10 Animated Shorts Advance In 2012 Oscar Race


PAPERMAN

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 10 animated short films will advance in the voting process for the 85th Academy Awards®. Fifty-six pictures had originally qualified in the category.

The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production companies:

Adam and Dog,” Minkyu Lee, director (Lodge Films)

“Combustible,” Katsuhiro Otomo, director (Sunrise Inc.)

“Dripped,” Léo Verrier, director (ChezEddy)

“The Eagleman Stag,” Mikey Please, director, and Benedict Please, music scores and sound design (Royal College of Art)

“The Fall of the House of Usher,” Raul Garcia, director, and Stephan Roelants, producer (Melusine Productions, R&R Communications Inc., Les Armateurs, The Big Farm)

“Fresh Guacamole,” PES, director (PES)

“Head over Heels,” Timothy Reckart, director, and Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly, producer (National Film and Television School)

“Maggie Simpson in “The Longest Daycare”,” David Silverman, director (Gracie Films)

“Paperman,” John Kahrs, director (Disney Animation Studios)

“Tram,” Michaela Pavlátová, director, and Ron Dyens, producer (Sacrebleu Productions)

The Short Films and Feature Animation Branch Reviewing Committee viewed all the eligible entries for the preliminary round of voting at screenings held in New York and Los Angeles.

Short Films and Feature Animation Branch members will now select three to five nominees from among the 10 titles on the shortlist. Branch screenings will be held in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in December.

The 85th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

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Twenty-One Features Submitted In Animated Feature Film Category For 85th Academy Awards

Twenty-one features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 85th Academy Awards®.

The 21 submitted features, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

    “Adventures in Zambezia” 
    “Brave” 
    “Delhi Safari” 
    “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax” 
    “Frankenweenie” 
    “From Up on Poppy Hill” 
    “Hey Krishna” 
    “Hotel Transylvania” 
    “Ice Age Continental Drift” 
    “A Liar’s Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python’s Graham Chapman” 
    “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted” 
    “The Mystical Laws” 
    “The Painting” 
    “ParaNorman” 
    “The Pirates! Band of Misfits” 
    “The Rabbi’s Cat” 
    “Rise of the Guardians” 
    “Secret of the Wings” 
    “Walter & Tandoori’s Christmas” 
    “Wreck-It Ralph” 
    “Zarafa”

Several of the films listed have not yet had their required Los Angeles qualifying runs. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category’s other qualifying rules before they can advance in the voting process. At least eight eligible animated features must be theatrically released in Los Angeles County within the calendar year for this category to be activated.

Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category may also qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they meet the requirements for those categories.

The 85th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

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Derek McLane To Serve As Designer For 85th Academy Awards

Tony® Award-winning production designer Derek McLane will serve as designer for the 85th Academy Awards® telecast, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today. This will be McLane’s first time designing an Oscar set.

Over his career, McLane has designed sets for numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, several of which have been nominated for Tony Awards. He received four nominations and won Best Scenic Design of a Play in 2009 for his work on 33 Variations. McLane’s other Broadway credits include The Heiress, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Gore Vidal’s The Best Man, Follies, Anything Goes, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Grease and I Am My Own Wife.

“Derek is one of our most talented set designers, and we had a very successful collaboration with him on our recent Broadway revival of How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying,” said Zadan and Meron. “We were very eager to reunite with him, and we believe he’ll bring a fresh perspective to the Oscar telecast.”

The 85th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

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THE INTOUCHABLES & AMOUR On Foreign Language Film List For 85th Academy Awards


THE INTOUCHABLES

A record 71 countries, including first-time entrant Kenya, have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 85th Academy Awards®. In May, Michael Haneke’s AMOUR (LOVE) won the Palme d’Or at the 65th Cannes Film Festival and was shown this past weekend  at the 50th New York Film Festival. However the film I was happiest to see make the list below is from France – THE INTOUCHABLES from directors Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano. Check out our review HERE.

