Image Comics Announces New "Roche Limit" Story Arc, "Monadic"

ROCHE LIMIT RINGS IN A NEW STORY ARC

The critically-acclaimed sci-fi hit returns for its third and final arc

The bestselling team of writer Michael Moreci (HOAX HUNTERS) and artist Kyle Charles (‘68) will launch the final story arc in their ongoing dark sci-fi series ROCHE LIMIT this March.

Previously in ROCHE LIMIT, the Roche Limit colony, and consequently most of Earth itself, crumbled under the onslaught of the insidious Black Sun.

Following the fan-and-critic-favorite CLANDESTINY, ROCHE LIMIT: MONADIC #1 kicks off the final chapter in the ROCHE LIMIT trilogy. Earth is in ruins after the Black Sun’s annihilation of the planet. Now, in the last remaining human city, its inhabitants fight for survival while a chosen few realize that their world may not be what it seems.

“After what's still, to me, a surprising amount of success, the Roche Limit story is coming to an end—the end I've always envisioned, and I can't wait to take readers there,” said Moreci. “This volume, Monadic, will continue to push the story deep into cerebral sci-fi and deliver the kind of suspenseful and existential story Roche Limit is known for. I can't wait for it to start, but I'm dreading seeing it end!"

"To go from being a fan, to drawing these last two volumes, is about as weird and odd as the world of Roche Limit, itself,” said Charles. “Our creative team is sad to see the series draw to a conclusion but we're making sure it's going to kick butt for the fans of Roche, new and old."

ROCHE LIMIT: MONADIC #1 (Diamond code: JAN160550) hits stores Wednesday, March 16th, 2016. Final order cutoff deadline for retailers is Monday, February 22nd, 2016.


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

Naruto Film Catalog Has Steam, and "Steam" Has Naruto

VIZ MEDIA’S NARUTO FEATURE FILM CATALOG TO HEAT UP STEAM MULTIMEDIA CONTENT PLATFORM

Leading Content Platform - Steam – Offers The Intense Ninja Action Of All 10 Movies From The NARUTO And NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Universes For Digital Purchase

San Francisco – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, brings the action and excitement of NARUTO to Steam, a leading interactive content delivery platform by software company, Valve Corporation.

All 10 full-length feature films from the NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN story arcs are available (English dubbed) for purchase and rental on Steam in the U.S. and Canada, including:

·         NARUTO THE MOVIE: NINJA CLASH IN THE LAND OF SNOW

·         NARUTO THE MOVIE: LEGEND OF THE STONE GELEL

·         NARUTO THE MOVIE: GUARDIANS OF THE CRESCENT MOON KINGDOM

·         NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE

·         NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS

·         NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: THE WILL OF FIRE

·         NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: THE LOST TOWER

·         NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BLOOD PRISON

·         ROAD TO NINJA: NARUTO THE MOVIE

·         THE LAST: NARUTO THE MOVIE

For a limited time only, a special promotional price will be available on the movies. Please visit http://store.steampowered.com/ to access these films.

“With its kinetic on-screen action and iconic characters, NARUTO has captivated millions of dedicated gamers and anime fans, and the movies are a wonderful complement to the content Steam offers its substantial user community,” says Brian Ige, Vice President, Animation. “We look forward to the future of this partnership.”

Steam is a leading content platform with thousands of titles and millions of members. Through Steam, fans can easily buy, play, share, modify, and build communities around Valve products as well as titles from other independent studios. Steam is available in 237 countries and 21 different languages. Since March 2015, Steam has also added more than 100 film titles, with more coming soon.

In the NARUTO manga and animated series, Naruto Uzumaki wants to be the best ninja in the land. He's done well so far, but Naruto knows he must train harder than ever and leaves his village for intense exercises that will push him to his limits. NARUTO SHIPPUDEN begins two and a half years later, when Naruto returns to find that everyone has been promoted up the ninja ranks – except him. Sakura’s a medic ninja, Gaara’s advanced to Kazekage, and Kakashi…well he remains the same. But pride isn’t necessarily becoming of a ninja, especially when Naruto realizes that Sasuke never returned from his search for Orochimaru. Plus, the mysterious Akatsuki organization is still an ever-present danger. As Naruto finds out more about the Akatsuki’s goals, he realizes that nothing in his universe is as it seems. Naruto is finding that he’s older, but will he also prove wiser and stronger?

