Santa Clarita, Calif. – The City of Santa Clarita is excited to welcome back the Santa Clarita Marathon, presented by Parkway Motorcars, so lace your shoes and get ready to run on Saturday, February 12, 2022! The 25th Santa Clarita Marathon event will include a Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10k run, 5k run and the leisurely 3.1-mile Mayor’s Walk.
Register now for the race of your choice before prices increase on January 1! Santa Clarita Valley residents can save 10 percent on any race by using promo code RUNSC10 at checkout.
The final opportunity to register for the Santa Clarita Marathon will be during bib pickup at the Westfield Valencia Town Center on Friday, February 11. There is no race day registration.
The City of Santa Clarita welcomes every community member to join in on the fun. Whether you are a trained runner or a beginner, there is an opportunity for everyone to participate. To learn more about the Santa Clarita Marathon and to register for this year’s event, please visit scmarathon.org.
“God offers to every mind its choice between truth and repose.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
As I look forward to the advent of another Christmas season spent with my ever growing family, I am reminded that life with its challenges is always renewing itself. Even in the face of triumphs and tragedies, I know this to be true. Okay, so I’m an optimist. Always have been. But even I know that time marches on. We grow up, our kids grow up, neighbors come and go, and friends move away. . .
But there are some things I hope will remain constant in life, like love of family, dear friends, cherished memories, and of course, Christmas. In these modern times, it seems that the season of Christmas has managed to transcend religious beliefs to include a universal celebration of the human spirit and good will.
I was raised with basic Christian tenets, but I have always believed in the importance and commonality of all religions which espouse the concept of good will towards all people. Pope John Paul II addressed this in his 1994 book, “Crossing the Threshold of Hope.” In it, Pope John Paul II cites in his excerpts a church document entitled, “Nostra Aetate,” (In Our Time).
“From the beginning, Christian Revelation has viewed the spiritual history of man as including, in some way all religions, thereby demonstrating the unity of all human kind with regard to the eternal and ultimate destiny of man … There is only one community and it consists of all peoples. They have only one origin, since God inhabited the earth with the whole human race. . .” (Nostra Aetate, I-2.)
Pope John Paul II wrote: “Thus instead of marveling at the fact that Providence allows such a great variety of religions, we should be amazed at the number common elements found within them.”
In this day and age, it’s easy for us to forget the common bonds of humanity that bind us. Pope John Paul II cites another expert from the Nostra Aetate:
“Even if over the course of centuries Christians…have had more than a few dissensions and quarrels, this sacred Council now urges all to forget the past and to work toward mutual understanding as well as toward the preservation and promotion of…peace and freedom for the benefit of all mankind (Nostra Aetate 3).”
But the world is a complicated place.
When you look at challenges that sometimes arise within families, friends, communities, states and nations around the world, one wonders, how will we ever get along in peace and harmony.
But as it says in Galatians, all of us are “children of promise.”
Christ himself addressed this when he said to the apostles: “Take courage, I have conquered the world (John 16:33). But he also cautioned:
“When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke, 18:8).
Life is a paradox. In Christian faith, we are taught that Christ was born to save mankind from sin. Yet, in sin comes the opportunity for grace. The birth of Christ in a lowly manger was honored in grace and profound respect by wise men and kings who brought gifts to herald in His sojourn on Earth.
Because of this, gift-giving seems to be a big part of the Christmas celebration. It’s a way to take time out and give tokens of thanks to those who have touched our lives. In this sense, gift giving takes on a universal spirit. But in the hustle and bustle of trying to find the perfect gift and being stressed out, it’s important to take time out to simply be a friend.
A kind word, an act of thoughtfulness and courtesy can mean just as much or even more than a store bought gift. Ralph Waldo Emerson eloquently pointed this out in his essays on spiritual laws:
“Let us lie low in the Lord’s power and learn that truth alone makes rich and great. For it is only the finite that has wrought and suffered: the infinite lies stretched in smiling repose.”
Emerson goes on to write: “If you visit your friend, why need you apologize for not having visited him. . .Visit him now. Let him feel the highest love has come to see him. . . be a gift of benediction. Shine with real light and not with the borrowed reflection of gifts. . .”
