Academy Award questions? We have answers

How do films get nominated? Is there an initial ballot before the final one?
The Academy sends out an empty ballot to all the 5,830 Academy members at the beginning of January with a separate sheet of paper listing all the eligible films. This year, ballots were sent out on Dec. 26 and had to be returned on Jan. 13. To be eligible, feature films have until midnight, Dec. 31, to open in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County and begin a minimum run of seven consecutive days. This year there were 307 films that were eligible.

Is every member of the Academy sent screeners for all the films?
There is no rule that studios must send out screeners of its films. Some studios choose to send out screeners for films that have been released late in the year, giving voters an opportunity to watch those movies at home when there are so many films vying for their attention. Studios begin sending out screeners in late Oct. and voters have until Jan. 20 when final ballots are due to watch them.

How many screeners does the average member receive?
Somewhere around 20. It’s also important to note that if a nominated film came out much earlier in the year, screeners aren’t necessary because the movie is already out on DVD.

How likely is it that the voter will get to watch all the movies?
Extremely unlikely. This past year, in December alone, there were dozens of movies released. Members of the Academy are working film professionals and have full-time jobs, meaning they don’t have time to see three movies a day, maybe only a couple a week. Hence, having screeners at home makes viewing a lot more convenient.

What kinds of campaigning do the studios do? Parties, dinners, screenings?
All of the above. In the past few years, screenings with a question-and-answer session afterward, featuring the cast and director of the film, have become quite popular, and give voters a chance to know the principals of the movie a little better. Also, casual parties at the homes of the studio heads were in vogue this year. At a house party in support of “The Devil Wears Prada,” where the press was also invited, shooting the breeze in the kitchen were Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Forest Whitaker and Tom Cruise.

Do nominees receive a call from the Academy or do they hear about it through TV like everyone else?
Nominees find out if they’ve made the final cut by watching on TV like everyone else. Usually, their publicist is at the 5:30 a.m. announcements at the Academy’s headquarters on Wilshire Boulevard and will call them if they weren’t watching.

Who votes? Actors for actors? Writers for writers? Who votes for best picture?
The academy is broken up into 16 branches. The largest group is actors, with 1,251 voting members. When voting to determine the nominees, each branch nominates in its own category: Actors for actors, writers for writers, etc. Special voting groups within the academy pick the nominees in other categories (documentary, foreign-lingo film, makeup, short films, sound editing, visual effects), with all the voting members nominating best picture. For the actual winners after the nominees have been determined, all members of the academy vote for all the awards (except for three smaller awards). Ballots are sent Jan. 31, they must be returned by Feb. 20.

How do the designers approach the nominees about wearing dresses, jewelry, etc.?
Every big designer — from Dior to Chanel — has a West Coast rep who woos leading actresses and actors throughout the year in the hopes of convincing them to wear that particular designer. The campaigning gets very fierce as awards season approaches. Smaller-name celebrities have their stylists reach out to the design houses. 

How many dresses does the average nominee try on?
It depends, but probably at least 10 for each nominee. Also, if an actress suddenly decides on canary yellow diamonds, she might try on a whole new bushel of frocks to match her jewels.

How do they know someone else won’t be wearing the same dress?
It’s the responsibility of the design house to keep records of who wears what. Each star’s stylist must be vigilant about securing an original dress too. Still, double-vision happens, especially when stars opt for vintage. Last year, Reese Witherspoon wore a Chanel dress to the Globes that Kirsten Dunst had worn three years prior. This year, Jessica Biel wore a repeat Valentino that Hilary Swank had been photographed in years before.

Pick the Oscar winners Is Penelope Cruz your choice for best actress? Which film should win best picture? Cast your vote.

What happens at the Oscar nominees lunch?
All of the nominees are invited to lunch in a very casual setting, with no press allowed. What also makes it unique is that nominees from different categories are seated with one another. For example, a make-up artist might sit next to Cate Blanchett and Martin Scorsese might sit next to a visual effects supervisor.

Do the stars campaign between the time they are nominated and the show?
Yes, the campaigning never stops until the ballots are in. But by this stage in the race, however, the number of interviews and campaigning decreases compared to before the nominations.

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How many reporters does an average nominee talk to on the red carpet?
Probably about 20. If a nominee decides to linger on the red carpet, it could be more but many nominees try to get inside the Kodak Theatre as quickly as possible. Many, also, don’t arrive until a few minutes before showtime.

Who gets invited to the Oscar ceremony?
Each studio gets a specific number of tickets, at the Academy’s discretion. In recent years, if a studio was warned about illegal campaigning or not adhering to the Academy’s rules, one of the punishments was fewer tickets to the Oscars.

How many family members of a nominee can attend?
Usually no more than a spouse or domestic partner. Due to the extreme demand in tickets, most times there are only two tickets per nominee allowed.

Nominees for best picture | Best director Best actor nominees | Best actress Best supporting actor | Supporting actress

Can the nominees get up during the show? Where do they go?
Yes, anyone is allowed to get up during commercial breaks and if they are not in their seats by the time the show is back on the air, seat fillers take their place. Producers hate it if the camera pans the audience and there are empty seats.

Must everyone go backstage and be interviewed by the press?
Yes, after receiving their awards all winners go directly to meet the press backstage and answer questions from the global press covering the awards.

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