News

Academy Names 2016–17 FilmCraft and FilmWatch Grant Recipients

Posted Thursday, April 14, 2016 - 12:15

The Academy Foundation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today 37 recipients of its FilmCraft and FilmWatch grants programs. FilmCraft grants support high-quality educational programs that identify and empower future filmmakers from nontraditional backgrounds. FilmWatch grants support curated screening programs at North America-based film festivals, film societies and other film related organizations. A total of $500,000 was awarded in these two categories for the 2016–17 grants year.

ENTRY DEADLINE APPROACHING FOR 2016 ACADEMY NICHOLL FELLOWSHIPS IN SCREENWRITING COMPETITION

Posted Monday, April 11, 2016 - 10:30

The regular deadline to submit entries for the 2016 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition is Monday, April 18, at 11:59 p.m. PT. In November, as many as five $35,000 fellowships will be awarded to emerging screenwriters.

THE ACADEMY LAUNCHES 2016 STUDENT ACADEMY AWARDS COMPETITION

Posted Monday, March 28, 2016 - 11:30

The Academy is now accepting entries for its 2016 Student Academy Awards® competition. All Student Academy Award® winners become eligible for Oscars® consideration. The entry deadline for submissions is Wednesday, June 1.

CASTING DIRECTORS MAKE THE “PERFECT CHOICE” AT THE ACADEMY

Posted Tuesday, March 22, 2016 - 12:30

Legendary casting directors Lynn Stalmaster, Juliet Taylor and Mike Fenton will be saluted and will discuss the evolution of their profession and the casting director’s essential role in filmmaking with “Perfect Choice: The Art of the Casting Director” on Wednesday, April 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

THE ACADEMY ADDS DIVERSE VOICES TO ITS LEADERSHIP

Posted Tuesday, March 15, 2016 - 18:45

Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs today appointed three new governors to join the Academy’s 51-seat Board. Reginald Hudlin (Directors Branch), Gregory Nava (Writers Branch) and Jennifer Yuh Nelson (Short Films and Feature Animation Branch) were confirmed by the current Board members for three-year terms, effective immediately.

A PSA from your Local Movie Theater

Posted Friday, March 11, 2016 - 15:15

Among the thousands of theater advertisements held at the Academy Film Archive, this brief advertisement, made circa the 1950s, points to a relatively unknown phenomenon at the time: seat cutting. This short policy trailer, or snipe, cautions moviegoers of the strict consequences of upholstery defacement.As bizarre as this film may seem to us now, property damage was a serious concern for theater owners. Campaigns against cutting seem to appear in advertisements and trade magazines as early as the 1930s, all the way until the late 1960s. Anti-vandalism campaigns during World War II often…

Myth-making: STAR WARS and the Art of Advertising

Posted Wednesday, March 2, 2016 - 10:15

Today words and names like “wookiee,” “Jedi,” “Darth Vader” and Millennium Falcon are recognized in virtually every household, so it takes a little bit of imagination to return to that time orbiting May 1977 when the very first Star Wars film arrived in theaters. How was this new mythology and world of unknown creatures and concepts originally translated and advertised? Travel back with some of the artifacts and images from the first film in the franchise, housed in the Core Collection Reference Files at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Margaret Herrick Library.…

TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE TO TAKE THE STAGE AT GOVERNORS BALL ON OSCAR® SUNDAY

Posted Tuesday, February 23, 2016 - 22:00

Renowned musician and Grammy^® Award nominee Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, with his band Orleans Avenue, is set to perform at the Governors Ball, the Academy’s official post-Oscars^®celebration, on Sunday, February 28. The group will entertain the Ball’s 1,500 guests, which will include Oscar^®winners and nominees, show presenters and performers, and other luminaries.

88TH OSCARS PRODUCTION TEAM ANNOUNCED

Posted Friday, February 19, 2016 - 11:30

Producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin today announced 14 key members of the production team for the 88th Oscars®, which will air live on Sunday, February 28, on ABC.

HOSTS ANNOUNCED FOR “THE OSCARS BACKSTAGE” ON OSCAR.COM

Posted Thursday, February 18, 2016 - 09:00

This year’s “The Oscars® Backstage” on Oscar.com, which is the ultimate second screen experience for fans watching the show, will be hosted by a multi-talented group of TV personalities, including actor/writer/producer Orlando Jones, actress and TV personality Diane Mizota, actor Matt Shively, film critic and entertainment reporter Ben Lyons, and entertainment and sports reporter Chris Connelly.