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Home , 78th Academy Awards, 79th Academy Awards, Academy Awards, Academy Honorary Award, Happy Working Song, In memoriam segment

“ELENA CUZA” NATIONAL COLLEGE-CRAIOVA

ATESTAT PAPER

-OSCARS AND THEIR GREATNESS -

COORDINATING TEACHER: CANDIDATE:

-May 2011-

1 CONTENTS

Rationale 3

Introduction 5

Chapter I: Academy Award 6

Chapter II: The Oscar 15

Chapter III: Legal Regulations 19

Chapter IV: Awards Night 27

Bibliography 32

Conclusion 33

Map of Illustrations 36

2 Rationale

This paper is made up of 4 chapters which also contain an impressive map of illustrations.

In the first chapter- Academy Award- there can be found important and also interesting information about the Academy Award ,which is the formal ceremony where the awards are presented and it is among the most prominent and most watched awards ceremonies in the world.

The second chapter-The Oscars-comes to offer a more complex image of the Oscar which includes data as :” Ownership of Oscar statuettes” ,”The Origin of the Oscar Name” and “Manufacturing, Shipping and Repairs”

The third chapter talks about “Legal Regulations for using Intellectual Properties of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences”(AMPAS, a professional honorary organization, maintaining a voting membership)

The last chapter is about “Awards night”, when the major awards are presented at a live televised ceremony ,not to mention that the preparation is essential for coming to such a huge occasion.

3 Introduction

It’s hard not to feel some affection, even love, for the Oscars, the biggest awards ceremony. From the screen sirens of the past to today's modern beauties, the always reflect the incomparable elegance of . Over the last eight decades there have been many fashionable and defining Oscar moments: the gilded looks of the '40s, the sweetheart statements of the '50s, the pinups of the '60s, the revealing styles of the '70s and the dramatic designs of the '80s.

The Oscars are certainly not something that ranks up there with world peace or curing cancer but they do generate a lot of excitement. Who will be wearing the one outfit that everyone says "What were they thinking?" or who will look completely stunning? Who will be interviewed on the red carpet and say something that they will regret? Who will win for or best movie? The questions are abundant and yet of course not so very important unless you are the or actress that wins the academy award. This is a world of make believe for most of us. A world made up of beautiful gowns, expensive jewellery and fancy nevertheless. It is a life style that not many people in the world are fortunate to live and still so many are interested in how these individuals will present themselves.

I like the Oscars because it is interesting to see the stars in a different light than on the movie screen. You may be able to see a glimpse into the real person. They will say something that will show you that they are not so picture perfect after all but simple human beings like the rest of the world. They have a lot more money but they have imperfections just the same.

I love the Oscars because I love movies. The whole night is a tribute to the movies of the year that were actually worthy of the little golden statuette. I enjoy the Oscars even more when they are hosted by whose humour I appreciate such as and Ellen Degeneres or even . I love the Oscars because it celebrates everything about the movies such as the acting, the directing, the writing, the make-up, the costumes, the scenery, and all the behind the scenes events.

When the first Academy Awards were handed out on May 16, 1929, movies had just begun to talk. That first ceremony took place during an Academy banquet in the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The attendance was 270 and guest tickets cost $5. It was a long banquet, filled with speeches, but presentation of the statuettes was handled expeditiously by Academy President .

4 The suspense that now touches most of the world at Oscar time was not always a characteristic of the Awards presentation. That first year, the award recipients were announced to the public three months ahead of the ceremony. For the next decade, the results were given in advance to newspapers for publication at 11 p.m. on the night of the Awards. But in 1940, much to the Academy's dismay, the Times broke the embargo and announced the winning achievements in its evening edition, which was readily available to guests arriving for the affair. As a result, the Academy adopted the sealed-envelope system the next year, and the system remains in use today.

Since the earliest years, interest in the Academy Awards has run high, if not at the modern fever pitch. The first presentation was the only one to escape a media audience; by the second year, enthusiasm for the Awards was such that a Los Angeles radio station actually did a live one-hour broadcast of the event. The ceremony has had broadcast coverage ever since.

For 15 years the Academy Awards presentations were banquet affairs; after the first at the Hollywood Roosevelt, they were held at the Ambassador and Biltmore hotels. The custom of presenting the statuettes at a banquet was discontinued after the 1942 Awards. Increased attendance and the war had made banquets impractical, and the presentation ceremonies have since been held in theaters.

The 16th Awards ceremony was held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. It was covered by network radio for the first time and broadcast overseas to American GIs. The Awards stayed at Grauman's for three years, then moved to the Shrine Civic Auditorium. Two years later, in March 1949, the 21st Awards ceremony took place in the Academy's own Melrose Avenue theater. For the next 11 years, the annual Awards were held at the RKO Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. It was there, on March 19, 1953, that the Academy Awards Presentation was first televised. The NBC-TV and radio network carried the 25th Academy Awards ceremonies live from Hollywood with as master of ceremonies, and from the NBC International Theatre in New York with making the presentations.

In 1961 the Awards moved to the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium and changed broadcasters, beginning a 10-year run with the ABC-TV network. In 1966 the Oscars® were first broadcast in color. From 1971 through 1975, the NBC-TV network carried the Awards. ABC has telecast the show since 1976 and is under contract through 2014.

On April 14, 1969, the 41st Academy Awards ceremonies moved to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Los Angeles County Music Center. It was the first major event for this now world-renowned cultural center. The Awards remained at the Music Center until 1987, then the ceremonies returned to the for the 60th and 61st Awards. For a dozen years, the event alternated venues - the 62nd, 64th, 65th, 66th, 68th and 71st Awards were held at the Music Center, while the 63rd, 67th, 69th, 70th, 72nd and 73rd were at the Shrine. Since 2002, the Academy Awards have been held at the Theatre at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood.

5 Chapter I. Academy Award

The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers. The formal ceremony at which the awards are presented is among the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremonies in the world.

The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held on Thursday, May 16, 1929, at the Hotel Roosevelt in Hollywood to honor outstanding film achievements of 1927 and 1928. It was hosted by actor Douglas Fairbanks and director William C. DeMille. The 80th Academy Awards ceremonies, hosted by Central's host, , were held on Sunday, February 24, 2008, at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles.

AMPAS, a professional honorary organization, maintains a voting membership of 5,829 as of 2007. Actors constitute the largest voting bloc, numbering 1,311 members (22 percent) of the Academy's composition. Votes for Oscars have been tabulated and certified by the auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (and its predecessor Price Waterhouse) for the past 73 annual awards ceremonies.

1. The Academy of Motion Picture and Sciences

The Oscars! Every January, when the calendar has turned to a new year, the attention of the entertainment and of film fans around the world turns to the upcoming Academy Awards. Oscar Fever hits, building to the crescendo of the annual presentation of golden statuettes, when hundreds of millions of cinema lovers glue themselves to their television sets to learn who will receive the highest honor in filmmaking.

