How They Choose The Best Actors
5 Steps to Awarding the Oscars
Are you a fan of the movies? Then you may be wondering about the
process that's involved in selecting the best actors that are
awarded Oscars by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences. Indeed, the manner in which the best actors and
actresses are chosen for Oscars is a rather complicated process
on some level. With that said, the nomination and election
process for movies, actors, actresses and the like within the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has been in place
for years. The process seems to work well although some recent
complaints have been voiced in regard to the advertising
campaigns that now surround the awards process following the
announcement of nominees.
1. The first step in selection the best actors in movies as part
of ultimate awarding of the Academy Awards or Oscars is the
nomination process. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences is made up of men and women who are professionals in
fields related to the making and production of movies. A slate
of nominators is appointed by the Academy to come up with the
names of the actors and actresses who will be put before the
enrolled members of the Academy as nominees for Academy Awards.
The actors and actresses are nominated for their work in movies
that were produced and that were presented in theaters during
the preceding year. Needless to say, a nomination for an Academy
Award is one of the highest honors that a person who works in
the movies can receive at any time in their lives.
2. Following the nomination process, voting by select members of
the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences occurs. The
voting process employed by the Academy when it comes to rewards
for movies is rather interesting and unique. For example, all of
the actors who are enrolled members of the Academy vote on the
slates of best actors and best supporting actors who have been
nominated for Oscars for their roles in movies. Likewise,
directors vote on the directors prize, screenwriters on the
screenwriters prize and so forth. All members of the Academy are
able to vote on those movies nominated for best picture.
3. Prior to the actual voting process, a very active promotional
campaign takes part on behalf of the nominated actors from
various movies. In recent years, significant advertising
campaigns have been mounted in support of the different actors,
actresses and other professionals involved in movies. Ads are
taken out in the trade publications. Banquets are held promoting
different movies. Thousands and thousands of dollars are spent
promoting the nominated movies, the actors, the actresses and
the nominees in a variety of other categories. Indeed, the
campaigning for Oscars has become one of the most competitive
ventures in all of Hollywood -- even more competitive than the
scrapping and clawing for roles in movies.
4. Once the voting deadline passes in regard to selecting the
best actors in movies for the year, the ballots are tabulated by
an independent accounting firm. As each vote is cast for the
movies and professionals under consideration, the ballots are
sent to an accounting firm that holds them in a secure location.
The accounting firm tabulates the votes relating to the various
movies in secret. For years, the accounting firm that handled
these magical movie awards was the venerable agency of
Price-Waterhouse. Not even the men and women who serve as
officers of the Academy know who the winners are in advance of
the award ceremony itself.
5. On the night of the televised awards, the winners from the
various movies in the best actor, best actress and other
categories are announced. Essentially no one knows who the
various winners are prior to the announcement of the various
awards during the award show presentations for the various
movies, performances and the like.
In conclusion, and as an interesting aside, the Academy Award
statuette was not always known as "Oscar." In fact, it was
screen legend Bette Davis who dubbed the Academy Award statuette
"Oscar." During an Academy Awards ceremony some years back Bette
Davis remarked that the statuette looked exactly like her
husband ... who was named "Oscar." Oscar stuck.