Feedback of the 83rd Academy Awards

The 83rd Academy Awards turned out to be quite a dull event. The audiences were not entertained and they did not enjoy as much as they did in the past years, according to a Hollywood Reporter.

In comparison to last year, the Oscar ceremony witnessed a fall of 10%. In the beginning of this year other prestigious award ceremonies such as the Grammys, the Golden Globes and others countered high ratings while Oscars just managed to make 37.6 million total viewers.

Audiences often criticized the poor presentation of young hosts James Franco as well as Anne Hathaway. The 3 hour plus event delivered a rating of 11.7 with a 11% drop in the advertiser-friendly category.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, upto now this was the worst Oscar telecast as James Franco was too detached and Hathaway as overeager.

This year, unfortunately the award winners were not new. Most of the winners had won awards in the equivalent categories in other award ceremonies earlier this year.

The 83rd Academy Awards-The Verdict

The 83rd Annual Academy Awards were hosted by actor James Franco and actress Anne Hathaway and was held at Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on February 27,2011. The Oscars were distributed in 24 categories.It is interesting to see that "The King’s Speech" won 4 major awards. "Inception" too won 4 major awards,but it was all in the technical category."The Social Network" won 3 awards.

The winners for the 24 categories:

Best Picture: "The King’s Speech"
Best Direction: Tom Hooper for "The King’s Speech"
Best Actor: Colin Firth for "The King’s Speech"
Best Actress: Natalie Portman for "Black Swan"
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale for "The Fighter"
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo for "The Fighter"
Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin for "The Social Network"
Best Original Screenplay: David Seidler for "The King’s Speech"
Best Cinematography: "Inception"
Best Film Editing: "The Social Network"
Best Sound Mixing: "Inception"
Best Original Score: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for "The Social Network"
Best Original Song: Randy Newman for 'We Belong Together' from "Toy Story 3"
Best Sound Editing: "Inception"
Best Visual Effects: "Inception"
Best Art Direction : "Alice in Wonderland"
Best Animated Feature Film: "Toy Story 3"
Best Animated Short Film: "The Lost Thing"
Best Makeup: "The Wolfman"
Best Costume Design: "Alice in Wonderland"
Best Live Action Short Film: "God of Love"
Best Documentary Feature: "Inside Job"
Best Documentary (short subject): "Strangers No More"
Best Foreign Language Film: "In a Better World", Denmark

Interesting Facts Regarding Oscars 2011

With the 83rd Academy Awards round the corner, its time to get to know some of the fascinating facts regarding Oscars...

Joel and Ethan Coen's remake of the Western 'True Grit' has earned 10 Oscar nominations that includes best picture. The original 1969 version of the film obtained just 2 nominations that includes lead actor for John Wayne, who won the award, and best song.

Two lead performer nominees - Jesse Eisenberg,27 ('The Social Network'), and Jennifer Lawrence,20 ('Winter's Bone') would be the youngest ever to succeed in their categories. Adrien Brody has the record for youngest lead actor for his victory for 2002's The Pianist at age 29; Marlee Matlin was 21 when she won lead actress for 1986's Children of a Lesser God.

If Colin Firth gets the award for lead actor for his portrayal as King George VI in The King's Speech, he will be the first actor to win playing a king of England since Charles Laughton in 1932-33's The Private Life of Henry VIII.

Prior to 'Black Swan', just 2 films set in the world of ballet had been nominated for the best film Oscar - 1948's 'The Red Shoes' and 1977's 'The Turning Point'.

Scott Rudin with 'The Social Network' and 'True Grit' becomes the first producer since 1974 to have 2 films in the best picture race.Previously, Francis Ford Coppola and Fred Roos had done it with 'The Godfather 2' and 'The Conversation'.

Golden Globe Vs Oscars

The 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards was held on January 16, 2011 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills,California. With the results of the Golden Globe Awards it is quite clear that the movie “The Social Network” is in the limelight, and people across the globe are awaiting the 83rd Academy Awards.

Here’s a comparison of the results between the Golden Globe and the Oscars for a few categories:
Best Actor: 16 of the last 26 Globe winners won the Oscar
Best Actress: 20 of the last 26 Globe winners won the Oscar
Best Supporting Actor: 15 of the last 26 Globe winners won the Oscar
Best Supporting Actress: 13 of the last 26 Globe winners won the Oscar
Best Director : 17 of the last 26 Globe winners won the Oscar
Best Picture : 18 of the last 26 Globe winners won the Oscar

Oscars Presenters for 2011 Awards

The stars who will present the 83rd annual Academy Awards this year in February include Halle Berry, Jeff Bridges, Sandra Bullock, Marisa Tomei, Oprah Winfrey producers Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer.