After three-quarters of a century of recognizing excellence in cinema achievement, the annual presentation of the Oscars has become the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' most famous activity.

The Academy Awards Presentation is also the activity that enables the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to maintain its varied year-round calendar of programs and events and a wide-ranging educational and cultural agenda.

6 The annual Oscar presentation has been held since 1929.

All voting for Academy Awards is conducted by secret ballot and tabulated by the international auditing firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Secrecy is maintained by the auditors - the results of balloting are not revealed until the now-famous envelopes are opened on stage during the program. Because the Academy numbers among its members the ablest artists and craftsmen in the motion picture world, the Oscar represents the best achievements of the year in the opinion of those who themselves reside at the top of their craft.

Regular awards are presented for outstanding individual or collective efforts of the year in up to 25 categories.

Up to five nominations are made in categories with balloting for these nominations restricted to members of the Academy branch concerned; film editors, for instance, nominate only for Achievement in Film Editing. All voting members may nominate for Best Picture. Awards also are given to the Best Foreign Language film of the Year, a category not represented by a branch. Nominations for awards in this categories are made by a large committee of members drawn from all branches. Final winners are determined by vote of all eligible members.

In addition to the regular annual awards conferred by vote of the membership, the Board of Governors is empowered to vote Scientific and Technical Awards, Honorary Awards, Special Achievement Awards and other honors. Among these is the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, a bronze bust of the legendary producer, which is given to "a creative producer who has been responsible for a consistently high quality of motion picture production." It is considered the highest accolade a producer can receive. The Humanitarian Award, an Oscar statuette, is given to "an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry." The Gordon E. Sawyer Award, also an Oscar statuette, is given to "an individual in the motion picture industry whose technological contributions have brought credit to the industry."

In their first year, the Academy Awards were presented at a private dinner in the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, with fewer than 250 persons attending. Public interest proved so great, however, that the following year the Academy permitted radio broadcasting of the event. Television added a new dimension in 1953, enabling millions throughout the and Canada to watch the ceremonies. Telecasting in color was begun in 1966, bringing home viewers the full sparkle and glamour of the event. Since 1969, the Awards program has been telecast throughout the world, by the mid- 1990s reaching movie fans in over 100 countries.

2. 1st Academy Awards

7 The 1st Academy Awards were presented on May 16, 1929 at a private dinner held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. It was hosted by actor Douglas Fairbanks and director William C. DeMille. Tickets cost $5 and fewer than 250 people attended. The whole ceremony lasted only 15 minutes. Unlike later events, the winners had been announced months prior to the ceremony. This was also the only Academy Award ceremony not to be broadcast in some way.

Unlike later ceremonies, awards could be granted to an actor or director for multiple works within a year. , for example, was given the award for his work in both The Way of All Flesh and The Last Command.

3. The 80th Academy Awards

The 80th Academy Awards ceremony honoring the best in film for 2007, was broadcast from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on ABC beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST/8:30 p.m. EST, February 24, 2008 (01:30 February 25 UTC). During the ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 24 categories. Gil Cates was the producer, making it his 14th show, a record.[4] Jon Stewart hosted the show, his second time. He previously presided over the .[5] The ceremony was notably received as the lowest rated and least watched telecast to date.

The nominees were announced on January 22 at 5:38 a.m. PST (13:38 UTC) by Academy president Sid Ganis and actress , at the Theater in the Academy's Beverly Hills headquarters. and each received eight nominations.

No Country for Old Men dominated by winning four awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Adapted Screenplay (both awards for Joel and Ethan Coen), and Best Supporting Actor (). For the first time since the 37th Academy Awards (1964), the Academy presented all four of the acting awards to non-American actors. The latter were: Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood (Best Actor), for La Vie en Rose (Best Actress), Bardem for No Country for Old Men (Best Supporting Actor), and Tilda Swinton for (Best Supporting Actress). This ceremony also continued trends of recent years, with no film winning more than four awards, the honors for non-documentary features being spread among 13 different , and major acting honors going to a .

4. Winners of major awards

This is a breakdown of winners of major awards categories only:

8 Feature films Award Winner Producer , Joel Coen, and Best Picture No Country for Old Men Ethan Coen The Counterfeiters - Best Foreign Language Film Best Documentary Feature Alex Gibney and Eva Orner Best Animated Feature Ratatouille

Directing Award Winner Film Joel Coen and Ethan Best Director No Country for Old Men Coen

Acting Award Winner Film Best Actor in a Leading Role Daniel Day-Lewis There Will Be Blood Best Actress in a Leading Marion Cotillard La Vie en Rose Role Best Actor in a Supporting Javier Bardem No Country for Old Men Role Best Actress in a Supporting Tilda Swinton Michael Clayton Role

Writing Award Winner Film Best Writing - Original Juno Screenplay Best Writing - Adapted Joel Coen and Ethan No Country for Old Men Screenplay Coen

Special honors Award Winner Field Robert F. Boyle Art Direction

9 Multiple nominations

The following 21 films received multiple nominations.

• 8 nominations: • 3 nominations (continued): o No Country for Old Men o La Vie en Rose ( La môme ) o There Will Be Blood o Sweeney Todd: The Demon • 7 nominations: Barber of Fleet Street o Atonement o Transformers o Michael Clayton • 2 nominations: • 5 nominations: o 3:10 to Yuma o Ratatouille o American Gangster • 4 nominations: o The Assassination of Jesse o The Diving Bell and the James by the Coward Robert Butterfly ( Le scaphandre et Ford le papillon ) o Away from o Juno o Elizabeth: The Golden Age • 3 nominations: o The Golden Compass o The Ultimatum o Into the Wild o Pirates of the Caribbean: At o World's End

o The Savages

Multiple awards

The following four films received multiple awards.

• 4 awards: o No Country for Old Men

• 3 awards: o The Bourne Ultimatum

• 2 awards: o La Vie en Rose (La môme) o There Will Be Blood

10 5.Presenters

Presenters Name Role Activity Co-announced the 80th Academy Awards with Randy Announcer Thomas[6] Randy Thomas Announcer Co-announced the 80th Academy Awards with Tom Kane[7] Presenter Presented the Academy Award for Best Costume Design George Introduced a segment on the 80-year history of the Academy Presenter Clooney Awards Co-presented the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Steve Carrell Presenter with Anne Co-presented the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Presenter Hathaway with Steve Carrell Katherine Presenter Presented the Academy Award for Best Makeup Heigl Introduced the performance of "Happy Working " from Jon Stewart Host Enchanted Dwayne Presenter Presented the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects Johnson Presenter Presented the Academy Award for Best Art Direction Jennifer Presenter Presented the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Hudson Introduced the performance of "Raise It Up" from August Keri Russell Presenter Rush Presented the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Presenter Film Presented (as Barry Bee Benson) the Academy Award for Presenter Best Animated Presenter Presented the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Presented highlights of the Scientific and Technical Awards, Speaker which she hosted on February 9 Co-presented the Academy Award for Best Writing - Presenter Adapted Screenplay with James McAvoy Co-presented the Academy Award for Best Writing - James McAvoy Presenter Adapted Screenplay with Josh Brolin Sid Ganis Speaker Explained the Academy Award selection process Introduced the performance of "That's How You Know" from Miley Cyrus Presenter Enchanted Co-presented the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing Presenter and the Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing with Seth Rogen Seth Rogen Presenter Co-presented the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing and the Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing with Jonah

