1. Dame Julie Andrews surprised the crowd at the end of the SOUND OF MUSIC tribute and brought the house down at the Dolby Theatre. The tribute for the beloved 50 year old movie was introduced by Scarlett Johansson and beautifully sung by Lady Gaga.
2. Tears from David Oyelowo after the “Glory” performance from Common and John Legend. “Glory” went onto win Best Song.
3. Tim McGraw singing “I’m Not Gonna Miss You.”
4. Opening number, “Moving Pictures,” made us fall in love with movies all over again.
5. John Travolta and Idina Menzel on stage together to present Best Song after last year’s “Adele Dazeem” snafu. Idina Menzel introduced Travolta “Glom Gazingo”.
6. Eddie Murphy rockin’ the white tux to present Original Screenplay to BIRDMAN.
7. Neil Patrick Harris in his tightie-whities.
A final special mention.
Who knew Yoda was going to walk the red carpet? Former daytime television anchor Willow Bay wore the Star Wars inspired, Rodarte dress.
Welcome to the 87th Oscars. Host Neil Patrick Harris opened the show with a musical number featuring “moving pictures” inserting himself into scenes from classic films. Anna Kendrick joined him in the opening number as well as Jack Black before an audience of Hollywood’s A-listers at the Dolby Theatre.
The awards season, filled with ups and downs, came to a close on Oscar Sunday with BIRDMAN winning four Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director (Alejandro G. Iñárritu), Best Original Screenplay (Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. & Armando Bo) and Best Cinematography (Emmanuel Lubezki).
Iñárritu said his good luck charm was wearing Michael Keaton’s tighty‑whities. When asked backstage about the making of the film he said, “this film was particularly scary to be making, you know. It’s very difficult and that’s what BIRDMAN is about. As an artist some day or two hours, you feel like the greatest and you say, “This is amazing. It’s fantastic.” And then two hours later, you feel like a dead jellyfish and an idiot. In this case, I was Riggan Thomson seeing the material, saying, “Oh, my God. It’s going to be a disaster.” So I couldn’t really tell until the end. I really felt that it was really special, for me. I will never in mind that this film will be something that will be touching so many people around the world, and I will be here. Never at all, you know.”
Eddie Redmayne won the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal as scientist Stephen Hawking in THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING. When asked about the pressures of playing someone that is still alive and how did he change his approach to it, Redmayne said, “ I don’t know if it changed my approach, but what it did was there were various things of this job. In preparation, I met people living with ALS, they let me into their lives, they were incredibly kind to me. It was essential to me that I was authentic to what that experience is like. Then it’s about the science, getting the science right, you know, and then of course the main thing about Stephen, Jane, Jonathan and the kids is being true to them and then also making an entertaining film. There were basically so many things that like terrified me about this film, but of course it galvanizes you, it makes you ‑‑ when the stakes are that high, it does force you to work harder and so that’s what I tried to do. And yeah, it’s been amazing.”
Best Actress went to Julianne Moore for her portrayal of a woman diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease in STILL ALICE. When asked about her husband, who she acknowleged during her acceptance speech, Moore told the reporters backstage, “My husband has been amazing. He has supported me ‑‑ now, he’s also the person who walked me up the steps. I don’t know if anyone saw that. But this is the first time I’ve told anybody this, and I’ll tell you guys in this room. He was the first person to see the movie. The first time I saw the cut, he came with me. And I told the story about how I heard him crying, and I was like, What’s going on? When we walked out of there, he said, You’re going to win an Oscar. And I was like, Come on. I swear to God, that’s what he said to me. And I just couldn’t believe he said that. But anyway, that’s how much he supported me from the very, very beginning.”
J.K. Simmons won Best Supporting Actor for WHIPLASH. On stage he thanked his wife and said, “Call your Mom and Dad and tell them that you love them.” On what it meant to win, backstage Simmons remarked, “For me, the lean times were a wonderful and beautiful part of my life, you know. I was, you know, struggling, quote/unquote, for many years doing regional theatre for not much money all over the country and doing odd jobs in between, but I didn’t have a wife and kids to support. So I had no responsibilities other than feeding myself and trying to be a decent human being and trying to get better at what I was wanting to do. And I look back on those times with great fondness.”
The Best Supporting Actress Oscar went to Patricia Arquette for BOYHOOD. During her onstage speech, she said, “To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else’s equal rights. It’s our time to have wage equality once and for all and equal rights for women in the United States of America.” Arquette continued the sentiment backstage, “even though we sort of feel like we have equal rights in America, right under the surface, there are huge issues that are applied that really do affect women. And it’s time for all the women in America and all the men that love women, and all the gay people, and all the people of color that we’ve all fought for to fight for us now.”
Graham Moore won the Oscar for Adapted Screenplay for THE IMITATION GAME. During his acceptance speech the screenwriter shared, “When I was 16 years old, I tried to kill myself because I felt weird and I felt different and I felt like I did not belong. And now I’m standing here and, so, I would like for this moment to be for that kid out there who feels like she’s weird or she’s different or she doesn’t fit in anywhere. Yes, you do. I promise you do. You do. Stay weird. Stay different. And then when it’s your turn and you are standing on this stage, please pass the same message to the next person who comes along.”
BIG HERO 6 won for Best Animated Feature Film. Director Don Hall said, “Once upon a time, there was a freckle-faced little boy who told his mom and his dad that one day he was gonna work at Walt Disney Animation and they did something amazing: they supported him and they believed him, and from the bottom of his heart, he thanks them. Thank you.”
Best Live Short winner was THE PHONE CALL. The filmmakers Mat Kirkby and James Lucas told the press backstage, “Well, luckily, we were waiting so long to get Sally Hawkins, we waited a year, literally waited a year. So, during that time, we kept busy, and we are both in Hollywood now with feature scripts under our arms touting for business. So, if there’s any producers out there who would like to read a script by an Oscar winning short filmmaker who would like to make a feature film, then just get in contact with us.”