VIZ Media is the North American master licensor for NARUTO and distributes the NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN anime series and feature films as well as publishes the bestselling NARUTO manga series in print and digitally.

Additional information on NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN is available at www.Naruto.com.

For more information on anime titles available from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family- friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

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BET to Produce the 2016 American Black Film Festival Awards

BET Networks Partners with the American Black Film Festival to Produce the 2016 ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood Premiering Tuesday, February 23rd at 8pm ET/PT

Don Cheadle, Regina King and Ryan Coogler Join Diahann Carroll and Will Packer as Honorees for an Evening Celebrating Excellence in Entertainment

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, ABFF Ventures and BET Networks announced their partnership to produce the “ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood,” hosted by actor and comedian Mike Epps and premiering on BET and Centric Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The Awards celebrates Black culture and recognizes individuals, movies and television shows of the past year that have had a significant impact on American entertainment, as well as the people who have been proponents in championing diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. This year’s event will be taped on Sunday, February 21st, 2016 at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

In addition to recognizing the top television shows and films of the year, the “ABFF Awards: Celebration of Hollywood” will pay tribute to film legends along with today's creative forces, who together inspire the filmmakers and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Iconic actress, Diahann Carroll, will be presented with the Hollywood Legacy Award, and television and film producer Will Packer will receive the Distinguished ABFF Alumni Award at the 2016 ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood.

Joining our illustrious list of honorees, we are excited to reveal the Excellence in the Arts Award (male and female), to Actors/Directors Don Cheadle and Regina King. Our Rising Star Award honoree is Director Ryan Coogler.

“Twenty years ago, I created the American Black Film Festival to spotlight the rich diversity of talent and achievement. It was born out of my love for film and desire to ensure that Black people gained opportunity and equity in every arena of Hollywood. I am truly honored to partner with BET to showcase the work of our most talented artists.” - Jeff Friday, ABFF Founder and CEO

“It’s clear that there’s a need for this show. BET is very excited to partner with Jeff and ABFF to present A Celebration of Hollywood. We will unabashedly acknowledge performances and achievements of African-Americans on screen from this past year and give special honor and recognition to artists that have thrilled us during their highly-acclaimed careers. 2015 was ripe with tremendous and inspiring performances by African-Americans and we are beyond thrilled to be the ones to recognize them with class and admiration.” - Stephen Hill, President of Programming, BET Networks

With a resume that’s as varied and expansive as it is rich in depth of the characters he brings to life, Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle is, without question, one of the most highly sought after and premier actors of his generation. Turning in consistently powerful performances, Don has not only taken on challenging roles, but put his talents into producing projects he believes in as well.

Don currently stars as ‘Marty Kaan’ on the critically acclaimed Showtime series House of Lies. House of Lies has earned multiple nominations for the series and Don himself, including four Emmy Nominations, a Golden Globe® Award and two additional Golden Globe® nominations and a SAG Award nomination. Recently Don directed his first feature film, Miles Ahead, which he also co-wrote and produced. Don also stars in the film, based on the life of legendary jazz artist, Miles Davis, along with Ewan McGregor.

Don is well known for his passionate performances on stage and screen, stemming from his breakout performance opposite Denzel Washington in Devil in A Blue Dress, where he was named Best Supporting Actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics. In 2012, Cheadle garnered critical acclaim for his role in Robert Zemeckis’ Flight. Additional film credits include Talk To Me; the 2006 Oscar® winning Best Picture, Crash, which Cheadle also produced; Hotel Rwanda, for which his performance garnered Academy Award®, Golden Globe®, Broadcast Film Critics Award and Screen Actors Guild® Award nominations for Best Actor; Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen, Boogie Nights, Bulworth, Swordfish, Mission To Mars and Rosewood, for which Cheadle earned an NAACP Image Award nomination.

