2021 Emmys: TV Academy reveals three Creative Arts awards ceremonies, categories for Primetime show, vaccination requirement
The Television Academy today revealed that the Creative Arts Emmys will take place over three ceremonies on September 11 and 12 that cover below the line categories like cinematography, costumes and guest acting. Two of the ceremonies will be in the evening with a third on Sunday afternoon where reality, non-fiction and animation categories will be announced.
The Creative Arts Emmys will return to the Microsoft Theatre at L.A. and will be live this year (all five nights last year were pre-recorded), with a limited audience of nominees and their guests. This year will also return to the Creative Arts Emmys ceremonies being edited into a single telecast to air on Saturday, September 18 at 8PM on FXX, the night before the Primetime Emmys.
The Primetime Emmys will consist of 25 categories including series, lead and supporting acting, plus series writing and directing. Attendees at all four shows will be required to show proof of vaccination for admittance.
The 73rd Emmy Awards will be broadcast on Sunday, September 19, (8:00-11:00 PM, live EDT/5:00-8:00 PM, live PDT) on the CBS Television Network and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
Here is the breakdown of Creative Arts and Primetime Emmys ceremonies and categories.
2021 Creative Arts Emmys, Saturday, September 11 – 5 p.m. PT
Outstanding Cinematography For A Limited or Anthology Series Or Movie
Outstanding Cinematography For A Multi-Camera Series
Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour)
Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-Camera Series (One Hour)
Outstanding Contemporary Costumes
Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling
Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling For A Variety, Nonfiction, Or Reality Program
Outstanding Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic)
Outstanding Contemporary Makeup For A Variety, Nonfiction, Or Reality Program (NonProsthetic)
Outstanding Costumes For Variety, Nonfiction, Or Reality Programming
Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes
Outstanding Innovation In Interactive Programming
Outstanding Interactive Program
Outstanding Main Title Design
Outstanding Motion Design
Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing For A Comedy Series
Outstanding Period And/Or Character Hairstyling
Outstanding Period Costumes
Outstanding Period Makeup And/Or Character Makeup (Non-Prosthetic)
Outstanding Picture Editing For Variety Programming
Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour Or More)
Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Period Or Fantasy Program (One Hour Or
More)
Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Program (Half-Hour)
Outstanding Production Design For A Variety Special
Outstanding Production Design For A Variety, Reality, Or Competition Series
Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Comedy Series
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Drama Series
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation
Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)
Outstanding Sound Editing For A Limited or Anthology Series, Movie, Or Special
Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation
Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)
Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Variety Series or Special
2021 Creative Arts Emmys, Sunday, September 12 – 1 p.m. PT
Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking
Outstanding Animated Program
Outstanding Casting For A Reality Program
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
Outstanding Cinematography For A Nonfiction Program
Outstanding Cinematography For A Reality Program
Outstanding Directing For A Documentary/Nonfiction Program
Outstanding Directing For A Reality Program
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Competition Program
Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series Or Special
Outstanding Individual Achievement In Animation
Outstanding Music Composition For A Documentary Series Or Special (Original Dramatic
Score)
Outstanding Narrator
Outstanding Picture Editing For A Nonfiction Program
Outstanding Picture Editing For A Structured Reality Or Competition Program
Outstanding Picture Editing For An Unstructured Reality Program
Outstanding Short Form Animated Program
Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction Or Reality Series
Outstanding Sound Editing For A Nonfiction Or Reality Program (Single Or Multi-Camera)
Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Nonfiction Or Reality Program (Single Or Multi-Camera)
Outstanding Structured Reality Program
Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program
Outstanding Writing For A Nonfiction Program
2021 Creative Arts Emmys, Sunday, September 12 – 5 p.m. PT
Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series
Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series
Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series
Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series
Outstanding Casting For A Limited or Anthology Series Or Movie
Outstanding Choreography For Scripted Programming
Outstanding Choreography For Variety Or Reality Programming
Outstanding Commercial
Outstanding Directing For A Variety Series
Outstanding Directing For A Variety Special
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Variety Series
Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Variety Special
Outstanding Music Composition For A Limited or Anthology Series, Movie, Or Special
(Original Dramatic Score)
Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score)
Outstanding Music Direction
Outstanding Music Supervision
Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics
Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series
Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or a Movie
Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Single Episode
Outstanding Stunt Coordination
Outstanding Stunt Performance
Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control For A Series
Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control For A Special
Outstanding Television Movie
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
Outstanding Variety Special (Live)
Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special
73rd Primetime Emmy Awards, Sunday, September 19 – 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET
Outstanding Comedy Series
Outstanding Competition Program
Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series
Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series
Outstanding Directing For A Limited or Anthology Series Or Movie
Outstanding Drama Series
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series Or Movie
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series Or Movie
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series Or Movie
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series Or Movie
Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series
Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series
Outstanding Writing For A Limited or Anthology Series Or Movie
Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series
He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.
- 2025 Oscar Predictions: SUPPORTING ACTOR (November) - November 21, 2024
- 2025 Oscars: Eligibility Lists for Animated Feature, Documentary Feature and International Feature Film for the 97th Academy Awards - November 21, 2024
- Nava Mau, Sean Wang Among 2024 BAFTA Breakthroughs Championing New ‘Must-Watch’ Creatives - November 21, 2024
2025 Oscar Predictions: SUPPORTING ACTOR (November) 
Director Watch Podcast Ep. 72 – ‘Three Colours: Blue’ (Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1993) 
2025 Oscars: Eligibility Lists for Animated Feature, Documentary Feature and International Feature Film for the 97th Academy Awards 
Nava Mau, Sean Wang Among 2024 BAFTA Breakthroughs Championing New ‘Must-Watch’ Creatives