2018 Entry and Voting Rules
55th Annual CAS Awards Entry and Voting Rules
These are the official Rules, Regulations and Procedures for the 55th Annual CAS Awards. Although published in both print and on the CAS Website www.CinemaAudioSociety.org the definitive version will always be the one on the website as it can be updated and amended as necessary.
In addition to complying with the following Rules and Regulations for the 55th Annual Cinema Audio Society Awards, all participants are also bound by the CAS Regulations for Promotion, which are also posted on the CAS Website, www.CinemaAudioSociety.org
ENTRY DEADLINE:
Entry Submissions period ends at 5:00 p.m. PST Thursday, November 15, 2018 Monday, November 19, 2018
For Entry Submission Forms please visit www.CinemaAudioSociety.org during the submission period for an online form for each of the 7 categories.
For awards questions or information, email CASAwards@CinemaAudioSociety.org or contact the CAS Awards line at (818) 752-8624.
ENTRY SUBMISSIONS AND PROCEDURES:
1. Entries will be accepted beginning Thursday, October 11, 2018. Entry Submission Forms will be available on the CAS website at www.CinemaAudioSociety.org. Once online, fill out your selected category form. Submit the form to receive an email confirmation receipt, which will have instructions for printing the form.
2. Anyone may submit entries; however, only CAS Active Members in good standing are permitted to vote.
3. Entries must be made on the official entry form. Entry forms must be filled out completely.
4. Correct and complete entry information is the responsibility of the entrant. The CAS is not liable for incorrect ballot or crew listings that are the result of incorrect or incomplete information on the entry forms. Incomplete entry forms will be returned to the entrant. Each submission must include at least one Production Mixer and One Re-recording mixer to be eligible.
5. If an entry is submitted in the wrong category or with erroneous information by the entrant, and the error is not discovered until the ballot reaches the voters, it will be disqualified. If the CAS makes an error in the categorization of an entry or provides erroneous information on a ballot, a correction notification will be issued.
6. Final approval of category placement and eligibility shall be determined by the CAS Awards Review Committee.
7. Ineligible entries may be disqualified at any stage of the competition.
8. Entrants have the option to receive confirmation of their entries via e-mail.
9. Entry Submissions must be received by 5:00 p.m. PST Thursday, November 15, 2018 Monday, November 19, 2018.
ELIGIBILITY
If there are 5 or fewer qualifying works submitted in any category, no award will be given in that category for the current year. The exception to this would be if there are fewer than 5 animated feature films submitted in a year. In that case, there would be only one Motion Picture category which would encompass both live-action and animated films.
To be eligible, Motion Pictures :
– must have had their initial release between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018.
– must be over 40 minutes in length.
– must have had at least a seven-day run for paid admission in a commercial theater in Los Angeles County or the city of New York beginning by December 31, 2018.
– must have their first public exhibition or distribution as a theatrical motion picture release. (However 10 minutes or 10 percent of the running time of a film is allowed to be shown in a non-theatrical medium prior to the film’s theatrical release.)
Motion pictures from all countries are eligible as long as they satisfy the requirements of all the other applicable rules.
To be eligible, Motion Picture: Documentaries:
– must have had their initial release between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018.
– must be over 40 minutes in length.
– must have had at least a seven-day run for paid admission in a commercial theater in Los Angeles County or the city of New York beginning by December 31, 2018.
– must be an individual work.
– must have their first public exhibition or distribution as a theatrical motion picture release.
(However 10 minutes or 10 percent of the running time of a film is allowed to be shown in a non-theatrical medium prior to the film’s theatrical release.)
Ineligible are:
- Multi-part or limited series
- Episodes extracted from a larger series
- Segments taken from a “composite” program
- Alternate versions of ineligible works
- Films that, in any version, receive a non theatrical public exhibition or distribution before their first qualifying theatrical release.
- Non Theatrical public exhibition or distribution includes but is not limited to: Broadcast and cable television
- Broadcast and cable television
- PPV/VOD
- DVD distribution
- Internet transmission
- Non Theatrical public exhibition or distribution includes but is not limited to: Broadcast and cable television
Motion pictures from all countries are eligible as long as they satisfy the requirements of all the other applicable rules.
Once a film is submitted in the Motion Picture: Documentary category it may not entered in the Television Non-Fiction, Variety or Music – Series or Specials category.
To be eligible, Television Programs:
– must have had their initial broadcast in the United States between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018 .
CATEGORY DEFINITIONS & ELIGIBILITY
1. Motion Pictures: Live Action – for a theatrically released fictional feature-length live action motion picture.
2. Motion Pictures: Animated – for a theatrically released feature-length animated motion picture in which no less than 75 percent of the picture’s running time is animated.