In the Academy’s rules, only one picture will be accepted from each country. Plus the Academy Statuette (Oscar) will be awarded to the motion picture and accepted by the director on behalf of the picture’s creative talents. Ultimately five foreign language motion pictures are nominated for this award.

Director/writer Asghar Farhadi’s A SEPARATION from Iran won the Oscar for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards.

The 2012 submissions are:
Afghanistan, “The Patience Stone,” Atiq Rahimi, director;
Albania, “Pharmakon,” Joni Shanaj, director;
Algeria, “Zabana!” Said Ould Khelifa, director; 
Argentina, “Clandestine Childhood,” Benjamín Ávila, director;
Armenia, “If Only Everyone,” Natalia Belyauskene, director; 
Australia, “Lore,” Cate Shortland, director;
Austria, “Amour,” Michael Haneke, director; 
Azerbaijan, “Buta,” Ilgar Najaf, director;
Bangladesh, “Pleasure Boy Komola,” Humayun Ahmed, director;
Belgium, “Our Children,” Joachim Lafosse, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Children of Sarajevo,” Aida Begic, director;
Brazil, “The Clown,” Selton Mello, director;
Bulgaria, “Sneakers,” Valeri Yordanov and Ivan Vladimirov, directors;
Cambodia, “Lost Loves,” Chhay Bora, director;
Canada, “War Witch,” Kim Nguyen, director;
Chile, “No,” Pablo Larraín, director;
China, “Caught in the Web,” Chen Kaige, director;
Colombia, “The Snitch Cartel,” Carlos Moreno, director;
Croatia, “Vegetarian Cannibal,” Branko Schmidt, director;
Czech Republic, “In the Shadow,” David Ondrícek, director;
Denmark, “A Royal Affair,” Nikolaj Arcel, director;
Dominican Republic, “Jaque Mate,” José María Cabral, director; 
Estonia, “Mushrooming,” Toomas Hussar, director;
Finland, “Purge,” Antti J. Jokinen, director;
France, “The Intouchables,” Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, directors;
Georgia, “Keep Smiling,” Rusudan Chkonia, director;
Germany, “Barbara,” Christian Petzold, director;
Greece, “Unfair World,” Filippos Tsitos, director;
Greenland, “Inuk,” Mike Magidson, director;
Hong Kong, “Life without Principle,” Johnnie To, director;
Hungary, “Just the Wind,” Bence Fliegauf, director;
Iceland, “The Deep,” Baltasar Kormákur, director;
India, “Barfi!” Anurag Basu, director; 
Indonesia, “The Dancer,” Ifa Isfansyah, director;
Israel, “Fill the Void,” Rama Burshtein, director;
Italy, “Caesar Must Die,” Paolo Taviani and Vittorio Taviani, directors;
Japan, “Our Homeland,” Yang Yonghi, director; 
Kazakhstan, “Myn Bala: Warriors of the Steppe,” Akan Satayev, director;
Kenya, “Nairobi Half Life,” David ‘Tosh’ Gitonga, director;
Kyrgyzstan, “The Empty Home,” Nurbek Egen, director;
Latvia, “Gulf Stream under the Iceberg,” Yevgeny Pashkevich, director;
Lithuania, “Ramin,” Audrius Stonys, director;
Macedonia, “The Third Half,” Darko Mitrevski, director;
Malaysia, “Bunohan,” Dain Iskandar Said, director; 
Mexico, “After Lucia,” Michel Franco, director;
Morocco, “Death for Sale,” Faouzi Bensaïdi, director;
Netherlands, “Kauwboy,” Boudewijn Koole, director;
Norway, “Kon-Tiki,” Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, directors;
Palestine, “When I Saw You,” Annemarie Jacir, director; 
Peru, “The Bad Intentions,” Rosario García-Montero, director;
Philippines, “Bwakaw,” Jun Robles Lana, director;
Poland, “80 Million,” Waldemar Krzystek, director;
Portugal, “Blood of My Blood,” João Canijo, director;
Romania, “Beyond the Hills,” Cristian Mungiu, director;
Russia, “White Tiger,” Karen Shakhnazarov, director;
Serbia, “When Day Breaks,” Goran Paskaljevic, director;
Singapore, “Already Famous,” Michelle Chong, director;
Slovak Republic, “Made in Ash,” Iveta Grófová, director;
Slovenia, “A Trip,” Nejc Gazvoda, director;
South Africa, “Little One,” Darrell James Roodt, director;
South Korea, “Pieta,” Kim Ki-duk, director; 
Spain, “Blancanieves,” Pablo Berger, director;
Sweden, “The Hypnotist,” Lasse Hallström, director;
Switzerland, “Sister,” Ursula Meier, director;
Taiwan, “Touch of the Light,” Chang Jung-Chi, director;
Thailand, “Headshot,” Pen-ek Ratanaruang, director;
Turkey, “Where the Fire Burns,” Ismail Gunes, director;
Ukraine, “The Firecrosser,” Mykhailo Illienko, director;
Uruguay, “The Delay,” Rodrigo Plá, director;
Venezuela, “Rock, Paper, Scissors,” Hernán Jabes, director;
Vietnam, “The Scent of Burning Grass,” Nguyen Huu Muoi, director.


