Documentaries were front and center during today’s (9/12) afternoon Creative Arts Emmys ceremony, the second of three events held this weekend honoring artistic and technical achievement in television. Presented by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the ceremony honored producers, artists and craftspeople for excellence in animation, documentary, non-fiction, and reality programming.
Boys State (Apple TV+) topped the Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special category while 76 Days (Pluto TV) won for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking, a juried award. The latter honor marked the first Emmy win for MTV documentary Films.
76 Days takes us back to January 23, 2020 when China locked down Wuhan, a city of 11 million, to combat the emerging COVID-19 outbreak. Set deep inside the frontlines of the crisis in four hospitals, 76 Days tells indelible human stories of healthcare workers and patients who struggle to survive the pandemic with resilience and dignity.
Also on the documentary front, Kristen Johnson won for best directing for a documentary/nonfiction program on the strength of Dick Johnson Is Dead (Netflix), and Secrets of the Whales (Disney+) took the Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series category.
Here’s a full rundown of the Sunday afternoon Creative Arts Emmy winners:
TELEVISION ACADEMY
2021 CREATIVE ARTS EMMY AWARDS – SUNDAY 1PM, SEPTEMBER 12, 2021
OUTSTANDING CHARACTER VOICE-OVER PERFORMANCE
MAYA RUDOLPH as Connie The Hormone Monstress NETFLIX
Big Mouth
A Very Special 9/11 Episode
OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A REALITY PROGRAM
GOLOKA BOLTE, CSA, Casting By
ETHAN PETERSEN, CSA, Casting By
VH1
RuPaul’s Drag Race
OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A NONFICTION PROGRAM
VICKIE CURTIS, Written By
DAVIS COOMBE, Written By
JEFF ORLOWSKI, Written By
NETFLIX
The Social Dilemma
OUTSTANDING NARRATOR
STERLING K. BROWN, Narrator CNN
Lincoln: Divided We Stand
The Dogs Of War
OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM
GENNDY TARTAKOVSKY’S PRIMAL
Plague Of Madness
ADULT SWIM
Genndy Tartakovsky, Executive Producer/Directed by
Brian A. Miller, Executive Producer
Jennifer Pelphrey, Executive Producer
Keith Crofford, Executive Producer
Mike Lazzo, Executive Producer
Oussama Bouacheria, Executive Producer
Julien Chheng, Executive Producer
Ulysse Malassagne, Executive Producer
Erika Forzy, Executive Producer
Shareena Carlson, Supervising Producer
Darrick Bachman, Head Writer
David Krentz, Written by/Story by
Bryan Andrews, Story by
OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR A NONFICTION PROGRAM
DAVIS COOMBE, Editor NETFLIX
The Social Dilemma
OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A NONFICTION OR REALITY PROGRAM
(SINGLE OR MULTI-CAMERA)
(Area Award: Possibility of one, more than one or no award.)
GRAHAM WILD, Re-Recording Mixer NETFLIX
David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet
OUTSTANDING HOSTED NONFICTION SERIES OR SPECIAL
(Area Award: Possibility of one or more than one award.)
STANLEY TUCCI: SEARCHING FOR ITALY CNN
Stanley Tucci, Executive Producer/Host
Adam Hawkins, Executive Producer
Eve Kay, Executive Producer
Amy Entelis, Executive Producer
Lyle Gamm, Executive Producer
Jon Adler, Supervising Producer
Molly Harrington, Supervising Producer
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DOCUMENTARY/NONFICTION PROGRAM
KIRSTEN JOHNSON, Directed By NETFLIX
Dick Johnson Is Dead
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A REALITY PROGRAM
NICK MURRAY, Directed By VH1
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Gettin’ Lucky
OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A DOCUMENTARY SERIES OR SPECIAL (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE)
STEVEN PRICE, Composer NETFLIX
David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet
OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A NONFICTION PROGRAM
GAVIN THURSTON, Director Of Photography NETFLIX
David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet
OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A REALITY PROGRAM
DANNY DAY, Director Of Photography
JOHN GRIBER, Director Of Photography
SIMEON HOUTMAN, Director Of Photography
BEN MULLIN, Director Of Photography
MICHAEL CHEESEMAN, Director Of Photography
DAVID LOVEJOY, Director Of Photography
BRIAN BITTERFELD, Camera
TOM DAY, Camera
JEFFREY ALEXANDER, Camera
JOSH FISCH, Camera
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
Life Below Zero
Series Body Of Work
OUTSTANDING HOST FOR A REALITY OR COMPETITION PROGRAM
RUPAUL, Host VH1
RuPaul’s Drag Race
OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM ANIMATED PROGRAM
LOVE, DEATH + ROBOTS
Ice
NETFLIX
David Fincher, Executive Producer
Tim Miller, Executive Producer
Jennifer Miller, Executive Producer
Joshua Donen, Executive Producer
Andrew Ruhemann, Executive Producer
Cara Speller, Executive Producer/Produced by
Victoria Howard, Supervising Producer
Philip Gelatt, Teleplay by
Robert Valley, Directed by
Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Supervising Director
OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN ANIMATION
(Juried Award: All entrants are screened by a jury of appropriate peer group members and
one, more than one, or no award entry is awarded an Emmy.)
