10/10/2017 Academy Award -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia Academy Award Academy Award, in full Academy Award of Merit, byname Oscar, any of a number of TABLE OF CONTENTS awards presented Introduction annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Categories and rules Sciences, located in History Beverly Hills, California, Oscar statuette U.S., to recognize The Oscar statuettes presented at the 76th achievement in the �lm Academy Awards ceremony, 2003. industry. The awards were �rst presented in 1929, and Tim Boyle—Getty Images winners receive a gold-plated statuette commonly called Entertainment/Thinkstock Oscar. CATEGORIES AND RULES Winners are chosen from the following 24 categories: best picture, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, directing, original screenplay, adapted screenplay, cinematography, production design, editing, original score, original song, costume design, makeup and hairstyling, sound mixing, sound editing, visual effects, Marie Dressler and Lionel Barrymore after foreign-language �lm, animated feature �lm, animated winning Academy Awards for best actress short, live-action short, documentary feature, and and actor in 1931. documentary short. The academy also presents scienti�c Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. and technical awards, special achievement awards, honorary awards, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award (for excellence in producing), and the Gordon E. Sawyer Award (for technological contributions), although these are not necessarily awarded annually. To be eligible for an award in a given year, a �lm must be publicly exhibited for paid admission for at least one week at a commercial theatre in Los Angeles county between Halle Berry accepting the Academy Award for best actress, with presenter Russell January 1 and midnight of December 31 of that year. Crowe in the … Exceptions to this rule include foreign-language �lms, © A.M.P.A.S. which are submitted by their country of origin and need https://www.britannica.com/print/article/2632 1/5 10/10/2017 Academy Award -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia not have been shown in the United States. Documentaries and short �lms have different eligibility requirements and are of�cially submitted by their producers, whereas music awards require the musical artist to �le a submission form. Only members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences may nominate and vote for candidates for the Oscars. The academy is divided into various branches of �lm production, and the nominees in each award category are chosen by the members of the corresponding branch; thus, writers nominate writers, directors nominate directors, and so forth. The entire academy membership nominates the candidates for best picture and votes to determine the winners in most of the categories. Aside from bestowing international recognition and prestige, an Academy Award can play a crucial role in the success of the major winners. The best picture award, for example, can signi�cantly increase the box of�ce earnings of the winning �lm. For actors and directors, the award often results in higher salaries, increased media attention, and better �lm offers. HISTORY When the academy was founded in 1927, the awards committee was only one of several that had been formed by the new organization. The idea of presenting awards was considered but not immediately pursued, because the academy was preoccupied with its role in labour problems, its efforts to improve the tarnished image of the �lm industry, and its function as a clearinghouse for the exchange of ideas about production procedures and new technologies. It was not until May 1928 that the academy approved the committee’s suggestions to present Academy Awards of Merit in 12 categories—most outstanding production, most artistic or unique production, and achievement by an actor, by an actress, in dramatic directing, in comedy directing, in cinematography, in art directing, in engineering effects, in original story writing, in adaptation writing, and in title writing. The �rst awards covered �lms that had been released between August 1, 1927, and July 31, 1928. The awards were presented on May 16, 1929, in a ceremony at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The entire membership of the academy had nominated candidates in all categories. Five boards of judges (one from each of the academy’s original branches—actors, writers, directors, producers, and technicians) then determined the 10 candidates with the most votes in each category and narrowed those 10 down to 3 recommendations. A central board of judges, which consisted of one member from each branch, selected the �nal winners. By the time of the second annual awards ceremony, on April 3, 1930 (honouring �lms from the second half of 1928 and from 1929), the number of categories was reduced to seven, and the two major �lm awards were collapsed into one, called best picture. The academy has since continued to make frequent alterations in rules, procedures, and categories. Indeed, so many changes have been made through the years that the only constant seems to be the academy’s https://www.britannica.com/print/article/2632 2/5 10/10/2017 Academy Award -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia 10/10/2017 Academy Award -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia not have been shown in the United States. Documentaries and short �lms have different desire to remain �exible and to keep abreast of the eligibility requirements and are of�cially submitted by their producers, whereas music awards industry’s evolution. Among the most signi�cant changes require the musical artist to �le a submission form. have been the decision in 1933 to alter the eligibility period for award consideration to the calendar year and Only members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences may nominate and vote for the addition of the supporting actor and actress candidates for the Oscars. The academy is divided into various branches of �lm production, categories in 1936. and the nominees in each award category are chosen by the members of the corresponding branch; thus, writers nominate writers, directors nominate directors, and so forth. The entire Originally the names of the award winners had been academy membership nominates the candidates for best picture and votes to determine the given to the press in advance with the stipulation that the winners in most of the categories. information not be revealed until after the awards presentation. However, the Los Angeles Times printed the Aside from bestowing international recognition and prestige, an Academy Award can play a names of the 1939 winners in an early evening edition crucial role in the success of the major winners. The best picture award, for example, can before the ceremony, draining the event of all its suspense signi�cantly increase the box of�ce earnings of the winning �lm. For actors and directors, the during one of the industry’s biggest years. Thus, since award often results in higher salaries, increased media attention, and better �lm offers. Mary Pickford posing with her best actress then, the winners’ names have been a closely guarded HISTORY Oscar for Coquette (1929). secret until the of�cial announcement at the awards ceremony. When the academy was founded in 1927, the awards committee was only one of several that The Academy Awards were �rst televised in the United had been formed by the new organization. The idea of presenting awards was considered but States in 1953, and since 1969 they have been broadcast not immediately pursued, because the academy was preoccupied with its role in labour internationally. By the late 20th century, the ceremony problems, its efforts to improve the tarnished image of the �lm industry, and its function as a had become a major happening, viewed by millions. clearinghouse for the exchange of ideas about production procedures and new technologies. Notable hosts over the years included Bob Hope, Johnny It was not until May 1928 that the academy approved the committee’s suggestions to present Carson, and Billy Crystal. Red-carpet interviews also Academy Awards of Merit in 12 categories—most outstanding production, most artistic or became an integral part of the event, with much attention unique production, and achievement by an actor, by an actress, in dramatic directing, in focused on the attendees’ ensembles. comedy directing, in cinematography, in art directing, in engineering effects, in original story writing, in adaptation writing, and in title writing. OSCAR STATUETTE The �rst awards covered �lms that had been released between August 1, 1927, and July 31, 1928. The design for the award statuette—a knight standing on a The awards were presented on May 16, 1929, in a ceremony at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. reel of �lm and holding a sword—is credited to Metro- The entire membership of the academy had nominated candidates in all categories. Five Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) art director Cedric Gibbons. boards of judges (one from each of the academy’s original branches—actors, writers, directors, Sculptor George Stanley was commissioned to create the producers, and technicians) then determined the 10 candidates with the most votes in each original statuette based on Gibbons’s design. For many category and narrowed those 10 down to 3 recommendations. A central board of judges, years the statuettes were cast in bronze, with 24-karat which consisted of one member from each branch, selected the �nal winners. A giant Oscar statue adorning the balcony of the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California, gold plating. During World War II the statuettes were By the time of the second annual awards ceremony, on April 3, 1930 (honouring �lms from the as final … made of plaster because of metal shortages. They are now second half of 1928 and from 1929), the number of categories was reduced to seven, and the © A.M.P.A.S. made of gold-plated britannium. The design, however, has two major �lm awards were collapsed into one, called best picture.