AMOUR

The 85th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at The Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Video – Seth MacFarlane To Host The Academy Awards; Watch Oscar Sunday, February 24, 2013

Now this will be funny! It was announced today that Seth MacFarlane will host the 85th Academy Awards. Telecast producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron made the announcement today. This will be MacFarlane’s first appearance on Oscar’s stage.

“We are thrilled to have Seth MacFarlane host the Oscars. His performing skills blend perfectly with our ideas for making the show entertaining and fresh,” said Zadan and Meron. “He will be the consummate host, and we are so happy to be working with him.”

“It’s truly an overwhelming privilege to be asked to host the Oscars,” said MacFarlane. “My thoughts upon hearing the news were, one, I will do my utmost to live up to the high standards set forth by my predecessors; and two, I hope they don’t find out I hosted the Charlie Sheen Roast.”

“Seth is unbelievably talented,” said Academy President Hawk Koch. “We couldn’t be happier with the creative team we’ve assembled. With Craig, Neil, and now Seth, we’re off to a great start.”

MacFarlane made his feature directorial debut this summer with the box office success “Ted. “He also co-wrote and produced the film, and voiced the title character. “Ted” has brought in over $420 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing films of the year.

MacFarlane is the creative force behind the television series “Family Guy” and co-creator of “American Dad!” and “The Cleveland Show. “In September he hosted “Saturday Night Live” for the first time, for the show’s 38th season premiere. An accomplished live performer, MacFarlane has played to sold-out audiences at London’s Royal Albert Hall and New York’s Carnegie Hall. In 2011 he released his debut album, “Music Is Better Than Words,” which earned two Grammy&reg nominations. He also has earned 13 Emmy nominations and won two for his work on “Family Guy.”

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Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center. Don Mischer will direct the telecast for the third consecutive time. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

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Enter To Win Bleacher Seats For The 85th Academy Awards Red Carpet – Feb. 24

WAMG has been invited guests of The Academy for three years now. It’s always fun to share the experience being on the red carpet with those fortunate to have won spots in the bleacher seats. Once again movie fans can soon vie for seats at the most glamorous spot on Hollywood Boulevard, Oscar’s Red Carpet. Beginning Today, September 24, at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT fans from around the world may enter online for a random drawing for bleacher seats along the 85th Academy Awards red carpet.

The entry form is available at www.oscars.org/Insider

There are only 700 seats available on the 500-foot-long walkway that leads into the DolbyTM Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®. Those who are selected will watch and cheer Oscar nominees, presenters and other ceremony guests as they arrive at the 85th Academy Awards on Sunday, February 24, 2013. In addition to seats, winners of the Oscar Fan Experience will be invited to watch the Academy Awards® at a nearby theatre and will receive a fan gift bag. The lucky winners we spoke to were also given yummy box lunches while they waited for their favorite stars to walk by.