Regina King’s distinguished talents have not gone unnoticed by Hollywood. She has recently been seen in recurring roles on CBS’s hit show The Big Bang Theory, Showtime’s critically acclaimed series Shameless and FX’s thriller The Strain. The skilled actress wrapped the fifth and final season of TNT’s drama Southland in 2013. In addition to directing episodic television for ABC’s Scandal and BET’s Being Mary Jane, King also helmed the teleplay adaptation of the best-selling book, Let the Church Say Amen, for BET Networks. Regina is currently a series regular on two critically-hailed television dramas including HBO’s “The Leftovers,” as well as the John Ridley ABC anthology American Crime, which has garnered her very first Emmy Award Nomination, as well as her first Golden Globe Nomination for “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.” Regina also starred opposite Sandra Bullock in the comedy Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, as well as voiceovers for the animated film, Ant Bully and the hit television show, The Boondocks. Her appearance in the Oscar-nominated film Ray, opposite Jamie Foxx, garnered King critically-acclaimed praise, as well as her role as Cuba Gooding Jr.’s wife Marci, in the blockbuster film, Jerry Maguire.

Regina made her television debut on the hit sitcom “227.” After five seasons, King made the leap to the silver screen with a role in John Singleton’s powerful directorial debut, Boys N the Hood. She would soon collaborate with Singleton again in Poetic Justice and Higher Learning. This committed actress has always been consistent in showing her dynamic range, bouncing effortlessly from dramatic material to comedic performances, like in the hit film Friday with Ice Cube and in A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, opposite Martin Lawrence.

American Black Film Festival alum, Ryan Coogler, was born in Oakland, CA and always harbored a talent for storytelling. Ryan discovered his own passion for filmmaking as a college freshman, and began shooting shorts with his teammates and friends. After being admitted into the USC School of Cinematic Arts, he went on to create his award winning shorts Locks, Fig and Gap. After receiving his M.F.A., he began to work as a juvenile hall counselor before creating a short film, which won the HBO Short Film Competition at the American Black Film Festival in 2011 and then directed his first feature film, Fruitvale Station, which debuted at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Ryan has received much success with his recent feature, Creed, and has recently been tapped to direct Marvel Comics’ Black Panther.

“The ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood,” presented by the American Black Film Festival and BET Networks, will be one of the highlights of the Hollywood Awards season and Black History Month. The event is an ABFF Ventures production and is executive produced by show creator Jeff Friday, Debra Lee, Stephen Hill, Jesse Collins, Suzanne de Passe and Connie Orlando. Sponsors are Cadillac (Presenting Sponsor), Hilton Worldwide, Moet Hennessy, and Prudential Inc. (Gold Sponsors), and Morgan Stanley and Verizon (Silver Sponsors).

For more information on the American Black Film Festival and the ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood, go to www.ABFF.com, www.ABFF.com/ABFFAwards, www.BET.com and BET.com/ACelebrationOfHollywood.

Join the conversation on social media by logging on to ABFF and BET’s multiple social media platforms:

• On Twitter by using hashtag: #BETCelebratesHollywood; follow us @BET and @ABFF

• On Facebook by liking the fan page at facebook.com/BET and at facebook.com/American-Black-Film-Festival

•On Instagram by liking the fan page at Instagram.com/BET and Instagram.com/AmericanBlackFilmFestival


ABOUT ABFF:
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF), founded in 1997, is an annual event dedicated to showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. The festival is committed to the belief that Black artists and content creators deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts. ABFF founder Jeff Friday, conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to promote diversity in the motion picture industry, and strengthen the Black filmmaking community through resource sharing, education, artistic collaboration and career development. Today, the ABFF is recognized as the preeminent pipeline to new Black talent, both in front of and behind the camera, and is regarded as one of the leading film festivals in the world. The ABFF is a property of ABFF Ventures LLC., which is a partnership between Film Life, Inc. and Black Enterprise. Celebrating its 20th year, the 2016 ABFF will take place June 15-19, 2016 in Miami, Florida.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; Centric, the first network dedicated to Black women; BET Digital Networks - BET Soul, BET Jams and BET Gospel, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

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Marvel's Ant-Man and Hulk Begin the Hunt for the Coca-Cola Mini Cans

Marvel’s Ant-Man and The Incredible Hulk Clash for the First Time in an Epic Battle for Coca-Cola’s Mini Can

Sometimes you just want a little Coca-Cola

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Super Bowl Sunday evening, millions of viewers witnessed a David and Goliath-style brawl between Super Heroes for the ultimate prize – an ice-cold Coca-Cola Mini Can. Debuting during the Big Game’s second quarter, the 60-second ad gave viewers something small to consider as Coca-Cola reintroduced its 7.5-ounce Mini Can to America.

