Oscar Nominations

The Oscars are a spectacular event that begin once the Oscar nominations have been read. Then those who have been nominated start making appearances on magazine covers and on the afternoon or late night talk shows. Being nominated for an Oscar is a symbol of very high regard in Hollywood. Even if they don’t win, anyone who is nominated for an Oscar can be assured they will be in high demand in the film industry over the next couple of years.

Have you ever wondered how they come up with the people who have been nominated for an Oscar? The group of individuals who get to select the Oscar nominees are members of the academy. These are industry professionals who are selected on various criteria. Anyone who wins an Oscar also gets to become a member, thus being part of the Oscar nomination process in the following years. One someone is a member of the academy, they remain a part of the Oscar nomination process until they die.

The members of the academy belong on one particular branch. This can be acting, directing, editing, writing, sound, or music. If a particular member is a singer and an actor, they have to choose the branch they want to be a member of. They can’t be in both and they can’t change in the future.

Each member of the academy is mailed a ballot in January. They get to select up to three people to nominate in their particular category. The ballots have to be back in by the third week of January to be counted. Come the first week of February, the top five nominees in each category become public. Once the Oscar nominations have been narrowed to the top five, each academy member is sent another ballot. They agree to review the particular films in each category and then select a winner in each category. The ballots are counted once again, and the winners are announced at the extravagant Oscars in March.

You can get in on the fun and make your own Oscar nominations. Keep track of some of the best performances you see throughout the year. Many online websites and magazines have Oscar nominations that you can participate in for fun. Once the selections have been narrowed down to the top five, you can have fun seeing how many you get right. Some magazines and online sites hold a contest with prizes for those who select the most winners correctly.