Best Animated Short: FEAST. Patrick Osborne and Kristina Reed
Best Foreign Language: IDA. Poland. Pawel Pawlikowski
Best Original Song: “Glory” from SELMA. Music and Lyric by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn.
Best Original Score: Alexandre Desplat for THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
Best Documentary Feature: CitizenFour
Best Documentary Short: Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Best Film Editing: WHIPLASH
Best Production Design: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL. Adam Stockhausen (Production Design); Anna Pinnock (Set Decoration)
Best Visual Effects: INTERSTELLAR. Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher
Best Sound Mixing: WHIPLASH. Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley
Best Sound Editing: AMERICAN SNIPER. Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL. Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier
Best Costume Design: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL. Milena Canonero
Not even the rain could spoil the gorgeous fashions on the red carpet at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood prior to the 87th Academy Awards.
Gold may have been the winning color of the evening, but white was the color on the carpet. From Faith Hill and Marion Cotillard to Julianne Moore and Lupita Nyong’o, the actresses were in jaw-dropping works of art.
60’s mod was the theme of the Dior Couture gown worn by Marion Cotillard. Proving why the French invented couture, it was hands down our best dressed of the night. The hair, the earrings – it was exquisite.
Lupita Nyong’o was ravishing with the elaborate pearl beading.
There were 6,000 pearls on her Calvin Klein dress.
Faith Hill was stunning in white in J. Mendel. The whole thing was beautiful.
Julianne Moore was in Custom Chanel. Her hair, jewelry, makeup blew us away. She came in the winning dress and looked like a goddess. Kudos to her stylist.
Anna Kendrick was gorgeous in flamingo pink.
Felicity Jones was lovely in a lavender gown by Alexander McQueen.
Zoe Saldana wore a soft pink Versace gown.
Margot Robbie was effortless and made a statement in Yves St. Laurent, as did Mother and Daughter Dakota Johnson (Yves St. Laurent) and Melanie Griffith.
Hollywood’s newest “It” couple was host Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka.
Laura Dern looked phenomenal.
Carmen Ejogo went old Hollywood glamour.
Rosamund Pike was a vision in red in Givenchy Haute Couture.
Kerry Washington was elegant.
Viola Davis looked regal and lovely.
Jennifer Aniston looked so sophisticated.
Gwyneth Paltrow was pretty in pink.
In Elle Saab couture, Jennifer Lopez’s Oscar dress was a throwback to the glory days of Tinseltown.
Jennifer Hudson in yellow was absolutely beautiful.
Karolina Kurkova made quite an entrance wearing a Marchesa gown with Harry Winston jewelry.
Oscar week continued on Saturday with The Academy hosting the artists nominated for the Makeup and Hairstyling award in their ninth annual event spotlighting this category.
The makeup artists and hairstylists nominated for FOXCATCHER, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL and GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY joined makeup artist and Academy governor Leonard Engelman as they discussed their work on the three films, and presented photographs and displays including appliances, molds and wigs.
The nominees:
FOXCATCHER Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White
The event also included a screening of clip reels that the Academy branch members viewed before voting on the three nominated films.
In its 34th year as an Oscar category, this year’s nominated films represented themes from the period, contemporary and futuristic genres.
Marvel’s GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY finds space adventurer Peter Quill the object of a bounty hunt after stealing an orb coveted by a treacherous villain, but when Quill discovers the power it holds, he must find a way to rally the quartet of ragtag rivals hot on his trail to save the universe.
THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY panel featured a special appearance by actor Michael Rooker. Nominees Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White went through multiple tests with wigs and makeup for James Gunn’s futuristic film.
During his four and a half hours sitting for the makeup application, Rooker said, “I was asleep most of the time.” To make sure the blue makeup stayed on his face, he did his own personal test. “I went and ran around the block a few times in the heat and worked out. I was sweating and it stayed put on my face.”
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL recounts the adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.
The story involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting and the battle for an enormous family fortune — all against the back-drop ofa suddenly and dramatically changing Continent.
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL nominees Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier and special guest actor Tony Revolori (“Lobby Boy”), discussed the makeup used in Wes Anderson’s film. Hannon and Coulier shared with the audience at the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre how they used natural makeup on co-star, Tilda Swinton, to transform her into an 83 year old woman. They also used eleven pieces of prosthetic makeup and added five pieces to the wig on the actress.
Based on true events, FOXCATCHER tells the dark and fascinating story of the unlikely and ultimately tragic relationship between an eccentric multi-millionaire and two champion wrestlers.
FOXCATCHER is a rich and moving story of brotherly love, misguided loyalty and the corruption and emotional bankruptcy that can accompany great power and wealth. As with Academy Award® nominee Bennett Miller’s previous feature films, CAPOTE and MONEYBALL, he explores large themes in society through his complex character portraits of real people.
Nominees Dennis Liddiard and Bill Corso discussed their work on director Bennett Miller’s movie.
Before FOXCATCHER went into production, the two nominees went through the painstaking process of making the Oscar-nominated actor believable once the makeup was applied. Corso said Miller told him, “Steve Carell can’t be in this movie. John DuPont has to be in this movie.”
A heartfelt video with Steve Carell honoring Corso was shown.
The 87th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m., ET/4 p.m., PT. The Oscars, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
www.oscars.org
From Left: Makeup and Hairstylists Oscar® nominees Dennis Liddiard and Bill Corso, “Foxcatcher”, David White and Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou, “Guardians of the Galaxy”, Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Countdown for the big day is less than 24 hours away.
After months of preparations and planning, Oscar Sunday is tomorrow. The red carpet, the bleachers seats, the gold statues – the crews having been working around the clock and everything is ready for the 87th Academy Awards.
