In 2021, the Hollywood Professional Association Awards gala will take place as an in person and online event in mid-November. The HPA Awards call for submissions is now open until June 18, 2021.

Celebrating the creative brilliance and ingenuity of the Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) community since 2006, the HPA Awards are sought after recognition by artists, companies, and technologists. The Engineering Excellence Award honors products and processes that have a transformational effect on the ability to realize artists’ creative vision.

Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) serves the professional community of businesses and individuals who provide expertise, support, tools and the infrastructure for the creation and finishing of motion pictures, television, commercials, digital media and other dynamic media content. HPA continues to extend its support of the community it represents.

HPA Engineering Excellence Awardees have demonstrated creative ingenuity to develop breakthrough technologies in media, content production, finishing, distribution, and archive. Recipients of the 2020 HPA Engineering Excellence Award were EIZO Prominence CG3146 31.1; Eluvio Content Fabric; Moxion Immediates; and Carl Zeiss SBE eXtended Data.

The 2021 edition introduces some changes to the HPA Awards. Updated rules, procedures and entry processes for the awards are published at hpaonline.com. After successfully moving to virtual judging of Engineering Excellence Award submissions in 2020, that process will continue with remote presentations during July of 2021.

The benefits of virtual judging

Joachim Zell, Chair of the HPA Engineering Excellence Award Committee and HPA Board member, said, “As the HPA pivoted very quickly last year – for submission, judging and the awards gala – moving Engineering Excellence to a virtual judging was one change that benefitted both those who were submitting and the judges. Removing the constraints of geography enables a global pool of presenters and judges, expanding our ability to see the most interesting technologies and products and put an outstanding, global, influential pool of judges in the room for a best-in-class evaluation process. It simply worked perfectly last year. The sessions remained passionate and collegial and very competitive. The Engineering Excellence presentations are always just remarkable and I am looking forward to seeing what our industry has to present.”

As in 2020, applicants will engage in a two-step process: submission of written elements and a brief pre-recorded presentation, followed by a live, virtual Q&A with a blue ribbon panel of judges. Zell concluded, “We’re gathering an esteemed panel of judges made up of recognized industry and subject matter experts. Our live, online interaction with judges will maintain our focus on the non-commercial, interactive nature of the submission process. Keeping the process completely free of marketing and commercial presentations and focused on the actual products and their impact makes this honor tremendously meaningful for the submitters.”

Fees, guidelines and entry information

Seth Hallen, President of HPA, commented, “Shining a spotlight on the incredible talent and persistence of our industry is at HPA’s core. Especially given the extraordinary advances of technology through the events of the past year, we are excited to celebrate the engineering and technology communities that have been absolutely crucial in the ability for us to continue working. We look forward to cheering the companies and the individuals who will be participating in the Engineering Excellence award.”

The recipients of the Engineering Excellence Award as well as the Judges Award for Creativity and Innovation will both be announced in advance of the awards and presented during the online show. Detailed information about the creative categories, which will be opening in the coming weeks, is forthcoming.

The HPA Awards take place thanks to the generosity of sponsors, including Diamond Title Sponsor Blackmagic Design. For information about sponsoring the HPA Awards, please contact Joyce Cataldo at [email protected].

For more information about the HPA Awards, including the latest and most complete rules and procedures, fees, guidelines and entry information, please visit www.hpaawards.com.