The Scream Awards is an award show dedicated to the horror

Horror fiction

Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...

, sci-fi

Science fiction

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

, and fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 genres of feature films. Originally only having Scream Queen and Heroic Performance awards for actors, the personnel awards have expanded to include actors and actresses of all three recognized genres. In addition, comic books awards were also given and have been recently expanded. It is broadcast on Spike TV and has been branded in the past as the Spike TV Scream Awards. Recently, the show has become labeled simply Scream with the respective year, i.e. Scream 2009. The show was created by executive producers Michael Levitt

Michael Levitt (producer)

Michael Levitt is an American television producer of award shows, reality shows, game shows and specials.Among his programs include Season Five of the reality series Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, The TV Land Awards, The Scream Awards, Ask Oprah's All Stars, America's Money Class with Suze...

, Cindy Levitt, and Casey Patterson.

Production

Award coverage includes the year between the previous awards show and the live ceremony in October of each year. The event is recorded on a Saturday evening and is aired on a later Tuesday. To condense the show into its two-hour running time, not all awards are aired. For some categories, only the winners are announced. Some other categories are skipped altogether.

Since 2006, the ceremony has been held at the Greek Theatre

Greek Theatre (Los Angeles)

The Greek Theatre is a 5,700-seat amphitheater, located at Griffith Park, in Los Angeles, California. It was built in 1929, opening on September 29 of that year...

 in Los Angeles, California.

Live rock acts, including Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne

John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...

 and Korn

Korn

Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...

, have performed at various ceremonies.

Sometimes, the show premieres trailers of upcoming films, behind the scenes videos, and outtakes from movies not yet released to home video.

Categories

Originally only having Scream Queen and Heroic Performance awards for actors, the personnel awards have expanded to include actors and actresses of all three recognized genres. In addition, comic book awards have also been given and have recently been expanded.

Categories include, but are not limited to:

• The Ultimate Scream
  • Billed as the best genre film of the preceding year.
• Best Horror Movie
• Best Fantasy Movie
• Best Science Fiction Movie
• Best TV Show
• Best Superhero
• Best Comic-to-Screen Adaptation
  • Renamed "Best Comic Book Movie" beginning in 2008.
• Most Memorable Mutilation
• Most Vile Villain
  • Renamed "Best Villain" beginning in 2008.
• Breakout Performance
• The Scene of the Year Award
  • Called one of the alternative titles "Holy Sh!t" or "Jump-From-Your-Seat" in differing years.

Recently, new categories, including those recognizing lead performances in the three recognized genres were added. In 2009, awards for Best Song, Best Comic Writer, and Best F/X were also added. In 2010, the award for 3-D Top Three was added, but renamed Best 3-D Movie in 2011. In 2011, the award for Best Chase Scene of the Year was added, but was not shown on the ceremony's voting site and Best Fight Scene of the Year was also added. Alternatively, awards such as the Best Rack on the Rack, Scream Queen, Best Heroic Performance, Best Sequel, Best Remake, and Best Song were discontinued.