First-time host Neil Patrick Harris will be the evening’s emcee at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
He joins the illustrious line that includes Johnny Carson, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Rock, Billy Crystal and Bob Hope – who has hosted the most Oscar shows with 19 host appearances.
Craig Zadan (left), Neil Meron (center) and Tim McGraw during rehearsals
This year’s Best Picture race is one of the most highly contested in recent memory. Will it be frontrunners BIRDMAN or BOYHOOD who take home the gold? Could the voters have checked off one of the other eight nominees as their choice for Best Picture?
Possible upsets. Since AMERICAN SNIPER has made a boatload of cash at the box office (more than the other seven pics combined,) the Academy could reward either the film or Bradley Cooper for Best Actor. Also, it’s his third consecutive year at bat and he really has now been taken much more seriously than just a pretty face. Another possible upset is waiting to happen in the Best Supporting Actress category. While Patricia Arquette has won every precursor award up to now, there is still a quiet support for Emma Stone because she is so well liked in Hollywood, not to mention she turned in a solid performance.
CHARIOTS OF FIRE over REDS, CRASH over BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, Juliette Binoche over Lauren Bacall, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE over SAVING PRIVATE RYAN.
The 87th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscars, produced by Zadan and Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
Video Highlights of The Oscars will post to Facebook and Oscar.com directly after they air. Recently added Social Features on WATCH ABC Provide Seamless Social Fan Experience
The Oscars Backstage Hosts This Year Include “Good Morning America’s” Weekend Edition Co-Anchor Paula Faris, Fusion Host Pedro Andrade, Entertainment and Sports Reporter Chris Connelly, Yahoo Fashion Correspondent Nick Axelrod and “How To Get Away With Murder’s” Matt McGorry.
The Academy, ABC Entertainment and Facebook are partnering to make this year’s The Oscars Backstage on WATCH ABC the most “Likeable” ever. Beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, the curated “Director’s Cut” feed from the award-winning The Oscars Backstage – which delivers three channels of live video feeds from over 20 cameras throughout the Dolby Theater to WATCH ABC for desktop and mobile devices – will also stream on the ABC Network’s Facebook Page and be part of the Facebook Trending Oscars experience (www.facebook.com/oscars), which gives fans one place to connect in real time as they watch the night unfold.
“We’re excited to bring viewers backstage and provide exclusive access to all those memorable, talked-about Oscar moments – the ones that happen on stage as well as the stories that play out behind-the-scenes,” said Christina Kounelias, Chief Marketing Officer, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
“We know that a large percentage of people – 70 percent of tablet and smartphone owners – are on their devices while watching TV,” said Albert Cheng, EVP and Chief Product Officer, Digital Media, Disney/ABC Television Group. “The Oscars Backstage on WATCH ABC provides them with an unparalleled social experience around Hollywood’s biggest night. And thanks to our ongoing partnerships with MPVDs, including today’s launch of WATCH ABC with DirecTV, and this year’s arrangement with Facebook, we’re able to deliver it to more people than ever before.”
On the red carpet, ABC will incorporate exclusive, real-time Facebook data of the most buzzed about nominees during the pre-show. In addition, fans will be able to ask questions of their favorite nominees via the “Good Morning America” Facebook page, with the potential to see their question answered live on the red carpet.
Embeddable video clips of the most memorable moments of the awards show – including all musical performances – will be posted almost immediately after they air to Oscar.com/Video, with a selection of those also being shared on the Facebook pages. Additionally, this is the first year that The Oscars and The Oscars Backstage will stream with the recently launched WATCH ABC features “Social Lens” and “FastShare,” which provide fans with an even more personalized social experience.
This year’s The Oscars Backstage hosts and correspondents include:
• “Good Morning America’s” weekend edition co-anchor Paula Faris and Fusion network host Pedro Andrade will host “The Director Cut” feeds during both the pre-show and awards telecast.
Faris is the co-anchor of “Good Morning America’s” weekend edition, and reports across ABC News broadcasts and digital platforms. She joined ABC News in January 2012 as co-anchor of ABC News’ “World News Now” and “America This Morning.”
A Brazilian journalist originally from Rio de Janeiro, Andrade is a host of the Fusion network, which is a multi-platform media company that serves a young, diverse, and inclusive millennial generation. Fusion delivers a unique mix of news, pop culture, and satire content that is both smart and irreverent across its TV and digital platforms (fusion.net). Prior to Fusion, Andrade anchored NBC’s weekly luxury lifestyle program “LX.TV 1st Look” for 5 years.
• “Good Morning America” and ESPN contributing editor Chris Connelly is returning as the official greeter of The Oscars Red Carpet, which includes welcoming nominees, presenters and performers to the show.
• Actor Matt McGorry will be positioned in the Fan Bleachers on the Red Carpet. McGorry stars as Asher Millstone in ABC’s series “How to Get Away with Murder.” He can also be seen playing the post-military newbie corrections officer John Bennett in the Netflix original series “Orange is the New Black.”
• Nick Axelrod will serve as The Oscars Backstage fashion correspondent. Axelrod is the creator and regular host of Yahoo Style’s popular celebrity interview series, “I Yahoo’d Myself.” He is also the Co-Founder and former Editorial Director of the award-winning beauty website Into The Gloss, which was nominated for a 2014 Webby award. He has also served as Senior Fashion News Editor at ELLE, spent three years at Women’s Wear Daily (WWD), and has also contributed to publications including ELLE Accessories and The Hollywood Reporter.
• ABC News Correspondent Sara Haines will be contributing to the Backstage feed. In addition to reporting for “Good Morning America” during the week, Haines is the Pop News anchor on the weekend edition of “GMA.”