11 Hill Forrest Presenter Presented the Academy Award for Best Actress Whitaker Presenter Introduced the performance of "" from Once Introduced a segment highlighting the previous winners of Presenter the Academy Award for Best Picture Renée Presenter Presented the Academy Award for Best Film Editing Zellweger Presenter Presented the Honorary Academy Award to Robert F. Boyle Presented the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Penelope Cruz Presenter Film Patrick Presenter Introduced the performance of "So Close" from Enchanted Dempsey Presenter Presented the Academy Award for Best Original Song Presenter Presented the Academy Award for Best Cinematography Presenter Introduced the Presenter Presented the Academy Award for Best Original Music Score Presented the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short 1 Presenter Subject and the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Presented the Academy Award for Best Writing - Original Presenter Screenplay Presenter Presented the Academy Award for Best Actor Martin Presenter Presented the Academy Award for Best Director Scorsese Denzel Presenter Presented the Academy Award for Best Picture Washington

6.Voting trends and summary

For the fourth consecutive year, the field of major nominees did not include a bona fide blockbuster at the U.S. box office, with the nominees for Best Picture performing even more poorly than those of the previous year, although slightly better than in 2005.

None of the five Best Picture nominees was among the year's top 30 releases in box office at the time of the nominations; at the time of the announcement on January 22, Juno was the highest earner among the Best Picture nominees with $87.1 million in domestic box office receipts (the film was the only Best Picture nominee of the five to earn more than $100 million before the ceremony date). The film was followed by No Country for Old Men which earned $48.9 million, Michael Clayton with $39.4 million, and Atonement with $32.7 million. There Will Be Blood rounded out the Best Picture

12 nominees with $8.7 million. Out of the top 50 grossing movies of the year (prior to announcement), 30 nominations went to 11 films on the list. Only Ratatouille (11th), American Gangster (19th) , Juno (32nd), and Charlie Wilson's War (40th) received nominations for best picture, directing, acting, or screenwriting. The other top-50 box office hits that earned nominations were Transformers (3rd), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (4th), The Bourne Ultimatum (7th), (30th), The Golden Compass (38th), Surf's Up (42nd), and 3:10 to Yuma (45th).

For the third consecutive year, a majority of the Best Picture nominees were rated R (under 17 requires accompanying adult). Of the 88 nominations awarded to non- documentary feature films (apart from the Foreign Film category), a slight majority of 50 went to R-rated films, 29 to films rated PG-13, 4 to PG-rated films and 5 to a G-rated film. There was a remarkable rating-related division among the nominations: R-rated films captured 24 of the 40 nominations for Best Picture, directing, screenwriting and acting; while non-R-rated films received 26 of the 45 nominations in the remaining categories, primarily those in "below the line" areas.

7."Dark" Oscars?

Many news organizations have pointed out that numerous films nominated focused primarily on deeply grisly subjects such as greed, corruption, and violence. Films that prominently featured dark subjects included No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, Sweeney Todd, and Michael Clayton.

According an article printed in the , writer Patrick Goldstein notes

“ Shot in a deliberative, unsentimental style, No Country is a bone-chilling tale of violence, stupidity and revenge, with a relentless, amoral killer (played by supporting actor winner Javier Bardem) at its center, coolly dispatching anyone in his way with a cattle gun. It is not the only acclaimed movie to have emerged from a forbidding corner of the American psyche. Many of this year's most compelling movies -- notably, two other best picture nominees, There Will Be Blood and Michael Clayton, as well as American Gangster, Eastern Promises, and The Bourne Ultimatum -- were meditations on violence, betrayal, revenge and grand ambition run amok. ” –Patrick Goldstein.

Another article, written by Press Democrat writer Rachel Abramowitz recapped the five Best Picture nominees:

“ So how do you like your America -- as a mildly flawed Mayberry or a seething ” pit of lies, corruption and greed? That's the battle shaping up at the 2008 Oscars, as films as brutal as There Will Be Blood, No Country for Old Men and Michael Clayton line up against the sunny upstart Juno for the top prize. The entirely

13 British, but equally dark, Atonement is the final film battling for the best picture spot. –Rachel Abramowitz.

Host Jon Stewart observed this trend in his opening monologue when he asked "Does this town need a hug?" In another reference to the four darker, dramatic films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, he commented "Thank God for teen pregnancy.

8.Memorable quotes

• "Oscar is 80 this year, which automatically makes him the frontrunner for the Republican nomination." - Jon Stewart, in what some observers believed was a reference to John McCain's age (then 71)

• "And the winner of the baby is…! Obviously Angelina Jolie couldn't be here — it's hard to find 17 babysitters on Oscar night! I accept this baby on her behalf." - Jon Stewart on rumors of Jolie's pregnancy which were denied after an attendance at the Independent Spirit Awards

• "Mama, this is for you. This is for your grandparents and your parents, Rafael and Matilde. This is for the comedians of who, like you, have brought dignity and pride to our profession. This is for Spain and this is for all of you." - Javier Bardem, speaking in Spanish, in a moving and emotional acceptance speech that brought his mother to tears

• "Well, I'm speechless now. I -- I -- well, I -- thank you life, thank you love, and it is true, there is some angels in this city! Thank you so, so much!" - Marion Cotillard on accepting the award for Best Actress

• "What is happening? This is for the writers, and I want to thank all the writers. I especially want to thank my fellow nominees because I worship you guys and I'm learning from you every day, so thank you very much. ... I want to thank Mason Novick who knew I could do this before I did. And most of all, I want to thank my family for loving me exactly the way I am." - Diablo Cody on accepting the award for Original Screenplay

Chapter II. The Oscar

The official name of the Oscar statuette is the Academy Award of Merit. The actual Oscar trophy can be sold with a cash value of 1 USD. Made of -plated britannium on a black metal base, it is 13.5 in (34 cm) tall, weighs 8.5 lb (3.85 kg) and depicts a knight rendered in style holding a crusader's sword standing on a reel of film with five

14 spokes. The five spokes each represent the original branches of the Academy: Actors, Writers, Directors, Producers, and Technicians. MGM’s art director , one of the original Academy members, supervised the design of the award trophy by printing the design on scroll. In need of a model for his statue Gibbons was introduced by his then wife Dolores del Río to Emilio "El Indio" Fernández. Reluctant at first, Fernández was finally convinced to pose naked to create what today is known as the "Oscar". Then sculptor George Stanley sculpted Gibbons's design in clay, and Alex Smith cast the statue in 92.5 percent tin and 7.5 percent copper and then gold-plated it. The only addition to the Oscar since it was created is a minor streamlining of the base. The original Oscar mold was cast in 1928 at the C.W. Shumway & Sons Foundry in Batavia, Illinois, which also contributed to casting the molds for the Vince Lombardi Trophy and statuettes. Approximately 40 Oscars are made each year in Chicago, Illinois by the manufacturer, R.S. Owens. If they fail to meet strict quality control standards, the statuettes are cut in half and melted down.

