And the winner is… that popular phrase is something that remains to be seen after Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences President Sid Ganis announced at a press conference last week, the board’s decision to expand the number of films nominated in the Best Picture category from five to ten.
Though the announcement comes as somewhat of a surprise, the number is not something new. Between 1931 and 1943 the Academy Awards had Best Picture nominees ranging in number from eight to twelve.
Debate had heated up after the most recent Oscar presentations that voters had not been in touch with the moviegoing public as more popular films such as “The Dark Knight” and the animated “Wall-E,” a critically acclaimed blockbuster fantasy, did not make the final list of nominees that included “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, “Frost/Nixon,” “The Reader”, ”Milk” and the eventual winner, “Slumdog Millionaire.”
In a question-and-answer session that followed the announcement Ganis said, “I would not be telling you the truth if I said the words ‘Dark Knight’ did not come up.”
With the expanded field, a new concern has cropped up that while nearly 300 films qualify annually, it is possible with this change the Best Picture could actually win with less than 12% of the vote.
Will this be the only shake up?
At this time, the doubling of Best Picture nominations are the only changes to the Oscar format, which many point to a need to bolster the show’s sagging television ratings as the primary reason. However, according to pundits in a Daily Variety story, there is the real potential of more changes on the way.
Million Dollar Baby- The Most Recent Sports Movie to Win Best Picture
“What Some of the Players Are Saying”
The Academy learned from Golden Globes- 10 movies at least ten to fifteen fans for the show- and why not broaden it out for more commercial films, not just the art house?
Al Ruddy
Producer
Two-Time Best Picture Winner
“The Godfather”, “Million Dollar Baby”
I believe it is a perceived win for biz but it waters down the distinction of a nomination and thus may be an overall lost to our business. You are a sports guy so I will first attempt to frame it in a sports context.
What will happen to the distinction of teams making it to the Final Four when it is suddenly increased to the Final Eight? Forget for the moment of how we reduce eight to two teams in a single round. The immediate affect is more schools can brag about getting into the Final Eight round. But more importantly more games can be seen on TV and thus the prospect of making more money.
Its kind of like what’s happened to the distinction of being invited to a Bowl game. It used to be coveted and meant something. Now the distinction of playing in a bowl game has been heavily watered down. But again more bragging rights and perhaps more money to be made.
Fact is more producers/studios want in on the distinction of getting a best picture nom. Because they can get more bragging rights and believe that they collectively can make more money between being nominated and winning.
But let’s take one simple part of this and pragmatically look at it. There will likely be more marketing campaigns getting the public into the theaters to watch a best picture nominee. But can you imagine what the Calendar section of the LA Times will look like the day after the nominees are announced? There will be up to 10 full page spreads screaming best picture noms across the top of the ads trying to get people to pay to watch those films. How will the intended movie watchers react to all this? Will it be like during the bowls season when many fans skip a lot of the bowls together?
With the ever increasing ways that people can be entertained, the entertainment industry is in a state of constant change and competition for people’s eyeballs and attention is at historic highs. How do we know for certain that by possibly watering down the highest profile film industry distinction we won’t have the unintended effect of turning off a certain segment of the audience’s interest for films in general? In other words, it was hard enough for working parents/adults to find time to watch 5 best pic noms before the winner is announced. How do we know that by increasing it to ten, people won’t just throw up their hands and say screw it I’ll do something else instead of the annual ritual of watching best pic noms all together.
My vote is to keep it at five.
David Lee
Partner
Xinhua Media Entertainment
The expansion of the nomination list should open up the “playing field” for more films to break through. But, in order to get nominated these films will still have to capture the hearts and minds of the Academy voters. If sports films get the opportunity to be made in the narrow world of Hollywood they should have as good a chance as any at getting the nod in voting.
Ross Greenburg
Producer
“61″
I don’t like going to 10 films. Maybe to 6 or 7. It just dilutes the whole thing. It’s special to be nominated amongst 5 films. It didn’t hurt the box office for Slumdog. Not sure ratings that night should drive a change in how many films.
Mark Ciardi
Producer
“Miracle”, “The Rookie”
Overall, I like the idea. The more the merrier. It’s a throwback to the ’30s and ’40s when they have a lot of nominees. You can look it up!! I think the key will be to not force 10 nominees if there aren’t 10 films deserving. For example, nominating “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” to make 10 nominees.
Ron Semiao
Senior Vice President- Original Entertainment
ESPN
Even if the Academy’s decision to expand the Best Picture field to 10 was rooted solely in a desire to boost TV ratings and line pockets with green (or gold), I’m so glad to see it. Maybe the nominations, when they come will disappoint, but at least this has kicked open the door for all sorts of possibilities — for animated films like “Up,” for excellent action like “Star Trek,” for foreign films like “Summer Hours,” for comedies. Just imagine how having “Bruno” or “The Hangover” in the fight might reshape the audience when it came to awards night.
Betsy Sharkey
Film Critic
Los Angeles Times
I think it is good. Opens up chances for more animated and indie films as well as more comedies
I agree with Jake. It should help all filmmakers, though,like the Heisman Trophy cmapaign, studios like big universities will have deeper pockets committed for a voting campaign.
If it brings a higher profile to the industry, I think it makes good sense.
Hooray for Hollywood! Now maybe comedies will stop getting short shrift.
Rooster has a good point, I think of the mainstream studio product, this should benefit comedies to get on the scoreboard.
I’m all for raising the nominee numbers in most other categories as well. Don’t believe it dilutes the award.
I believe if you raise the nominee total for the most glamorous category – Best Picture- if that is accepted it will likely be followed by increasing the nominee numbers in other categories
Hey maybe this opens it up for sports comedies like the next Bull Durham