Presented again this year by Samsung Galaxy®, The Oscars Backstage is designed to be the ultimate complement to the broadcast. All fans on the WATCH ABC app or ABC.com can select from three channels that will pull from more than 20 live cameras strategically placed on the Red Carpet and throughout the backstage areas of the Dolby Theatre, providing fans with insider views into the most memorable moments of the night. Channels for the pre-show include: Director’s Cut, Fashion and Red Carpet. During the show, the channels are Director’s Cut (including the popular Thank You cam), Audience and Backstage.
In addition to The Oscars Backstage feeds, WATCH ABC users who have verified with a participating pay TV provider in one of the eight ABC Owned markets – Chicago, Fresno, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham and San Francisco – can also access a live feed of the Oscars preshow, full awards telecast and “Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Oscars” as part of the regular WATCH ABC service. Live streaming is currently available through Comcast, Cablevision, Cox Communications, Charter Communications, DISH, DirecTV, Midcontinent Communications, Verizon FiOS, Google Fiber and AT&T U-verse, among others. Once aired, the full Oscars telecast will be available on demand via WATCH ABC for verified viewers for three days. WATCH ABC can be accessed from Oscar.com, ABC.com, or via the WATCH ABC app, which can be downloaded for free at Google Play and the App Store. Verified viewers then log in using their cable or satellite subscription username and password.
All WATCH ABC fans can access the new enhanced social features. Social Lens integrates fan’s personal Facebook and Twitter into the WATCH ABC app so they can socialize with their friends while they watch The Oscars – all on one device. FastShare enables fans who are watching on demand to easily access and share clips of their favorite in-show moments as they are watching.
Video highlights from the telecast and The Oscars Backstage will also be available as embeddable clips on Oscar.com/Video almost immediately as they air. Full clips of the show’s musical numbers, including performances from Neil Patrick Harris, Jennifer Hudson, Anna Kendrick, Tegan and Sara and comedy-music trio The Lonely Island, Adam Levine, Rita Ora, Tim McGraw, Lady Ga Ga, Common and John Legend, will be featured in a dedicated “Music Moments” section on Oscar.com that includes in-depth video and photo coverage of past music winners.
Oscar.com is also showcasing nominees in their own words with a collection of official nominee questionnaires, including submissions from Julianne Moore, Robert Duvall, Patricia Arquette, Keira Knightley, and John Legend, among many others. To add to the fun, insanely addicting quizzes will challenge fans knowledge of this year’s nominees. The hugely popular “My Picks” interactive ballot is also live. Friends can view and share the ballot on Facebook, which will update in real time on Oscar night, ensuring that the most competitive Oscar handicappers are instantly aware of their ranking among friends.
The 87th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m., ET/4 p.m., PT. The Oscars, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
The 10th annual “Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Oscars” airs Sunday, February 22 at 12:05 a.m., ET after the late local news and at 10:00 p.m., PT on ABC. Broadcasting from Disney’s El Capitan Theater located on Hollywood Boulevard in the heart of L.A.’s star-studded Walk of Fame, the studio is just steps away from Dolby Theater, home to the “Academy Awards.” Kimmel’s previous post-Oscar specials have featured viral comedy bits and guest appearances by Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise, Kevin Spacey, Ellen DeGeneres, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Ben Affleck, Jamie Foxx, Channing Tatum, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Jon Stewart, Morgan Freeman, Billy Crystal, Martin Scorsese, Chris Hemsworth, Christoph Waltz, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Gary Oldman, Anjelica Huston, Ben Kingsley, and many more. Over the past six years, the show’s post-Oscar comedy bits have racked up over 55 million views on the “Jimmy Kimmel Live” YouTube channel.
On February 23, “LIVE with Kelly and Michael” will continue its awards season tradition with the fourth edition of “LIVE’s After Oscar Show,” airing live in national syndication at 9:00 a.m., ET. The top morning talker’s annual post-Oscar show has become one of “LIVE’s” most popular episodes, and is broadcast live from the magnificent Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center®. Mere hours after the festivities have wrapped on the same stage, thousands of fans will fill the venue for an action-packed hour celebrating all things Oscar, from the A-list personalities to the incredible fashions, star-studded red carpet and backstage excitement. In the past, award winners such as Jean Dujardin, Octavia Spencer, Christoph Waltz and Lupita Nyong’o have stopped by to share with the “LIVE” audience their excitement after walking away with their Oscar statuettes.
This year there are 30 nominees in the animated category, between the Short and Features. “Don’t we love these people who bring us the magic?,” said Academy Governor Bill Kroyer as The Academy celebrated the Feature Animated films on Thursday.
The Academy presented their seventh annual event celebrating the nominees for Best Animated Feature Film.
Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, who won last year’s Animated Feature Film Oscar for FROZEN, moderated the discussion with all the nominated filmmakers from BIG HERO 6, THE BOXTROLLS, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2, SONG OF THE SEA and THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA. This year’s nominated films come from around the world and encompass traditional animation, computer animation and stop-motion, and the evening also featured clips from each film.
Prior to the panel discussion, a few of the nominees spoke with WAMG.
Nominees Dean DeBlois and Bonnie Arnold, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
On her first nomination, Arnold said, “I feel like Cinderella at the ball. It’s so amazing because it’s a whirlwind of great activity and you get to meet so many people. So many great filmmakers. It’s fun and super special.”
On what’s in store for HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 3, DeBlois gave us details on the third installment of the beloved series. “The story takes on a little more balance between Hiccup and Toothless because they are now chiefs of their respective tribes. It’s a story of carrying Hiccup through to the fulfillment of his character’s growth and arc, but also seeing where Toothless goes with all of this new responsibilities.”
In January, DreamWorks Animation appointed Bonnie Arnold & Mireille Soria as co-presidents of Feature Animation. When asked about her new position, Arnold told us, “there are so many great filmmakers at DreamWorks and a lot of projects, and I’m getting to spend time with the other filmmakers. There’s not a house style, so each of them are very unique and I’m having a lot of fun getting to know more about them and what they’re doing and helping them get the best version of their movies on the screen. It’s very exciting, until I start having to focus back on DRAGON 3.”
