Woody Allen – Annie Hall

• George Lucas – Star Wars
• Herbert Ross – The Turning Point
• Steven Spielberg – Close Encounters of the Third Kind
• Fred Zinnemann – Julia

John Erman – Roots for "Part II"

• Joseph Hardy – James at 15 for "Friends"
• E. W. Swackhamer – Family for "Acts of Love: Part 1" and "Acts of Love: Part 2"

Paul Bogart – All in the Family for "Edith's 50th Birthday"

• Alan Alda & Burt Metcalfe – M*A*S*H for "Comrades in Arms"
• Jay Sandrich – Soap for "Episode 7"

Arthur Fisher – Neil Diamond: I'm Glad You're Here with Me Tonight

• Tony Charmoli – Mitzi Sings into Spring
• Bill Davis – Sinatra and Friends

Perry Miller Adato – Georgia O'Keeffe

• John Cosgrove – Jill Kinmont: From Tragedy to Triumph
• Jack Haley Jr. – Life Goes to War: Hollywood and the Home Front

Raymond Lockhart – A Day with President Carter

• Marvin Einhorn – The Today Show
• Marty Pasetta – 49th Academy Awards

Daniel Petrie – Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years

• David Greene – Roots for "Part I"
• Gary Nelson – Washington: Behind Closed Doors