The application process will close on Friday, November 16, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. In previous years, as many as 20,000 fans have entered the drawing for the limited number of red carpet seats.

To be eligible for the drawing, an individual must complete the entry form in its entirety. Entries must be submitted online; they may not be returned via any other method. Duplicate entries will not be accepted.

Those whose names are selected in the random drawing will be notified in November. They will then be required to submit additional information for security purposes prior to final approval. Eligible attendees will receive a confirmation letter in early January with information pertinent to the event. The Academy will not be responsible for securing travel and/or hotel accommodations for winners of the Oscar Fan Experience.

Only those individuals who have been pre-approved by the Academy will have access to the bleachers.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Day & Date Change – 85th Academy Awards Nominations Now On Thursday, January 10, 2013

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced key dates for the 85th Academy Awards season. Oscar obsessivas – ready for this?

In an effort to provide members and the public a longer period of time to see the nominated films, the Academy will reveal the 85th Academy Awards nominations on January 10, five days earlier than previously announced. A Thursday morning instead of the standard Tuesday. You can bet the screenings for the December released films will be in full gear due to today’s announcement by The Academy. Not that it matters to Oscar watchers, but where does this leave the other award shows? The 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards will air live on Sunday, January 13, 2013. How exciting will that show be now! More red carpet banter to be sure. As for the annual Broadcast Film Critics Association show? The Critics’ Choice Movie Awards show fell on a Thursday earlier this year – January 12th to be exact. This group will have to get watching the end of the year films mach schnell. No word yet from them on when their show will now air.

In addition, this will be the first time the Academy will provide its membership the opportunity to vote electronically. Together with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Everyone Counts, the Academy has been developing an electronic voting process for more than a year. The Academy conducted extensive research and held numerous focus groups with its members to ensure a smooth transition and widespread adoption. The Academy will make several voting resources available to members during the transition, including the installation of assisted voting stations in Los Angeles, New York and London, a 24-hour telephone help line during voting periods, and paper ballots.

The key dates are:    
 
Friday, November 30, 2012:   Official Screen Credits due
Saturday, December 1, 2012:   Governors Awards presentation
Monday, December 17, 2012:   Nominations voting begins
Thursday, January 3, 2013:   Nominations voting ends 5 p.m. PT
Thursday, January 10, 2013:   Nominations announced 5:30 a.m. PT, Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater
Monday, February 4, 2013:   Nominees Luncheon
Friday, February 8, 2013:   Final voting begins
Saturday, February 9, 2013:   Scientific and Technical Awards presentation
Tuesday, February 19, 2013:   Final voting ends 5 p.m. PT
Sunday, February 24, 2013:   85th Academy Awards presentation

In the pre-Nominations phase, members will continue to vote via paper ballot in eight categories due to specialized screening schedules and processes. Those categories are Animated Feature Film, Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Foreign Language Film, Makeup and Hairstyling and Visual Effects.

The Academy Awards ceremony will be held at The Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network. A 90-minute red carpet show will immediately precede the broadcast.

Don Mischer Set To Direct The Oscars For Third Consecutive Year


Don Mischer (center) at the 84th Annual Academy Awards®, Hollywood, CA February 26, 2012.

Don Mischer will direct the 85th Academy Awards telecast, telecast producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today. The Oscars will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on ABC.

This will be Mischer’s third consecutive year as director of the Oscars and marks the continuation of Don Mischer Productions’ multi-faceted relationship with the Academy, which includes producing the Oscars® red carpet pre-show and producing the annual Governors Awards. Mischer’s other credits include “We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial,” “The Kennedy Center Honors,” several Super Bowl halftime shows and the opening ceremonies of both Winter and Summer Olympic Games.

