August 3, 2020

Alumni Represent USC in 72th Primetime Emmy Awards Race

By Jesus Nuñez

The 72th Primetime Emmy Awards will be handed out on September 20th in a virtual ceremony that will be broadcast on ABC. On July 28th the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced this year’s nominees, recognizing hundreds of creators who shaped the most praised and influential shows over this last year. Among the recognized creators were a total of thirty-three USC Alumni in categories for writing, directing, and acting.

School of Cinematic Arts alumnus Peter Gould received two nominations for executive producing the Better Call Saul and a short form comedy/drama series Better Call Saul Employee Training: Legal Ethics With Kim Wexler (AMC). The successful Breaking Bad spinoff was also recognized in various categories, with ’93 alumna Jane Bougel nominated for dialogue editing in the episode Bagman, written by alum Gordon Smith, who also received a nominated for outstanding writing in a drama series. In addition to her work on Better Call Saul, Jane Bougel received two other nominations for dialogue editing for her work in Westworld and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Story.

Another show which garnered wide acclaim and earned multiple nominations was HBO’s Watchmen, with USC alumni Regina King and Carly Gray nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in A Limited Series and executive producing for an Outstanding Limited Series, respectively.

Among other outstanding productions, alumni’s work received praise in shows such as Queer Eye, The Good Place, Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Stranger Things, The Mandalorian, and American Horror Story 1984.

Apart from recognizing the shows from more popular network and streaming services such as Netflix, HBO, and Disney Plus, the new short form streaming service Quibi, founded by SCA board member Jeffrey Katzenberg, also received some recognition, with its show Most Dangerous Game, executive produced by SCA alumni Gordon Gray, nominated for outstanding short form comedy/drama series. The Comedy Central Show, Drunk History, based on the acclaimed internet series, earned a nomination for Production Design from Monica Sotto.

Whether working in large or small productions, USC alumni played a significant role in shaping the entertainment landscape of 2019 and 2020, working on some of the most successful shows of this generation and playing a significant role in the pioneering of new entertainment mediums. Below, is attached full list of USC alumni nominated for the Emmy Awards.

USC School of Cinematic Arts

USC Alumni Emmy Nominations 2020

Outstanding Short Form Animated Program

Robot Chicken (Adult Swim)

Deirdre Devlin '08, Writer
Santa's Dead (Spoiler Alert) Holiday Murder Thing Special

Outstanding Drama Series

Better Call Saul (AMC)

Peter Gould ’90, Executive Producer

Gordon Smith ’08, Co-Executive Producer

Stranger Things (Netflix)

Shawn Levy ’94, Executive Producer

Outstanding Comedy Series

The Good Place (NBC)

Aisha Muharrar, Co-Executive Producer

Insecure (HBO)

Prentice Penny  ’95, Executive Producer’

Outstanding Limited Series

Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)

Raamla Mohammed ’08, Co-Executive Producer

Mrs. America (Hulu)

Stacey Sher ’85, Executive Producer

Watchmen (HBO)

Carly Wray ’05, Co-Executive Producer

Outstanding Television Movie

Bad Education (HBO)

Julia Lebedev ’06, Producer

Outstanding Children’s Program

Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix)

Javier Grillo-Marxuach ’93, Co-Executive Producer

Outstanding Structured Reality Program

Queer Eye (Netflix)

David Eilenberg ’99, Executive Producer                                                           

Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special

The Great Hack (Netflix)

Judy Korin ’91, Producer

Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series

Better Call Saul Employee Training: Legal Ethics With Kim Wexler (AMC)
Peter Gould ’90, Executive Producer

Most Dangerous Game (Quibi)
Gordon Gray, Executive Producer

INDIVIDUAL NOMINATIONS

Hisham Abed ’86, Director

Queer Eye • “Disabled But Not Really”

Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program

Sara Bencivenga 07, ADR Editor

Westworld • “Parce Domine”
Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)

Peter Bawiec '15, Re-recording Mixer

Modern Family "Finale: Part 1"

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half Hour and Animation)

Jane Boegel ’93, Dialogue Editor

Better Call Saul • “Bagman”
Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)

Westworld • “Parce Domine”
Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

Outstanding Sound Editing For A Limited Series, Movie Or Special

Jeff Cronenweth ’84, Director of Photography

Tales From The Loop • “Loop”

Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-Camera Series (One Hour)

Ludwig Göransson, Composer

The Mandalorian • “Chapter 8: Redemption”
Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score)

Yana Gorskaya ’02, Editor

What We Do In The Shadows • “Resurrection”

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series

Cassidy Hartmann ’11, Producer

The Apollo

Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Special.

Patrick Hogan ’98, Dialogue Editor

American Horror Story: 1984 • “Camp Redwood”                                             

Outstanding Sound Editing For A Limited Series, Movie Or Special

Ian Kaufman ’01, Editor

LEGO Masters • “Mega City Block”

Outstanding Picture Editing For A Structured Reality Or Competition Program

Regina King, Actress

Watchmen

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie

Jody McVeigh-Schultz ’05, Supervising Editor

McMillion$ • Episode 3

Outstanding Picture Editing For A Nonfiction Program

McMillion$ • Episode 1

Outstanding Sound Editing For A Nonfiction Program

Matt Mercer ’10, Additional Editor

Life Below Zero • “The New World”

Outstanding Picture Editing For An Unstructured Reality Program

David Paul Meyer ’10, Director

The Daily Show With Trevor Noah • “Dr. Fauci Answers Trevor's Questions About Coronavirus”

Outstanding Directing For A Variety Series

Brian Oakes ’02, Director

Abstract: The Art of Design

Outstanding Main Title Design

Jon Schneider ’96, Camera Operator

RuPaul's Drag Race • “VH1” 

Outstanding Cinematography For A Reality Program

John Simmons ’76, Director of Photography 

Family Reunion • “Remember Black Elvis?”

Outstanding Cinematography For A Multi-Camera Series

Gordon Smith ’08, Writer

Better Call Saul • “Bagman”

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

Monica Sotto ’05, Production Designer

Drunk History • “Bad Blood” 

Outstanding Production Design For A Variety, Reality Or Competition Series

Madigan Stehly ’14, Lighting Director

So You Think You Can Dance • Finale 

Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Variety Series

62nd Grammy Awards

Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Variety Special

Michael Swingler ’09, Additional Editor

Life Below Zero • “The New World”

Outstanding Picture Editing For An Unstructured Reality Program

Karina Torrico ’01, Assistant Costume Designer

Dancing With The Stars • “Halloween Night”

Outstanding Costumes For A Variety, Nonfiction Or Reality Program

* Please contact us at alumni@cinema.usc.edu if we inadvertently missed your nomination.