Rules governing campaigning for Oscar awards were tightened in social media and in other areas this week, but loosened allowing “shortlists” to be promoted.
Rules tweaks for the Academy Awards are done annually but this cycle are extensive, particularly after a little-known British actress Andrea Riseborough got nominated last year after waging an aggressive social media-heavy publicity campaign. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) enforces marketing rules to try to keep its Oscars dignified, and also prevent anyone from “buying” awards with gimmickry or unfair play.
“From now on, members can use social media but not for discussing voting preferences, decisions, strategies, or eligibility requirements,” wrote Pete Hammond on Deadline.com. However, it’s verboten to comment on “new inclusion standards designed to promote diversity in hiring,” where the Academy quashes free speech about its own human-resources policy.
The social media tightening comes after Riseborough got her surprise nomination as supporting actress for practically unseen drama film “To Leslie“ (she didn’t win).
The Riseborough campaign used social media and “Titanic” actress Frances Fisher as a surrogate posting on Instagram. Deadline notes that Fisher’s communications urged voters to “see the film and not worry about voting for [Riseborough] since other actresses (Fisher mentioned four) were ‘locks.’ That kind of thing is now in the books as clearly crossing the line, no matter the good intentions.”
The Academy awards rules instruct not to publicly discuss personal voting preferences or strategies for the Oscars. So, the reference “not worry” is now clearly a no-no since it endorses four other actresses and delves into vote strategy. The safe phrase for years to campaign for awards votes is the soft-sell For Your Consideration, which gets abbreviated FYC.
In another squeeze, all invitations to promotional events on paper/physical media are banned, so all invites are to be sent digitally in coordination with AMPAS, which can monitor.
Also, hosted events are capped at four during the nominations period, and none after noms are announced. Governors of AMPAS, which is a big group of Hollywood heavy-hitters, are “barred from hosting private events, gatherings, screenings or moderating any Q&A or panel discussion unless they are directly associated with the motion picture itself,” says a Variety story by Clayton Davis. The Q&As and discussions are in connection with FYC film screenings.
In an example of AMPAS keeping the atmosphere focused on filmmaking art and not razzmatazz, “after nominations are announced and until final voting concludes, screenings may not include any receptions, entertainment, complimentary food and beverage, or other hospitality,” says the Oscars rules.
There are some expansions of permitted awards marketing activities: honorees on shortlists can now promote their inclusion (previously, not). For example, about 60 foreign titles (one per country) are entered in the Best International Film category and then whittled to a shortlist of 10; then that shortlist is further boiled to five actual nominated movies.
Another expansion is there is no limit on Q&A and discussion panels both in the nomination period and post-nom, which eliminates prior caps.
The revisions announced May 1 are in an eight-page document “Promotional Regulations for the 96th Academy Awards” and there’s a separate 40-page document outlining eligibility for talent and titles titled “96th Academy Awards of Merit.”
Violations in awards campaigns can result in a film or talent disqualification, Oscars revoked and offenders disciplined, including being kicked out of AMPAS. The Academy is sole arbiter of rules matters and holds an iron grip because it can disqualify awards seekers.
The May 1 rules changes came after what Variety’s Davis said was a “messy” awards season. The controversies last year included “’Top Gun: Maverick,’ producer Jerry Bruckheimer opening his Beverly Hills home to power player and former Paramount chief Sherry Lansing, who threw a cocktail party for star Tom Cruise, not to mention the Andrea Riseborough nomination controversy that was bookended with Academy President Janet Yang tweeting a presumed endorsement of eventual actress winner Michelle Yeoh from ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,’ who herself stepped into the spotlight when she shared an article on Instagram.”
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