The presenters announced for the ceremony have plenty of Oscar history between them.

Halle Berry won Best Actress in 2001 for 'Monster's Ball'.

Jeff Bridges won Best Actor for 'Crazy Heart' and Sandra Bullock won Best Actress for 'The Blind Side' in 2010.

Marisa Tomei won the award for Best Supporting Actress for 'My Cousin Vinny' in 1992.

Oprah Winfrey was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for 'The Color Purple' in 1985, and was an executive producer on 2009 Best Picture nominee 'Precious'.

As the 83rd Academy Awards Approaches…

The Academy Awards anxiety is building as 5755 nomination ballots for the 83rd Oscar ceremony were mailed. The ballots were sent to voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences(AMPAS).

Ensuring that the ballots are prepared is quite a process. Prior to mailing, the PricewaterhouseCoopers's staff administers a methodical confirmation process to be sure that there are no duplicates and that nothing is missing. In addition to being counted and sorted, the ballots are numbered to assure that each one is addressed to the suitable voter.The completed ballots must be returned to PricewaterhouseCoopers by 5 p.m. PT on Friday, January 14, 2011.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) is considered the world's paramount

movie-related organization. Its members are more than 6,000 of the most proficient men and women working in cinema.

The 83rd Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater.The awards for marvelous film achievements of 2010 will be presented on February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.The presentation will be telecast live in more than 200 countries.

15 Semifinalists for 2010 VFX Oscar Awards

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences(AMPAS) recently announced that 15 films have been chosen as semifinalists for Achievement in Visual Effects for the 83rd Academy Awards. The films include:

• Alice in Wonderland
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
• Shutter Island
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
• Clash of the Titans
• Hereafter
• Inception
• Iron Man 2
• The Last Airbender
• Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
• Scott Pilgrim vs the World
• The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
• Tron: Legacy
• Unstoppable

In early January 2011, the members of the Academy’s Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee, who selected the semifinalists, will narrow the list to 7.

All members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view 15-minute excerpts from each of the 7 short listed films on January 20. Following the screenings, the members will vote to nominate 5 films for the final Oscar Award.

The 83rd Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on January 25, 2011 in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Tough Competition For Foreign Language Film Category

The Academy has obtained a record number of entries in the Foreign Language Film Category this year. 65 nations have joined the race for the 2010 Foreign Language including first-time entrants Ethiopia and Greenland.

Davey Frankel and Rasselas Lakew's  'The Athlete'  will represent Ethiopia, whereas 'Nuummiog'  has been selected as Greenland's official entry.

France, Finland, Hong Kong, Greece, Latvia, the Philippines, Peru, Mexico, Romania, Russia, South Africa and Spain are also represented in the primary Oscars list for 2011. 

The 83rd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on January 25, 2011. Between now and then, the Best Foreign Film nominations will be filtered down to 5. Films from Albania, Azerbaijan, Slovakia and Slovenia will vie for Oscars gold in 2011, as Academy Awards officials close the time limit for foreign film entries.

Steve Bass to be the Production Designer for 2011 Oscars

Oscar telecast producers Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer stated recently that Steve Bass will be the Production Designer for the 83rd Academy Awards presentation This will be the first time the Emmy winning production designer has worked on the Oscar telecast.Mischer stated that he had collaborated with Steve quite a few times and that he is the ideal person for the approaching Oscars.He also stated that he’s an innovative creative talent who would do justice to the tradition and glamour of the Oscars and that he was truly a master at designing sophisticated and grand-scale events.

Bass had won two Emmys, in 1997 as art director of the "Centennial Olympic Games: Opening Ceremonies " and another pairing with Mischer as well as in 2005 for his production design work on The 47th Annual Grammy Awards. He has 3 added Emmy nominations for the Grammys (in 2004, 2008 and 2009) and his most recent nomination was this year for his work on the 63rd Annual Tony Awards.

'Peepli Live'-An Entry in the Best Foreign Language Film Category

"Peepli Live"  is the official entry from India for the Best Foreign Language Film Category at the 83rd Academy Awards. The film with a simple story is a black comedy about a debt-ridden farmer who creates a media rage when he announces that he will commit suicide so that his family can receive government aid. The subtle humour, which exists throughout the film, sends across the message of social awareness in a far more efficient way than a forlorn film would.

 

The film is the debut of director Anusha Rizvi, a former journalist and produced by one of India’s best and the most talented actors of Bollywood, Aamir Khan.Though the film does not consist of big-name stars in it ,it has been an instant hit with critics and viewers across the globe.

The film was released worldwide in August and screened this year at the Berlin International Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the Sundance Film Festival. For now , it’s a time of waiting for Peepli Live and all its fans as the official list of nominees for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards will be announced on January 25th, 2011.