    “Teaming up with Coca-Cola for such an exciting project on a larger-than-life stage is just the beginning of a broader partnership”

Coca-Cola’s advertisement – “Coke Mini” – was developed in collaboration with Marvel and featured two of the world’s most popular Super Heroes – The Incredible Hulk and the tiny, yet astonishing Ant-Man. In the spot, the diminutive Ant-Man, voiced by actor Paul Rudd, attempts to swipe a Coca-Cola Mini Can from the refrigerator in Dr. Bruce Banner’s lab, only to be caught by the doctor mid-heist. In a fit of rage, Banner turns into Hulk and chases the tiny hero through busy city streets. Ultimately cornered, Ant-Man surrenders the Mini Can, but not before helping Hulk, whose fingers are too large to open the Coca-Cola Mini Can. Clearly friends, not foes, The Hulk and Ant-Man enjoy a little ice-cold Coca-Cola refreshment – and a special moment together – as the sun sets over a sweeping cityscape. “Sometimes you just want a little Coca-Cola” closes the spot, which fades to black, marking the kickoff of a virtual hunt for limited edition, Marvel-themed Coca-Cola Mini Cans.

“Trends in the U.S. are driving smaller package sizes. This ad recognizes the trends and celebrates our smallest pack, the Coca-Cola Mini Can,” said Emmanuel Seuge, Senior Vice President, Content, Coca-Cola North America. “Coca-Cola’s ‘One Brand’ strategy puts the irresistible taste and feeling of an icy-cold Coca-Cola at the center of our storytelling. There is no better partner than Marvel, and no better platform than the Big Game, to bring this story to life in an epic and meaningful way – for the fans and for our brand.”

The airing of “Coke Mini” kicks off a virtual hunt for Marvel-themed Coca-Cola Mini Cans, which feature six of the world’s best-known heroes – Hulk, Ant-Man, Black Widow, Captain America, Iron Man and Falcon. Each day through February 14, Coca-Cola will release hidden clues (known as “Easter eggs”) through its social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat. Each individual “Easter egg” will unlock a limited number of cans and provide young adults direction for the chance to obtain a limited edition six-pack of their own. Marvel-themed, limited-edition Coca-Cola Mini Cans are not available for sale in retail outlets – and only available while supplies last.

“Americans are looking for greater variety from their beverages, and we’re helping shape consumer choice through smaller packaging options,” said Andy McMillin, Senior Vice President, Coca-Cola Trademark, Coca-Cola North America. “Smaller packages are a top priority for us in 2016, and so is making people more aware of the variety of choices they have across the entire Coca-Cola Trademark. ‘Coke Mini’ is an early example of our commitment to smaller packages. The partnership with Marvel is a bold and entertaining new way to drive home the choice of smaller packaging options available in our portfolio.”

This is the 10th consecutive year Coca-Cola commercials have appeared during the Big Game broadcast. Coca-Cola worked with Wieden + Kennedy (in Portland, Ore.) and Disney to create “Coke Mini.”

“Teaming up with Coca-Cola for such an exciting project on a larger-than-life stage is just the beginning of a broader partnership,” said Mindy Hamilton, SVP, Global Partnerships, Marvel. “As we build up to the release of Marvel’s ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ we look forward to celebrating both brands by creating some truly special moments for fans throughout the year.”


About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company's portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke®, Fanta®, Sprite®, Coca-Cola Zero™, vitaminwater®, POWERADE®, Minute Maid®, Simply®, Georgia® and Del Valle®. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.

