"Roma" - Photo by Carlos Somonte. © Participant Media, Netflix
Filmmakers competing in the live-action short category at this year’s Oscars will not be featured along with three other Oscar winners.
The Academy confirmed this week that the live-action short, makeup and hairstyling, film editing and cinematography categories would all be presented during commercial breaks. Filmmakers awarded in these categories will therefore be cut from the live broadcast on ABC however their winning speeches would be shown much later in the broadcast and live-streamed via Oscar.com.
The news is a blow to filmmakers who will no longer be able to benefit from the large audience of the live broadcast while other categories get full coverage. The Academy is attempting to reduce its broadcast to 3 hours, making adjustments to the schedule and even the length of speeches.
Winners will now only get a full 90 seconds from the time they are announced to complete their full speech (including the walk to the stage).
In future years the categories will be rotated so that there will be up to six different selections that are not aired live.
The response to the decision has been overwhelmingly negative despite the Academy’s intention not to diminish the value of the work of people in those categories. It insisted that the changes were purely due to the nature of the broadcast, however that may further upset Academy members and viewers who feel that commercials shouldn’t run during a slot where an award would be presented.
The Cinematographers Society has condemned the move stating “We cannot quietly condone this decision without protest.”
Other actors also joined in the chorus of discontent on Twitter including the likes of Seth Rogen, Russell Crowe, and Dan Levy.
A number of nominees have also called the decision “a slap in the face” further complicating the Academy’s decision.
The news is particularly difficult for the nominees and the chosen winners that will look back at this year’s ceremony only to be able to refer to commercials playing over their segment. This could also overshadow the broadcast and put an uncomfortable spotlight on the sponsors who many will feel resentment towards for having been prioritized in the broadcast at the expense of those who should be speaking on stage.
Should the Academy reconsider its broadcast decision? Will you watch it if these 4 categories are cut off? Share your opinion with us on Twitter: @filminetwork