An Opportunity for Oscar Fans To Win Red Carpet Seats At The 83rd Academy Awards

Oscar Fans across the globe can apply online to take part in a random drawing for seats on the 83rd Academy Awards red carpet.There are just  700 seats offered along the 500-foot-long walkway that leads into the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center. Those who are selected will look at and cheer Oscar nominees, presenters and other ceremony guests as they arrive at the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, February 27, 2011. Subsequent to the red carpet arrivals, every person seated in the bleachers will be invited to watch the Academy Awards telecast at a nearby location.

The application form will be obtainable at oscars.org/bleachers. The online-only application process will close up on Sunday, September 19, at midnight ET/9 p.m. PT.

To be qualified for the random drawing, an individual must complete the application form completely. Applications need to be only submitted online. Forms cannot be returned via any other method.Applicants can register for themselves and additionally one guest. Duplicate registrations will not be acknowledged.

Those individuals who are selected in the random drawing will be intimated  in late September. After that it is essential to submit additional information for security purposes prior to final approval. Eligible attendees will obtain a confirmation letter in early January with information relevant to the event.Only those people who have been pre-approved by the Academy will have access to the bleachers. Those who remain overnight to attempt admittance will not be approved entry.

In the past years, as many as around 20,000 fans have applied online for the limited number of red carpet seats.

September 1 - Final Date For Documentary Film Entries For The 83rd Academy Awards

September 1, is the time limit for Documentary Filmmakers to put forward their short subject and feature documentaries to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences(AMPAS) for consideration to be nominated for the 83rd Academy Awards.

Each finished entry form must be accompanied by supporting materials, including an English language synopsis of the film, a listing of film credits, filmographies of the director(s) and producer(s), whenever appropriate, 30 DVD copies of the film as well as proof of 7 day qualifying exhibitions.

To be qualified in the Documentary Feature category, a film must finish a 7 day commercial run in both Los Angeles County and in the Borough of Manhattan in New York, between September 1,2009 and August 31,2010.

In the Documentary Short Subject category, a film must complete a 7 day commercial run in a theater in either Los Angeles County or in the Borough of Manhattan in New York, between September 1,2009 and August 31,2010.

An extension of the eligibility period to September 30, 2010, may be approved only if legal contracts are in place with exhibitors guaranteeing that films will complete their eligible commercial runs before the extension deadline. In those situations, the contracts and all other necessary materials must still be submitted before the September 1 deadline.

The 83rd Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on January 25, 2010, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater.Academy Awards for exceptional film achievements of 2010 will be presented on February 27, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood .

Academy Awards Extends the ‘Visual’ Effects Category to 5

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS),for decades has offered three films for consideration for Best "Visual" Effects at the Academy Awards. But from the 83rd Annual Academy Awards , there will be five nominees in this category.

In finalizing the rules for the 2011 Oscar event and broadcast at its June 22nd meeting, the AMPAS Board of Governors elected to increase the list from three to five, the most noteworthy rule change to come out of that meeting.

Only once in 1979 were actually 5 movies recognized, though there was an option to include upto 5 nominees in the nomination. Between 1980 and 1995, 2 or 3 movies could be nominated. But by 1996, rules were changed so that exactly 3 could be nominated.

But the new Visual Effects nomination number is not the only alteration to come out of the June 22nd meeting.In another Tweak,AMPAS has reduced the eligibility for Best Animated Feature Film nominees  from 70 minutes to 40 minutes.

The 83rd Annual Academy Awards will be held on Sunday,February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and will be telecast live on the ABC Television Network.

Academy Awards- In January for the year 2011?

Well…most of us might still be relishing the moments of oscar 2010, but the schedule for Oscar 2011 could undergo a makeover.

There are reports that there's a possiblity that 2011 Academy Awards could be shifted to January after the discussion at the Board of Governors meeting of the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.In its 82 year history, the ceremony typically is held either last weekend of February or a few weeks afterward in the last week of march.

It could be a smart move for the awards perhaps making it the first most important (it is the most important)awards of the season, with SAG Awards(Jan 30th) and BAFTA'S (Feb 13th). The move can be seen as a major challenge to the Golden Globe Awards to increase that glamorous spot.

For the fans it maybe good news, but for film studios & voters it will put a ceiling on the time they have for voting as well as mean screeners will have to be posted earlier. In the era of several movies been rescheduled for copious reasons it could mean many of the 'major' releases who target the voting period to be released may have to think again releasing on a different date. Movies like Coen Brother's True Grit remake, Sofia Coppola's Somewhere both December release dates for USA may need to change this.

2011 Oscars are still currently been scheduled for 27 February and American Beauty Producer and TV Producer Don Mischer have been confirmed to produce the oscar ceremony.