As short form programming continues to shrink, so do the number of Emmy categories devoted to it. The Television Academy has unveiled its first round of rule changes for the 2024 Primetime Emmys, and the major changes include eliminating the short form animated program field and combining the short form performer categories.
The TV Academy said the changes come in the wake of “”a decline in submissions over the past five years.” Now, the short form animated program category has been combined with the animated program category, with two tracks created: One for short form programs (between 2 – 20 minutes) and one for all other programming (over 20 minutes). The short form animated program Emmy was first awarded in 2008.
Also, the actor in a short form comedy or drama series and actress in a short form comedy or drama series have been combined into one category – outstanding performer in a short form comedy or drama series. The actor in a short form comedy or drama series and actress in a short form comedy or drama series Emmys were first awarded in 2016.
In the guest performer category field, the TV Academy is now clarifying that cameos will not be allowed to be submitted: “The minimum stand-alone and contiguous-screen time (performer has an ongoing engagement in the scene, on or off camera) for eligibility is 5% of the total running time of the submitted episode.”
Guest performers are defined as appearing in less than 50% of all eligible series episodes. The TV Academy said the rule tweak was made “to ensure that a guest performer’s role is significant to the episode being submitted.”
In other rule changes:
• “Line Producer” has been added as an Emmy-eligible credit on documentary/ nonfiction specials, documentary/nonfiction series and hosted nonfiction programs.
• “Head of Workroom” (AKA Cutter/Fitter) has been added as an Emmy-eligible title. Per the Academy: “Their eligibility will be determined by the designer. Contribution to the project will be weighed on a percentage basis as is done for all other positions. Verification will be made by call sheet, deal memo and designer input. Those eligible must be individuals, rather than a costume house or facility. However, the head of a facility workroom may be considered.”
• Outstanding hairstyling for a variety, nonfiction, or reality program and outstanding makeup for a variety, nonfiction, or reality program categories — previously juried awards — now only have panels to prescreen submissions for nominations. The full peer group votes in the final round to determine who receives an Emmy Award.
Submissions for the 76th Emmy Awards open on Thursday, Feb. 29. See the full 76th Emmys calendar here:
Eligibility period for Emmy entries: June 1, 2023 – May 31, 2024
February 29: Open for submissions
April 9: Deadline to apply for membership to guarantee voting eligibility for both rounds of the 75th Emmy competition and to secure member entry fee discount. Application(s) must be completed and paid for by this date.
Deadline for current voting members to apply for hyphenate voting status and for Associate members to apply to switch to Active voting membership.
April 26: Entry deadline for Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards.
May 8: Deadline for lapsed members to apply to reinstate their membership to guarantee voting eligibility for both rounds of the 75th Emmy competition and to secure member entry fee discount. Application(s) must be completed and paid for by this date.
May 9: Entry deadline for programs that identify as Primetime programming by virtue of genre and were originally presented June 1, 2023 – May 31, 2024.
Upload deadline for all entry materials.
June 13: Nominations-round voting begins.
June 24, 10 p.m. PT: Nominations-round voting ends.
June 28 – July 8: Voting for peer group-specific top ten round panels (if applicable)
July 17: Nominations announced.
July 24: Deadline for errors and omissions to the nominations.
Week of August 5: Final-round videos available for viewing
August 15: Final-round voting begins.
August 26, 10 p.m. PT: Final-round voting ends
September TBD: Creative Arts Emmy Awards and Governors Gala
September TBD: 76th Emmy Awards ABC Telecast and Governors Gala
All dates are subject to change.