Nominees Roy Conli, Don Hall and Chris Williams, BIG HERO 6
The film is filled with a rousing score by composer Henry Jackman. On the choice to go with Jackman, Don Hall said, “He’s awesome. I worked with him on WINNIE THE POOH. I think he’s the best. I love working with Henry. He’s so collaborative. For those who don’t know music, he’s really good at breaking down what he’s thinking and very clear with his thoughts. He’s also a very fun, entertaining person who knows story. There was never any doubt that he was the guy.”
Chris Williams added, “the music covers a lot of ground tonally. He was able to hit all of those tones and bring a cohesion to the film, so he was fantastic.”
Roy Conli said Jackman, “saw early clips and had an idea where we going thematically. From those early themes, he was crafting ideas and as the film kept evolving, he would bring more. During our weekly meetings, for over a three month period, we would talk about the film, listen to music and he’s the most collaborative composer I’ve ever worked with.”
On how they put together the look and dialogue for Baymax. “It’s based on a real concept called soft robotics and I discovered it at Carnegie-Mellon University,” said Chris Williams. “I did a real trip and this is real stuff – vinyl robots that are inflatable for use in the health care industry. The entire personality of Baymax and his character design came from that research trip. We can’t say enough about the voice of Baymax, Scott Adsit.”
Adsit looked at many drawings of Baymax before deciding on the voice. “We wanted him to have a calm soothing voice and Scott himself came up with the idea of having the weird pauses between words. It was like the computer was trying to think of the things to say. It was great to have an amazing actor to work with,” said Roy Conli.
Between the filmmakers, the three mentioned their favorite animated films were PINOCCHIO and BAMBI.
Nominees Anthony Stacchi and Graham Annable, THE BOXTROLLS
The film’s charming score is from Dario Marianelli. “He’s a genius. We listed to a bunch of different composers and something unique as far as the instrumentation from Dario really stood out,” said Stacchi on their choice to go with the Oscar-winning composer (ANNA KARENINA).
Annable added, “He’s never done animation. I didn’t even know if he was going to be interested. We were nervous to meet him and it turned out he was just as nervous to meet us. He has his own children and he really wanted to do an animated feature.”
“Plus, a composer usually comes in at the end of the process, when the film is cut. Dario worked with us all the way through the process, so he did the music for our story reels. Sometimes we went to him for sequences where “Fish” and “Eggs” are playing with the music machine and he had to write the music before we would storyboard it. The dance sequence, he wrote that whole waltz while we were still storyboarding. It’s not only a waltz, it has to be a score, it has to be an emotional bed under the romantic moments. We worked with him for the entire 18 months of production,” concluded Stacchi.
Nominees Isao Takahata and Yoshiaki Nishimura, THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA
Nominee Tomm Moore, SONG OF THE SEA
While waiting for the Q&A to begin, the song “Let It Go” was piped into the theater. We noticed co-hosts and Oscar-winners Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck sitting in the row ahead. Both turned and said, “not this song again.” With a sense of humor, Lee went onto say, “my new phrase is ‘it’s not my fault.’ ” Buck said he is a fan of the latest video to come online where one N.C. mom records her frustration with FROZEN on the third snow day as well as the Oscar nominated song.
The nominees discussed how their films were developed, their creative processes and presented clips illustrating their technique. The five nominated films all deal with young characters who had lost someone and invokes the conversation no matter the age of the viewer.
“Sometimes an animated movie is the first film a child will see,” said HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 producer Bonnie Arnold.
For all the filmmakers, the process is still very organic. SONG OF THE SEA director Tomm Moore said, “It’s a way to tell the story so we don’t lose the folklore.” (trailer)
From drawings to movies, the panel discussed what originally drew them all to animation. “Comics was a way into animation,” said BIG HERO 6 director Don Hall.
THE BOXTROLLS nominee Anthony Stacchi said, “I’d love to see the people who do the behind the scenes work acknowledged with nominations in the main categories like Best Costume and Best Visual Effects.”
Nominees Isao Takahata and Yoshiaki Nishimura (THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA), via a translator, said they brought their film to life with a process of flat plane effects for animating. “It’s all about the simplicity of the line work.”
Watch the Oscars this Sunday, February 22nd on ABC.
On Wednesday, the Academy featured the 2014 Oscar-nominated films in the Documentary Short Subject and Documentary Feature categories.
Clips from the nominated films were screened, and nominees for all 10 films took part in panel discussions, talking about their own films and sharing insights on the craft of documentary filmmaking and the greater issues their nominated films explore.
Two-time Oscar winner and Academy documentary branch governor Rob Epstein opened the evening with the documentary shorts.
Epstein won the Oscar for documentary feature in 1984 for THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK and in 1989 for COMMON THREADS: STORIES FROM THE QUILT. His other credits include LOVELACE (2013) and the TV documentary “And The Oscar Goes To…” (2014)
During his opening remarks, Epstein said the theme that ran through the nominated shorts were “life beginning and life ending.”
All the filmmakers conceded the Cinéma vérité was what was so powerful, so intimate. It was a cathartic process for the directors. The real-life, up-close narratives surrounded extraordinary individuals. JOANNA director Aneta Kopacz remarked, “There was such a trust between myself and subject who’s story I was telling.”
Women filmmakers were at the forefront of the documentary shorts. Ellen Goosenberg Kent and Dana Perry of CRISIS HOTLINE: VETERANS PRESS 1 said of their movie, “that the sounds, the audio was just as important as the visuals” to get across the point of military veterans suffering from PTSD.
