The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) is switching the awards luncheon which precedes the awards ceremony to a night-time event.
The aim is to provide a better and bigger platform for the first batch of awards presented, according to AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella.
Actor/presenter Rob Carlton will host the industry dinner at the The Star Event Centre in Sydney on Monday November 30.
Carlton quipped, “I've trained all my life to host a room full of intelligent, slightly drunk but getting drunker, left leaning, creative types… It'll be like Sydney University's Manning Bar in the 90's, or the Judgement Bar of a time that's difficult to pinpoint but I'm sure existed. We should be fine but if it does get out of hand I can always use my shouty/sweary Kerry Packer voice.”
The awards ceremony will take place at the same venue on December 9, telecast on the Seven Network which replaces Ten as the broadcast partner, along with streaming service Presto.
In contention are 23 feature films. Nominees will be announced in late October, when tickets go on sale for both awards events via the AACTA website.
More than 20 awards in film, television, documentaries and shorts will be handed out at the dinner. The exact number is still being finalised but Trewhella tells IF that four or five gongs that used to be presented at the awards ceremony will likely be transferred to the dinner.
“The feedback we had last time is that the ceremony went on too long so the format needs to be tighter and a bit shorter,” he said.
“We want to focus on the awards that are most relevant to audiences in the ceremony, while the dinner will focus on the awards that are most relevant to the industry.”
The luncheon has sold out each year and the switch in time will enable the organisers to add around 100 extra seats.
“This is an opportunity to raise the standard of the industry event and build on the good work of the last few years,” he said.
Post production facility Blue Post is the latest official partner of the awards and a presenting partner of the industry dinner.
“Blue Post is excited by the opportunity to work alongside AACTA to assist with its promotion and celebration of film and television excellence in Australia,” said MD Peter Millington.
“As a leading provider of post production services, we have collaborated with the industry’s best on AACTA award-winning programs such as The Code, Puberty Blues and Nowhere Boys.”