Rule One
Awards Definitions

1. Academy Awards of merit shall be given annually to honor outstanding achievements in
theatrically-released feature-length motion pictures, and to honor other achievements as provided
for in the rules and approved by the Board of Governors.

2. Awards shall be conferred at an annual Awards Presentation ceremony.

3. Awards of Merit in the form of gold statuette trophies of the Academy (Oscar) shall be
conferred annually for the following achievements:

ACTING: Performance by an actor in a leading role.
Performance by an actor in a supporting role.
Performance by an actress in a leading role.
Performance by an actress in a supporting role.

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM Best animated feature film of the year. *

ART DIRECTION: Achievement in art direction.
(The Academy Statuette shall be given also for the set decoration
on the picture that wins the Art Direction Award.)

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Achievement in cinematography.

COSTUME DESIGN: Achievement in costume design.

DIRECTING: Achievement in directing.

DOCUMENTARY: For each of two classifications:

(a) Best documentary feature.
(b) Best documentary short subject.

FILM EDITING: Achievement in film editing.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Best foreign language film of the year.

MAKEUP: Achievement in makeup.*

MUSIC: For achievements in music written for motion pictures:

(a) Original score.
(b) Original song.
(c) Original musical.*

BEST PICTURE: Best motion picture of the year.

SHORT FILMS: For each of two classifications:

(a) Best animated short film.
(b) Best live action short film.

SOUND: Achievement in sound.

SOUND EDITING: Achievement in sound editing.*

VISUAL EFFECTS: Achievement in visual effects.

WRITING: For each of two classifications:

(a) Adapted Screenplay.
(b) Original Screenplay.

* May not be given every year. See special rules for these
categories for conditions of presentation.

4. The following Testimonial Awards shall be given at such times as in the judgment of the
Board of Governors there are deserving recipients, but are not necessarily given each year:

(a) IRVING G. THALBERG MEMORIAL AWARD (Thalberg Head). This award shall be given to a creative producer whose body of work reflects a consistently high quality of motion picture production. (See Rule Twenty-four)
(b) JEAN HERSHOLT HUMANITARIAN AWARD (Statuette). This award shall
be given to an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian
efforts have brought credit to the industry. (See Rule Twenty-four)
(c) THE HONORARY AWARD (Statuette). This award shall be given to honor
extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the
state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the
Academy. (See Rule Twenty-four)

5. The following Special Awards shall be given at such times as in the judgment of the Board of
Governors there are deserving recipients, but are not necessarily given each year:

(a) SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (Statuette). (See Rule Twenty-five)
(b) SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS. (See Rule Eighteen)
(c) GORDON E. SAWYER AWARD (Statuette). (See Rule Twenty-six)
(d) OTHER AWARDS shall be given at such times as in the judgment of the Board of Governors there is a deserving recipient, but not necessarily each year. They shall be in such form as the Board of Governors may decide.