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Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
| Location: | USA |
| Media type(s): | Film, Television |
| Event type: | Industry event, Special interest event |
| Official website(s): | http://www.saturnawards.org/ |
| Notes: | - The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films began in 1972 under the auspices of film historian and author Dr. Donald A. Reed. He established the organization as a non-profit corporation designed to honor, recognize and promote the science fiction, fantasy and horror genres which he felt were never given the respect they so richly deserved as quality films. In those early years, genre films were thought of as "kiddie films designed to mindlessly entertain". Dr. Reed helped to bring credibility to these genres by forming an organization which voted awards to these films which were filled with creative imagination and brought quality to the annals of filmmaking period. He began the annual ritual well known today as the prestigious Saturn Awards.
- Dr. Reed began handing out awards which in the beginning were Golden Scroll certificates. For five years, this was the official award handed out by the non-profit organization. In 1977, Dr. Reed signed a deal with a prominent television producer to do a nationally syndicated show, The Science Fiction Film Awards. This show led to the beginning of the prestigious Saturn Awards. Star Trek Actor William Shatner hosted the first two televised events, with Mark Hamill (I) (from Star Wars (1977)) hosting the third year. Following these three televised shows, the Academy continued voting annual awards, but the subsequent shows were not televised. It was always Dr. Reed's hope to find a suitable home for the annual event which he spent his lifetime nurturing.
- In the 80's, Dr. Reed and the Academy leaders met with various independent producers who believed they had the ability of taking the show to television. All of these independent producers failed in their attempts to finalize a TV deal. The 80's proved to be very frustrating for the Academy leaders.
- In the 90's, the Academy opted to produce the shows themselves. The shows were dinners followed by an awards show. In the last decade, the Academy proved they could deftly produce their own Saturn Awards dinners and be very successful with them. The decade proved to be quite satisfying for the Academy leaders as many of the top persons in the industry got behind the organization and supported the annual dinner. The Academy proved to be very consistent and successful in their endeavors and received great respect from top industry leaders. The Academy began adding new categories including television programming, awards to films in the action/adventure/thriller categories and a youth award. These enhanced the annual event. (Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films)
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