Skip to main content

Netflix, Amazon, HBO take home a ton of Creative Arts Emmys

transparent amazon ratings o facebook
Image used with permission by copyright holder
As we gear up for the 2015 Emmy Awards this Sunday, September 20, a long list of awards have already been doled out on the Creative Arts side. And among them are a number for original series from streaming services like Netflix and Amazon.

Transparent, an Amazon original series, won for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music for its theme song; as well as for Costumes for a Contemporary Series, Limited Series, or Movie. Bradley Whitford, who played Marcy, also took home an award for his guest role on the comedy series.

Netflix’s House of Cards, meanwhile, snagged a number of awards, too. Reg E. Cathey took home an award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series as the lovable, rib-making (now White House-working) Freddy Hayes. The Netflix original series also won for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score.) The Leonardo DiCaprio-produced documentary Virunga also won for Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming.

Related: Get yourself ready for the Emmys with our one-stop guide to this year’s nominations 

If there’s one network that will give streaming TV services a run for its money (and indeed, offers its own streaming alternative), it’s HBO. When it comes to anchor show Game of Thrones, the network won in a number of categories, including Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic), Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary of Fantasy Program (one hour or more),  Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series, Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series, Outstanding Sound Mixing, Outstanding Special Visual Effects, and Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Limited Series, or Movie.

HBO also won for Outstanding Documentary and Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming for its biography on Robert Durst, The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst; and for Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Limited Series or a Movie for Security. The network’s Bessie also won for Cinematography, Music Composition, and Sound Mixing for a Limited Series or Movie, and grabbed the big award for Outstanding Television Movie overall. The Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways documentary miniseries won for sound editing and sound mixing as well (Nonfiction Programming, Single of Multi-Camera). Other documentaries from HBO got some recognition as well: Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, won for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special and Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming; and Citizenfour for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking. HBO also won for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver HBO for Outstanding Interactive Program.

HBO’s Boardwalk Empire got kudos for Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series, and for Production Design for a Narrative Period Program (one hour or more). The network’s tech-friendly comedy Silicon Valley also made the ranks, winning for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (half-hour or less) and for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series. HBO even managed to crack into the children’s programming category with a win for its documentary series Masterclass, for the episode featuring actor Alan Alda. Another popular series, Veep, won for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series; and Olive Kitteridge won for Outstanding Casting for a Limited Series, Movie, or a Special.

Also making waves on the list was American Horror Story on FX, and Saturday Night Live’s 40th Anniversary Special, which gave NBC a healthy presence on the Creative Arts Emmys winners’ list. Both programs took home a number of awards for the pre-Emmy celebration.

Another one worth mentioning: Zach Galifianakis got the recognition he deserves for his hilarious spoof interview show Between Two Ferns on Funnyordie.com. Naturally, it was the beautifully-scripted but naturally acted interview he did with mega A-list star Brad Pitt that gave him the golden statue.

The full list of winners is available at Deadline. The 2015 Emmy Awards will air on Fox on Sunday, September 20 at 8 p.m. (EST).

Christine Persaud
Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about…
Emmy’s blind spots: actors and series that should have them, but don’t
Parks and Recreation Netflix

The Emmys are the gold standard for prime time television, rewarding the best of the best when it comes to both actors and series across every genre. Earning an Emmy is a badge of honor, not to mention that it can lead to higher paychecks for subsequent gigs once an actor has one or more of these under their belt. With many traditional film actors joining the small screen foray of late, achieving an Emmy opens the door for another statue to add to the mantle. For some, winning one might even bring them closer to joining the prestigious group of EGOT winners (those who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony).

Many of the most popular series and the actors who starred in them have been handsomely rewarded with Emmys. But there are both actors and series you might be surprised to know have never won.
Actors who have surprisingly never won an Emmy

Read more
3 underrated (HBO) Max movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)
A girl looks at a boy in House at the End of the Street.

June is surprisingly over, and with it, a great month for movies comes to a satisfactory close. You've probably watched Inside Out 2 or Bad Boys: Ride or Die or maybe even The Bikeriders. From blockbusters to indie fare, the theatrical movie business has been robust and healthy.

The same goes for streaming. Netflix had a big hit with Richard Linklater's Hit Man, while Amazon Prime Video recently premiered the latest bonkers season of The Boys. HBO and Max have been quieter, but their robust library speaks volumes to the streamer's high quality. The following three films are older, but are just as worth your time as new hits like House of the Dragon season 2.
The Skin I Live In (2011)

Read more
3 underrated Amazon Prime Video movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)
Two men spy from a car in The Limey.

As we head toward the end of June, it's worth reflecting on how we want to spend the rest of summer. For some, that's going to mean enjoying nice weather or getting some time in at the beach. For others, it might mean escaping from the heat, at least for a while, to check out a great movie.

If you fall into that second category, then we've pulled together a list of three great, underrated, titles available on Amazon Prime Video that are all worth checking out. Prime Video is home to some of the best movies available online, but it can be hard to find the ones you want. These three will at least give you a great place to start.
The Limey (1999)
The Limey | 4K Restoration Trailer | Plays Dec. 19

Read more