[ad_1]
Theatrical requirements for films competing for Oscars The jackpot is getting harder.
Starting with the 97th Academy Awards in 2025, top photography hopefuls will have to spend more time in movie theaters to qualify for first prize for film. The changes, announced this week by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, come after three years of revised release standards due to the pandemic.
In addition to the currently one-week “Qualifying Round” in one of six US cities – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco or Miami – the top contenders in the photo must now play for an additional seven days. in 10 of the top 50 US markets. Plus, there are several other new rules about when movies run in theaters.
“We hope that this expanded theatrical footprint will increase film visibility around the world and encourage audiences to experience our art form in a theatrical setting,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a statement.
It’s partly a gesture to theaters still grappling with the pandemic, partly to audiences in markets outside New York and Los Angeles who don’t always get theatrical access to top picture contenders, and partly a statement to the streaming services for which theaters remain paramount. First Hollywood Award.
Film Academy leaders also say the decision was born out of many conversations with industry partners and that they feel this “development benefits film artists and film fans alike.”
But some in the industry have wondered what is really changing, who benefits from it and who might hurt.
Michael O’Leary, president and CEO of the National Association of Theater Owners, praised the “significant initiative”. In a statement, O’Leary said it “affirms that theatrical presentation is a cornerstone of the industry.”
For traditional studios, large corporations such as Warner Bros. And Universal and Disney, to smaller players like A24 and Neon behind recent Best Picture winners Everything Everywhere All At Once and Parasite, are likely to have very little impact.
For streaming services, it can be a case-by-case adjustment depending on the company but not a hurdle. Amazon already plans to release 12 to 15 theatrical films each year, as they’ve already done with Ben Affleck’s Air. Apple is also set to spend $1 billion annually on movies that will hit theaters before broadcast, including Ridley Scott’s Napoleon.
Netflix has had a larger theatrical footprint recently, too. Not only do they dominate two American theaters – the Paris Theater in New York and the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles – but they have historically staged theatrical productions for their award winners. All Netflix candidates since Rome have met the requirements. Her most recent Best Picture nominee, All Quiet on the Western Front, played in hundreds of theaters.
However, the new rule may rule out the possibility of a grassroots campaign in favor of a very young film. Independent theaters and those who want to play indie films are becoming rarer and competition is fierce for those screens in major markets. Some of the biggest indie backers are even scheduling major studio films, leaving fewer times and screens available for true independents.
Just like the diversity requirements that went into effect this year, few have considered the best photo players that wouldn’t have met that threshold. Apple’s Best Movie Award-winning CODA has played in nearly 40 theaters. Even non-traditional Oscars “underdogs” like Drive My Car and RRR had major theatrical performances.
“It’s important to consider that the playoffs are just the first step in a long process that includes an aggressive and expensive campaign,” said Dan Berger, president of independent film company Oscilloscope. “I think it’s fair to say that almost any movie that didn’t meet those criteria didn’t stand a chance in the Best Picture race anyway.”
“Hopefully, the result will not be more robust and more costly for campaigns that only further segment merit-based results than campaign-based results,” Berger added.
There are a lot of unknowns about the expansion’s details, including whether there will be minimal display times and screens. Can companies simply rent eight screens that run to minimal crowds or none at all in densely populated areas that are relatively cheap and that also aren’t great historically for indie films? It will check the box, but will it help theatres, movies or audiences? Will it lead to a bigger bottleneck in releases by the end of the year?
Questions also remain about how it will affect the eligibility of animated films and documentaries, which will not have to meet these requirements to qualify in their individual categories but may now have to adopt a different strategy to compete for Best Picture.
Others are more optimistic and know that the Academy’s Board of Governors meets often to reassess the rules as the landscape continues to change.
“It is time for the Academy to take a step to recommit to the theater. The Oscars were getting closer and closer to becoming the Emmys,” said one of the Academy Awards’ chief strategists and an Academy member who asked not to be identified to speak candidly about the changes. ? naturally. But it is a good faith step in the right direction.”
[ad_2]