DAVID KRENTZ, Storyboard Artist ADULT SWIM
Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal
Plague Of Madness
*******
ROBERT VALLEY, Production Designer NETFLIX
Love, Death + Robots
Ice
*******
PATRICIO BETTEO, Background Artist NETFLIX
Love, Death + Robots
Ice
*******
DANIEL GILL, Stop Motion Animator NETFLIX
Love, Death + Robots
All Through The House
*******
LAURENT NICOLAS, Character Designer NETFLIX
Love, Death + Robots
Automated Customer Service
*******
NIK RANIERI, Lead Character Layout Artist FOX
The Simpsons
Wad Goals
OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A NONFICTION OR REALITY PROGRAM (SINGLE OR MULTI-CAMERA)
JONATHAN GREBER, Sound Supervisor
PASCAL GARNEAU, Sound Effects Editor
HBO
The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR A STRUCTURED REALITY OR COMPETITION
PROGRAM
JAMIE MARTIN, Lead Editor
PAUL CROSS, Editor
RYAN MALLICK, Editor
MICHAEL ROHA, Editor
VH1
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Condragulations
OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR AN UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
TONY DIAZ, Editor
MATT EDWARDS, Additional Editor
JENNIFER NELSON, Additional Editor
ERIC MICHAEL SCHRADER, Additional Editor
MICHAEL SWINGLER, Additional Editor
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
Life Below Zero
The Other Side
OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SPECIAL
(Area Award: Possibility of one or more than one award.)
BOYS STATE APPLE TV+
Davis Guggenheim, Executive Producer
Laurene Powell Jobs, Executive Producer
Jonathan Silberberg, Executive Producer
Nicole Stott, Executive Producer
Shannon Dill, Co-Executive Producer
Amanda McBaine, Producer
Jesse Moss, Producer
OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SERIES
(Area Award: Possibility of one or more than one award.)
SECRETS OF THE WHALES DISNEY+
James Cameron, Executive Producer
Maria Wilhelm, Executive Producer
Shannon Malone-deBenedictis, Executive Producer
Pamela Caragol, Executive Producer
Kevin Krug, Producer
Sam Legrys, Producer
Brian Skerry, Producer
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT IN DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING
(Juried Award: All entrants are screened by a jury of appropriate peer group members and
one, more than one, or no award entry is awarded an Emmy.)
76 DAYS PLUTO TV
Hao Wu, Produced By
Jean Tsien, Produced By
OUTSTANDING STRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
QUEER EYE NETFLIX
David Collins, Executive Producer
Michael Williams, Executive Producer
Rob Eric, Executive Producer
Jennifer Lane, Executive Producer
Jordana Hochman, Executive Producer
Rachelle Mendez, Executive Producer
Mark Bracero, Executive Producer
Adam Sher, Executive Producer
David George, Executive Producer
David Eilenberg, Executive Producer
Bernard Parham Jr., Producer
OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM NONFICTION OR REALITY SERIES
EMMANUEL ACHO, Executive Producer
MOROLAKE AKINOSUN, Producer
YOUTUBE
Uncomfortable Conversations With A Black Man
OUTSTANDING UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE UNTUCKED VH1
Fenton Bailey, Executive Producer
Randy Barbato, Executive Producer
Tom Campbell, Executive Producer
RuPaul Charles, Executive Producer
San Heng, Executive Producer
Mandy Salangsang, Executive Producer
Steven Corfe, Executive Producer
Tim Palazzola, Executive Producer
Kenneth Leslie, Co-Executive Producer
Thairin Smothers, Senior Producer
Jen Passovoy, Supervising Producer
