed. The show's editor Zack Arnold accepted the award for Best Editing in a Web Series.
Zack Arnold represents The Bannen Way and accepts award for Best Editing in a Web Series; Credit: Erin Broadley
Only in its second year, the production value among the nominees and Streamy Awards prestige has been amplified.
After the ceremony Hustvedt told L.A. Weekly, “There's certainly more players than last year that are making what you would call a web show or a web series. More professionals have started to embrace this medium [web video], so that ups the ante.”
The 2010 Streamy Awards will be broadcast live April 11 on the Streamys site at 5:30pm PST/8:30pm EST. Tune in, because you never know if David Faustino might pull a Kanye on Felicia Day over the Audience Choice Award.
Here is the entire esteemed list of Streamy Craft Award winners:
Best Reality or Documentary Web Series : The Secret Life of Scientists
Best Foreign Web Series: Oz Girl
Best New Web Series: Odd Jobs
Best Companion Web Series: The Office: Subtle Sexuality
Best Experimental Web Series: Auto-Tune the News
Best Editing in a Web Series : The Bannen Way (Zack Arnold)
Best Cinematography in a Web Series: Riese (Christopher Charles Kempinski)
Best Art Direction in a Web Series: Green Porno (Rick Gilbert)
Best Sound Design in a Web Series : Fear Clinic (Kunal Rajan)
Best Visual Effects in a Web Series: Fear Clinic (Jason Bergman, Nicholas Onstad, Bethany Onstad, Jason Knetge, Erik Porn, Ikuo Saito, David Dang)
Best Animation in a Web Series: the Goob (Magnus Jansson)
Best Original Music in a Web Series: Auto-Tune the News (Evan Gregory, Andrew Gregory, Michael Gregory, Sarah Gregory)
Best Live Production in a Web Series: Kevin Pollak's Chat Show
Best Interactive Experience in a Web Series: Valemont
Best Product Integration in a Web Series: Easy to Assemble (IKEA)
Best Mobile Experience in a Web Series: Valemont U
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