Academy Awards responds to criticism after changes to broadcast

Organisers of the Academy Awards have responded to criticism over changes to the broadcast later this month which will see 4 categories presented during commercial breaks.

They are awards for best cinematography, best editing, best hair & makeup, and best live action short.

But the US film community has criticised the move with nearly 100 high-profile cinematographers and directors including Quentin Tarantino, Spike Lee and Martin Scorsese sending an open letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

“As the Academy’s officers, we’d like to assure you that no award category at the 91st Oscars ceremony will be presented in a manner that depicts the achievements of its nominees and winners as less than any others,” said

An Academy statement reiterated that no award category will be presented in a manner that depicts the achievements of its nominees and winners as less than any others.

It continued:

“Unfortunately, as the result of inaccurate reporting and social media posts, there has been a chain of misinformation that has understandably upset many Academy members. We’d like to restate and explain the plans for presenting the awards, as endorsed by the Academy’s Board of Governors.”

“We’d like to restate and explain the plans for presenting the awards, as endorsed by the Academy’s Board of Governors.”

· All 24 Award categories are presented on stage in the Dolby Theatre, and included in the broadcast.

· Four categories – Cinematography, Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Live Action Short – were volunteered by their branches to have their nominees and winners announced by presenters, and included later in the broadcast. Time spent walking to the stage and off, will be edited out.

· The four winning speeches will be included in the broadcast.

· In future years, four to six different categories may be selected for rotation, in collaboration with the show producers. This year’s categories will be exempted in 2020.

· This change in the show was discussed and agreed to by the Board of Governors in August, with the full support of the branch executive committees. Such decisions are fully deliberated.

Our show producers have given great consideration to both Oscar tradition and our broad global audience.

We sincerely believe you will be pleased with the show, and look forward to celebrating a great year in movies with all Academy members and with the rest of the world.

John Bailey, President
Lois Burwell, First Vice President
Sid Ganis, Vice President
Larry Karaszewski, Vice President
Nancy Utley, Vice President
Jim Gianopulos, Treasurer
David Rubin, Secretary

A proposal for a “best popular film” category was dropped after widespread ridicule while plans to cut some of the Oscar nominated songs and not invite former winners to present the acting awards had to be reversed.

Nine will screen the Oscars live on Monday February 25.

Source: Deadline, The Guardian