Best Documentary Short Subject
“Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1” (HBO Documentary Films)
A Perry Films Production
Ellen Goosenberg Kent and Dana Perry
“Joanna”
A Wajda Studio Production
Aneta Kopacz
“Our Curse”
A Warsaw Film School Production
Tomasz Śliwiński and Maciej Ślesicki
“The Reaper (La Parka)”
A Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica Production
Gabriel Serra Arguello
“White Earth”
A Weary Traveler Production
J. Christian Jensen
The nominated short films will be available on Vimeo OnDemand, iTunes® Stores in 54 countries, Amazon Instant Video®, Verizon and will be released across the US on VOD/Pay Per View platforms.
Next up was the Documentary Features, hosted by Tabitha Jackson. She is the director of the Documentary Film Program at the Sundance Institute and was executive producer on the feature documentaries SINS OF MY FATHER (2009) and 20,000 DAYS ON EARTH (2014).
Arriving up at the podium, she thanked co-host Epstein and quipped she was “Anne Hathaway to his James Franco.”
Jackson told the large audience at the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre that the documentary features nominated were “great in any medium whether it’s on the small screen, Amazon or Netflix. Non-fiction is the new reality. The language of cinema unites. I hope to see a documentary nominated one day in the Best Picture category.”
During the Q&A, the directors spoke on how they discovered the various subjects of their respective films and hoped their movies brought some entertainment to the world.
The documentarians all agreed that they wanted to create a message of hope, meaning and protecting human dignity.
Best documentary feature
“CitizenFour” (RADiUS)
A Praxis Films Production
Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy and Dirk Wilutzky
“Finding Vivian Maier” (Sundance Selects)
A Ravine Pictures Production
John Maloof and Charlie Siskel Read Jim Batts’ interview with Finding Vivian Maier’s filmmakers HERE.
“Last Days in Vietnam” (American Experience Films)
A Moxie Firecracker Films Production
Rory Kennedy and Keven McAlester
“The Salt of the Earth” (Sony Pictures Classics)
A Decia Films Production
Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado and David Rosier
“Virunga” (Netflix)
A Grain Media Production
Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara
When the first Academy Awards were handed out on May 16, 1929, at an Academy banquet in the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, movies had just begun to talk. The attendance was 270 and guest tickets cost $5. It was a long banquet, filled with speeches, but presentation of the statuettes was handled expeditiously by Academy President Douglas Fairbanks.
The suspense that now touches most of the world at Oscar time was not always a characteristic of the Awards presentation. That first year, the award recipients were announced to the public three months ahead of the ceremony.
Today, Oscar pundits and fans alike avidly watch the precursor and guild awards to ultimately make their predictions in the 24 categories. Academy members have cast their ballots, so now it’s our turn for our Oscar picks.
Need some help in that office Oscar pool or at the party you’re throwing at home? WAMG is here to help. Below are WAMG’s predictions for the 87th Academy Awards.
Print our ballot at the bottom or head over to Oscar.com for the Academy’s ballot here.
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Steve Carell in “Foxcatcher”
Bradley Cooper in “American Sniper”
Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Imitation Game”
Michael Keaton in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Tom, Michelle, Jim, Melissa T.
Eddie Redmayne in “The Theory of Everything” Melissa H., Michael, Gary
WILL WIN: Eddie Redmayne
SHOULD WIN: Michael Keaton
Note: This category could go either way. Redmayne won the Screen Actors Guild, but oh how’d we love to see Keaton up at the podium.
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Robert Duvall in “The Judge”
Ethan Hawke in “Boyhood”
Edward Norton in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Mark Ruffalo in “Foxcatcher”
J.K. Simmons in “Whiplash” Tom, Michelle, Melissa H., Michael, Jim, Gary, Melissa T.
WILL WIN: J.K. Simmons
SHOULD WIN: J.K. Simmons
Note: Well liked among his peers. A slam dunk for Simmons as the crazed percussion instructor.
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Marion Cotillard in “Two Days, One Night”
Felicity Jones in “The Theory of Everything”
Julianne Moore in “Still Alice” Tom, Michelle, Melissa H., Michael, Jim, Gary, Melissa T.
Rosamund Pike in “Gone Girl”
Reese Witherspoon in “Wild”
WILL WIN: Julianne Moore
SHOULD WIN: Julianne Moore
Note: Moore is overdue and will at long last, win the Oscar.
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Patricia Arquette in “Boyhood” Tom, Michelle, Melissa H., Michael, Jim, Gary, Melissa T.
Laura Dern in “Wild”
Keira Knightley in “The Imitation Game”
Emma Stone in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Meryl Streep in “Into the Woods”
WILL WIN: Patricia Arquette
SHOULD WIN: Patricia Arquette
Note: Arquette has won every precursor leading up to Oscar Sunday. We think this one is a shoo-in.
Best animated feature film of the year
“Big Hero 6” Don Hall, Chris Williams and Roy Conli Melissa H., Melissa T.
“The Boxtrolls” Anthony Stacchi, Graham Annable and Travis Knight
“How to Train Your Dragon 2” Dean DeBlois and Bonnie Arnold Tom, Michelle, Michael, Jim, Gary
“Song of the Sea” Tomm Moore and Paul Young
“The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” Isao Takahata and Yoshiaki Nishimura
WILL WIN: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
SHOULD WIN: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
Note: DRAGON 2 should take it here, but be on the lookout for BIG HERO 6.
Achievement in cinematography
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Emmanuel Lubezki Tom, Michelle, Melissa H., Michael, Gary, Melissa T.
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Robert Yeoman
“Ida” Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski
“Mr. Turner” Dick Pope Jim
“Unbroken” Roger Deakins
WILL WIN: BIRDMAN
SHOULD WIN: BIRDMAN
Note: Lubezki won last year for GRAVITY and will repeat again. Shame Roger Deakins (UNBROKEN) will go home empty handed again.
Achievement in costume design
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Milena Canonero Tom, Michael, Michelle, Gary
“Inherent Vice” Mark Bridges
“Into the Woods” Colleen Atwood Melissa T.
