Toré Livia, the director of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, and Markus Gerdemann, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Crunchyroll, are both huge fans of anime. With Crunchyroll’s 2024 Anime Awards a huge success, they speak with Awards Daily about how they did it. From the new cameras to the wide variety of presenters to new additions to the ceremony, Livia and Gerdemann think this year was something really special both in presentation and how it reflected the broad array of the anime community.
Awards Daily: One of the big promotions for this year’s Awards was the fact that you used cinematic cameras to film the ceremony instead of normal TV cameras. What was behind that decision?
Toré Livia: We wanted to make a live film looking show. The cameras allowed us to use cinematic lenses and the show looked totally different from most of the award shows that I’ve worked on in the past. The Sony VENICE was instrumental in achieving the unique look of the Anime Awards and a major differentiator in our production.
Awards Daily: Speaking to that you have done so many different award shows and different musical performances, what were the challenges in filming this award show?
Toré Livia: Through all my experiences doing life award shows I wanted it to look totally different. The production gave me the tools that I needed. I was in the trenches for the last 25 years and I knew what it took to make a show look different. Like I said, the production gave me what I asked for so we were able to accomplish it.
Markus Gerdemann: To add to that, this is the second time we’ve brought the awards to Tokyo, so with that it became a cross team effort between Japan-based crews and U.S.-based crews. We worked very closely with our partner at SMS (Sony Music Solutions) so it was not only cross company, it was cross culture collaboration between the two markets.
Awards Daily: Markus, I read a quote in a previous interview that you did that there is not really a mainstream anymore and that there are a lot more subcultures, and that is what has allowed anime to flourish in several ways. It made me think about all the different categories at the Crunchyroll Awards. You have slice of life, romance, action, etc. I wondered if you thought that contributed to what makes the show work?
Markus Gerdemann: At the end of the day anime is a medium and there are a lot of different genres within that medium. There are fans that gravitate to different things within anime. Not everyone is a shonen fan or romance fan. Everyone has their favorite. Since the show is there to honor the entire medium, we needed to make sure to represent and make sure that the categories we were featuring (in total 33 different categories, counting the pre-show) covered the whole spectrum of what anime as a medium can offer. Back to your point, our audience picks and chooses what they like to identify themselves. So it was really important to give all the category choices so the fans feel represented.
Awards Daily: Marketing for an award show like this anime has its built-in fan base, but what do you do to get people interested in the show itself?
Markus Gerdemann: I think in general our fan base is very engaged. Anime is a lifestyle and a way of life, so the way we structure our marketing campaign was a way to have you fight for what you love. Take who you are rooting for, and how to amplify that choice to help your favorite anime to win. So we built a campaign that allowed our fans to be an active part. That was the first big piece. The second big piece was that we really wanted to lower the barrier of entry to anime and an award show about anime. So we leaned heavily into our talent and the presenters. If you see the lineup of our hosts and celebrity representatives (I think there were 23 in total), they are very diverse and global. We did this because we wanted to make sure many different regions and interests were represented so people could see someone they relate to at the awards. Having people like Rashmika Mandanna, actress from India, to Megan Thee Stallion helped us lower the barrier to bring in a broader audience.
Awards Daily: That brings up something I was going to ask about is that you had such an eclectic group of presenters across different mediums. How did you figure out who to get for the show?
Markus Gerdemann: The most important thing is that these people are anime fans. We do this for the fans and the industry. So we did not want to put someone on stage who is not as much of a fan as we are, and you would be surprised how many there are! It is a really big pool! Then you take it from there. You start the first conversations and people get excited about it, and then we just start trying to figure out who’s the right person for which category. Then you just start to build the program of the show.
Awards Daily: So just observing the show, the room does not appear to be very big. I was curious if that presented any challenges in filming it, Toré?
Toré Livia: Funny you should say that because it’s actually a large room. But there is not a lot of room between the tables, which is different from most of the shows that I’ve worked on. Usually we have big lanes, and having the table so close made it a lot more intimate. The room was large, but we added more tables this year than last year to make it even more full so there was not a lot of room in that ballroom. But I feel like the show fits perfectly in it.
Markus Gerdemann: It is a very prestigious location. Finding a place that can fit the whole industry in one room, we needed a certain size, and there are not many rooms that can hold that many audience members in Japan.
Awards Daily: I liked the way the orchestra was placed as well, creating that sense of intimacy you mentioned.
Toré Livia: That was part of the plan, to be honest with you. When they came to me and they said they wanted an orchestra built into the show I thought it was a brilliant idea. It engaged the audience more as to what was happening with the live music on the stage. We had two numbers that incorporated the orchestra into the show. I thought it was just a beautiful addition. Out of everything from last year’s show that I directed, that was the biggest change that made the biggest difference.
Awards Daily: Toré, you have won seven Emmys and have been nominated several times. Has it been different from you in any way this time around?
Toré Livia: Honestly, it’s not. I feel like I’m part of a team, all the other Emmys I’ve received I’ve been part of a team. That’s the way I like going about it. Everyone worked hard on it, and this show was different. I think what we put together showed that. So I feel like it deserves an Emmy.
Awards Daily: Now I’m certain you’re not going to tell me this, but did you guys have personal choices that you wanted to win at the Anime Awards?
Markus Gerdemann: I mean yes, always! But it wouldn’t be my place to say which one. At the end of the day though we’re just grateful that we have the ability to get the whole industry together in one room and celebrate. That is the biggest reward, being in the room and seeing how everyone is coming together and celebrating each other and anime as a medium. That is way more important than having a favorite, and saying I hope that title wins. Obviously it is different for the fans. But getting everyone together and celebrating the medium we all love is more important, at least for me personally.
Toré Livia: You know what, I don’t go in with a favorite. I never have. My job is to tell a story about what is going on on stage. I’m really happy with that.
Awards Daily: Final thoughts?
Toré Livia: The only thing I’m going to say is first, thank you for your time. I feel extremely honored to be a part of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards. There is something very special about it. As you said before, as you probably saw through my IMDb page, how many award shows I have done in the last 25 years, this one is truly special, and it is different, and I feel like it’s an honor to be a part of it.
