The Hollywood Post Alliance – the trade association for the post production community – has announced a new craft award category for independent feature films at the 2012 HPA Awards. The category, which will include three separate awards recognizing color grading, sound and editing, was conceived to recognize the community of post production professionals who work on independent feature films.

The HPA Awards, established in 2006, honor the innovative efforts of post production experts, artists and companies at work in the dynamic and crucial post production arena, and have grown to be seen as the industry’s highest honors. The Awards encompass craft categories including: Outstanding Color Grading using a DI process for feature film, Outstanding Color Grading for television and commercials, Outstanding Editing, Sound, and Compositing for feature film, television and commercials. Entries in this first-ever indie category in the HPA Awards are encouraged, with the hope that the category will take hold and become an important part of the Awards from this year on.

In addition to the craft categories, there are a handful of special awards bestowed during the HPA Awards including; the Engineering Excellence Award sponsored by NAB Show, HPA Judges Award for Creativity and Innovation in Post Production, Lifetime Achievement and the Charles S. Swartz Award, which recognizes broad and lasting contributions to the industry.

Leon Silverman, President for the Hollywood Post Alliance, noted, “Our vision for the HPA Awards has always been about celebrating the high degree of creativity and craft throughout our entire industry. Creating a category specifically focused on the artistic, creative and technical excellence of independent films and filmmakers is a way to ensure that the important work being done within this community could be recognized and honored.”

Entries in the Independent Feature Film categories will be accepted through August 10, 2012. Eligible entries must have been accepted into and premiered at a film festival between September 7, 2011 and September 10, 2012, and must not have executed a distribution contract prior to being accepted at its premier film festival. For complete guidelines and more information about the HPA Awards, visit www.hpaawards.net or call 213.614.0860.

About the Hollywood Post Alliance

Hollywood Post Alliance (HPA) serves the professional community of businesses and individuals who provide expertise, support, tools and the infrastructure for the creation and finishing of motion pictures, television, commercials, digital media and other dynamic media content.

About the HPA Awards

The HPA Awards were created to foster awareness of post production, promote creative and technical excellence, recognize the achievements of post production talent, and build involvement in the Hollywood Post Alliance. The HPA Awards will be presented with generous support from Premier Sponsor, NAB Show.