The root of the name Oscar is contested. One biography of claims that she named the Oscar after her first husband, bandleader Harmon Oscar Nelson; one of the earliest mentions in print of the term Oscar dates back to Bette Davis's receipt of the award in 1936. is also quoted as thanking the Academy for his Oscar as early as 1932. Another claimed origin is that of the Academy’s Executive Secretary, , who first saw the award in 1931 and made reference to the statuette reminding her of her Uncle Oscar. Columnist Sidney Skolsky was present during Herrick’s naming and seized the name in his byline, "Employees have affectionately dubbed their famous statuette 'Oscar'" (Levy 2003). Both Oscar and Academy Award are registered trademarks of the Academy, fiercely protected through litigation and threats thereof.

As of the 80th Academy Awards ceremony held in 2008, a total of 2,696 Oscars have been awarded. A total of 293 different actors have won an acting Oscar (including Honorary Awards and Juvenile Awards).

1.Ownership of Oscar statuettes

Since 1950, the statuettes have been legally encumbered by the requirement that neither winners nor their heirs may sell the statuettes without first offering to sell them back to the Academy for US$1. If a winner refuses to agree to this stipulation, then the Academy keeps the statuette. Academy Awards not protected by this agreement have been sold in public auctions and private deals for six-figure sums (Levy 2003).

This rule is highly controversial, since it implies that the winner does not own the award. The case of Michael Todd's grandson trying to sell Todd's Oscar statuette illustrates that there are many who do not agree with this idea. When Todd's grandson attempted to sell

15 Todd's Oscar statuette to a movie prop collector, the Academy won the legal battle by getting a permanent injunction. Although some Oscar sales transactions have been successful, the buyers have subsequently returned the statuettes to the Academy, which keeps them in its treasury.

2.The Origin of the Oscar Name A popular but unsubstantiated story has been that the moniker caught on after Academy librarian and eventual executive director Margaret Herrick said that the statuette resembled her Uncle Oscar. Its first documented mention came after the sixth Awards Presentation in 1934 when Hollywood columnist Sidney Skolsky used it in reference to 's first Best Actress win. The Academy itself didn't use the nickname officially until 1939.

Oscar has changed his look on occasion. From the through the 50's, juvenile players received miniature replicas of the statuette; ventriloquist was presented with a wooden statuette with a movable mouth; and Walt Disney was honored with one full-size and seven miniature statuettes on behalf of his animated feature SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS. In support of the World War II effort between 1942 and 1944, Oscars were made of plaster, to be traded in for golden statuettes after the war. Additionally, the base was raised and changed from marble to metal in 1945. And in 1949, Academy Award statuettes began to be numbered, starting with No. 501.

3.Manufacturing, Shipping and Repairs Approximately 50 Oscars are made each year in Chicago by the manufacturer, R.S. Owens. If they don't meet strict quality control standards, the statuettes are immediately cut in half and melted down.

The Academy won't know how many statuettes it will actually hand out at the Annual Academy Awards Ceremony until the envelopes are opened on Oscar Night. Although the number of categories and special awards is known prior to the ceremony, the possibility of multiple recipients sharing the prize in some categories makes the exact number of Oscar statuettes awarded unpredictable. As in previous years, any surplus awards will be housed in the Academy's vault until next year's event.

"Casting the Oscar statuettes is our New Year's celebration," says R. S. Owens spokesperson Noreen Prohaska. "It's our first project of the year, and certainly our most prestigious. Though we could probably do it quicker, we take three to four weeks to cast 50 statuettes. It may sound silly, but each one is done to perfection and handled with white gloves. After all, look at the people who will be clutching it on Oscar Night."

16 Prior to 1949, the statuettes were not numbered. Since that year, starting with a somewhat arbitrary number 501, each Oscar statuette has worn his number behind his heels.

The 15 statuettes presented at the initial ceremonies were gold-plated solid bronze. Within a few years the bronze was abandoned in favor of an alloy called britannia, which made it easier to give the statuettes their smooth finish. Due to the metals shortage during the World War II years, they were made of plaster. Following the war, all of the awarded plaster figures were redeemed for gold-plated ones.

For eight decades, Oscar has survived war, weathered earthquakes, and even managed to escape unscathed from common thieves. Since 1995, however, R.S. Owens has repaired more than 160 statuettes. "Maybe somebody used chemicals on them to polish them and the chemicals rubbed right through the lacquer and into the gold," says Owens president Scott Siegel, "or maybe people stored them someplace where they corroded." Although he stresses that the statuette is made to endure, Siegel offers this sage advice to all Oscar winners: "If it gets dusty, simply wipe it with a soft dry cloth."

4. 1936

Oh, the history of the Academy Awards is simple enough to pin down. They began awarding those little gold statues for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and so on back in 1929.

But when did they nickname those little statuettes Oscar?

The search through movie history for the origins of The Oscars is confounded by the number of people with that name who populated the early years of the film business, not the least of which was one Mr. Hammerstein, who hung ot with Mr. Rogers and wrote all those .

But diligence will out in for the earliest use of the name Oscar to refer to the much-coveted gold-plated statue.

And the FirstMention award goes to...believe it or not...the Salamanca (NY) Republican Press of March 13, 1936, in an article titled Bette Davis Takes 'Oscar' Home.

The Salamanca paper didn't coin the term Oscar, and I have no doubt that there are earlier appearances of the term in print that just haven't (yet) made it into electronic archives. Not much earlier, though. I looked over a lot of Academy Awards articles from 1935. They all mention the 'gold statue', but nary a reference to its name.

17

But there is some further history avavilable. Time Magazine, in 1939, attributed the origin of the name Oscar to a People-Magazine-style gossip columnist of the day, one Sidney Skolsky, also known (affectionately or otherwise) as The Mouse.

Mouse's Return

...This week Sidney Skolsky joined the growing stable of writers that

Publisher George Backer is assembling for his . Hollywood thought Publisher Backer had picked the right horse, for Skolsky is one of the ablest columnists in the business (he originated the term "Oscar" for Academy Awards) and by far the most popular.

Time magazine, September 11, 1939

Chapter III.

Legal Regulations for using Intellectual Properties of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

18 1. Preamble

Since their in 1929, the “©Oscar®” Awards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have enjoyed increasing international recognition. Today they are among the most respected and sought-after prizes bestowed anywhere.

