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Academy members sport diverse
film experience, Impressive resumes
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By Kristn Long
Daily Arts Writer
We've all heard it a million times: In
acceptance speeches, statuette recipients
proudly declare: "I'd like to thank the
Academy." But for many folks outside of
Hollywood's inner circle, knowing just
who or what their favorite stars are thank-
ing isn't that simple.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts
and Sciences, which bestows top honors
to the year's best films, is an illustrious
body of the acknowledged contributors to
the film making industry. Because the
organization does not release a formal list
of members, the exact number of eligible
voting members is unknown - although
most believe it does sport more than
6,000 of film's celebrated characters.
The Academy was created in May,
1927 and consisted of 36 members of
executives and what the Academy calls,
"film luminaries of the time." Its aims
were to "advance the sciences of motion
pictures," to celebrate outstanding cine-
matic works and to organize the creative
t j
(\
minds behind the silver screen.
Now, members are categorized into 13
branches representing the various limbs
of the filmmaking tree: Actors, art direc-
tors, cinematographers, directors, execu-
tives, film editors, music, producers, pub-
lic relations, short films and feature ani-
mation, sound, visual effects and writers.
While many organizations are a "sign-
-'em-up, take-the-money and keep-'em-
on-file group;' Academy membership is
not open to everyone.
Membership is by invitation of the
Board of Governors, and is limited to
those who have "achieved distinction in
the arts and sciences of motion pictures."
In his book, "The Envelope, Please"
Arnold Wayne Jones writes that first-
time nominees are invited to join,
because it makes sense that candidates
should be allowed to vote for themselves.
Other criteria include persons whose
credits meet the "high" standards of the
Academy, achievement of "unique dis-
tinction, earning of special merit or mak-
ing an outstanding contribution to film"
After a prospective member has
proved that he or she ranks among the
industry's finest, the candidate must gar-
ner the sponsorship of at least two mem-
Ballroom Class
5:30; 7:00.
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Michigan Union Ballroom.
Courtesy of ABC
71st Annual Academy Awards Show host Whoople Goldberg poses with Oscar.
bers of the respective branch for which
they qualify. Then, the individual must
receive a favorable endorsement from
that branch's executive committee
before even being submitted to the
Board of Governors for approval of an
invitation.
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The actual voting is restricted to
active and life Academy members.
Those members who have garnered life
membership have received a unani-
mous vote of approval by the Board of
Governors, have full membership priv-
ileges and they pay no dues. The pay-
ment of dues allows active members a
vote and sustains one's membership
within the prestigious group.
When it comes to nominating time
(Jan. 8 - Jan. 29), Jones reports that
members of each branch nominate
within their field, and a few special
merit films are nominated across
branches. During the nominating peri-
od, members of each respective branch
receive a list of all eligible productions,
and then are asked to vote for not more
than five deemed the best of the year.
These rules aren't uniform through-
out the Academy, though. The rules for
Documentary nominations, for exam-
ple, differ slightly in that volunteers
from the entire Academy membership
vote on the submitted films, and the
nominees are chosen from their selec-
tion process. All active and life mem-
bers nominate and vote for Best
Picture.
When all this is said and done, one
might think that the Academy would be
most in tune with the year's greatest
accomplishments.
So why is it we end up throwing our
hands in the air more often than not?
Jones notes that because the entire
Academy membership (regardless of
their branch) can cast a final vote,
"there's not even a requirement that you
have seen all (or any) of the nominated
films you vote for, except in special-
ized categories (shorts and documen-
taries)."
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