While our traditions and gift-giving are an important part of the holiday season, friendship, love and respect for our fellow human beings are by far the greatest gifts of all.
Margie Anne Clark is a writer based in Los Angeles. All rights reserved.
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE) Fifteen scores will advance in the Original Score category for the 94th Academy Awards. One hundred thirty-six scores were eligible in the category. Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. “Being the Ricardos” is among the nominees.
Los Angeles, Calif. — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced shortlists in 10 categories for the 94th Academy Awards®: Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, International Feature Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, Sound and Visual Effects. Download shortlists by category here.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Fifteen films will advance in the Documentary Feature category for the 94th Academy Awards. One hundred thirty-eight films were eligible in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Ascension” “Attica” “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry” “Faya Dayi” “The First Wave” “Flee” “In the Same Breath” “Julia” “President” “Procession” “The Rescue” “Simple as Water” “Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” “The Velvet Underground” “Writing with Fire”
DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT Fifteen films will advance in the Documentary Short Subject category for the 94th Academy Awards. Eighty-two films qualified in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Águilas” “Audible” “A Broken House” “Camp Confidential: America’s Secret Nazis” “Coded: The Hidden Love of J. C. Leyendecker” “Day of Rage” “The Facility” “Lead Me Home” “Lynching Postcards: “Token of a Great Day”” “The Queen of Basketball” “Sophie & the Baron” “Takeover” “Terror Contagion” “Three Songs for Benazir” “When We Were Bullies”
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM Fifteen films will advance to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category for the 94th Academy Awards. Films from 92 countries were eligible in the category.
Academy members from all branches were invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting and must have met a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.
In the nominations round, Academy members from all branches are invited to opt in to participate and must view all 15 shortlisted films to vote.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:
Austria, “Great Freedom” Belgium, “Playground” Bhutan, “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom” Denmark, “Flee” Finland, “Compartment No. 6” Germany, “I’m Your Man” Iceland, “Lamb” Iran, “A Hero” Italy, “The Hand of God” Japan, “Drive My Car” Kosovo, “Hive” Mexico, “Prayers for the Stolen” Norway, “The Worst Person in the World” Panama, “Plaza Catedral” Spain, “The Good Boss”
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING Ten films will advance in the Makeup and Hairstyling category for the 94th Academy Awards. All members of the Academy’s Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch will be invited to view seven-minute excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films on Sunday, January 30, 2022. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar® consideration.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Coming 2 America” “Cruella” “Cyrano” “Dune” “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” “House of Gucci” “Nightmare Alley” “No Time to Die” “The Suicide Squad” “West Side Story”
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE) Fifteen scores will advance in the Original Score category for the 94th Academy Awards. One hundred thirty-six scores were eligible in the category. Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
The scores, listed in alphabetical order by film title, are:
“Being the Ricardos” “Candyman” “Don’t Look Up” “Dune” “Encanto” “The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun” “The Green Knight” “The Harder They Fall” “King Richard” “The Last Duel” “No Time to Die” “Parallel Mothers” “The Power of the Dog” “Spencer” “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG) Fifteen songs will advance in the Original Song category for the 94th Academy Awards. Eighty-four songs were eligible in the category. Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
The original songs, along with the motion picture in which each song is featured, are listed below in alphabetical order by film title:
“So May We Start?” from “Annette” “Down To Joy” from “Belfast” “Right Where I Belong” from “Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road” “Automatic Woman” from “Bruised” “Dream Girl” from “Cinderella” “Beyond The Shore” from “CODA” “The Anonymous Ones” from “Dear Evan Hansen” “Just Look Up” from “Don’t Look Up” “Dos Oruguitas” from “Encanto” “Somehow You Do” from “Four Good Days” “Guns Go Bang” from “The Harder They Fall” “Be Alive” from “King Richard” “No Time To Die” from “No Time to Die” “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)” from “Respect” “Your Song Saved My Life” from “Sing 2”