Their prestige, long acknowledged within the motion picture industry, has grown over the years because the public recognizes the Oscar as an award based solely on artistic and technical achievement and because care has been taken to preserve the integrity of the Oscar symbol. Specifically, the Academy has carefully limited reproductions of the Oscar statuette and references to the annual Academy Awards presentation in promotions and advertising.

The purpose of these Regulations is to set a code of fair practice for all forms of advertising pertaining to the annual Academy Awards presentation, and for other uses of the Academy’s intellectual properties.

The Academy does not wish to restrict the benefits film producers, distributors and exhibitors may derive legitimately from publicity associated with the annual Academy Awards presentation, but desires to equalize these benefits and ensure that:

(a) the rights of past and future Academy Award recipients are fully protected,

(b) no false claims of Academy Award consideration are made in any advertising medium,

(c) the public is not misled by any statement or implication that any achievement has won or been nominated for an Academy Award when that is not so, and

(d) the necessary legal protection is provided for the trademark and copyright owner, i.e., the Academy.

The Academy, as the copyright owner of the Academy’s “Oscar” statuette, and owner of its trademarks and service marks, including “OSCAR®,” “OSCARS®,” “ACADEMY AWARD®,” “ACADEMY AWARDS®,” “OSCAR NIGHT®,” “A.M.P.A.S.®” and the federally registered “Oscar” design mark, is required to protect its properties against unauthorized uses and infringements.

2. Regulations

1. The Award of Merit statuette, commonly known as the “Oscar,” is the copyrighted property and registered trademark and service mark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (“Academy”). The Academy has the sole and exclusive right to reproduce, manufacture, copy, sell, display images of and publish said statuette in any

19 size or medium, whether in three or two dimensions, and to distribute or exploit the statuette or reproductions of same by gift, sale, license or otherwise. No reproduction, replica, drawing, photograph, derivative work or other copy of the Award of Merit statuette may be made or used by any manufacturer, advertiser, organization or individual except in accordance with these regulations or under express written license from the Academy.

2. All published representations of the Award of Merit statuette, including photographs, drawings and other likenesses, must include the legend “©Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences®,” or “©A.M.P.A.S.®,” to provide notice that it is protected by copyright, trademark and service mark registration.

3. “OSCAR®,” “OSCARS®,” “ACADEMY AWARD®,” “ACADEMY AWARDS®,” “OSCAR NIGHT®,” “A.M.P.A.S.®” and the “Oscar” design mark are trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and may not be used except in accordance with these regulations or under a special written license from the Academy.

Any use of the marks “OSCAR®,” “OSCARS®,” “ACADEMY AWARD®,” “ACADEMY AWARDS®,” “OSCAR NIGHT®,” “A.M.P.A.S.®” and the “Oscar” design mark must include notice of trademark and service mark registration and credit the Academy as the owner of said marks (“®”), except as provided in section 20 below.

4. Permission to use Academy Award symbols (the Award of Merit statuette and other statuettes, medals, plaques and certificates) and institutional marks of the Academy for any publication in other than fair use hard-news reporting must be obtained in writing from the Academy, except that permission is hereby given to use Academy Award symbols and marks of the Academy in accordance with these Regulations.

5. The Award of Merit statuette may not be used in generic fashion as a logo or decorative motif for any purpose in any video or television production, motion picture, or print or digital publication not produced by, or explicitly authorized by, the Academy.

6. The Award of Merit statuette may not be used as a stage property or article of set dressing in any stage, television, video or motion picture production not produced by the Academy. Licensed exceptions will be considered under unusual circumstances. Violations of this paragraph may subject theatrical films to the loss of Academy Awards eligibility, in addition to any other remedies allowed by law.

7. The marks “OSCAR®” and “OSCARS®” (as related to the Academy’s motion picture award) may not be used in the title or subtitle of any magazine, online or digital publication, commercial web site, stage production, video, television program or motion picture not produced by the Academy.

8. The marks “ACADEMY AWARD®” and “ACADEMY AWARDS®” may be used in the title or subtitle of a magazine, online or digital publication, commercial web site,

20 stage production, video, television program or motion picture with the written consent of the Academy.

9. “OSCAR®,” “OSCARS®,” “ACADEMY AWARD®” and “ACADEMY AWARDS®” may not be incorporated into a home video series title or subtitle, either on packaging or in advertising for such products.

The marks “ACADEMY AWARD®” and “ACADEMY AWARDS®” may be incorporated into the title or subtitle of an audio product with the written permission of the Academy.

10. Academy Award winners have no rights whatsoever in the Academy copyright or goodwill in the Oscar statuette or in its trademark and service mark registrations. Award winners must comply with these rules and regulations. Award winners shall not sell or otherwise dispose of the Oscar statuette, nor permit it to be sold or disposed of by operation of law, without first offering to sell it to the Academy for the sum of $1.00. This provision shall apply also to the heirs and assigns of Academy Award winners who may acquire a statuette by gift or bequest.

11. Gold miniature Oscar statuettes are subject to the same regulations as the standard size statuettes.

Advertising

12. No personal appearance, picture or drawing of an Academy Award recipient with an Academy Award symbol or Academy mark may be used in advertising or promotional materials of any sort without the written consent of the Academy, except as permitted by these Regulations.

13. No Academy Award symbol or photograph, picture or drawing that includes a reproduction of an Academy Award symbol or Academy mark may be used in any advertising in newspapers, periodicals, billboards, posters or other medium, specifically including electronic media, without the written consent of the Academy, except as permitted by these Regulations.

14. Pictures that have received or been nominated for an Award of Merit may be so advertised in print, electronic media and theatrical trailers subject to the following conditions:

(a) Pictures that have received an Award of Merit may use a depiction of the Oscar statuette provided: i. it appears no more than once in each advertisement, ii. the size of the depiction does not exceed ten percent of the total advertising space,

21 iii. the Academy approves the quality of the representation of its symbol used, iv. the copyright, trademark and service mark notice, “©A.M.P.A.S.®,” accompanies the depiction in legible form, and v. the achievement for which the award was conferred is specified adjacent to the depiction.

(b) Pictures that have received an Award of Merit may use the words “OSCAR® Winner,” “ACADEMY AWARD® Winner,” or similar descriptions incorporating the Academy’s marks provided: i. any reference to the Academy’s marks is directly followed by an indication of the achievement for which the award was conferred, and ii. the Academy’s marks appear in the form “OSCAR®,” “OSCARS®,” “ACADEMY AWARD®,” and “ACADEMY AWARDS®” to provide notice of trademark and service mark ownership and registration.

(c) Pictures nominated for an Award of Merit may use the words “OSCAR® Nominee,” “ACADEMY AWARD® Nominee,” or similar descriptions incorporating the Academy’s marks provided that: i. no reproduction of an Oscar statuette is used, ii. the word “Nomination(s)” or the words “Nominated for” appear in the same size, style and color of type as the marks “ACADEMY AWARDS®” or “OSCARS®,” iii. the word “winner” or equivalent term is not used to describe the receipt of a nomination, and iv. any reference to the Academy’s marks is directly followed by an indication of the achievement for which the nomination was conferred.