“Maleficent” Anna B. Sheppard and Jane Clive Melissa H.
“Mr. Turner” Jacqueline Durran Jim
WILL WIN: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
SHOULD WIN: MALEFICENT
Note: The 17th Costume Designers Guild Awards recently went to Into the Woods (Fantasy) – Colleen Atwood and to The Grand Budapest Hotel (Period Film) – Milena Canonero. It’s a toss up.
Achievement in directing
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Alejandro G. Iñárritu Tom, Michelle, Melissa H., Gary
“Boyhood” Richard Linklater Michael, Jim, Melissa T.
“Foxcatcher” Bennett Miller
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Wes Anderson
“The Imitation Game” Morten Tyldum
WILL WIN: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
SHOULD WIN: Richard Linklater
Note: Will it be a spread the wealth type of year with a picture/director split?
Best documentary feature
“CitizenFour” Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy and Dirk Wilutzky Michelle, Michael, Jim, Gary, Melissa T.
“Finding Vivian Maier” John Maloof and Charlie Siskel
“Last Days in Vietnam” Rory Kennedy and Keven McAlester
“The Salt of the Earth” Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado and David Rosier
“Virunga” Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara
WILL WIN: CITIZENFOUR
SHOULD WIN: LAST DAYS OF VIETNAM
Note: CITIZENFOUR won the Bafta and DGA documentary award. All of the stories were powerful, but Laura Poitras’ timely subject matter has the edge here.
Best documentary short subject
“Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1” Ellen Goosenberg Kent and Dana Perry Michelle, Melissa T.
“Joanna” Aneta Kopacz Gary
“Our Curse” Tomasz Sliwinski and Maciej Slesicki
“The Reaper (La Parka)” Gabriel Serra Arguello
“White Earth” J. Christian Jensen
WILL WIN: CRISIS HOTLINE: VETERANS PRESS 1
SHOULD WIN: JOANNA
Note: Dealing with the Veterans Crisis Line, voters will most likely go with CRISIS HOTLINE: VETERANS PRESS 1. However, the story of a JOANNA, a mother facing a terminal illness, could win here.
Achievement in film editing
“American Sniper” Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach
“Boyhood” Sandra Adair Tom, Michelle, Melissa H., Michael, Jim, Gary, Melissa T.
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Barney Pilling
“The Imitation Game” William Goldenberg
“Whiplash” Tom Cross
WILL WIN: BOYHOOD
SHOULD WIN: BOYHOOD
Note: Competing against WHIPLASH and AMERICAN SNIPER, and with no BIRDMAN in the line up, we think BOYHOOD takes home the Oscar. Will BIRDMAN’s subject matter and seamless editing cancel out the no editing nomination-no best picture rule this year?
Best foreign language film of the year
“Ida” Poland Michelle, Michael, Gary
“Leviathan” Russia Jim
“Tangerines” Estonia
“Timbuktu” Mauritania Melissa T.
“Wild Tales” Argentina
WILL WIN: IDA
SHOULD WIN: IDA
Note: Poland’s entry recently won the BAFTA earlier in February, but LEVIATHAN could pull the upset.
Achievement in makeup and hairstyling
“Foxcatcher” Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier Michelle, Michael, Gary
“Guardians of the Galaxy” Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White Melissa H., Jim, Melissa T.
WILL WIN: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
SHOULD WIN: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
Note: The Hair and Makeup Guilds split on this – they awarded both GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (Contemporary Make-Up) and THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (Best Period and/or Character Make-Up & Hair). With all the Wes Anderson characters, Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier look to win this.
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Alexandre Desplat Melissa H., Gary
“The Imitation Game” Alexandre Desplat Melissa T.
“Interstellar” Hans Zimmer Michelle
“Mr. Turner” Gary Yershon
“The Theory of Everything” Jóhann Jóhannsson Tom, Michael, Jim
WILL WIN: Jóhann Jóhannsson
SHOULD WIN: Alexandre Desplat
Note: Alexandre Desplat has two noms this year and has never won, but composer Johann Johannson’s THEORY OF EVERYTHING… FTW.
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“Everything Is Awesome” from “The Lego Movie”
Music and Lyric by Shawn Patterson Melissa H.
“Glory” from “Selma”
Music and Lyric by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn Tom, Michael, Jim, Gary
“Grateful” from “Beyond the Lights”
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
“I’m Not Gonna Miss You” from “Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me”
Music and Lyric by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond Michelle, Melissa T.
“Lost Stars” from “Begin Again”
Music and Lyric by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois
WILL WIN: “Glory”
SHOULD WIN: “I’m Not Gonna Miss You”
Note: “Glory” from SELMA will ultimately win here, but what a moment it would be if the Academy granted Glen Campbell one final award with an Oscar win.
Best motion picture of the year
“American Sniper”
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Tom, Melissa H., Michael, Jim, Gary
“Boyhood” Michelle, Melissa T.
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“The Imitation Game”
“Selma”
“The Theory of Everything”
“Whiplash”
WILL WIN: BIRDMAN
SHOULD WIN: BOYHOOD
Note: With wins at the Screen Actors Guild, Producers Guild and Directors Guild, BIRDMAN wins gold. But BOYHOOD could spoil here – its the kind of film Oscar voters like to honor. Could the box office momentum thrust AMERICAN SNIPER as the ultimate spoiler?
Achievement in production design
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock Tom, Michelle, Melissa H., Michael, Jim, Gary
“The Imitation Game” Production Design: Maria Djurkovic; Set Decoration: Tatiana Macdonald
“Interstellar” Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
“Into the Woods” Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock Melissa T.
“Mr. Turner” Production Design: Suzie Davies; Set Decoration: Charlotte Watts
WILL WIN: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
SHOULD WIN: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
Note: It made us want to check in!
