Read the story and see photos from the 22nd Genesis Awards which took place on March 29, 2008 at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif.

The Hollywood Office of The Humane Society of the United States is singularly devoted to raising public awareness of animal issues by encouraging and honoring the major news and entertainment media. We believe the media can and does make a difference. Not only does it inform, provoke and compel individuals to think differently about a whole range of social issues, but it can also help advance legislative change.  Through our interaction with writers, producers, reporters and compassionate celebrities, via two interrelated programs, the annual Genesis Awards and Animal Content in Entertainment, we strive to activate the awesome power of the news and entertainment industries to influence public opinion and promote positive behavior that will ultimately lead to a more humane and animal conscious society.

The Hollywood Office Hits Sundance

We've increased our feature documentary film grant to $25,000.  Click here to read more.

The Genesis Awards

Based on the philosophy of Hollywood Office founder Gretchen Wyler that "cruelty can't stand the spotlight," The Genesis Awards has been paying tribute to the news and entertainment media for the past 20 years for shining that spotlight into the darkest corners of animal abuse and exploitation. Recognized as the nation's premier consciousness-raiser of animal issues, The Genesis Awards is a star-studded ceremony attracting representatives from the media, entertainment, social, business and humane communities. The event is taped and edited for broadcast.  For the past several years it has aired nationwide on Animal Planet, exposing millions of viewers to animal wrongs and animal rights. And here's how our members can play a part: if you've seen any animal-friendly storylines, no matter how small, in a television show or film, contact us at contact@hsushollywood.org.

Animal Content in Entertainment

While the coveted Genesis Awards honor the important contributions of both the news and entertainment media, the primary focus of the Hollywood Office is the entertainment industry. With the newly formed Animal Content in Entertainment, our goal is to literally put animal issues "in the picture" by working with filmmakers, producers and distributors to develop and support the inclusion of animal topics in feature films, television programming and documentaries.

A natural outgrowth and companion program to The Genesis Awards, ACE offers a multi-faceted service to writers, producers and filmmakers to inspire them to find creative and compelling ways to accurately portray animal issues in principal or secondary dramatic or comedic story lines. Providing online access to more than 100 animal topic tip sheets, script consulting, fact-checking, stock footage and resource libraries, as well as giving short film and documentary grants in conjunction with the American Film Institute and SilverDocs/Discovery respectively, ACE endeavors to persuade the entertainment community that animal issues are a rich and growing source of narrative and factual material. 

Updated April 3, 2008