15. No film or achievement that has not received or been nominated for an Award of Merit (including those that use the talents of a former Academy Award winner or nominee) may be advertised or exploited in a manner that may mislead the public or imply by design, layout or wording of copy that the film or achievement has received such an award or nomination.

From each January 1 until that year’s Academy Awards presentation, no individual may be described in advertising as an “Oscar® Nominee” or “Academy Award® Nominee” except in advertising for the film for which the nomination was received.

16. Special Awards (conferred only by vote of the Academy Board of Governors) must be clearly identified in all advertising by their specific name (Thalberg Award, Sawyer

22 Award, Honorary Award, etc.) and must specify the year in which the recognition was accorded. Special Awards shall not be advertised or exploited in a manner that may cause the public to confuse a Special Award with an Award of Merit voted by the Academy membership.

17. A Scientific and Technical Award may be used in advertising that achievement provided:

(a) the year and accomplishment for which the Award was given are included in the advertising,

(b) only the image of the award conferred is depicted, and not the Oscar statuette, unless the statuette was the award presented,

(c) references to the award are specific as to the classification (i.e., Technical Achievement Award, Scientific and Engineering Award or Academy Award/Oscar), and

(d) all parties named in the award are included.

18 No film may be advertised or exploited as having “qualified” for an Academy Award or having otherwise been officially recognized by the Academy, except as a Nominee or Winner and in accordance with these Regulations.

Packaging

19. No Academy Award symbol or Academy mark, nor any photograph or drawing that includes a reproduction of an Oscar statuette or Academy mark, may be used on, as part of, or affixed to any item that is sold to the public, including home videos, audio records or any commercial goods, whether or not in connection with a current or previous recipient of an Award of Merit, except as follows:

(a) Home video copies of motion pictures that have received the Academy Award for Best Picture may include a depiction of the Oscar statuette on their packaging under the following conditions: i. it appears no more than once on each package, ii. the size of the depiction does not exceed one inch in height, iii. the Academy approves the quality of the representation of its symbol to be used, iv. the copyright, trademark and service mark notice, “©A.M.P.A.S.®,” accompanies the depiction in legible form, and v. the award year for which the award was received and the category, “Best Picture,” are indicated adjacent to the depiction.

23 (b) The words “OSCAR® Winner,” “ACADEMY AWARD® Winner,” “OSCAR® Nominee” and “ACADEMY AWARD® Nominee” or similar descriptions incorporating the Academy’s marks may appear on home video packaging of any motion picture that has received an Academy Award or nomination under the following conditions: i. the motion picture actually received an Award of Merit or nomination, ii. any reference to the Academy’s marks is directly followed by an indication of the year and achievement for which the award or nomination was conferred, iii. the word “Nominations(s),” “Nominee(s)” or the words “Nominated for” appear in the same size, style and color of type as the marks “OSCAR®,” “OSCARS®,” “ACADEMY AWARD®” and “ACADEMY AWARDS®,” and iv. the Academy marks appear in the form “OSCAR®,” “OSCARS®,” “ACADEMY AWARD®,” “ACADEMY AWARDS®” to provide notice of trademark and service mark ownership and registration, and credit is given to the Academy as the owner of these marks as follows: “‘ACADEMY AWARDS®’ is the registered trademark and service mark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,” or “‘OSCAR®’ is the registered trademark and service mark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.”

Editorial Use

20. News and editorial uses of Academy symbols and marks in stories and articles appearing in newspapers, periodicals, digital publications, web sites and on television or in motion pictures, are subject to the following conditions:

(a) all published representations of the Award of Merit statuette, including photographs, drawings and other likenesses, must include the legend “©A.M.P.A.S.®” to provide notice of copyright, trademark and service mark registration, and

(b) neither the marks “Academy Award®” nor “Oscar®” may be used to describe awards given by organizations other than the Academy. (An award may be described as “the Uruguayan equivalent of the Oscar Award,” but not as “the Uruguayan Oscar.”)

3. Policy for Use of Clips from Academy Award Presentations

1. The Annual Academy Awards telecast is copyrighted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Any rebroadcast or other use of the program or any of its contents, except in accordance with the following, is prohibited.

24 2. In accordance with fair use provisions of copyright law, broadcast news programs and services may excerpt portions of the Academy Awards telecast for rebroadcast during the seven days following the telecast (up to, and including, Sunday), subject to the following conditions:

(a) up to three minutes may be used within the period ending the first day (Monday) following the telecast,

(b) one minute, not separate from the three minutes in (a), above, may be used within the period of the second through seventh days (Tuesday through Sunday) following the telecast,

(c) the material may be used only for news reporting purposes directly related to the Awards Presentation as an event,

(d) any display, exhibition or performance of the material must be accompanied by the legend “Clip Courtesy A.M.P.A.S.© ____” (year supplied as appropriate), and

(e) no use of any excerpt from any Awards Presentation may be made while the telecast is in progress.

3. Permission may also be given for the use of Academy Awards telecast clips in connection with obituary reporting on past Academy Award recipients. The Academy will attempt to facilitate the granting of permission for the use of clips from the Awards Presentations for obituary news reporting upon request under the following conditions:

(a) only clips approved by the Academy are used,

(b) the clips are used only in news broadcasts and only in conjunction with stories concerning the deceased in such news broadcasts,

(c) the clips are used only within a 72-hour period immediately following announcement of death,

(d) any display, exhibition or performance of the material must be accompanied by the legend “Clip Courtesy A.M.P.A.S.© ____” (year supplied as appropriate),

(e) the approved obituary clip(s) shall not exceed 60 seconds in total running time, and

(f) those requesting the clips agree to obtain, at their own expense, the consent of all other persons appearing in the clips and all guild or other clearances that might be required.

4. All those rebroadcasting any clip(s) from any Academy Awards telecasts hereby agree to indemnify the Academy, its governors, officers, members, agents, employees and representatives, and to save and hold the Academy and each of them harmless from, and to defend the Academy and each of them against, any liability and expense, including

25 attorneys’ fees, arising out of any claim whatsoever which may be brought or based upon the use of the clip(s).

5. Permission shall not be granted for the use of clips from the Academy Awards telecast for non-news ventures, except under unusual circumstances, and on a case-by-case basis. An exception, if granted, shall not be considered precedential.

6. This policy shall apply also to requests for permission to use the audio portions of Academy Awards presentations.

Chapter IV. Awards night

1. Telecast

The major awards are presented at a live televised ceremony, most commonly in February or March following the relevant calendar year, and six weeks after the

26 announcement of the nominees. This is an elaborate extravaganza, with the invited guests walking up the red carpet in the creations of the most prominent fashion designers of the day. Black tie dress is the most common outfit for men, although fashion may dictate not wearing a bowtie, and musical performers typically do not adhere to this. (The artists who recorded the nominees for Best Original Song quite often perform those songs live at the awards ceremony, and the fact that they are performing is often used to promote the television broadcast.) The Academy has for several years claimed that the award show has a billion viewers internationally, but this has so far not been confirmed by any independent sources. Neither has the Academy explained how it has reached this figure.