ANIMATED SHORT FILM Fifteen films will advance in the Animated Short Film category for the 94th Academy Awards. Eighty-two films qualified in the category. Members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Affairs of the Art” “Angakusajaujuq: The Shaman’s Apprentice” “Bad Seeds” “Bestia” “Boxballet” “Flowing Home” “Mum Is Pouring Rain” “The Musician” “Namoo” “Only a Child” “Robin Robin” “Souvenir Souvenir” “Step into the River” “Us Again” “The Windshield Wiper”
LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM Fifteen films will advance in the Live Action Short Film category for the 94th Academy Awards. One hundred forty-five films qualified in the category. Members of the Short Films and Feature Animation, Directors, Producers and Writers Branches vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Ala Kachuu – Take and Run” “Censor of Dreams” “The Criminals” “Distances” “The Dress” “Frimas” “Les Grandes Claques” “The Long Goodbye” “On My Mind” “Please Hold” “Stenofonen” “Tala’vision” “Under the Heavens” “When the Sun Sets” “You’re Dead Helen”
SOUND Ten films will advance in the Sound category for the 94th Academy Awards. Members of the Sound Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. All members of the Sound Branch will be invited to view eight-minute excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films beginning Friday, January 28, 2022. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Belfast” “Dune” “Last Night in Soho” “The Matrix Resurrections” “No Time to Die” “The Power of the Dog” “A Quiet Place Part II” “Spider-Man: No Way Home” “tick, tick…BOOM!” “West Side Story”
VISUAL EFFECTS Ten films remain in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 94th Academy Awards. The Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the shortlist. All members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view 10-minute excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films on Saturday, January 29, 2022. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Black Widow” “Dune” “Eternals” “Free Guy” “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” “Godzilla vs. Kong” “The Matrix Resurrections” “No Time to Die” “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” “Spider-Man: No Way Home”
Nominations voting begins on Thursday, January 27, 2022, and concludes on Tuesday, February 1, 2022.
Nominations for the 94th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, February 8, 2022.
The 94th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby® Theatre at Hollywood & Highland® in Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.
ABOUT THE ACADEMY The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
Businesses and Artists are Invited to Collaborate to Display Artwork in Local Establishments
Santa Clarita, Calif. – Let the City of Santa Clarita be your matchmaker! The City’s Arts division is thrilled to announce the launch of PLACES with SPACES to assist businesses across all industries in finding their perfect artist match (or matches) to exhibit artwork in their establishment. Applications for both businesses and artists may be completed online at SantaClaritaArts.com/PWS.
As a part of the program, the City of Santa Clarita will serve as a liaison (or matchmaker) for businesses and artists. Businesses will choose artwork from the City’s artist portfolio to exhibit in their business establishment. City staff will connect both parties creating an art and business relationship.
Artists are invited to apply from outside the Santa Clarita Valley as long as they are within driving distance to manage their installations in person. Artwork cannot be shipped. Only businesses within the Santa Clarita Valley may apply.
PLACES with SPACES is a fantastic opportunity for local businesses looking to adorn the walls of their establishment(s) and for artists looking to expand their audience and attract protentional new buyers. If you have any questions, please reach out to Sydney Adam at sadam@santa-clarita.com.
Los Angeles, Calif. – The Paley Center for Media is thrilled to announce that the 39th annual PaleyFest LA—the premier TV festival in the country—will be back IN PERSON at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles April 2 to 10, 2022. Announcing three events. . .more to come..This Is Us, Riverdale,Better Call Saul
PaleyFest will once again bring fans together with the hottest stars for exclusive behind-the-scenes scoops, hilarious anecdotes, and breaking news stories. Plus screenings of premiere episodes and never-before-seen footage.
Mark Your Calendars for These Important PaleyFest Dates January 18: Lineup AnnouncementJanuary 18-20: Advance tickets on sale to Paley President’s Circle, Patron Circle, and Partner Members & Citi® Cardmembers January 20: Advance tickets on sale to Paley Supporting, Family, and Individual MembersJanuary 21: Tickets on sale to the publicApril 2 to 10, 2022: Festival DatesEvents/participants subject to change.
Los Angeles, Calif. – Jennifer Davidson has been promoted to Chief Communications Officer for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, announced today by Academy CEO Dawn Hudson, to whom she will continue to report.
