We’re approaching that time of the year again when the industry’s attention turns to Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre and to the 82nd Academy Awards. Interest and anticipation builds as we wait to find out who will cement their place in history. And not forgetting the detail: Who’s speech will be overly long?, Who will cry? Who is wearing Armani? Gucci? Will this be the year that an Animated Feature wins Best Film? And will a Native North American Indian take to the stage as an actor’s protest?
There will be gongs for both those in front of and behind the camera; Cinematography, Costume Design, Makeup, Sound Editing, Visual Effects, Screenplay Writing, are all categories listed for Oscars, making the event a true celebration for the motion picture industry and not just about actors, actresses and celebrities.
And the process is rigorous. The Academy’s roughly 6,000 members vote for the Oscars using secret ballots, which are then tabulated by Pricewaterhouse Coopers. The auditors maintain absolute secrecy until the moment the show’s presenters open the envelopes and reveal the winners on live television. Dun, dun, dun….
Although it measures just 13½ inches high, the Oscar statuette stands tall as the motion picture industry’s greatest honour. Officially named the Academy Award® of Merit, the Oscar is given in recognition of the highest level of achievement in moviemaking.
And what else…The first Academy Awards ceremony took place out of the public eye during an Academy banquet at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. 270 people attended the May 16, 1929 dinner in the Blossom Room; with tickets costing around $5. However, there was little suspense when the awards were presented as the recipients had already been announced three months earlier.
And the winner is? The UK’s BAFTA’s may have given an indication as to who will be walking away with what on the night, but until the envelopes are opened it is still very much in the balance. Here are our predictions for the top six nods:
Actor in a Leading Role: Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
Actress in a Leading Role: Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
Actor in a Supporting Role: Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”
Actress in a Supporting Role: Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Directing: “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow
Best Picture: “Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
And finally in some interesting UK news, a battered Doctor Who Dalek – with missing parts – was sold for more than £20,000 at auction last week. It drew the highest price at the sale of 160 props from the TV show at Bonhams in London. The price tag was three times the estimated £7,000. And if you attended last year’s Soho Fun Run you will have seen the Doctor’s tardis on the Production Wizard stall. It’s the only way for a Wizard to travel!
Another February winds down and with it another successful Broadcast Video Expo at Earl’s Court, UK. With attendance up 9% to 12,450, all attention now looks towards NAB and IBC where we’re sure to see the 3D trend on show, plus other techno themes following on from BVE (mobile TV, free online content, DAB2, Sony’s unveiling of new 
BBC Vision, the corporation’s TV and video content division, is to cut back on digital spending to protect its programme budget.
So Simon Cowell is leaving American Idol, Jonathan Ross is leaving the BBC, Conan O’Brien is set to leave NBC and 
Hollywood actress and troubled starlet, Lindsay Lohan, will investigate child trafficking in India for a BBC3 documentary (the designing intelligence that gave us Freaky Eaters, My Man Boobs and Me, and Fuck Off, I’m Fat). And no, this is not a dippy film script or Paris Hilton-style reality TV show. It’s serious stuff dontcha know. Lindsay Lohan in India will follow Lohan as she meets children forced into sweat shops and prostitution, as well as former traffickers.
With thousands of Graduates and youngsters eager for relevant experience within the media industry, the UK National Council for Work Experience are experiencing their busiest period yet. The Council’s brief is to promote, support and develop quality work experience for the benefit of students, organisations and the economy - particularly important given the number of unemployed 16-to-24 year olds in the UK rose recently to 952,000, the highest figure since records began in 1992.