The Academy Awards is televised live across the United States (excluding and Hawaii) and gathers millions of viewers worldwide. The 2007 ceremony was watched by more than 40 million Americans. Other awards ceremonies (such as the Emmys, Golden Globes, and Grammys) are broadcast live in the East Coast but are on tape delay in the West Coast.

The Awards show was first televised on NBC in 1953. NBC continued to broadcast the event until 1960 when the ABC Network took over, televising the festivities through 1970, after which NBC resumed the broadcasts. ABC once again took over broadcast duties in 1976; it has contracted to do so through the year 2014.

After more than sixty years of being held in late March or early April, the ceremonies were moved up to late February or early March starting in 2004 to help disrupt and shorten the intense lobbying and ad campaigns associated with in the film industry. Another reason was because of the growing TV ratings success of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, which would cut into the Academy Awards audience. The earlier date is also to the advantage of ABC, as it currently usually occurs during the highly profitable and important February sweeps period. The Awards show holds the distinction of having won the most Emmys in history, with 38 wins and 167 nominations.

On March 30, 1981, the awards ceremony was postponed for one day after the shooting of President and others in Washington, D.C. On October 16, 2006, the awards event itself was designated a National Special Security Event by the United States Department of Homeland Security.

Movie studios are strictly prohibited from advertising films during the broadcast.

Since 2002, celebrities have been seen arriving at the Academy Awards in hybrid vehicles; during the telecast of the in 2007, Leonardo DiCaprio and former vice president announced that ecologically intelligent practices had been integrated into the planning and execution of the Oscar presentation and several related events.

27 2. How to Dress for an Oscar Award Night

It could be your first time attending an Oscar award or you could just want to have a change attending this time. All in all preparation is essential for coming to such a huge occasion when you could meet with many celebrities, high society and royalty. You want to get it right and even when you do, you always want to add that stand out bow or silk ribbon to make you look exceptional.

Instructions

Step 1 Decide if you want a gown, a dress or a dinner cat suit to wear. Then decide on whether you want a stretch gown or dress. Do you want your outfit to have a cleavage and have you ensured in time that the cleavage is tight and firm?

Step 2 Choose the color you want to wear, a black gold silk gown with gold hem detail makes an attractive entry or you could mix the gold and black in having gold bust area with silk duchess satin flowing gown.

Step 3 If you want to wear a gown or dress, decide if you want it to be backless or have a long silk tail behind, or it could have a crown gold embroidery design covered sumptuously on the edges with cream or snow white lace detail and fitted to the back of the waist or even on the button area to make a mouth watering entry.

Step 4 You can have a touch of sequins on your outfit or rhinestones if you prefer. Colored crystals in specific areas such as the waistline is cute but if you just want, you can have scattered diamond detail or heavily detailed crystals around the neck just to enhance that newly defined neck.

Tips & Warnings Add matching colored shoes and bag. Be conscious but confident when wearing cleavage outfits.

3. How to Enjoy the Oscars

The Academy Awards, or The Oscars, is the biggest night for filmmakers, actors, directors and Hollywood in general. This is the night when stars are recognized, hard work is acknowledged, and film history is made. There is no higher honor than to win Best Picture or Best Actor/Actress at the Oscars. Whether you're a huge Hollywood fan or a newbie to the whole film circuit, learn how to appreciate and enjoy the silver screen's night to shine.

28 Step 1 In order to enjoy The Oscars, it's important that you see some Academy Award nominated flicks! You'll appreciate the awards show more and you'll feel like a pseudo critic in a sense. If you missed some of the earlier releases, many theaters re-air Oscar nominees, so check your local movie listings online.

Step 2 Be objective. Sure, you may have a thing for Daniel Day Lewis and , but be open to appreciating work from the talented Johnny Depp or Leonardo DiCaprio. You'll find that each performance by each actor can differ greatly. The DiCaprio is quite different than his bad boy persona depicted in .

Step 3 Research the movies nominated for The Oscars. Find out who directed which film, who the producers were, who wrote the score, and how much the movie grossed. Not only will you have a better idea of who may win, but you'll learn to appreciate the extensive work behind the movie.

Step 4 Give credit where credit is due. To properly enjoy The Oscars, you should be a film fan. There is nothing quite like watching Hollywood legends win honorary Oscars and viewing film reels of old Hollywood hits. Filmmaking is not only a form of entertainment, it's an art.

Step 5 Predict the winners. Participate in polls. Leave your messages on film forums. There are many die hard movie buffs that connect through the Internet prior to and after the awards show.

Step 6 Watch the red carpet showdown before the event begins. The Academy Awards is not only a night of film magic, it's a night of glitter, glitz and great outfits. Part of the fun is seeing what Nicole Kidman wore and how cut his hair.

Step 7 Be patient. The Oscars typically run about four hours when broadcasted on television,which can be pretty tedious. But if you love film and love Hollywood,it's worth the wait. You can even have some laughs when comedians like Jon Stewart host the big event.

4. How to Brush Up on Oscar History

The Academy Awards have a long and glamorous history. Each year a parade of the most talented, fashionable and celebrated people in Hollywood graces the red carpet at the

29 Oscars. Brushing up on Oscar history is more than an exercise in memorizing statistics, it can expose you to some of the greatest films ever made.

Instructions

Step 1 Prepare to devote time to investigate thoroughly for understanding of Oscar history. The first Oscars were presented in 1929 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and have been awarded every year since.

Step 2 Learn about past Oscar winners. Comprehensive lists of winners are readily available on the Internet. Visit the Academy Award's official website (see Resource section). The "legacy" page offers a complete, up-to-date database searchable by year, title, actor and other criteria.

Step 3 Look beyond the winners and investigate the nominees. Learn what film received the most nominations and which won in every category it was nominated. Sharing the major statistics of Oscar history is a great way to demonstrate expertise.

Step 4 Read back issues of trade papers like "Variety" and "." Learn about the tactics film studios use to market the films and actors leading up to the awards. Look for large ads featuring the words "For Your Consideration."

Step 5 Get the gossip about the ceremony itself. Sources offer cheeky commentary about the proceedings and reveal major slip-ups, upsets and political statements

5. How to Receive an Oscar Nomination

Although there are surprises every year, studios look to surefire trends and take excessive measures to procure Academy Award nominations, which will be announced this year on February 15. Here are some ways you can increase your chances of receiving the highly coveted Oscar nod.

Instructions

30 Step 1 Begin preparations for campaigning in August, the starting point for many studios. View rough cuts of yet-to-be-released movies to get an idea of potential nominees.

Step 2 More often than not, think conservatively. The members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are notorious for their traditional tastes in film and their affinity for commercial successes - remember "" and "."

Step 3 Time the release of the film for the last three months of the year. The academy's members tend to have short memories for movies.