Davidson has served as Executive Vice President, Communications since joining the Academy staff in March 2020. In this expanded role, she will continue to oversee publicity and corporate communications campaigns, including the Oscars® and internal membership communications, as well as press outreach for the organization’s year-round programming, education, preservation and inclusion efforts. Davidson also will continue to work in close collaboration with the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures as a strategic advisor on overall communications policy.
“Jennifer is a strategic, no-nonsense communications executive with exceptional instincts. Her passion for our mission, her knowledge of our media and film community, and her years of experience have made her an invaluable part of our senior leadership team and the entire Academy,” said Hudson.
Before the Academy, Davidson served as Executive Vice President for Babygrande PR, creating and implementing strategic positioning and branding objectives for such companies as ITV America and Wheelhouse Entertainment. She also oversaw program publicity, corporate and business press outreach, and media relations for the various production companies and content creators she represented. Prior to that, Davidson served as Vice President, Media Relations at Sony Pictures Television, overseeing the studio’s domestic publicity for primetime and daytime series, pilots and awards campaign strategy. She began her career at NBC in talent relations and publicity.
ABOUT THE ACADEMY The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
Los Angeles, Calif. – Kelley Kali and Waad al-Kateab have been selected to be the domestic and international recipients, respectively, of the 2021 Academy Gold Fellowship for Women. Part of the Academy Gold global talent development and inclusion initiative, the Fellowship for Women is a one-year program that combines direct financial support, personalized mentorship and access to once-in-a-lifetime networking opportunities for emerging women filmmakers to further their pursuits in the field. The Academy currently awards two fellowships annually, one in the U.S. with a prize amount of $35,000 and one internationally in the amount of £20,000.
Fellows also receive lifelong career advancement support through the Gold Alumni Program, which provides continued access, opportunity, professional development and education for alumni of Academy Gold programs, including Gold Rising, Student Academy Awards, and the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. To be eligible for the domestic fellowship, applicants must be alumnae of an Academy Gold program or be nominated by an Academy Gold partner company, while international applicants must be recommended by a member of a key film organization or production company in order to be considered.
Kali is a graduate of Howard University and USC School of Cinematic Arts who has directed, written, and produced films in Belize, Haiti, China and the U.S. She was selected to work with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s New Form Digital to develop her web series pilot, “The Discovery of Dit Dodson,” which went on to compete in festivals across the country. Kali wrote and directed “Lalo’s House,” which won the silver medal in the Narrative category at the 45th Student Academy Awards. Her additional awards include a Directors Guild of America Student Film Award, KCET Fine Cut Award, Shadow and Act Rising Award, Programmers’ Award at the Pan African Film Festival, and the Jury Choice Award at the Diversity in Cannes Short Film Showcase. Kali’s work has been featured at the American Black Film Festival and Telluride Film Festival. She recently directed, produced and starred in the feature film “I’m Fine (Thanks for Asking).”
Al-Kateab is an activist and filmmaker whose reporting on the conflict in Syria for Channel 4 News in the United Kingdom won the 2017 International Emmy® for News. Her documentation of her life during five years in Aleppo became the basis of the feature documentary “For Sama,” which she directed with Edward Watts. “For Sama” received a 2019 Oscar® nomination for Best Documentary Feature, won the documentary prize L’Œil d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, and in the 73rd British Academy Film Awards in 2020 received four nominations, a record for a documentary in the history of the BAFTAs, ultimately winning for Best Documentary. Al-Kateab also received the IDA Courage Under Fire Award, Special Recognition for Courage in Filmmaking at the DOC NYC Festival and was included in TIME’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020 list. Now residing in London, al-Kateab continues to work with Channel 4, mentors women journalists and dedicates time to her advocacy campaign, Action For Sama.
The 2021 fellows were selected from a group of 11 finalists. The finalists are:
ABOUT THE ACADEMY The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
Los Angeles, Calif. – PIERA – L.A.’s rising modern psychedelic synthpop duo (consisting of members Piera Klein and Micah Plissner) following a string of exhilarating post pandemic shows, brings an audiophile’s feast for the senses with their signature beat-driven cosmic synth-soundscapes combined with Klein’s powerful, entrancing vocal stylings and alluring stage presence.