About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy-five years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information visit marvel.com. © 2016 MARVEL

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2016 Grammy Award Nominations; Kendrick Lamar Leads with 11

The Grammy Awards (or Grammys) are given out by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) of the United States. The Grammy is an accolade that recognizes outstanding achievement in the music industry. It is the music industry equivalent to the Academy Awards for film, the Emmy Awards for television, and the Tony Award for stage.

The 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on Monday, February 15, 2016, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.  The ceremony will be broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

The 58th Annual Grammy Awards are recognizing the best musical (and some spoken word and video) recordings, compositions, and artists for the eligibility year that began on October 1, 2014 and ended on September 30, 2015.  There will be a “pre-telecast” ceremony, officially known as the “Premiere Ceremony,” in which the awards for most of the categories will be presented.  That will be held at the Microsoft Theater, which is near the Staples Center.

Below, I have included the nominees in select categories.

2016 / 58th Grammy Award nominees:

GENERAL FIELD

Album Of The Year:
Sound & Color — Alabama Shakes
To Pimp A Butterfly — Kendrick Lamar
Traveller — Chris Stapleton
1989 — Taylor Swift
Beauty Behind The Madness — The Weeknd

Record Of The Year:
“Really Love” — D’Angelo And The Vanguard
“Uptown Funk” — Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
“Thinking Out Loud” — Ed Sheeran
“Blank Space” — Taylor Swift
“Can’t Feel My Face” — The Weeknd

Song Of The Year:

• “Alright” — Kendrick Duckworth, Mark Anthony Spears & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
• “Blank Space” — Max Martin, Shellback & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
• “Girl Crush” — Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose, songwriters (Little Big Town)
• “See You Again” — Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth)
• “Thinking Out Loud” — Ed Sheeran & Amy Wadge, songwriters (Ed Sheeran)

Best New Artist:
Courtney Barnett
James Bay
Sam Hunt
Tori Kelly
Meghan Trainor

POP FIELD

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
“Ship To Wreck” — Florence + The Machine
“Sugar” — Maroon 5
“Uptown Funk” — Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
“Bad Blood” — Taylor Swift Featuring Kendrick Lamar
“See You Again” — Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth

DANCE/ELECTRONIC MUSIC FIELD

Best Dance Recording:
“We’re All We Need” — Above & Beyond Featuring Zoë Johnston
“Go” — The Chemical Brothers
“Never Catch Me” — Flying Lotus Featuring Kendrick Lamar
“Runaway (U & I)” — Galantis
“Where Are Ü Now” — Skrillex And Diplo With Justin Bieber

ROCK FIELD

Best Rock Performance:
“Don’t Wanna Fight” — Alabama Shakes
“What Kind Of Man” — Florence + The Machine
“Something From Nothing” — Foo Fighters
“Ex’s & Oh’s” — Elle King
“Moaning Lisa Smile” — Wolf Alice

ALTERNATIVE FIELD

Best Alternative Music Album:
Sound & Color — Alabama Shakes
Vulnicura — Björk
The Waterfall — My Morning Jacket
Currents — Tame Impala
Star Wars — Wilco

R&B FIELD

Best Urban Contemporary Album:
Ego Death — The Internet
You Should Be Here — Kehlani
Blood — Lianne La Havas
Wildheart — Miguel
Beauty Behind The Madness — The Weeknd

RAP FIELD

Best Rap Performance
"Apparently" – J. Cole
"Back to Back" – Drake
"Trap Queen" – Fetty Wap
"Alright" – Kendrick Lamar
"Truffle Butter" – Nicki Minaj featuring Drake & Lil Wayne
"All Day" – Kanye West featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
"One Man Can Change The World" – Big Sean featuring Kanye West & John Legend
"Glory" – Common & John Legend
"Classic Man" – Jidenna featuring Roman GianArthur
"These Walls" – Kendrick Lamar featuring Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat
"Only" – Nicki Minaj featuring Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown

Best Rap Song
"All Day"
        Ernest Brown, Tyler Bryant, Sean Combs, Mike Dean, Rennard East, Noah Goldstein, Malik Yusef Jones, Karim Kharbouch, Allan Kyariga, Kendrick Lamar, Paul McCartney, Victor Mensah, Charles Njapa, Che Pope, Patrick Reynolds, Allen Ritter, Kanye West, Mario Winans & Cydel Young, songwriters (Kanye West Featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney)

