Robert F Boyle

Mr. Robert Boyle,the well-known Hollywood production designer worked on more than 80 films as art director or production designer, synonyms for the work he once defined as "being responsible for the space in which a film takes place."

Robert Boyle's major motion picture credits include "The Birds"(1963), "Winter Kills" (1979), "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (1982),"Private Benjamin"(1980),"Portnoy's Complaint" (1972),"The Thomas Crown Affair" (1968),"In Cold Blood"(1967),"How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"(1967), "The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming" (1966) as well as the original "Cape Fear" (1962). 

He is known to have who created some of the most outstanding scenes and images in cinematic history - Cary Grant clinging to Mount Rushmore in “North by Northwest,” the bird’s-eye view of the seagull attack in “The Birds,” the colorfully ramshackle shtetl for “Fiddler on the Roof” - died on Sunday in Los Angeles. He was 100.

Robert Foyle is a 4 time Academy Award Nominee for art direction. He received his honorary Oscar in 2008. At the 2008 Academy Awards, as his list of credits was read out loud, he stepped onto the stage to a loud applause to obtain a special Oscar for his life’s work in art direction.

He passed away recently on August 1 of natural causes at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Hopes are High for “Inception” in the 2011 Oscars

It appears to be an inevitable conclusion that Christopher Nolan's twist-your-brain-until-it's-a-pretzel thriller "Inception" is  going to get some Oscar love,though at this point the Academy Awards seems to be months away.

Christopher Nolan has yet to win an Oscar, though he was nominated earlier for writing "Memento." On the other hand ,there were some who thought that he was overlooked for his direction of "The Dark Knight."

There are high hopes that Inception is going to get recognition (and possibly wins) in virtually every technical category : editing, sound mixing, sound editing, art direction, cinematography and positively visual effects. A nomination for best score could happen as well.

All in all , a nomination/win of around 10 is expected. With its blend of technical magic and intellectual drama, "Inception" stands poised to become the "Avatar" of the 2011 Academy Awards ceremony.Except that with fewer blue people and a plot that's far less standard than what James Cameron came up with.

We need to wait until next year to see if this dream of  Inception winning the maximum awards at the Oscars would be a reality !

2011 Oscar Predictions for the Best Picture Category

February 2011 might seem like a long, long time away, but that doesn't signify that the Oscar season hasn't kicked into gear. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences(AMPAS) announced lately 3 new electees to their Board of Governors, together with latest Oscar-winner, director Kathryn Bigelow and the next Oscars ceremony's producers, Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer.

Together with this , there are rumors as to who will host (probably Ricky Gervais) and a possible move to January.Also here are some daring predictions as to which 10 films will receive Best Picture nominations.

Toy Story 3
Inception
Another Year
The Social Network
The Fighter
Love and Other Drugs
The Way Back
Conviction
The American
True Grit

All the Best to all these movies.

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.