3. Motion Pictures: Documentary – for a theatrically released feature-length live action documentary.
4. Television Movie or Limited Series – for a single episode of a mini-series or for a made for television movie.
5. Television Series: 1 Hour – for a single episode of a regular series.
6. Television Series: Up to ½ Hour – for a single episode of a regular series.
7. Television Non-Fiction, Variety or Music – Series or Specials – for a single episode of a non-fiction, variety or music series or for a non-fiction, variety or music special.
Each entry is eligible in only 1 category. The CAS Awards Review Committee shall determine final approval of category placement and eligibility.
A film or program that had eligibility in a prior awards year cannot be re-introduced into eligibility in the current awards year, even though it may have been modified with new footage.
SPECIAL RULES FOR TELEVISION CATEGORIES
1. A Television Movie shall be defined as an original program, which tells a story with a beginning, middle and end and is broadcast in one part.
2. A Limited Series shall be defined as a program that tells a complete, non-recurring story with no ongoing storyline or continuing main characters in previous or subsequent seasons. A Limited Series must have 2 or more episodes and a total running time of at least 4 broadcast hours or 150 program minutes. All the episodes must be aired under the same title in a single awards year. Limited Series entries must indicate which part is being entered, as each part of the Limited Series will count as a separate entry.
3. A Series shall be defined as multiple episodes with an ongoing theme, storyline and characters presented under the same title with continuity of production supervision. A series must have 6 or more episodes that have aired. If a series is canceled or not continued and there are five or less episodes that first air in the current eligibility year, those episodes are ineligible. Series entries must indicate the episode name (and part number if applicable) as each series episode will count as a separate entry.
4. If a series’ run crosses December 31 (with an equal number of episodes airing prior to and after December 31) the series may be entered into the current year’s awards or the following year’s awards but not both.
5. Extended length episodes of Television Series, including but not limited to Pilots and Special Episodes, may only be entered in a series category and may not be entered as Movies, Limited Series or Specials. The length of a submitted episode may exceed, by as much as double, the standard running time of the series episodes. If the Pilot or Special Episode airs in multiple parts, not in succession, each part should be entered as an individual submission. If the parts air consecutively, on the same night, the episode may be entered in its entirety as one entry (as long as it does not cumulatively exceed twice the standard running time of the series episodes), or each part may be entered separately.
6. Clip Shows, Year-Enders, Best-Ofs and Anniversary Specials must be entered as specials.
7. If a program is comprised of more than one segment, the entrant must enter the entire show, not just a segment, and only the mixers who contributed significantly to the majority portion of the entire program shall be eligible for nomination.
8. Telethons aired for the purpose of raising money for political parties are ineligible.
9. Programs that are generally exhibited in motion picture theaters or are offered on home VOD prior to or on the same day as their first television airing are not eligible. Showing a program at a film festival or in limited release for the purpose of fulfilling other awards eligibility (e.g., The Oscars) does not disqualify an otherwise eligible program.
MIXER QUALIFICATIONS & ELIGIBILITY
A maximum of 7 mixers shall be eligible for nomination for each nominated film or program in ALL categories. These 7 mixers shall consist of one Production Mixer, a maximum of three Re-recording Mixers, one Scoring Mixer, one ADR Mixer, and one Foley Mixer.
A submission may request additional mixers in any discipline for a maximum of 7 recipients.
• An eligible Production Mixer on a film or program must have recorded the majority of the production sound for that film or program, regardless of the percentage of that recording remaining in the final sound mix.
• An eligible Original Dialogue Mixer on a film or program must have recorded the majority of the dialogue for that film or program.
• An eligible Re-recording Mixer on a film or program must have been on the mixing console on the final sound mix and must have contributed substantially to the final mix.
• An eligible Scoring Mixer must have mixed the majority of the musical score for that film or program.
• An eligible ADR Mixer must have mixed the majority of the ADR for that film or program.
• An eligible Foley Mixer must have mixed the majority of the Foley for that film or program.
Eligibility for all nominations and awards shall be determined by screen credits or as certified to the CAS by the producing companies, but final credit determination and nomination eligibility in any event shall be made by the CAS. Producers or others may not alter an individual’s screen credit in order to qualify the individual for Award eligibility. The CAS reserves the right to make its own determination of credit for purposes of award consideration. In the event of any credit dispute, the nomination eligibility for the CAS Awards shall be determined by the CAS Awards Review Committee, whose decision will be final. Additionally, the CAS reserves the right to declare any film or program in dispute as ineligible or alternatively to list credits as being in controversy and withhold any award until the dispute is resolved.
NOMINATION – VOTING & PROCEDURES
1. Nomination Ballots will be available for online voting to all CAS Active Members on Thursday, December 13, 2018.
2. Voting on all CAS Awards Ballots will be restricted to CAS Active Members in good standing on October 1st 2018.
3. All eligible films or programs in each category will be listed online in the Entry Submissions list along with the Nominations Ballot. The Entry Submissions lists shall include a film or program’s title, a brief synopsis of the story to help identify it for the voters (if provided by entrant), and the airdate for television programs (and the episode or part number if applicable). This list will not include the names of the mixers for any film or program.
