ENTERTAINMENT GETS REAL
ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE RECOVERY & MENTAL WELLNESS
WITH THE 20th ANNUAL PRISM AWARDS
EIC’s 20th Anniversary Annual PRISM Awards Spotlights
September for National Recovery Month with Focus on Opioid Addiction
The Entertainment Industries Council (EIC) is pleased to announce that the 20th Anniversary of the PRISM Awards Ceremony, slated for September 30, 2016, in Los Angeles, will be the centerpiece of the entertainment industry’s support of National Recovery Month to bring greater awareness to opioid addiction, drunk, drugged and distracted driving. The ceremony is produced as a television special that showcases powerful productions that spotlight facets of substance use disorders and mental health concerns, often touching audiences on a personal level.
The PRISM Showcase airs nationally, launching on flagship airing partner FX Networks, and is scheduled for December 26, 2016, airing. It is distributed throughout the cable industry, local stations and EIC’s Internet channels with a six-month airing window. “When it comes to taking on substance use and mental health concerns, PRISM recognizes television shows are at the core of communicating lifesaving information. The opportunity for cable networks, and local stations to air the PRISM Showcase is an unparalleled public service that FX takes pride in facilitating on behalf of our industry,” said John Landgraf, CEO of FX Networks and FX Productions, and Chairman, PRISM Awards Honorary Committee.
Over the past twenty years, The PRISM Awards has received more than 7,000 submissions from studios, networks,and production companies, with over 1,000 nominations of writers and actors. Gary R. Benz, President and CEO of GRB Entertainment, and EIC Chairman stated, “The PRISM Awards have been a catalyst of change in the ways our creative community engages with issues of substance use and mental health. The EIC, working hand in hand with the industry on these issues, has reinforced the critical message that we all need to address substance use and recovery in all facets of our business.”
"The evolution of the PRISM Awards as the entertainment industry’s moniker for accurate, inspirational and compelling storytelling, is the result of commitment from many in the industry who have first-hand experience with substance abuse and mental health concerns that have affected their lives, families and friends,” said Marie Gallo Dyak, President and CEO, EIC.
The PRISM Showcase has been hosted by Dr. Drew, Melissa Rivers, Nancy Odell, Orlando Jones, Melora Hardin, John Salley, Lisa Guerrero, Jason Wahler, Alison Haislip, and many others. In the past twenty years, PRISM has celebrated award winners for their depictions of mental health like Jason Katims, Peter Krause, Craig T. Nelson and Max Burkholder for “Parenthood;” Chuck Lorre, Gemma Baker and Allison Janney for uniquely introducing humor and hope by showing what recovery can be like in “Mom.” Steven Tyler has also shown his support for recovery through presenting Best Recovery Song to fellow songwriter Richie Supa. Octavia Spencer, Jason Ritter, Lea Thompson, Ernie Hudson were among the cast of “Call Me Crazy,” who won for their compelling depiction of several instances of mental health disorders such as Schizophrenia and PTSD. Icons such as Martin Sheen, Stacey Keach, Barbara Eden, Michele Lee, Mira Sovino, Gerald McRaney, and more have been honored for outstanding performances that drive messages that reinforce treatment, recovery, and foster hope.
The 20th anniversary of PRISM will spotlight the strong treatment and recovery movement that celebrates September as National Recovery Month. Millions of people in communities across the country honor their families and friends who seek treatment and live every day in recovery from the pain of addiction. EIC is a long-standing member of the National Recovery Planning Partners, the prominent national leadership in prevention, treatment and recovery. The 20th Anniversary PRISM Awards Ceremony will reflect the breadth and depth of the recovery movement.
About FX
FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable channel of FX Networks, a business unit of 21ST Century Fox. FX Networks is comprised of FX, FXM and FXX. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in 92 million homes. The diverse schedule features a growing roster of critically-acclaimed and award-winning hit dramas series, including The Americans, The Strain, Tyrant, and the upcoming Taboo; the critically-acclaimed limited series American Horror Story, Fargo, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story and the upcoming Trust and Feud; acclaimed hit comedy series including the award-winning Louie, Archer, Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll,Baskets and the upcoming Better Things and Atlanta. FX is the former home of the critically-acclaimed and award-winning hit drama series The Shield, Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me, Damages,Sons of Anarchy and Justified. The network’s library of acquired box-office hit movies is unmatched by any ad-supported television network. FX’s roster of acquired hit series includesTwo and a Half Men, How I Met Your Mother, and Mike & Molly.
About Entertainment Industries Council
EIC is a non-profit organization founded in 1983 by leaders within the entertainment industry to bring the power and influence of the industry to communicate about health and social issues. The organization is considered to be the chief pioneer of entertainment and journalism outreach and a premiere success story in the field of entertainment education. This mission relies on providing resource information to the creative community and culminates in recognition of the industry through the national television special PRISM Showcase, which addresses accurate portrayals of substance use issues and mental health concerns. For a complete list of health and social issues addressed by EIC and local projects please visit First Draft and EIC’s website http://www.eiconline.org and http://www.eicnetwork.tv.