Step 4 Start a rumor. Have your publicist circulate reports of potential Oscar nods as your film is released.

Step 5 Advertise, advertise, advertise. Starting during season, take out the biggest and best spaces money can buy in "The Hollywood Reporter" and "Variety," as well as general newspapers. Warning: A full-page black-and-white advertisement can cost $4,500; a color ad can cost as much as $7,000.

Step 6 Tout the talents of potential best and supporting actors and actresses by featuring them in your movie ads. If the individual has mastered a foreign accent (, ) or portrayed someone who is mentally challenged (, Tom Hanks), the Oscar nod is more likely.

Step 7 Make sure you've gotten a good viewing. Send out videotapes of your film, especially if it is a smaller picture, to academy members. And for the more traditional lovers of the big screen, provide a press-free screening of the film in New York, Los Angeles or London.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Cotte, Olivier (2007) Secrets of Oscar-winning : Behind the scenes of 13 classic short .

Gail, K. & Piazza, J. (2002) The Academy Awards the Complete History of Oscar

Levy, Emanuel (2003) All About Oscar: The History and Politics of the Academy Awards

31 Wright, Jon (2007) The Lunacy of Oscar: The Problems with Hollywood's Biggest Night

CONCLUSION

The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent film awards in the United States and most watched awards ceremony in the world. The Awards are granted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a professional honorary organization which, as of 2003, had a voting membership of 5,816. Actors (with a membership of 1,311) make up the largest voting bloc. The votes have been tabulated and certified by the auditing

32 firm Price Waterhouse Coopers for 72 years, close to the awards' inception. They are intended for the films and persons the Academy believes have the top achievements of the year. The 78th Academy Awards were the most recent ceremony and the next ceremony, the 79th Academy Awards, will take place on February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The annual Oscar presentation has been held since 1929. The official name of the Oscar statuette is the Academy Award of Merit. Made of gold-plated britannium on a black marble base, it is 13.5 inches (34 cm) tall, weighs 8.5 lb (3.85 kg) and depicts a knight holding a crusader's sword standing on a reel of film with five spokes, signifying the original branches of the Academy: Actors, Writers, Directors, Producers and Technicians.. MGM’s art director Cedric Gibbons, one of the original Academy members, supervised the design of the award trophy by printing the design on scroll. Then sculptor George Stanley sculpted Gibbons' design in clay, and Alex Smith cast the statue in tin and copper and then gold-plated it over a composition of 92.5 percent tin and 7.5 percent copper (Levy 2003). The only addition to the Oscar since it was created is a minor streamlining of the base (Levy 2003). The root of the name "Oscar" is contested. One biography of Bette Davis claims that she named the Oscar after her first husband, bandleader Harmon Oscar Nelson. Another claimed origin is that of the Academy’s Executive Secretary, Margaret Herrick, who first saw the award in 1931 and made reference of the statuette reminding her of her Uncle Oscar (Levy 2003). Columnist Sidney Skolsky was present during Herrick’s naming and seized the name in his byline, “Employees have affectionately dubbed their famous statuette “Oscar” (Levy 2003). However it came to be, both Oscar and Academy Award are registered trademarks of the Academy, and are fiercely protected by the Academy through litigation and threats therof. Since 1950 the statuettes have been legally encumbered by the requirement that neither winners nor their heirs may sell the statuettes without first offering to sell them back to the Academy for $1. If a winner refuses to agree to this then the Academy keeps the statuette. Academy Awards not protected by this agreement have been sold in public auctions and private meeting for six figure transactions (Levy 2003).

Nominations Today, according to Rules 2 and 3 of the official Academy Awards Rules, a film has to open in the previous calendar year (from midnight January 1 to midnight December 31) in Los Angeles County, California, to qualify. Rule 2 states that a film must be "feature-length" (defined as at least 40 minutes) to qualify for an award (except for Short Subject awards, of course). It must also exist either on a 35mm or 70mm film print OR on a 24fps or 48fps progressive scan digital film print with a native resolution no lower than 1280x1024. The members of the various branches nominate those in their respective fields (actors are nominated by the actors' branch, etc.) while all members may submit

33 nominees for Best Picture. The winners are then determined by a second round of voting in which all members are then allowed to vote in all categories.

Criticism All award shows in general receive criticism because of differing tastes. It is simply not possible for everyone to be happy with the winner. But as the most prominent award show and certainly the most important, the Academy Awards over the years and especially in recent years have been the target of a considerable amount of criticism and controversy. Critics have noted that many Best Picture Academy Award winners in the past have not stood the test of time. Several of these films (Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth being the example often cited), they argue, have aged poorly and have little of the impact they did on initial release. In another example, critics have pointed out how poorly "Ben-Hur," the 1959 winner and at the time, one of the highest-grossing movies ever made, has lasted compared to other movies from 1959 such as , Rio Bravo and Imitation of Life. Furthermore, several of the nominees which have lost Best Picture are regarded as masterpieces by many critics. The most obvious example is , a film that was nominated for eight Oscars but won only one (Best Original Screenplay), and has since come to be regarded by movie buffs and academics as one of the greatest films of all time. Other examples include , and . Critics have also noted that highly regarded films such as , Singin' in the Rain, The Searchers, Vertigo, Touch of Evil, , , 2001:A Space Odyssey, , and Blue Velvet were not even nominated for best picture. It has also been noted that films that go on to win Best Picture, with few exceptions, are dramas, romances, musicals, epics, or films that deal with serious social and political issues. Because of this critics argue that the Academy is biased against genre films such as science fiction, , animation, comedy, and horror, regardless of artistic merit. For instance, in the 78 years of the Academy's history, no has ever won Best Picture, although a , : The Return of the King won Best Picture in 2003; and only one animated movie has actually been nominated for Best Picture (Beauty and the Beast). The Academy in 2001 created a separate category for Animated films. To date there have been few Westerns that have won Best Picture. , a four-time Oscar winner, is today highly regarded for his Western films yet none of the four films for which he won were Westerns. A related criticism is that actors and actresses who came to prime primarily in comedy films have to succeed in dramatic films in order to be seriously regarded by the Academy. Only five actors have won Best Actor for playing a comedic role. Another point of contention is the lack of consideration for non-English films for other categories than the Best Foreign Language Film category: very few foreign films have been nominated for any of the other categories, regardless of

34 artistic merit. Thus the Academy Award for Best Picture is actually the "Academy Award for English-language Best Picture".

MAP OF ILLUSTRATIONS

2008 Oscars Best Dressed

35 Jennifer Garner

. The always alluring Penelope Cruz turned heads in a navy, feather-adorned, Chanel gown designed by Karl Lagerfeld.

36 Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman

Seal and Heidi Klum

37 2008 Oscars Worst Dressed

George Clooney looked great in a classic tux, but girlfriend Sarah Larson's dress looked like chintz curtains.

Cameron Diaz looked pretty in pink in her Dior gown, but the back was a wrinkled horror.

38 39