[Micah Plissner and Piera Klein aka PIERA, in Los Angeles. Photo by Lindsey Best, used by permission. All rights reserved]
[Micah Plissner and Piera Klein aka PIERA, in Los Angeles. Photo by Lindsey Best, used by permission. All rights reserved]
Cultivating a new sound blending psychedelic, indie-synth, krautrock, and Avant Garde with touches of industrial pop, PIERA has found a way to create something fresh and inspiring in contrast to the mainstream’s oversaturated and stale copy-of-a-copy void.
With a #1 Electronic Album on the RMR charts in June,PIERA just came off from 6 stellar shows — opening for 80’s iconic synth group, Berlin, on August 7th in Montclair, and The Untouchables and Bow Wow Wow on September 3rd in Santa Clarita, headlining at The Silverlake Lounge on September 10th, as special guests at the iconic Punk Museum founder, Tequila Mockingbird’s “Sunday Club”, at the Oracle Tavern in Downtown Los Angeles on September 26th as part of her annual Dada Bauhaus MasqueradeBall, opening for Oingo-Boingo on October 8th at The Canyon in Santa Clarita, and for Brit Pop sensation ABC on November 18th at The Canyon in Agoura and A Flock of Seagulls on December 10th.
Without label support or formal management, PIERA has managed to captivate new audiences everywhere they perform and have established themselves as one of the most exciting new acts to watch in 2022.
What started out as an experimental synthpop record and a synchronistic opportunity to open for the iconic 80s synth-rock band BERLIN in August morphed into a string of mind-blowing opportunities and impressive shows to open for the gamut of the who’s-who in iconic synthpop, culminating into an exhilarating night on December 10th in Agoura Hills, CA at the Canyon Club opening for A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS.
December 10th’s performance opening for A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS was a perfect pairing, bringing together the original and iconic 80s superstars and the pioneers of a new sound blending their signature brew of psychedelic and electronic synth rock.
PIERA owned the stage and everyone in the club was transfixed. Like an oracle, the beauty wailed deep, personal, and cosmic melodies in a way that very few have heard before, as she allowed her body to carry and be explored by the powerful sound bath surrounding her. Within her multi-dimensional persona lie elements reminiscent of a modern-day prophet, like Patti Smith, a seer, yet wrapped in another cloth for a new generation.
Micah Plissner, behind the analogue synths and table of guitar pedals and modular devices, orchestrated a sonic and beat-driven soundscape that moved the crowd from the first song to the last. Loud applause and cheers were heard after every song, signaling a new era and appreciation for modern electronic music that is both structured into crowd pleasing songs and anthems. As a unit, they are completely unique, powerful, and express a limitlessness of imagination.
PIERA is the kind of duo we expect will get snapped up by labels such as ASTRALWERKS, MUTE RECORDS or the like… and expect LA scene bookers like Restless Nites and others, as well as the big festival circuits to catch on quickly and add them to their regular lineups.
A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS put on a stellar, fan-crazed performance, and behind the scenes gave PIERA a big thumbs up, sharing how they and their team enjoyed listening to their entire set backstage. It was a wonderful night of mutual admiration and celebration for both bands. Klein mentioned how she was deeply touched by the honor and privilege of performing with such iconic artists over the past year and what a special treat it was to connect with A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS and team backstage. “They are truly talented, kind…..and wonderful people. I hope our paths cross again someday.”
Pasadena, Calif. – With the new year comes a new Pasadena Bead & Design Show –January 7-9 at the Hilton Pasadena. Attendees shop from an unrivaled collection of artisan handcraft by renowned artists, artisans, and tradespeople –the ideal way to start the year.
Meet the artists and merchants who showcase vast and eclectic displays of traditional and contemporary, finished pieces and components. From hand printed fabrics, hand sewn clothing, handcrafted beads, and jewelry, to antique beads, ancient findings, and clothing, you’re bound to find something you’ve never seen before!
Workshops in jewelry making techniques and skills are offered throughout the show. Participants can try their hand at wire work, collage, painting, art decor, art clay, chainmaille and more. Early workshop registration is recommended to reserve your seat.
