AMPAS Uses Preferential System For Oscars
Academy Changes Ballot System on Best Picture Nomination
Sep 1, 2009
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences – the organization that puts on the Oscars – has drastically revamped their voting system for Best Picture nominations.
According to the AMPAS press office, as a result of the Best Picture competition being opened to 10 finalists in June, the Academy has switched to a preferential system in order to determine the winner.
"Instead of just marking an 'X' to indicate which one picture they believe to be the best, members will indicate their second, third and further preferences as well," explained Academy president Tom Sherak in the press release. "Price Waterhouse Coopers will then be able to establish the best picture recipient with the strongest support of a majority of our electorate."
AMPAS has long been using the preferential system to determine final nominees to a category, but this is the first time since 1945 that they will use it to determine an actual winner.
AMPAS to Use Preferential System to Determine Best Picture Winner in 2010 Oscars
What does this mean for the 5,800 Academy members, and those viewers who love movies and follow the Oscars?
Moving to the preferential system eliminates the chances that two highly popular films split the vote, and allow a dark horse film to take Oscar's biggest prize with only 13% of the voters liking the thing. Upsets may still happen if a movie sharply divides opinions, but it's more likely that the winner will be a film most people enjoy.
This news has stirred hope that well-regarded films that are were snubbed by Oscar in previous years (The Dark Knight, comedies, Disney and Pixar animated movies) will finally get more respect with the nominating committee. There are no shortage of 2009 films that fall into this category: 500 Days of Summer, Star Trek, Up, Inglourious Basterds, The Hangover, and District 9 all did well with critics and audiences, but possessed certain qualities that AMPAS voters don't like.
Even if there's a groundswell of support for those types of movies, AMPAS still chooses the finalists and their viewing habits – and occasional need to choose the semi-daring artistic choice over the populist fave – haven't changed.
It's also worth noting that the most active AMPAS voters are the retired filmmakers and actors, who have more time on their hands to check out the Oscar competition. That means their watching – and voting – habits will be more conservative than those Academy members who are still making movies.
So, for those of you who hope that Quentin Tarantino or Pete Docter will hoist the golden statue on Oscar night . . . keep hoping, but don't expect miracles.
The Oscars will be presented on March 5, 2010.
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