Hollywood, CA (December 21st, 2007) –The four honorees for the 2007 Jim Henson Honors were announced today by Brian Henson and Lisa Henson, co-CEOs of The Jim Henson Company. The annual program, established in 2005, acknowledges organizations, individuals or products that reflect the core values and philosophy of Jim Henson and the company he founded.

The 2007 Jim Henson Honorees:

• The Jim Henson Celebration Honor – Richard Branson, British Entrepreneur
• The Jim Henson Community Honor – Etsy, Online Marketplace for All Things Handmade
• The Jim Henson Creativity Honor – Neil Gaiman, Writer
• The Jim Henson Technology Honor – REAL D 3D, 3D Experience Pro

The artists and staff at The Jim Henson Company nominate recipients who are inspiring, maintain core values consistent with those of the Company, and of course, reflect Jim Henson’s commitment to excellence in creativity and innovation.

Brian Henson said, “We have all been so inspired by the outstanding work of this year’s honorees. Etsy, Neil and Real D have given their respective audiences unique and wonderful opportunities to share in their work. And Richard Branson – particularly with his participation in founding The Elders – continues to demonstrate the endless possibilities and hope that come with embracing diversity and cooperation.

Lisa Henson said, “Each of this year’s recipients embodies creativity in an exciting way: uniting a community, exploring expression in a multitude of media, providing an exciting way to experience entertainment, and providing tools for real change in the world around us. This type of thinking is at the core of the company my father founded and we are thrilled to celebrate these like-minded honorees.”

About the 2007 Honors and Recipients:

• The Jim Henson Celebration Honor – Richard Branson, British Entrepreneur The highest honor goes to an individual, organization or product that makes the world a better place by inspiring people to celebrate life. Mr. Branson has lived a life filled with bold undertakings like private space travel, but we were most inspired by how he has applied this powerful entrepreneurial thinking to making the world a better place through his support of The Elders, a group of world leaders who contribute their wisdom, independent leadership and integrity to tackling some of the world’s toughest problems.
• The Jim Henson Community Honor – Etsy, Online Marketplace for All Things Handmade The Community Honor acknowledges an individual, organization or product who/which has increased goodwill or made a positive impact in a specific community or around the world. Etsy provides a worldwide community that enables people to make a living making things, celebrating and appreciating the art of all things handmade and connecting these artists with buyers.
• The Jim Henson Creativity Honor – Neil Gaiman, Writer The Creativity Honor acknowledges a new creative voice or unique expression of an idea. Neil Gaiman’s prolific career includes writing for all audiences and in myriad forms including prose, poetry, film, journalism, comics, song lyrics, and drama. His ongoing projects, often in collaboration with other artists, continuously demonstrate that creativity can be expressed and appreciated in a variety of media.
• The Jim Henson Technology Honor – REAL D 3D, Global 3D Experience Provider The Technology Honor acknowledges an individual, organization or product who/which demonstrates ground-breaking technology in a creative way. REAL D 3D is making 3D experiences part of everyday life by establishing its technology in movie theatres, public places, businesses, and homes. The potential of their work creates new opportunities for filmmakers to tell their stories in unique and creative ways.