Feel a buzz of excitement as you browse fresh, exciting new designs and shop from the artisans themselves in the bright and airy ballrooms of the Hilton Pasadena. We are thrilled to be back at the Pasadena Bead & Design Show!
Show hours are 10am – 6pm, Friday through Sunday, January 7-9. Tickets are $8 online or $10 at the door. Location is Hilton Pasadena, 168 South Los Robles Ave, Pasadena CA. For more information, go to www.beadanddesign.com, follow us on Twitter, or like us on Facebook.
About Us Garan-Beadagio, LLC produces 14 annual shows in Pasadena, Santa Monica, Walnut Creek, San Rafael, and Tucson. While each one promotes artisanship, handcraft, and design in its unique way, they share the tradition of offering the public the widest range of artisan creations to be found anywhere.
Los Angeles, Calif. – David Pierce, Andy Serkis and Jeffrey White have accepted invitations to join the Science and Technology Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, bringing the Council’s 2021–2022 membership roster to 25.
David Pierce, Andy Serkis and Jeffrey White have accepted invitations to join the Science and Technology Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, bringing the Council’s 2021–2022 membership roster to 25.
Pierce is an archivist and film historian. As assistant chief and chief operations officer of the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center at the Library of Congress, Pierce is responsible for the acquisition, conservation, documentation and digitization of the world’s largest public archives of motion pictures, television, radio and recorded sound. He is the author of The Survival of American Silent Feature Films: 1912–1929 and co-author, with James Layton, of The Dawn of Technicolor, 1915-1935 and King of Jazz: Paul Whiteman’s Technicolor Revue. He founded the Media History Digital Library, and his articles have appeared in American Film, Film Comment, American Cinematographer and more. Pierce has been an Academy Member-at-Large since 2019.
ANDY SERKIS s an award-winning actor known for his performance capture roles in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, “King Kong,” the “Planet of the Apes” trilogy, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and more. David Pierce, Andy Serkis and Jeffrey White have accepted invitations to join the Science and Technology Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, bringing the Council’s 2021–2022 membership roster to 25.
Serkis is an award-winning actor known for his performance capture roles in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, “King Kong,” the “Planet of the Apes” trilogy, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and more. His feature film directing credits include “Breathe,” “Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle” and “Venom: Let There Be Carnage.” Serkis is the co-founder, alongside producer Jonathan Cavendish, of The Imaginarium, a multi-platform production company linked to a performance capture studio and focused on next-generation storytelling. Serkis will next appear on screen in “The Batman,” portraying Alfred Pennyworth. He has been a member of the Academy’s Actors Branch since 2012.
White is a feature and television producer specializing in independent film and visual effects. Currently an executive producer consulting with Drafthouse Films, he has worked in the feature production department of Warner Bros. and held roles as vice president of production and producer for Winkler/Daniel Productions at Paramount Pictures, as well as president and executive producer at Pellerin Multimedia, Inc. which produced “King Kong: Peter Jackson’s Production Diaries” for Universal Pictures. White has produced independent features including “Manhood” and “Tale of the Mummy” and was a visual effects producer for “Sideways,” “Elizabethtown,” “Collateral Damage,” “Holes” and more. He has been a member of the Academy’s Producers Branch since 1982.
The Council co-chairs for 2021–2022 are Visual Effects Branch governor Craig Barron and Member-at-Large Annie Chang.
The Council’s 20 other returning members are Bill Baggelaar, Linda Borgeson, Visual Effects Branch governor Brooke Breton, Lois Burwell, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch governor Bill Corso, Sound Branch governor Teri E. Dorman, Theo Gluck, Buzz Hays, Greg Hedgepath, Leslie Iwerks, Andrea Kalas, Colette Mullenhoff, Ujwal Nirgudkar, Helena Packer, Arjun Ramamurthy, Rachel Rose, Dave Schnuelle, Leon Silverman, Jeffrey E. Taylor and Amy Vincent.
Established in 2003 by the Academy’s Board of Governors, the Science and Technology Council provides a forum for the exchange of information, promotes cooperation among diverse technological interests within the industry, sponsors publications, fosters educational activities and preserves the history of the science and technology of motion pictures.
ABOUT THE ACADEMY The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
