The reigning best-documentary Oscar winner would no longer be eligible going forward under a raft of changes in annual rules revisions issued today by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. In other revisions, AMPAS tweaked numerous rules governing campaigning for awards and also some awards procedures, such as allowing the entire membership of AMPAS to nominate … [Read more...] about Oscar Rules Tweaked for Docus, Awards Campaigning
publicity
Magazine Charts Arc of Awards Marketing
"New Yorker" magazine published an in-depth story on the movie academy with its uneven response to charges of Oscars slighting people of color and also putting awards marketing under a microscope. The article is a long (but interesting) read with context and history. The article about the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) reveals these tidbits on Oscar … [Read more...] about Magazine Charts Arc of Awards Marketing
Streep Dress Flap at Oscars
Attention shoppers: Catfight in aisle 12! Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld sniped at Meryl Streep for backing out of an alleged deal to wear one of his gowns to the Oscars, claiming he learned another designer paid her to strut the red carpet in another outfit. The 20-times Oscar nominated actress Streep huffed it wasn't true. And later Lagerfeld back off saying it was a … [Read more...] about Streep Dress Flap at Oscars
Fake News Websites for ‘Wellness’ Embarrass Fox
20th Century Fox stretched for relevance by erecting fake news website to promote film “A Cure for Wellness,” but apologized later. The $40 million-budgeted psychological thriller “A Cure for Wellness” premieres in theaters this weekend. Phony news websites were anchored with “an elaborate, yet fictitious news story claiming that President Donald Trump met with Russian … [Read more...] about Fake News Websites for ‘Wellness’ Embarrass Fox
Four Studios Sue Broker Over Film Premiere Tix
Demand for tickets to movie premieres spawns black market sales, and four film distributors are cracking down. A New York Post newspaper article says that Disney, NBC/Universal, Sony and Warner Bros. filed a lawsuit against a broker that sells to the general public what are labeled as premiere and Hollywood awards show tickets in VIP packages. The lawsuit by the major … [Read more...] about Four Studios Sue Broker Over Film Premiere Tix
Filmmaker Controversy Sinks ‘Birth’
Fox Searchlight period slave drama “The Birth of a Nation” premiered to weak box office this weekend amid acclaim, high hopes and scandal. The drama, acquired for a sizeable $17.5 million at the Sundance Film Festival, generated just $7 million in domestic box office its premiere weekend Oct 7-9 with a lackluster $2,105 per screen average. “Birth of a Nation” -- about a … [Read more...] about Filmmaker Controversy Sinks ‘Birth’
The Fall of ‘Saint Angelina’ (Jolie)
With the Brangelina "brand" in tatters, the New York Post published an informative dissection of how actress Angelina Jolie constantly reinvents herself and her divorce from Brad Pitt blows up one of her incarnations. “Jolie carved her own niche, controlled her own narrative, and it was impossible to look away,” notes New York Post journalist Maureen Callahan. But with her … [Read more...] about The Fall of ‘Saint Angelina’ (Jolie)
ABC TV Extends Oscar Telecasts to 2028
ABC Television expanded its contract to broadcast the Oscars to the year 2028 and that telecast is a money machine grossing an estimated $70 million-plus. From that, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences pockets tens of millions of dollars in rights fees from ABC Television. ABC’s contract was scheduled to expire in 2020; the TV broadcaster that is owned by Walt … [Read more...] about ABC TV Extends Oscar Telecasts to 2028
AFI Controversy Exposes Divide About Cinema Studies
A debate about leadership at the famed AFI Conservatory cinema and TV school brings out student comments complaining bitterly about the worth of degrees in film schools and what students should expect -- and not expect. In this post, I’m looking at those tangential issues in the controversy surrounding AFI Film school dean Jan Schuette, who some faculty want fired (AFI is the … [Read more...] about AFI Controversy Exposes Divide About Cinema Studies
Hollywood Piles Into L.A. Billboards
Outdoor billboards in Los Angeles hold a special place for Hollywood. Such outdoor advertising signage is sometimes almost personal with the industry talking to the broader industry and is supercharged in awards season touting talent, movies and TV shows for kudos. “Many Hollywood advertisers view outdoor as a ‘reminder’ medium, playing a supportive role in campaigns that … [Read more...] about Hollywood Piles Into L.A. Billboards