Professional Motion Picture Production and Distribution NEWS
The Jim Henson Company Announces its Fifth Annual Recipients of the Jim Henson Honors
By Staff
posted Feb 17, 2010, 09:03
The four recipients of the fifth annual Jim Henson Honors were announced by Lisa Henson, CEO of The Jim Henson Company.
Steve Jobs, 826 National, Neill Blomkamp and the YouTube Symphony Orchestra
Recognized by the Company's Artists and Staff
(Hollywood, CA) The four recipients of the fifth annual Jim Henson Honors were
announced by Lisa Henson, CEO of The Jim Henson Company. Established in 2005,
the awards program acknowledges organizations, individuals or products that
reflect the core values and philosophy of the legendary Jim Henson and the company
he founded. Criteria used in the evaluation process include: a commitment to
creativity, innovative applications of art and technology, and inspiration of
others.
The four Jim Henson Honorees are:
- The Jim Henson Celebration Honor – Steve Jobs, Apple CEO
- The Jim Henson Community Honor – 826 National, a tutoring, writing,
and publishing organization
- The Jim Henson Creativity Honor – Neill Blomkamp, director
- The Jim Henson Technology Honor – YouTube Symphony Orchestra, the
world's first collaborative orchestra
"I am always excited and inspired by the selections made by our artists
and staff," said Lisa Henson. "This year's recipients all truly embrace
creativity and imagination. Steve Jobs has been a leader in the ongoing efforts
to develop technologies that allow users to effortlessly express themselves;
the YouTube Symphony Orchestra brought together vastly diverse musicians from
around the world to share their talents; Neill Blomkamp inspired us with his
incredibly original storytelling on film; and 826 National is helping to educate
and encourage the creative voices of tomorrow."
About the Honors and Recipients
The Jim Henson Celebration Honor: Steve Jobs, Apple CEO
The highest Henson Honor goes to an individual, organization or product that
makes the world a better place by inspiring people to celebrate life. A co-founder
of Apple, Jobs has led the company and the creation of its revolutionary iPhone
and App Store, iPod media player, iTunes media store and Mac computers. Said
Henson, "Steve Jobs has continuously broken new ground with technologies
that allow existing media in all forms to be easily enjoyed and also by providing
fantastic tools for artists, photographers, musicians and filmmakers of all
skill levels."
The Jim Henson Community Honor: 826 National, a tutoring, writing and
publishing organization
The Community Honor acknowledges an individual, organization or product who/which
has increased goodwill or made a positive impact in a specific community or
around the world.
826 National is a nonprofit tutoring, writing, and publishing organization
with volunteers in locations across the country working with teachers and students
to improve writing skills of kids ages 6 - 12. With project-based programs that
include the creation of newspapers, books and films, 826 National encourages
collaboration, creative decision making, and ownership in the learning process.
Said Henson, "We were so excited to learn about the incredible work of
826 National and the thousands of volunteers who are dedicated to providing
personalized instruction and inspiration to future authors, playwrights and
screenwriters."
The Jim Henson Creativity Honor: Neill Blomkamp, director
The creativity honor acknowledges a new creative voice or unique expression
of an idea. Blomkamp's debut feature film "District 9" seamlessly
blends organic and artificial imagery and creates a science fiction story that
is both original and compelling. Henson said, "Blomkamp's 'District 9'
connected with all of the science fiction and fantasy fans here at the Company,
and there are many of us. We were inspired by his great storytelling and spectacular
use of special effects."
The Jim Henson Technology Honor: YouTube Symphony Orchestra, the world's
first collaborative orchestra
The Technology Honor acknowledges an individual, organization or product who/which
demonstrates ground-breaking technology in a creative way. The YouTube Symphony
Orchestra is an exciting project intended to create the world's first collaborative
orchestra by accepting entry videos from all over the world and then providing
a venue for established musicians and emerging talent to celebrate their talents
and classical music in a new way. Said Henson, "We are most enthusiastic
when technology can be used as a tool for creative expression and can bring
together a community regardless of location. The YouTube Symphony brings a classical
music to millions of viewers in a unique and engaging way and creates an international
community of musicians that can work together in a way never possible before."
About The Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment
for over 50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics
and digital animation. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets, Henson
has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include
the Emmy® nominated "Sid the Science Kid," "Dinosaur Train"
and "Pajanimals." Features include "The Dark Crystal," "Labyrinth,"
"MirrorMask," and "Unstable Fables" and television productions
include "Fraggle Rock" and the sci-fi cult series "Farscape."
With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is
headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with
soundstage and postproduction facilities.
Independently owned and operated by the five adult children of founder Jim
Henson, the Company is also home to Jim Henson's Creature Shop™, a pre-eminent
character-building and visual effects group with international film, television
and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music
industry's top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art
and vintage equipment. The Company most recently launched "Wilson and Ditch:
Digging America," a online experience for PBSKIDS.org featuring the Company's
Emmy-winning animation technology. The Company has also announced the April
1 premiere of its live show "Stuffed and Unstrung" from Henson Alternative
at Union Square Theatre in New York City. www.henson.com
Resources:
The Jim Henson Company: www.henson.com
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