Hollywood Awards First Digital Entertainment Prizes
2004 Billboard Digital Entertainment Awards in Los Angeles on Nov 5th

By Rob Greenlee, co-host of WebTalk Radio

(Updated Nov 9) Nov 5, 2004 - You think the Emmys and Academy Awards are the big time awards events in Hollywood? The first annual Billboard Magazine 2004 Digital Entertainment Awards honors achievements involving digital games, music and film, television and DVD/video.

Billboard, an authority on music, video and digital entertainment, has created this event in partnership with Digital Media Wire, a digital industry news organization and events company.

Apple, RealNetworks, XM Satellite Radio, NCSoft and Nintendo were some of the winners at the inaugural Billboard 2004 Digital Entertainment Awards held Nov. 5th, 2004. See all winners below.

The Awards show that took place Friday, November 5, 2004 at the Grand Horizon Ballroom at UCLA's Covel at Sunset Village, as part of the Billboard Digital Entertainment Conference, held November 4-5 in Los Angeles.

Ned Sherman, co-chair of the 2004 Billboard Digital Entertainment Awards and CEO of Digital Media Wire, shared a few minutes in the midst of this event to talk about it.

Q: What is your vision behind the first annual digital entertainment awards?

Sherman: The Digital Entertainment Awards is a partnership between my company, Digital Media Wire, and Billboard magazine. We conceived of this as an idea about a year ago as we began to see more and more overlap between entertainment industries and technology providers. The idea was really to look at entertainment as a constantly evolving area that’s tied to really no particular platform or shape in time, but constantly being shaped by new developments, both on the technology front as well as on the creator front.

Q: How does a company or individual able to be considered for the awards?

Sherman: The awards process, which began back in May, was a submission process. We had hundreds of companies from literally all over the world entering 26 different awards categories. The categories range from video games, like the best PC or console games of the year, digital music innovation awards, the best online music service and film, television, video awards like the best use of technology in a feature film. There was also a process whereby our group of 17 jurors of industry experts could make nominations as well. We ended up with hundreds of entries and the jurors went through a pretty extensive evaluation of all the entries. Their votes are now in – and we’ve announced finalists and our winners will be announced Friday, November 5.

Q: Why don’t you list some of the nominees from some of the categories for us?

Sherman: Companies in the games area are NCSoft, Sega, Nintendo, Atari, Activision, Electronic Arts and Vivendi Games. In the film/television/video area, Sony Pictures Digital, Walt Disney, TIVO. In the music category we have a range that went from Apple iTunes to the RealNetworks Rhapsody group to Napster and to some of the performers like Prince, whose NPG music club is in the running for best use of technology by an artist, and Island Def Jam for best use of technology by a music label.

Q: What is the reaction you’re getting from the entertainment community in Southern California? Are there people that are fascinated by what you’re doing and see a lot of potential to look into the future?

Sherman: There is definitely a lot of excitement about this event. There are a couple of factors. One is the Hollywoodization of the game industry. We’ve seen, more and more in the last few years, budgets for game projects reaching into the high millions. People like Seamus Blackley, who is one of our keynotes, going from Microsoft Xbox group into an agent role that CAA—and there are similarly game-focused agents at ICM and some of the other major talent agencies. Hollywood and digital entertainment are really crossing over right now and it’s not just games. Its mobile entertainment that are taking licensed titles and are creating mobile video games.

One of the goals of this new event is to bring together people who may not necessarily see themselves as being in the same “industry”. We are saying “They’re here in the digital entertainment industry and you are all the pieces that make up the industry.”

Q: Microsoft seems to think so with their recent announcement of $20 billion they’re going to throw at the prospect of it.

Sherman: Really impressive, what Microsoft has been doing. They were down in L.A. a few weeks ago and had a big presentation for the Windows media.

Q: Getting your content immediately and being able to take anywhere with you can actually be kind of scary for the entertainment people in Los Angeles. There is a possibility that the stuff can be shared and maybe there’s a chance for them to lose control of their content.

Sherman: I think you hit it on the head. We know what consumers want, and that’s to be able to take their music or film and view it or listen to it wherever they go: whether that’s the car, the home or jogging down the street, that is a scary proposition to the content owners which have to deal with the piracy issue which cuts into their pockets.

The mobile areas -- that’s certainly an area that the music industry has recognized as a huge potential for them. They start out with ring tones and now it’s extending to full song downloads on mobile devices. One of our panels looks at ‘what is the endgame in digital music?’ Is it taking an iPod-like machine and combining it with a cell phone? Is that where we’re heading?

Following is a complete list of finalists for the 2004 Billboard Digital Entertainment Awards: (See 2004 Award Winners in Bold)

BEST OF SHOW AWARDS

1. Visionary of the Year

- Mark Cuban - Chairman, HDNet
- Rob Glaser - Chairman & CEO, Real Networks
- Steve Jobs - CEO, Apple / CEO, Pixar
- Will Wright - Game Designer (SimCity and The Sims)

2. Innovator of the Year

- Apple, iTunes
- Bram Cohen, Creator of BitTorrent
- Dr. Richard Marks and Sony Computer Entertainment America Eyetoy
- Hugh Panero and XM Satellite Radio, Inc., XM Radio

3. Brand of the Year

- Apple
- EA Sports
- Virgin Mobile
- XM Satellite Radio

MUSIC AWARDS

1. Best Downloadable or Subscription Music Service

- Apple iTunes
- Musicmatch on Demand
- Napster
- Rhapsody, Real Networks

2. Best Use of Technology by a Music Label

- LL Nation, Island Def Jam
- The Andrew W.K. Phone Party Blog, Island Def Jam
- Twista Promotion on Sprint Wireless, Warner Music Group
- Wired CD: Rip. Sample. Mash. Share. - Wired / Creative Commons