Best animated short film
“The Bigger Picture” Daisy Jacobs and Christopher Hees
“The Dam Keeper” Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi
“Feast” Patrick Osborne and Kristina Reed Michelle, Gary
“Me and My Moulton” Torill Kove Melissa T.
“A Single Life” Joris Oprins
WILL WIN: FEAST
SHOULD WIN: FEAST
Note: They got us with the little dog, Winston.
Best live action short film
“Aya” Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis
“Boogaloo and Graham” Michael Lennox and Ronan Blaney
“Butter Lamp (La Lampe Au Beurre De Yak)” Hu Wei and Julien Féret
“Parvaneh” Talkhon Hamzavi and Stefan Eichenberger
“The Phone Call” Mat Kirkby and James Lucas Michelle, Gary, Melissa T.
WILL WIN: THE PHONE CALL
SHOULD WIN: THE PHONE CALL
Note: BOOGALOO AND GRAHAM won the BAFTA, but we have a soft spot for the film done, according to Mat Kirkby (interview), as a “homage to our mums,” THE PHONE CALL. We think the Academy voters will too.
Achievement in sound editing
“American Sniper” Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman Tom, Michelle, Michael, Jim, Gary
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Martín Hernández and Aaron Glascock Melissa H.
“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” Brent Burge and Jason Canovas
“Interstellar” Richard King Melissa T.
“Unbroken” Becky Sullivan and Andrew DeCristofaro
WILL WIN: AMERICAN SNIPER
SHOULD WIN: BIRDMAN
Note: This is where AMERICAN SNIPER will pick up a statue.
Achievement in sound mixing
“American Sniper” John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Walt MartinTom, Michael, Jim
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and Thomas Varga Michelle
“Interstellar” Gary A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker and Mark Weingarten
“Unbroken” Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and David Lee Melissa T.
“Whiplash” Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley Melissa H., Gary
WILL WIN: BIRDMAN
SHOULD WIN: WHIPLASH
Note: Another win for Clint Eastwood’s movie could happen. BIRDMAN should win this category as it won the trophy for outstanding sound mixing during the 51st annual Cinema Audio Society Awards.
Achievement in visual effects
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill and Dan Sudick
“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist Tom
“Guardians of the Galaxy” Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner and Paul Corbould Melissa H., Melissa T.
“Interstellar” Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher Michelle, Michael, Jim, Gary
“X-Men: Days of Future Past” Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Tim Crosbie and Cameron Waldbauer
WILL WIN: DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
SHOULD WIN: INTERSTELLAR
Note: DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES won the top prize at the VFX Society, but with the black hole, the gravity of space and the 4,000 ft high tidal wave, the upset could be INTERSTELLAR.
Adapted screenplay
“American Sniper” Written by Jason Hall
“The Imitation Game” Written by Graham Moore Michelle, Michael, Jim, Gary
“Inherent Vice” Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson Melissa T.
“The Theory of Everything” Screenplay by Anthony McCarten Melissa H.
“Whiplash” Written by Damien ChazelleTom
WILL WIN: THE IMITATION GAME
SHOULD WIN: WHIPLASH
Note: IMITATION GAME won Adapted Screenplay last weekend at the Writers Guild Awards. As the guilds and voters overlap, this will probably be your Oscar winner.
Original screenplay
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Written by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. & Armando Bo Tom, Melissa H., Jim, Melissa T.
“Boyhood” Written by Richard Linklater
“Foxcatcher” Written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness Michelle, Michael, Gary
“Nightcrawler” Written by Dan Gilroy
WILL WIN: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
SHOULD WIN: BIRDMAN
Note: Going by its win at the Writers Guild Awards, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL and Wes Anderson will take the Academy Award.
The 87th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscars, produced by Zadan and Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
With Oscar’s big day just days away, preparations and rehearsals continued Wednesday for the 87th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre.
Excited for the red carpet fashions and A-listers?
PEOPLE has partnered with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to present the 2015 Oscar Fan Experience on Sunday, February 22nd. The PEOPLE Oscar Fan Experience treats red carpet and movie buffs around the world with unprecedented access.
700 fans including PEOPLE VIP subscribers were selected to watch and cheer nominees, presenters and film’s biggest stars with a full day Oscar experience on the most anticipated red carpet of the year. As the telecast begins, PEOPLE Oscar Fan Experience guests will be whisked away for an exclusive viewing party at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles.
“PEOPLE is excited to partner for the third consecutive year with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,” said Karen Kovacs, Publisher, PEOPLE. “The Oscar Fan Experience provides PEOPLE’s VIP subscribers access to the best seats in the house – right on the red carpet with their favorite celebrities.”
Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, the 87th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscars, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
Fans can visit PEOPLE.com and Oscar.com for unprecedented access into this year’s Oscars.
The Academy has also released a new video on the Oscar statuette – the most recognized award in the world and the ultimate symbol of achievement in filmmaking.
Did you know that the statuette stands 13 1/2 inches tall and weighs a robust 8 1/2 pounds?
The design of the statuette has never changed from its original conception, but the size of the base varied until the present standard was adopted in 1945. Officially named the Academy Award of Merit, the statuette is better known by its nickname, Oscar, the origins of which aren’t clear.
A popular story has been that Academy librarian and eventual executive director Margaret Herrick thought it resembled her Uncle Oscar and said so, and that the Academy staff began referring to it as Oscar. In any case, by the sixth Awards presentation in 1934, Hollywood columnist Sidney Skolsky used the name in his column in reference to Katharine Hepburn’s first Best Actress win. The Academy itself didn’t use the nickname officially until 1939.
The 15 statuettes presented at the initial ceremonies were gold-plated solid bronze. Within a few years the bronze was abandoned in favor of britannia metal, a pewter-like alloy, which made it easier to give the statuettes their smooth finish. Because of the metals shortage during World War II, Oscars were made of painted plaster for three years. Following the war, all of the awarded plaster figures were exchanged for gold-plated metal ones.
