Discovery Kids and Mike Young Prods. shows have each scored double finalist honors in the 31st Humanitas Prize childrens animation category. The finalists in all six categories will be competing for $115,000 in prize money to be handed out at the annual luncheon, which will be held on Wednesday, June 29, 2005, at the Hilton Universal Hotel in Universal City, California.
James Still is nominated for his script for PAZ: Things Change, seen on Discovery Kids TLC. Pamela Hickey & Dennys McCoy are up for writing TODDWORLD: Whos Your Best Friend? also broadcast on Discovery Kids TLC. TODDWORLD is produced by Mike Young Prods., which also produced JAKERS! THE ADVENTURES OF PIGGLEY WINKS: Waking Thor, written by Humanitas nominees Kelly Ward and Cliff MacGillivray and broadcast on PBS. These writers will be competing for the $10,000 prize.
This is the first time Discovery Kids has been nominated for this award.
Erika Kennair, a recent graduate of LMU Graduate School of Film and Television (SFTV), has been named the recipient of the David and Lynn Angell HUMANITAS Comedy Fellowship. Kennair will receive a $10,000 stipend to be presented at the Humanitas Prize Luncheon.
Kennair is currently working in post-production at Fox Searchlight Pictures and hopes to pursue a career in Childrens Television.
The fellowship was created to honor David and Lynn Angell. David was a prolific writer and producer, beginning on the staff of Paramount's CHEERS and going on to co-create WINGS and FRASIER. Lynn provided the opportunity for David to pursue writing. She supported his efforts by working as an educator and librarian. The Angells were aboard Flight #11, the first plane to hit the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
The winning script was selected by the Angell Fellowship Trustees, which include Peter Casey, Jennifer Crittenden, Frank Deisderio, David Hackel, Tom Reeder and Elliot Stahler.
Since its inception in 1974, the HUMANITAS Prize has presented more than 230 prizes and dispersed some $2.3 million in prize money to television and motion picture writers, whose work honestly explores the complexities of the human experience and sheds light on the positive values of life. Each year, the HUMANITAS Prize holds Master Writers Workshops presented by today's leading writers.
For more information and a complete list of the winner, please visit the website at www.humanitasprize.org.