"Alright"
        Kendrick Duckworth, Kawan Prather, Mark Anthony Spears & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)

"Energy"
        Richard Dorfmeister, A. Graham, Markus Kienzl, M. O'Brien, M. Samuels & Phillip Thomas, songwriters (Drake)

"Glory"
        Lonnie Lynn, Che Smith & John Stephens, songwriters (Common & John Legend)

"Trap Queen"
Tony Fadd & Willie J. Maxwell, songwriters (Fetty Wap)

Best Rap Album:
2014 Forest Hills Drive — J. Cole
Compton — Dr. Dre
If Youre Reading This Its Too Late — Drake
To Pimp A Butterfly — Kendrick Lamar
The Pinkprint — Nicki Minaj

COUNTRY FIELD

Best Country Album:
Montevallo — Sam Hunt
Pain Killer — Little Big Town
The Blade — Ashley Monroe
Pageant Material — Kacey Musgraves
Traveller — Chris Stapleton

JAZZ FIELD

Best Jazz Instrumental Album:
My Favorite Things — Joey Alexander
Breathless — Terence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective
Covered: Recorded Live At Capitol Studios — Robert Glasper & The Robert Glasper Trio
Beautiful Life — Jimmy Greene
Past Present — John Scofield

GOSPEL/CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC FIELD

Best Gospel Album:
Destined To Win (Live) — Karen Clark Sheard
Living It — Dorinda Clark-Cole
One Place Live — Tasha Cobbs
Covered: Alive Is Asia [Live] (Deluxe) — Israel & Newbreed
Life Music: Stage Two — Jonathan McReynolds

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album:
Whatever The Road — Jason Crabb
How Can It Be — Lauren Daigle
Saints And Sinners — Matt Maher
This Is Not A Test — Tobymac
Love Ran Red — Chris Tomlin

LATIN FIELD

Best Latin Pop Album:
Terral — Pablo Alborán
Healer — Alex Cuba
A Quien Quiera Escuchar (Deluxe Edition) — Ricky Martin
Sirope — Alejandro Sanz
Algo Sucede — Julieta Venegas

AMERICAN ROOTS FIELD

Best Americana Album:
The Firewatcher’s Daughter — Brandi Carlile
The Traveling Kind — Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
Something More Than Free — Jason Isbell
Mono — The Mavericks
The Phosphorescent Blues — Punch Brothers

SPOKEN WORD FIELD

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling):
Blood On Snow (Jo Nesbø) — Patti Smith
Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, And Assorted Hijinks — Dick Cavett
A Full Life: Reflections At Ninety — Jimmy Carter
Patience And Sarah (Isabel Miller) — Janis Ian & Jean Smart
Yes Please — Amy Poehler (& Various Artists)

PRODUCTION, NON-CLASSICAL FIELD

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical:
Jeff Bhasker
Dave Cobb
Diplo
Larry Klein
Blake Mills

MUSIC VIDEO/FILM

Best Music Film:
Mr. Dynamite: The Rise Of James Brown — James Brown
Sonic Highways — Foo Fighters
What Happened, Miss Simone? — Nina Simone
The Wall — Roger Waters
Amy — Amy Winehouse

Music for Visual Media

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Empire: Season 1 – various artists
Fifty Shades Of Grey – various artists
Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me – various artists
Pitch Perfect 2 – various artists
Selma – various artists

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
Birdman - Antonio Sánchez, composer
The Imitation Game - Alexandre Desplat, composer
Interstellar - Hans Zimmer, composer
The Theory of Everything - Jóhann Jóhannsson, composer
Whiplash - Justin Hurwitz, composer

