So pretty close to the schedule we had for the most recent Oscars. But in other news by the Academy, as usual this time of year, the Academy's Board of Governors votes on any changes to make to the Awards before they release the official rules for the next Academy Awards. This year, they are making a new stipulation to cover the emergence of films being presented on the internet and how they cannot be considered for an Oscar unless they are shown theatrically first. Also, the Academy voted on some name changes to a couple of categories, but other than that, not much real new has been voted for the next Oscars. Here's what they have voted on this year.
A film cannot appear on the internet before its theatrical release and be eligible for an Oscar, the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decided this week.
The Academy board decided that, like a television broadcast, an internet transmission disqualifies a film if the transmission occurs before the film's Los Angeles County qualifying run, and so specified in the general rule for eligibility for the 73rd Annual Academy Awards, as well as in the special rules for the documentary awards.
The rulings emphasized the Academy's longstanding principle that its province is theatrical motion pictures as distinct from pictures experienced as lone viewing.
Rule Two, the eligibility rule, states that "films which receive their first public exhibition or distribution in any manner other than as a theatrical motion picture release will not be eligible for Academy Awards in any category." The rule then contains a parenthetical sentence that will now read: "(This includes broadcast and cable television, as well as home video marketing and internet transmission.)"
