Host Chris Rock comes out swinging

Robin Williams also got in on the act. Before announcing the winner of the best animated feature award, he stopped to rip a large piece of white tape from his mouth. The stunt appeared to confirm reports that producers had censored his gags.

Then he made fun of those who connect cartoon characters with pro-gay messages.

Getting down to business, the first category, art direction, provided the first chance for producer Gil Cates to show off some of the new logistical tricks he implemented to jazz up the broadcast.

The nominees walked out on stage together en masse, then stood around on a floor illuminated by dozens of LED screens, waiting to find out who would be the winner. After hearing presenter Halle Berry announce their names, Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schiavo stepped forward and accepted their statuettes for “The Aviator.” The losing nominees quietly exited.

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Asked backstage what he thought about receiving the award in this new format, Ferretti responded, “I liked to be there, to be on the stage — also because we won.”

The changes provided yet another opportunity for Rock to joke about the ceremony.

“Aw, man, they gave ’em the Oscar on stage,” he said after the documentary-short winners were announced with all the nominees on stage. “Next they’re gonna give the Oscars in the parking lot. It’ll be like a drive-through Oscar lane. You get an Oscar and a McFlurry and keep on moving.”

Earlier, Cate Blanchett announced the nominees in the best makeup category while standing in an aisle in the audience. The winners — who happened to be seated right next to her — were Valli O’Reilly and Bill Corso for “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events,” who made their acceptance speech standing at a microphone a few feet away.

And Scarlett Johansson announced some of the earlier technical Oscar winners while standing in a Kodak Theatre balcony.

But the evening began in a traditional manner, with a montage of scenes from decades of classic films, including “Gone With the Wind,” “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Animal House” and “The Sixth Sense.”

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‘Million Dollar Baby’ wins best picture Small films win big at Oscars What’s in store for next year’s Oscars? Swank KOs Bening again for best actress Host Chris Rock comes out swinging Blue and yellow all over Oscar red carpet Freeman, Foxx add to Oscar history Intimate moments backstage at the Oscars Sidney Lumet honored at Oscars Short proves to be winner for speeches Academy Awards® Section Front   Add Academy Awards® headlines to your news reader: