Oscar madness kicks into high gear at the DGA and SNL

People who want a real Academy Award horse-race got probably the best possible news last night at the Director’s Guild Awards. As you’ll no doubt be hearing many, many times over the next month or so, the DGA Award for Best Director and the Oscar for Best Director have only not lined up six times in the history of both awards. Also, of course, the directorial Oscar and the Best Picture Oscar often tend to correlate as well because, sometimes rightly but occasionally wrongly, most of the credit for a good movie tends to go to the director.

Those who remained confident that “The Social Network” remained the favorite for an Oscar sweep despite it getting beaten out in the number of Oscar nominations by two films, were given a sharp jolt because the winner last night was not David Fincher, but the extremely talented fact-based-drama specialist Tom Hooper of “The King’s Speech.” Count me among the surprised.

I’ll save for later why I still think the Oscars’ are either movie’s ball game or could easily be a sort split decision. However, in an amusing not quite coincidence, “Social Network” star and Oscar nominee Jessie Eisenberg had a small surprise of his own to reveal as he hosted “Saturday Night Live” last night.

Let’s see Colin Firth pull that off with King George VI. Also, Mark Zuckerberg can’t complain that he was misrepresented in terms of height, at least. H/t Nikki Finke.

The winner in the best documentary DGA category, by the way, was Charles Ferguson of the hugely acclaimed “Inside Job” which might actually guarantee that it won’t win the Best Documentary Oscar, because that’s the way the documentary category often rolls. We’ll see. For you TV fans, I’ll post/paste the complete list of DGA Awards (nice wins for Mick Jackson and Martin Scorsese,) after the flip.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2010:

TOM HOOPER, The King’s Speech (The Weinstein Co.)

Mr. Hooper’s Directorial Team:

Production Manager: Erica Bensly

First Assistant Director: Martin Harrison

Second Assistant Director: Chris Stoaling

This is Mr. Hooper’s first DGA Feature Film Award Nomination. He was previously nominated for the DGA Award for Movies for Television/Miniseries for John Adams in 2008.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for 2010:

CHARLES FERGUSON, Inside Job

Representational Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics

This is Mr. Ferguson’s first DGA Award nomination.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series for 2010:

MICK JACKSON, Temple Grandin (HBO)

Mr. Jackson’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Scott Ferguson

First Assistant Director: Philip Hardage

Second Assistant Director: Shawn Pipkin

Second Second Assistant Director: Kayse Goodell and Richard E. Chapla Jr.

Additional Second Second Assistant Director: Glen Moorman

This is Mr. Jackson’s fourth DGA Award nomination. He is a three-time winner of the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series with Indictment: The McMartin Trial (1995), Tuesdays With Morrie (1999), and Live From Baghdad (2002).

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series for 2010:

MARTIN SCORSESE, Boardwalk Empire, “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)

Mr. Scorsese’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Harvey Waldman

First Assistant Director: Chris Surgent

Second Assistant Director: Takahide Kawakami

Second Second Assistant Director: Patrick McDonald

Additional Second Assistant Director: Sal Sutera DGA Trainee: Jamiyl Ihsaan Campbell

This is Mr. Scorsese’s eighth DGA Award nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature film in 2006 for The Departed, and was previously nominated in that category for Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990), The Age of Innocence (1993), Gangs of New York (2002), and The Aviator (2004). In 1999 Scorsese was presented with the Filmmaker Award at the inaugural DGA Honors Gala and he won the DGA’s highest artistic honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award (for distinguished achievement in film direction) in 2003.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series for 2010:

MICHAEL SPILLER, Modern Family, “Halloween” (ABC)

Mr Spiller’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Sally Young

First Assistant Director: Alisa Statman

Second Assistant Director: Helena Lamb

Second Second Assistant Director: Matthew Heffernan

This is Mr. Spiller’s first DGA Award nomination.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical Variety for 2010:

GLENN WEISS, 64th Annual Tony Awards (CBS)

Mr. Weiss’ Directorial Team:

Associate Directors: Gregg Gelfand, Robin Abrams, Ricky Kirshner

Stage Managers: Garry Hood, Peter Epstein, Andrew Feigin, Lynn Finkel, Doug Fogel, Jeffry Gitter, Dean Gordon, Phyllis Digilio Kent, Arthur Lewis, Joey Meade, Tony Mirante, Cyndi Owgang, Jeff Pearl, Elyse Reaves, Lauren Class Schneider

This is Mr. Weiss’ seventh DGA Award nomination. He won the Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical Variety in 2007 for The 61st Annual Tony Awards; and was previously nominated in this category in 2008, 2006, 2005, 2002 and 2001 all for the 62nd, 60th, 59th, 56th and 55th Annual Tony Awards.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs for 2010:

EYTAN KELLER, The Next Iron Chef, “Episode #301” (Food Network)

Mr. Keller’s Directorial Team:

Segment Director: Stephen Kroopnick

Stage Managers: Tom Borgnine, Seth Mellman

This is Mr. Keller’s second DGA Award Nomination. He was previously nominated in this same category in 2009 for episode “201” of The Next Iron Chef.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Daytime Serials for 2010:

LARRY CARPENTER, One Life to Live, “Episode #10,687” (ABC)

Mr. Carpenter’s Directorial Team:

Associate Directors: Tracy Casper Lang, Teresa Anne Cicala, Anthony J. Wilkinson, Jen Pepperman

Stage Managers: Alan Needleman, Keith Greer

Production Associates: Nathalie Rodriguez, Kevin Brush

This is Mr. Carpenter’s seventh DGA Award nomination and all for his direction of One Life to Live. He won the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Daytime Serials Award for One Life to Live – “Episode #9947″ in 2007, for “Episode #8849″ in 2003, and for “So You Think You Can Be Shane Morasco’s Father” in 2008. He was previously nominated for that series for “Episode #9686″ in 2006, “Episode #9385″ in 2005 and “Episode #8655″ in 2002.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs for 2010:

ERIC BROSS, The Boy Who Cried Werewolf (Nickelodeon)

This is Mr. Bross’ first DGA Award nomination.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials for 2010:

STACY WALL (Imperial Woodpecker)

Rise, Nike – Wieden & Kennedy/Portland

First Assistant Director: Bac DeLorme

Second Assistant Director: Steve Del Prete

Second Second Assistant Director: Kenny Hanson

Really?, Microsoft – Crispin Porter & Bogusky/Boulder

First Assistant Directors: Miles Johnstone, Doug Halbert

Second Assistant Director: Michael Brawer

Slim Chin & D Rose, Adidas – 180LA

First Assistant Director: Dave Dean

Second Assistant Director: Carl Jackson

Handshake, Nike – Weiden & Kennedy/Portland

First Assistant Directors: Miles Johnstone, Scott Metcalfe

Second Assistant Director: Michael Brawer

This is Mr. Wall’s first DGA Award nomination.