4. From the compiled list of entries, CAS Active Members in good standing will be allowed to vote for five entries in each category, which they will list in order of preference. This is a weighted ballot. A numerical value will be assigned to each of the chosen entries, according to their order of preference as listed on the ballot, and the five entries with the highest numerical values will become the final nominees. In the event of a tie for 5th place in any category, there may be more than five nominees in that category. No one entry may be listed on the ballot more than once. If an entry is listed more than once, the entire ballot will be disqualified.
5. No write-in votes on the Nominations Ballot will be permitted.
6. First round Nomination Ballot Voting will end at 5:00 p.m. PST Thursday, January 3, 2019.
7. Ballots will be received and tabulated by an independent online voting company.
8. Final Nominees in each category will be announced Tuesday, January 08, 2019.
9. Nomination Certificates will be given to all nominated mixing crews in each category.
10. In the event that the CAS declares a nominated film or show ineligible, it shall not be replaced and the category will remain with one fewer nominee.
11. Nominated achievements may be withdrawn from nomination only by agreement of all members of the nominated crew. Individual nominees on a crew may withdraw themselves, but the film or program’s nomination will stand as long as one crew member remains. If all members of the nominated crew agree to withdraw the nominated achievement, the entry will be declared ineligible, and Rule #10 will apply.
12. A petition for additional mixers to be included as part of a nominated crew shall be allowed if submitted to the CAS office in writing within 10 calendar days of the announcement of the nominations. After this time, no appeals or petitions for additional mixers may be made. No petition for additional mixers will be considered if the seven available award places are already allocated. Additional mixers must have contributed significantly to the film or program, and an explanation stating the case for the inclusion of the additional mixer(s) must be included as part of the petition. The petition must also contain contact information, phone numbers and email addresses for the entrant and any other individuals who will be able to supply additional information as may be needed by the CAS Awards Review Committee. Decisions regarding any and all appeals and petitions will be made by the CAS Awards Review Committee whose decisions will be final.
13. Each of the final 5 nominees in each category must submit a clip as well as audio of the film or program’s theme music no later than 15 days following the announcement of the nominations. Contact information MUST be supplied on the submission form. Forms without this information will be considered incomplete.
14. Each nominee agrees that any film, tape, recording or supplemental printed material that is furnished to the CAS in connection with an entry may be retained by the CAS for file reference purposes. In submitting a film or program for CAS Awards consideration, the entrants are deemed to have conveyed to the CAS the right to choose excerpts from the film or program, at the CAS’s discretion, for incorporation into the CAS Awards presentation. Clips from any such recording or supplemental printed material may be used on or in connection with the presentation or exhibition of the CAS Awards, including but not limited to internet exhibition in connection with promotional activities; use of such clips and material shall be subject to the clearance of any other parties that may be required.
FINAL BALLOT – VOTING & PROCEDURES
1. Final Ballots will be available for online voting to CAS Active Members on Thursday, January 24, 2019.
2. Voting on all CAS Awards Ballots will be restricted to CAS Active Members in good standing on October 1, 2018.
3. All nominated films or programs in each category will be posted online in the Nominations list along with the Final Ballot. The Nominations lists shall include a film or program’s title, a brief synopsis of the story to help identify it for the voters (if provided by entrant), and the airdate for television programs (and the episode or part number if applicable). This list will not include the names of the mixers on any film or program.
4. The Final Ballot will list all the Films or Programs Nominated in each category. The nominated Films or Programs in each category will be listed alphabetically.
5. CAS Active Members will be allowed to vote for one entry in each category. The nominee in each category with the highest total number of votes shall be the winner. In the event of a tie for first place in the final balloting, awards will be given to more than one film or show.
6. No write-in votes on the Final Ballot are permitted.
7. Final Ballot Voting will end at 5:00 p.m. PST Wednesday, February 06, 2019.
8. Ballots will be received and tabulated by an independent online voting company.
AWARDS
The 55th Annual CAS Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing will be presented in a sealed-envelope ceremony to be held on Saturday, February 16, 2019 in the Wilshire Grand Ballroom of the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown Hotel.
Individual Awards will be given to the mixers of the winning title with a maximum of seven awards, consisting of one Production Mixer, a maximum of three Re-recording Mixers, one Scoring Mixer, one ADR Mixer, and one Foley Mixer in ALL categories.
In the event of a tie for first place in the Final Balloting, awards will be given to the mixers of more than one title.
There are often corrections in the lists of nominees from the nomination press release up to the winner’s press release. The winner’s press release should be used as the final and definitive source of winner information.
To download PDF version of the Entry & Voting Rules, click here
