The Oscar Race is On!

The march to the 2010 Oscars began in the desert Tuesday night as A-list stars strolled down the glamorous red carpet at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards. Solana Productions’ HD video crews were once again in first position for “Entertainment Tonight,” capturing arrival interviews and exclusive backstage video with Oscar hopefuls Jeff Bridges, Morgan Freeman, Mariah Carey, Jeremy Renner, Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood, actress Michelle Pfeiffer and many others.

Palm Springs, CA – For the 12^th year straight, video crews from Solana Productions, Inc., were in prime position at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, as Oscar hopefuls Jeff Bridges, Morgan Freeman, Mariah Carey, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Renner, Quentin Tarantino and other Hollywood stars were spotlighted at the 2010 Awards Gala.

An HD crew and producer from the San Diego video production company were once again in first position on the red carpet as stars arrived for the festival gala. During the gala ceremony, two Solana crews were given exclusive backstage access to shoot additional interviews and footage with Bridges, Freeman, Carey, Cotillard, Renner, Tarantino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Anna Kendrick, Helen Mirren, composer T Bone Burnett, and directors Eastwood (“Invictus”), Rob Marshall (“Nine”), Jason Reitman (“Up in the Air”) and Lee Daniels (“Precious” Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire.”

The Solana crews used Sony XDHD cameras to shoot the celebrity interviews and footage.

Also backstage, a video technician from Solana Productions, Inc., recorded the three-hour-long ceremony in high-definition with a Sony HD player/recorder.

Other celebrities attending included Sean Penn, Diablo Cody, Shoreh Aghdashloo, Eva La Rue, directors Norman Jewison and Scott Cooper and producer Jerry Weintraub.

Solana Productions was tapped by “Entertainment Tonight” and its sister show, “The Insider,” for the high-profile assignment – as they have been for the past 11 years.

One Solana HD crew recorded “ET” host Mary Hart’s exclusive backstage celebrity interviews, which involved a complicated lighting arrangement. Solana has worked with Hart every year at the film festival since she became involved in 2003. The other Solana HD crew rolled on the red carpet as the stars arrived and shot exclusive backstage as the honorees and presenters posed for official photographs.

Bridges (“Crazy Heart”) received the Desert Palm Achievement actor award, presented by Pfeiffer, his co-star in “The Fabulous Baker Boys.” Mirren’s (“The Last Station”) Career Achievement Actress Award was presented by Freeman, who also received the Career Achievement Actor Award, presented by his “Invictus” director Eastwood. Director Marshall presented his “Nine” star Cotillard with the Desert Palm Achievement Actress Award. Tarantino (“Inglorious Basterds”) received the Sonny Bono Visionary Award, presented by Cody. Director Ivan Reitman presented Kendrick with the Rising Star Award for “Up in the Air,” while Reitman’s son, Jason, who directed “Up in the Air,” received the Director of the Year Award, presented by director Norman Jewison. Carey received the Breakthrough Actress Performance Award for “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” presented by its director, Daniels. Renner (“The Hurt Locker”) was presented with the Breakthrough Actor Performance Award from Aghdashloo. Penn presented Burnett with the Frederick Loewe Award for Film Composing for “Crazy Heart.”

Solana Productions, Inc., is a San Diego video production company specializing in HD broadcast, cable, corporate and internet productions. More information is available at solanaproductions.com.