3. Best Use of Technology by an Artist

- Digital Static's Music & Multimedia DVD 2004
- Live Phish
- NPG Music Club, Prince
- Rolling Stones Four Flicks, TGA Entertainment

4. Best Radio Service

- KCRW
- Launch, Yahoo!
- Live 365
- XM Satellite Radio

5. Best Use of Technology for a Music Marketing Campaign

- Ben Harper Experience, Maven Networks
- Holly Valance "State of Mind" Mobile Campaign, Shazam Entertainment
- Method Man/Blender/ESPN Football Tournament, Island Def Jam
- Steve Winwood - Access Hollywood Promotion, Jun Group, Inc

6. Music DVD of the Year

- Coldplay, Live2003, Parophone
- Dave Matthews Band in Central Park, Coming Home Studios
- Rolling Stones Four Flicks, TGA Entertainment
- The Filth and the Fury: The Sex Pistols, New Line Home Entertainment

7. Best Digital Music Community

- Daily Download, Fuse
- MP3.com, CNET Networks
- Napster
- Pho List

8. Digital Music Innovation of the Year

- Harmony, Real Networks
- HD Radio - Digital Technology for AM & FM Broadcasting,
- iBiquity Digital Corporation
- Musicmatch on Demand, Musicmatch
- XM Satellite Radio

GAMES AWARDS

1. PC or Console Game of the Year

- City of Heroes, NCSoft
- Prince of Persia, Ubisoft
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Lucas Arts and BioWare Corp
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow, Ubisoft

2. Handheld Game of the Year

- Astro Boy: Omega Factor (GBA), Sega
- Jamdat Bowling 2, Jamdat Mobile
- Mario & Luigi: Super Star Saga (GBA), Nintendo
- Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Gameloft

3. Web/Downloadable Game of the Year

- Chappelle's Show Skate Bored Game, Comedy Central
- Feeding Frenzy, Sprout Games, LLC
- Jewel Quest, iWin, Inc.
- Shroomz: Quest for Puppy, Game Trust, Inc.

4. Multiplayer Game of the Year

- City of Heroes, NCSoft
- Socom II: U.S. Navy Seals, Sony Computer Entertainment America
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow, Ubisoft
- Unreal Tournament 2004 (PC), Atari

5. Advergame of the Year

- BMW X3 Adventure, Skyworks Technologies Inc.
- Radio Shack ZipZaps Special Edition, Online Racing Game on
Shockwave.com
- SAAB Rev. Racing, Fuel Industries
- The Subservient Chicken, Crispin Porter & Bogusky for Burger King

6. Best Character in a Game

- Link from Legend of Zelda, Nintendo
- The Chronicle of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, Vivendi Universal Games
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow, Ubisoft
- True Crime: Streets of LA, Activision

7. Best Use of Sound in a Game

- Freedom Fighters, Electronic Arts, Music by Jesper Kyd Productions
- DOOM 3, Activision
- Tony Hawk's Underground, Activision
- True Crime: Streets of LA, Activision

8. Game Developer of the Year

- BioWare Corp
- Maxis, Electronics Arts
- Pandemic Studios
- Ubisoft Montreal

9. Game Innovation of the Year

- Doom 3, Activision
- Eyetoy, Dr. Richard Marks and Sony Computer Entertainment America
- Nintendo DS
- Qualcomm's Brew

Film/TV/Video AWARDS

1. Best Interactive Television Programming

- GSN One-Screen Interactive on Oceanic Time Warner Cable
- NASCAR in Car, NASCAR Digital Entertainment
- Reality TV Bytes, Ball State University - Center for Media Design
- Showtime Interactive, Showtime Networks

2. Best Use of Technology for Educational Programming

- Baby Einstein: Numbers Nursery, The Walt Disney Co.
- The Brain, Ball State University - Center for Media Design
- The Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials:
- 1952-2004, American Museum of the Moving Image
- Training ASDA Colleagues with 24/7 TV, Hughes Network Systems,
ASDA

3. Best Use of Technology in a Feature Film or Film-related Project

- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Walt Disney
- Polar Express, Sony Pictures Imageworks
- Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow: The Flying Legion Air
- Combat Challenge, Blitz DS Games & Paramount Pictures
- Spider-Man 2, Sony Pictures Imageworks

4. Most Innovative Use of Technology for Advertising

- Alfie - Official Movie Website, Big Spaceship
- America Online Partners with The WB and Warner Bros.
- Television to Provide Online Preview of "Jack & Bobby" Prior
to its Network Debut, America Online, Inc.
- I, Robot - Official Movie Site, Big Spaceship
- Master and Commander: The Farside of the World, Maven Networks

5. Best Video On-demand Service

- Gotuit On Demand, Gotuit Media
- IFC Films On Demand, Rainbow Media
- Mag Rack, Rainbow Media
- Movielink, a joint venture of Metro-Golwyn-Mayer Studios,
- Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal
Studios and Warner Bros

6. Television Technology of the Year

- DLP Technology, Digital Light Processing, DLP Products, a
division of Texas Instruments
- GoldPocket's Event Matrix iTV System, GoldPocket Interactive
- Reality TV Bytes, Ball State University, Center for Media Design
- TiVo

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More information is available at 2004 Digital Entertainment Awards.

For more conversation with Ned Sherman, the full interview is available at http://WebTalkRadio.com.

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Dana Greenlee is co-host/producer of the WebTalkGuys Radio Show, a Tacoma-based nationally syndicated radio and webcast show featuring technology news and interviews.