ADG to fete 'Harry Potter' creative team

The Art Directors Guild has tapped the principal creative team of the ''Harry Potter'' series as recipients of its Outstanding Contribution to Cinematic Imagery Award. The team includes producers David Heyman and David Barron; director David Yates; creator and author J.K. Rowling; screenwriter Steve Kloves; production designer Stuart Craig; art director Neil Lamont; and set decorator Stephenie McMillan. Thomas A. Walsh, president of the guild, and awards co-producers Tom Wilkins and Greg Grande made the announcement Tuesday. The kudo will be presented to the group at the 16th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards on Feb. 4 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The guild noted that Lamont and Barron have worked together on six of the Potter films. Rowling, Heyman, Kloves, Craig and McMillan began their collaboration with the first film, ''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.'' Yates directed the final four films of the series. The ''Harry Potter'' films cumed world box office of more than $7.7 billion. ''Their phenomenal success is due to a unity of vision and the masterful wizardry of the franchise's creator, producers, screenwriter and art direction family,'' Walsh said. ''From the very beginning a unique creative partnership has guided the realization of these finely crafted gems. The result is a lasting legacy to the art of narrative storytelling for the moving image, one that will stand the test of time, and one that has raised the creative bar of achievement for all who love film.'' It's the first time that the Art Directors Guild has selected a motion picture team for the kudo. Previous recipients of the guild's award include Bill Taylor, Syd Dutton, Warren Beatty, Allen Daviau, Clint Eastwood, Blake Edwards, Terry Gilliam, Ray Harryhausen, Norman Jewison, John Lasseter, George Lucas, Frank Oz, Steven Spielberg, Robert S. Wise and Zhang Yimou. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com