The Streamy Awards Winners Celebrated the Arrival of Open Entertainment

The feeling in the air on Saturday night at the Wadsworth Theater in Los Angeles was summed up by Felicia Day‘s acceptance speech.

The now Streamy Award-winning writer-producer-actor who maintains creative control over her Microsoft-funded hit series, The Guild, thanked her first-season fans who supported the series with donations of usually less than ten dollars. She also mentioned a dying distribution paradigm whose round hole could never quite fit her square peg.

I don’t think anyone would question Felecia Day’s ability to “make it” in a world where there is certainly no shortage of less talented performers, but the moment when she, Joss Whedon and Neil Patrick Harris accepted The Audience Choice Award, it illuminated the arrival of a new era of a creator-controlled Hollywood.

The list of artists below represents the unique, outstanding, commercially viable entertainment industry that’s thriving on a totally open medium with limitless possibilities. The Streamy Awards Ceremony highlighted the new power dynamic in the entertainment industry within which creators, studios, agents, guilds and advertisers have begun to operate.

And, the winners are…

The Official Winners of the 1st Annual Streamy Awards

March 28, 2009

From my perspective, the response to the evening was overwhelmingly positive, but thoughtful hesitation and some ornery complaints were also loud and clear. It’s clear that the work has only just begun.

We’d like to say a very big “Thank you!” to all the people who made the First Annual Streamy Awards possible, especially our co-hosts – Tubefilter and NewTeeVee – and our sponsors – including Kodak, Episodic, DailyMotion, Microsoft Zune, KoldCast TV, Take180, mDialog, RDF USA, Lifeforce Entertainment, and blip.tv – all of whom demonstrated an interest in honoring new media in a big way.

Another emphatic “Thanks!” goes out to the Zack and Gary Smith, for producing and directing a stellar awards ceremony that rivals any other event involving evening wear and statuettes .

And one last tip of the hat goes out to everyone passionate about creating and watching web television. This event would not have been possible without you.

Photo credit: The Bui Brothers