APRelated
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body that doles out golden statuettes every years, seems to be relenting towards streaming platforms. Despite opposition from some members, the board of governors has approved a rule change that will make made-for-streaming movies eligible to win Oscar awards. But there’s a caveat: digital-only movies will be considered only for the current awards year.
With most of the world under lockdown owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, theatres in Los Angeles and elsewhere have been forced to remain closed, leading many producers to question the Academy’s insistence on movies being shown on the big screen for at least a week to qualify for the Oscars.
This overture to streaming platforms, however, should not be construed as the Academy changing its eligibility criteria altogether. Academy members David Rubin and Dawn Hudson reiterated that there was “no greater way” to experience movies than at a theatre, and that his ad-hoc move was meant to support “members and colleagues during this time of uncertainty.”
The Academy added that it will allow consider for the Oscars, movies that have a theatrical run in cities beyond Los Angeles once it is safe for theatres to reopen. California has emerged as one of the COVID-19 hotspots in the United States, alongside New York. The closure of theatres and multiplexes had prompted studios to either release movies online or delay them for months, as was the case with ‘No Time To Die,’ the latest installment in the James Bond franchise.
Had the Academy been hidebound in its interpretation of the rules, it would’ve invalidated many major releases that had their theatrical releases upended by the pandemic, especially those which couldn’t be delayed until next year due to financing constraints. The entertainment industry is looking a heavy losses, including theatre bankruptcies if the lockdowns were to be extended to the coming months.
The decision could, however, embolden the likes of Netflix and Amazon, which have hitherto been forced to organize token screenings before releasing original movies on their streaming platforms in order to be considered for the Oscars.
While a return to normalcy is contingent on the development of a vaccines, things might not be getting back to normal at the Academy. This is the last time voters will receive DVD screeners and soundtrack CDs to evaluate entries.
With most of the world under lockdown owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, theatres in Los Angeles and elsewhere have been forced to remain closed, leading many producers to question the Academy’s insistence on movies being shown on the big screen for at least a week to qualify for the Oscars.
This overture to streaming platforms, however, should not be construed as the Academy changing its eligibility criteria altogether. Academy members David Rubin and Dawn Hudson reiterated that there was “no greater way” to experience movies than at a theatre, and that his ad-hoc move was meant to support “members and colleagues during this time of uncertainty.”
The Academy added that it will allow consider for the Oscars, movies that have a theatrical run in cities beyond Los Angeles once it is safe for theatres to reopen. California has emerged as one of the COVID-19 hotspots in the United States, alongside New York. The closure of theatres and multiplexes had prompted studios to either release movies online or delay them for months, as was the case with ‘No Time To Die,’ the latest installment in the James Bond franchise.
Had the Academy been hidebound in its interpretation of the rules, it would’ve invalidated many major releases that had their theatrical releases upended by the pandemic, especially those which couldn’t be delayed until next year due to financing constraints. The entertainment industry is looking a heavy losses, including theatre bankruptcies if the lockdowns were to be extended to the coming months.
The decision could, however, embolden the likes of Netflix and Amazon, which have hitherto been forced to organize token screenings before releasing original movies on their streaming platforms in order to be considered for the Oscars.
While a return to normalcy is contingent on the development of a vaccines, things might not be getting back to normal at the Academy. This is the last time voters will receive DVD screeners and soundtrack CDs to evaluate entries.
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