EVENT RECAP: Hamilton host the Behind The Camera Awards in Hollywood

Zach Blass

Last weekend, I flew out to the movie-making capital of the world: Hollywood, California. The reason for my visit was the return of the Hamilton Behind The Camera Awards, an event devoted to recognising those in the film industry who do not always get their due – the people who tirelessly work off-screen.

Hamilton is an extremely fitting brand partner to host such an event.  Holding the record for the most watches to appear in television and film, Hamilton have made wrist-bound cameos in hundreds of Hollywood films and TV shows since their silver-screen debut in the 1932 classic Shanghai Express. Over the years, Hamilton timepieces have been worn on screen by everyone from Iron Man to Elvis Presley, gracing the arms of countless celluloid adventurers, daredevils and superheroes.

After having a chat with Hamilton’s CEO Vivian Stauffer, it was immediately clear to me why Hamilton is so invested in holding the Behind The Camera Awards ceremonies. If you have seen the film Interstellar, then you’ll be well aware that whenever possible, a Hamilton watch does not simply appear as mere product placement. They often, in fact, become narrative devices with such impactful roles they practically become characters themselves. At their heart, these movie partnerships are derived from a shared passion for storytelling with Hamilton often mining their own horological history in their modern timepieces

While attending the event, I had the pleasure of attending my first Hollywood red carpet. It was surreal to find myself within arm’s reach of so many well-known actors and actresses. Even more mind-blowing was the chance to have a few brief chats with them as well, and to my amazement some of these stars had their very own watch stories to share. Sure I could have talked about Malfoy mischief with Lucius himself, actor Jason Isaacs of Harry Potter fame. But instead he recalled his own sales strategies while working in a watch and jewellery store – Jason explained that he never showed more than three watches at once, and always told the customer the two cheaper models on the tray were more susceptible to breaking in order to try and upsell.

Reed Birney, who you may have seen on the hit show The Handmaids Tale, chatted with me about the evolution of how we are able to purchase watches today. Like a director regaling the days when film was actually cut not digitally edited, Reed reminded me that once upon a time collectors did not have eBay or Chrono24 to score vintage watches and that tracking down a watch used to involve a fair amount of dedicated legwork.

As for the show itself, a lot of love and laughs were shared thanks to the masterful hosting job of Yvonne Orji (Insecure – HBO) who, after her performance, I believe the Oscars should recruit for their next awards show. A recurring theme throughout each of their introductory speeches was a sense of great appreciation for those behind the camera – as well as to Hamilton for turning the spotlight onto these lesser discussed individuals.

When the ceremonies closed, the real party began. Whether ordering a cocktail next to Kelly Marie Tran and Awkwafina, or getting props from Jermaine Fowler for referencing my love of a deep-cut of his filmography, the night was full of excitement and made me feel like I was a Hollywood insider. Closed out with a killer set from notable DJ Cedric Gervais, it is definitely a night I will never forget – once again a moment where Hamilton helped create a storytelling moment for the lives of all who were involved.

All in all, it was a fantastic weekend that celebrated the art of storytelling, those who make it happen behind the scenes, Hamilton’s long history with in film, and, of course, their new Capsule Collection with costume designer Janie Bryant. Stay tuned for some takeaways from our conversation with Hamilton CEO Vivian Stauffer in the coming days.

For more captured moments from the red carpet and awards show, as well as the list of awards, honorees, and presenters, you can keep scrolling below.

• Costume Design | The Harder They Fall | Honoree: Antoinette Messam | Presenter: Regina King

• Editor | The Power Of The Dog | Honoree: Peter Sciberras | Presenter: Kirsten Dunst

• Screenwriter | Swan Song | Honoree: Benjamin Cleary | Presenter: Mahershala Ali

• Cinematographer | Belfast | Honoree: Haris Zambarloukos | Presenter: Jamie Dornan

• Animated Film Award | Raya And The Last Dragon | Honoree: Carlos Lopez Estrada | Presenters: Awkwafina, Kelly Marie Tran

• Breakthrough Director | The Lost Daughter | Honoree: Maggie Gyllenhaal | Presenter: Peter Sarsgaard

• Sound Editing | The Guilty | Honorees: Mandell Winter & David Esparza | Presenter: Jake Gyllenhaal

• Hair And Makeup | Coming 2 America | Stacey Morris And Carla Farmer | Presenters: Jermaine Fowler and Bella Murphy

• Property Master Award | MASS | Honorees: Lindsey Moran and Mia Lyon Cherp | Presenters: Fran Kranz, Ann Dowd, Martha Plimpton, Reed Birney and Jason Isaacs

• Visionary Award | Dune | Honoree: Denis Villeneuve | Presenter: Javier Bardem

• Producer | Red Rocket | Honorees: Sean Baker, Alex Coco, Samantha Quan, Alex Saks, and Shih-Ching Tsou | Presenter: Simon Rex

• Director | Spencer | Honoree: Pablo Larrain | Presenter: Kristen Stewart

• Craft Achievement | CODA | Honorees: Sian Heder (Director), Geraud Brisson (Editor), Marius De Vries (Composer), Nick Baxter (Music Producer), Lisa Zagoria (Casting Director), Deborah Aquila (Casting Director) | Presenter: Marlee Matlin