“I am so very excited to be directing the Academy Awards again this year and to be working with creative producers like Craig and Neil,” said Mischer. “All of us at Don Mischer Productions are also thrilled to be producing the Oscar® pre-show, and most significantly to continue a wonderfully gratifying relationship with the Academy.”


Producers Don Mischer (left) and Brian Grazer (center) during rehearsals for the 84th Academy Awards® presentation, Hollywood, February 23, 2012.

I really like Mischer. He’s a true Movie Geek. While I was covering the Academy Awards once again for WAMG, Mischer said, ““I remember as a kid growing up the first time I saw ‘The Ten Commandments’ with Charlton Heston. I think all of us remember the first time we ever went to the movies and had a theatrical experience that made a great impact on us.” It’s apparent he’s had a long time love affair with going out to a movie theater. “There’s something about that focused experience when you go to the movies that’s just part of our cultural tapestry. I will always remember how I felt in a theater when I saw Tom Hanks land successfully in the ocean in ‘Apollo 13.’ There is something about sharing those moments with other people that makes it a better experience.”

Mischer has served as producer as well as director on the 83rd and 84th Academy Awards and was nominated for Emmys® for directing both shows. Last year’s Oscars received eight Emmy® nominations, the most for any TV special. Among the many honors Mischer has earned are 15 Emmy Awards, 10 Directors Guild of America Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, a Peabody Award, and the Producers Guild’s 2012 Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television.

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Music Rules Approved For 85th Academy Awards; Art Direction Award Becomes Production Design Award

The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has approved additional rules for the 85th Academy Awards. The most significant changes affect the Original Song category, in which there will now be five nominees.

During the nominations process, all voting members of the Music Branch will receive a Reminder List of works submitted in the category and a DVD copy of the song clips. Members will be asked to watch the clips and then vote in the order of their preference for not more than five achievements in the category. The five achievements receiving the highest number of votes will become the nominations for final voting for the award.

Additionally, upon the recommendation from the Designers Branch (formerly the Art Directors Branch), the Art Direction award will be known as the Production Design award.

Rules are reviewed annually by individual branch and category committees. The Awards Rules Committee then reviews all proposed changes before presenting its recommendations to the Academy’s Board of Governors for approval.

For the complete rules for the 85th Academy Awards, visit oscars.org/rules.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

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Craig Zadan And Neil Meron Will Produce 85th Academy Awards

Acclaimed motion picture, television and theater producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron will produce the 85th Academy Awards, Academy President Hawk Koch announced today. This will be the duo’s first involvement with the Oscars. The 85th Academy Awards will air live on Oscar® Sunday, February 24, 2013.

“Craig and Neil are forward thinkers who bring a unique perspective to the Oscar show,” Koch said. “Their enormous collective talent, coupled with their love of film, serves our show perfectly.”

“We are very excited to collaborate with Hawk and everyone at the Academy to produce this year’s Oscars,” said Zadan and Meron. “We hope to utilize our experience in producing features, TV and theater to bring something fresh and special to this incredible awards show. When we filmed ‘The Bucket List,’ we made our own personal bucket list, and producing the Oscars was #1. It’s truly a great honor.”

“Craig and Neil have great talent relationships and bring an infectious energy to the production,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson.” They are creative producers in the best sense of the word.”

Zadan and Meron served as executive producers on the 2002 Best Picture winner “Chicago,” which won Oscars® in 6 of the 13 categories in which it was nominated. Their credits also include the features “Footloose” (2011), “Hairspray” and “The Bucket List.”  Zadan also produced the original “Footloose” (1984).

Zadan and Meron’s work in television includes the series “SMASH” and such movies as “A Raisin in the Sun” and the upcoming “Steel Magnolias.”

For Broadway, they recently produced the Tony Award® winning revivals of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” and “Promises, Promises.”

Their work has amassed 73 Emmy® nominations; 12 Tony nominations; and seven Grammy® nominations.

The 85th Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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