If you’ve seen the AFI Awards on TV in past years, then you know the drill: red carpet, high heels and gleaming crystal trophies collected by a who’s who of the Australian film and television industry. But what actually happens at these events, and what will be the particular highlights of this year’s AFI Awards? Read our insider’s guide for a taste of what’s to come.

Let the celebrations begin…

The celebrations begin on Friday night (5 December) with the L’Oréal Paris 2008 AFI Industry Awards presented by Digital Pictures. Hosting this night will be the witty and wonderful Julia Zemiro, best known for her role at the helm of SBS quiz show Rockwiz.

For many in the industry, this is the best party of all; a less formal and sometimes irreverent event that celebrates the essential talents of the people behind the cameras. This year, 700 guests will attend the event at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre, where twenty awards will be given out – including those for cinematography, editing, sound, music, production design, costume design, lighting and visual effects.

Also announced on this night are the AFI Awards for children’s television, light entertainment television series, and awards celebrating achievements in documentary production, short film and animation. The AFI Raymond Longford Award will also be presented on this night – a discretionary award recognising an individual for their substantial and long-term contributions to the industry.

After the Industry Awards presentation, guests will party on in the foyer of the Princess Theatre, where drinks will be flowing and canapés will be served. It’s a night for networking, for meeting old colleagues and swapping war-stories of years gone past.

 The stars come out for the night of nights…

This is the night you see broadcast on Saturday 6 December at 9.30pm on Channel 9. Red carpet arrivals will begin at 4.30pm at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre and traffic will be reversed along Spring Street for the event. The red carpet this year will be hosted by Julia Zemiro who’ll be chatting to the be-suited and frocked-up likes of Eric Bana, Guy Pearce, Emma Lung, Kat Stewart, Rebecca Gibney, Susie Porter, Chris Lilley, Leeanna Walsman, Nadine Garner, Noni Hazlehurst and a host of others.

Once the guests are seated, the ceremony will promptly begin. Actor Stephen Curry (pictured) will host the night and provide a unique slant on the traditional mix of humour and solemnity. Expect some stellar live entertainment interspersed with the presentation of awards.

The strict time limits of a TV broadcast demand that this night be run with military precision. 430 event and broadcast staff will be working behind the scenes. 25 AFI Awards will be given out, and these are the much-awaited revelations like the L’Oréal Paris AFI Award for Best Feature Film and the awards for lead actor and lead actress. The award for Best Documentary is particularly exciting this year because the winning film will be sent as Australia’s Trailblazer delegate to MIPDOC/MIPTV, the annual global television and content market held in Cannes in April 2009.

Other special awards given at the ceremony include the L’Oréal Paris AFI Young Actor Award; the Byron Kennedy Award – given to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding creativity; the AFI International Award for Best Actor and Best Actress; and the Australia Post Award for Australia’s Favourite Film – a much anticipated competition between The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The Castle, Muriel’s Wedding, Lantana and Gallipoli.

And then they party past midnight…

When the ceremony is finished, guests will attend the Official After-Party and Supper, hosted by OK! Magazine. Prepared by 25 chefs, the delectable finger food will include 4200 Oysters, 5000 prawns and, of course more substantial offerings. Four mini L’Oréal Paris lip and nail bars will be located throughout the After-Party and a DJ will provide live entertainment.

It’s a time for frivolity and fun, and while some in the film and television industry are quite accustomed to opulent opening nights; for others, struggling all year to produce their work on shoe-string budgets, this is our chance to shower them with a little bit of luxury – a free feed, a good drink, maybe a manicure – and a night of partying with those who share their passion for screen culture and their desire to keep on making it happen.

So that’s the quick run-down. Of course there’ll be surprises on the nights themselves. Stay tuned for next week’s wrap-up of the events and a whole lot of pictures from the nights.

Rochelle Siemienowicz
AFI Editor

Don’t miss the L’Oréal Paris 2008 AFI Awards on Saturday, 6 December at 9.30pm on Channel 9.