Best Song Written for Visual Media

•     "Earned It" (from Fifty Shades of Grey) – Ahmad Balshe, Jason Quenneville, Stephan Moccio & Abel Tesfaye, songwriters (The Weeknd)
•     "Glory" (from Selma) – Lonnie Lynn, Che Smith & John Stephens, songwriters (Common & John Legend)
•     "Love Me like You Do" (from Fifty Shades of Grey) – Savan Kotecha, Max Martin, Tove Nilsson, Ali Payami, & Ilya Salmanzadeh, songwriters (Ellie Goulding)
•     "See You Again" (from Furious 7) – Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth)
• "Til It Happens to You" (from The Hunting Ground) – Lady Gaga & Diane Warren, songwriters (Lady Gaga)

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2016 Annie Awards Announced; Pixar's "Inside Out" Dominates

ASIFA-Hollywood, the Los Angeles, California branch of the International Animated Film Society, presents the Annie Awards.  The Annie honors achievements in animation as a whole, including current animated productions, as well as career and lifetime achievements.  These awards were created in 1972 by veteran voice talent, June Foray.

The 43rd Annual Annie Awards recognized the year 2015's best in the field of animation.  The Annie Awards covered 36 categories and include Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Special Production, Commercials, Short Subjects, and Outstanding Individual Achievements.  The winners were announced at a black tie ceremony on Saturday, February 6, 2016 at UCLA’s Royce Hall.

2016/43rd Annie Awards nominations:

PRODUCTION CATEGORIES___________________________

Best Animated Feature
Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios

Best Animated Special Production
He Named Me Malala - Parkes-MacDonald / Little Door

Best Animated Short Subject
World of Tomorrow - Don Hertzfeldt

Best Animated Television/Broadcast Commercial
Man and Dog - Psyop

Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production For Preschool Children
Tumble Leaf - Episode: Mirror - Amazon Studios and Bix Pix Entertainment

Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production For Children
Wander Over Yonder - Episode: The Breakfast - Disney Television Animation

Best General Audience Animated Television/Broadcast Production
The Simpsons - Episode: Halloween of Horror - Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox Television

Best Animated Feature-Independent
Boy and the World - Filme de Papel

Best Student Film
ed - Taha Neyestani

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES___________________

Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in an Animated Production
The Good Dinosaur - Pixar Animation Studios - Effects Supervisor: Jon Reisch, Effects Lead: Stephen Marshall

Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in a Live Action Production
Marvel's Avengers : Age of Ultron – Sokovia Destruction - Marvel Studios - Creature Sim Supervisor: Michael Balog, Creature Simulation Lead: Jim Van Allen, Effects Simulation Supervisor: Florent Andorra, Effects Lead: Georg Kaltenbrunner

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production
Dragons: Race to the Edge - Episode: "Have Dragon Will Travel, Part 1" - DreamWorks Animation Television, Character Animator: Chi-Ho Chan, Character: Heather, Windshear, Dagur, Savage, Hiccup, Toothless, Berserkers

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Feature Production
Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Animator: Allison Rutland, Character: All Characters

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Live Action Production
The Revenant – The Bear - Regency Enterprises, New Regency Pictures, Anonymous Content, M Productions, Appian Way, RatPac-Dune Entertainment - Animation Supervisor: Matthew Shumway, Lead Digital Artist: Adrian Millington, Digital Artist: Blaine Toderian, Digital Artist: Alexander Poei, Digital Artist: Kevin Lan

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Video Game
Evolve - 2K Games - Character Animator: David Gibson, Character: Daisy, Goliath, Kraken

Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas - Episode: Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas - Screen Novelties Warner Bros Animation, Character Designer: Craig Kellman, Character: Buddy, Jovie, Walter Hobbs, Michael Hobbs, Mr. Greenway, Chadwick & Matthews, Santa Claus, Background Characters

Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated Feature Production
Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Character Art Director: Albert Lozano, Character: All Characters, Character Artist: Chris Sasaki Character: All Characters

Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
Gravity Falls - Episode: Northwest Mansion Mystery - Disney Television Animation - Director: Matt Braly

Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated Feature Production
Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Director: Pete Docter

Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
Disney Mickey Mouse - Episode: ¡Feliz Cumpleaños! - Disney Television Animation - Composer: Christopher Willis

Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated Feature Production
Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Composer: Michael Giacchino

Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
The Mr. Peabody and Sherman Show - Episode: "Peabody's Parents/Galileo" - DreamWorks Animation Televsion - Production Design: Kevin Dart; Production Design: Sylvia Liu; Production Design: Chris Turnham; Production Design: Eastwood Wong

Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated Feature Production
Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Production Design: Ralph Eggleston

Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
Disney Mickey Mouse - Episode: ¡Feliz Cumpleaños! - Disney Television Animation - Storyboard Artist: Alonso Ramirez Ramos

Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production
Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Storyboard Artist: Tony Rosenast

Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
Bob's Burgers - Episode: Hawk & Chick - Twentieth Century Fox Television Bento Box Entertainment - Starring: Kristen Schaal Character: Louise, Belcher

Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production
Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Cast: Phyllis Smith; Character: Sadness

Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
Bob's Burgers - Episode: The Hauntening - Twentieth Century Fox Television Bento Box Entertainment - Writer: Steven Davis, Writer: Kelvin Yu

Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated Feature Production
Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Writer: Pete Docter, Writer: Meg LeFauve, Writer: Josh Cooley

Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
Disney Mickey Mouse - Episode: Coned - Disney Television Animation - Nominee: Illya Owens

Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated Feature Production
Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Nominee: Kevin Nolting

JURIED AWARDS__________________________________

Winsor McCay Award –  for their career contributions to the art of animation

Joe Ranft
Phil Roman
Isao Takahata

June Foray Award –  for their significant and benevolent or charitable impact on the art and industry of animation

Don Hahn

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2016 Director's Guild Awards - Alejandro G. Iñárritu Wins for "The Revenant"

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) is the entertainment labor union that represents film and television directors.  The DGA gives out the Directors Guild of America Award each year to honor outstanding achievement.

Winners were announced at the 68th Annual DGA Awards on Saturday evening, February 6, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. The DGA Awards wias hosted by actor Jane Lynch.

2016 / 68th Annual DGA Award winners;

Feature Film

ALEJANDRO G. IÑÁRRITU
The Revenant
(20th Century Fox)

Unit Production Managers: Drew Locke, James W. Skotchdopole, Doug Jones
First Assistant Director: Scott Robertson
Second Assistant Directors: Megan M. Shank, Matthew Haggerty, Jeremy Marks
Unit Production Manager: Gabriela Vazquez (Argentina, California, and Montana Unit)
First Assistant Director: Adam Somner (Argentina, California, and Montana Unit)
Second Assistant Directors: Trevor R. Tavares, Jasmine Marie Alhambra (Argentina, California, and Montana Unit)
Second Second Assistant Directors: Brett Robinson, Kasia Trojak (Argentina, California, and Montana Unit)

Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Feature Film Director

ALEX GARLAND
Ex Machina
(A24)
Unit Production Manager: Sara Desmond
First Assistant Director: Nick Heckstall‑Smith
Second Assistant Director: Ray Kenny

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series

DAVID NUTTER
Game of Thrones, “Mother’s Mercy” (HBO)

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series

CHRIS ADDISON
Veep, “Election Night” (HBO)

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Miniseries

DEE REES
Bessie (HBO)

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary

MATTHEW HEINEMAN
Cartel Land
The Orchard; A&E Indie Films, Our Time Projects, The Documentary Group, Whitewater Films

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials

DON ROY KING
Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special (NBC)

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming

DAVE DIOMEDI
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, “Episode #325” (NBC)

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs

ADAM VETRI
Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge, “Gods of War” (CMT)

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials

ANDREAS NILSSON
(Biscuit Filmworks)
Emily’s Oz, Comcast – Goodby, Silverstein & Partners NY
Time Upon A Once, General Electric – BBDO
Dad Song, Old Spice – Wieden + Kennedy

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs

KENNY ORTEGA
Descendants (Disney Channel)

Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television Direction: JOE PYTKA

Commercial director Joe Pytka was honored with the Guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television Direction in honor of his groundbreaking career.

Frank Capra Achievement Award: MARY RAE THEWLIS

Given to an Assistant Director or Unit Production Manager in recognition of career achievement in the industry and service to the Directors Guild of America.

Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award: THOMAS McDERMOTT

Given to an Associate Director or Stage Manager in recognition of career achievement in the industry and service to the Directors Guild of America.

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