With the 2020 Emmys Awards happening Sunday, September 20 at 8 p.m. on ABC, the TV Academy announced how it will hold the preliminary Creative Arts ceremonies. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the annual ceremony will air virtually via The Emmys website over the course of five nights. Each night will focus on a different genre, culminating in a two-hour finale Saturday, September 19.
The multi-day ceremony looks to award up to 100 nominees beginning Monday, September 14 at 8 p.m. ET, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The first evening will be set aside for nominees within the reality and nonfiction genres. While the top categories will be saved for the weekend finale, some other big contenders will compete. This includes Hulu docuseries Hillary, ESPN’s The Last Dance, and Netlfix’s Tiger King in the race for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series. Monday will also highlight lighter fare such as the nominees for the Outstanding Structured Reality Program.
Tuesday’s telecast will focus on the variety genre, via The Hollywood Reporter. Nominees in this category include the 2020 Super Bowl, the Oscars, the Tonys, and the Golden Globes looking to keep Norman Lear’s (Good Times, All in the Family) Live in Front of Studio Audience from a second win for Best Live Special. Meanwhile, Outstanding Variety Sketch Series will have Saturday Night Live defending its crown against the recently canceled Drunk History and rookie A Black Lady Sketch Show.
Wednesday and Thursday split awards for scripted programming. The Hollywood Reporter reports the technical awards will bow on Wednesday evening. These categories highlight sound mixing and editing, cinematography, costuming, and production design. The following evening will be an array of categories including the awards for short-form content, which sees new platform Quibi with 10 nominations. Another category is Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, which includes Watchmen’s Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) and Atticus Ross (The Social Network), The Black Godfather’s Pharrell Williams (In Search Of…, In My Mind) and Little Fires Everywhere’s Ingrid Michaelson (Lights Out, Everybody).
The festivities skip Friday to conclude on Saturday evening with a telecast on FXX, via The Hollywood Reporter. The two-hour event will highlight major categories, including Best Reality Series Host and the Guest Actor and Actress categories for each genre.
The Creative Arts Ceremonies will be hosted by Nailed It! host and first-time Emmy nominee, Nicole Byer. The main event, airing virtually for the first time in Emmy history, will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel on ABC, via The Hollywood Reporter.