Robert Redford – Ordinary People

• Michael Apted – Coal Miner's Daughter
• David Lynch – The Elephant Man
• Richard Rush – The Stunt Man
• Martin Scorsese – Raging Bull

Roger Young – Lou Grant for "Lou"

• Irving Moore – Dallas for "House Divided"
• Gene Reynolds – Lou Grant for "Nightside"

Noam Pitlik – Barney Miller for "Fog"

• Mike Farrell – M*A*S*H for "Death Takes a Holiday"
• Burt Metcalfe – M*A*S*H for "A War of All Seasons"

Dwight Hemion – IBM Presents Baryshnikov on Broadway

• Don Mischer – Goldie and Liza Together
• George Schaefer – Barry Manilow: One Voice

Alfred R. Kelman – The Body Human: The Body Beautiful (Tie)
Perry Miller Adato – Picasso: A Painter's Diary (Tie)

• David Heeley – Fred Astaire: Change Partners and Dance

Don Mischer – Kennedy Center Honors

• Marty Pasetta – 52nd Academy Awards
• Brice Weisman – Up Close and Personal

Jerry London – Shōgun

• Marvin J. Chomsky – Attica
• Robert Collins – Gideon's Trumpet

George Gomes – A&W Restaurants' "Dancing", Bell System's "Joey Called", and Sara Lee's "Red Dye"

• Allan Dennis
• Bob Giraldi – Broadway's "Evita" and Miller Lite's "Pool"
• Richard Loew – Breakstone' "Bedtime" and "Mom", and Beauvalle's "Toulouse"
• Gérard Pirès