“In Memoriam” segment presents a challenge for the Emmys: “‘First of all, it’s very difficult to make decisions about who is included in the “In Memoriam” package,’ [Emmys executive producer Don] Mischer said. ‘The general practice is 34 to 36 names are included, and it’s very difficult because there are many more people who deserve to be included. All I can say is what we really try to do is identify those people who will create some sort of emotional response among viewers.’ Mischer said that the ‘In Memoriam’ moments are the ones he’s found viewers look forward to most. (You can put me in that camp, to the point where every second spent watching someone singing rather than paying respect to someone onscreen, no matter how moving the song, feels painful.)” VARIETY
The TV Academy considers further changes to the Emmys: “Among the biggest possible changes is one that it’s too late to institute this year. The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is considering whether to add to the number of nominees in the major categories. The Oscars expanded the number of best picture nominees to 10 in 2009 … [Academy chairman and CEO Bruce] Rosenblum also said the academy is ‘carefully’ monitoring the best movie or miniseries category, where three of this year’s nominees — ‘American Horror Story,’ ‘Luther‘ and ‘Sherlock,’ could also be considered drama series. He said the academy would ‘see how “American Horror Story” plays out’ and will keep track of whether each entry should continue to qualify as a miniseries.” THE WRAP
“American Horror Story” not a miniseries, says host Jimmy Kimmel: “FX’s ‘American Horror Story’ may have been allowed to compete in the miniseries category for this year’s Emmy Awards, but this year’s host Jimmy Kimmel certainly has a clear opinion on the matter. ‘It’s not a miniseries — let’s be honest,’ he told a room of television critics today. Meanwhile, Bruce Rosenblum, chairman and CEO of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences defended the board’s decision, following creator Ryan Murphy’s appeal to let ‘Horror Story’ compete as a miniseries. ‘We have a terrific process to vet these kinds of decisions, and our board of governors believed that the show clearly belonged in the miniseries category,’ he said … Kimmel quipped: ‘I’m going to try to qualify as a miniseries next year. It seems like a soft category.'” EW.COM
Industry professionals discuss the Emmys’ visual effects category changes: “According to Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) language describing the Outstanding Special Visual Effects category, eligible nominees are effects-driven programs where VFX are routinely present and essential to the storytelling–shows which could not have been realized without the inclusion of VFX … Meanwhile, the Emmy category Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role honors the overall achievement of VFX in programs where those effects are used on a more modest scale … ‘For me, it made a lot of sense for the Television Academy to set up the two categories this way like the VES,’ said Richard Friedlander, co-founder/partner in Brainstorm Digital and VFX producer for the studio on ‘Boardwalk Empire.'” SHOOT ONLINE
“360” reteams Rachel Weisz with the director who won her an Oscar: “Many Oscar winners return to work with the directors that helped them win their Oscar, to try and rekindle that winning combination. Rachel Weisz won an Oscar in 2006 for her role in ‘The Constant Gardener,’ which was directed by Fernando Meirelles. Six years later she is back working with Fernando on his new film: ‘360.’ Ahead of ‘360’s’ August 10th release, we’ve decided to look at other actors and directors that have worked together again after winning an Oscar.” THE FAN CARPET
