Oscar organizers reveal 4 awards relegated to commercial breaks
In future years, 4 to 6 rotating categories could be cut
The film academy has finally revealed the Oscar categories that will be presented during the commercial breaks of this year's broadcast in an attempt to shorten the show to three hours.
The Oscars for cinematography, film editing, makeup and hairstyling and live-action short will be presented off-air at this year's ceremony, an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences spokesperson said Monday. The winning speeches will air later in the broadcast and will also be live-streamed on Oscar.com and the film academy's social accounts.
If I may: I would not presume to suggest what categories to cut during the Oscars show but - Cinematography and Editing are at the very heart of our craft. They are not inherited from a theatrical tradition or a literary tradition: they are cinema itself.
—@RealGDTFilm academy president John Bailey said in a note to members that the executive committees of six branches opted-in to this "slightly edited timeframe" and the board of governors chose four for this year.
"We are committed to presenting a show which we all will be proud of," Bailey said.
In future years, four to six rotating categories could be cut from the broadcast.
The plan to hand out certain awards during commercials to achieve a three-hour runtime on Feb. 24 was announced in August as one of a few changes to combat declining ratings. But unlike the popular Oscar category, which was walked back for further consideration after impassioned backlash, this one stuck.
The move has been generally disliked by both nominees and many film fans on social media, some of whom have been tweeting with the hashtag #PresentAll24 for weeks.
Cinematography and editing are the two disciplines unique to cinema and are the two elements that literally create a movie. So of course, those are two that the Oscars have relegated to commercial breaks. Shame on you <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAcademy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAcademy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Oscars?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Oscars</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/showall24?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#showall24</a>
—@RayMorton1Oh right! I totally forgot that editing, cinematography, and makeup are completely useless in filmmaking 🤔🤔 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShowAll24?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShowAll24</a>
—@archosaur_I strongly advise that nobody watches the Oscars this year. Let’s teach them a lesson. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/showall24?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#showall24</a> <a href="https://t.co/AFUkMjCCZh">https://t.co/AFUkMjCCZh</a>
—@ICMoviies"This decision has nothing to do with any decision about cinema It's a broadcast thing decision. It's about the show, the entertainment. But it should not be part of the discussion of what Academy Awards are about," said Roma director and cinematographer Alfonso Cuaron at the Directors Guild Awards earlier this month.
"The Academy Awards should be about celebrating the artists in the different categories."
Cuaron is the only nominee in a cut category who is up for other awards, including best director and best picture. Those will be presented during the broadcast.
In the history of CINEMA, masterpieces have existed without sound, without color, without a story, without actors and without music. No one single film has ever existed without CINEMAtography and without editing.
—@alfonsocuaronVice director Adam McKay said earlier that he was "bummed" by the idea. He had heard whispers that makeup and hairstyling was going to be one of the unlucky categories, which he considered a particular blow for the people who worked so hard to transform Christian Bale into Dick Cheney for his film.
"That crew worked so hard," McKay said. Vice is also up for an editing award, which will be presented off air as well.
By the way: How interesting that none of the categories consigned to commercial breaks happen to feature a nominee from Disney, the parent company of ABC.
—@MarkHarrisNYCLast week at the Nominees Luncheon, Bohemian Rhapsody editor John Ottman called the change insulting. His ended up being in one of the cut categories as well.
Bohemian Rhapsody sound mixer Paul Massey just worried that he wouldn't know what to tell friends and family who wanted to watch the show to possibly see him win. Although he offered one suggestion to ensure a swift show: Seat the below-the-line nominees closer to the stage. For some, it's a long walk up to the podium and show producers have promised that everyone gets only 90 seconds from the time their name is called to get up and say your thanks before the orchestra starts playing.