The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed Friday that it is “reviewing its campaign procedures.” Andrea RiseboroughI was surprised to get an Oscar nomination for a small indie film.”to Leslie“
The Academy released a statement about the campaign on Friday, but didn’t specifically mention “To Leslie.”
“The Academy’s goal is to ensure that the awards competition is conducted in a fair and ethical manner, and we are committed to ensuring a comprehensive awards process,” the statement read. increase. “We are reviewing our campaign procedures regarding this year’s candidates to ensure they are not in violation of our guidelines and will let you know if any changes to our guidelines are necessary in the new era of social media and digital communications. , we are confident in the integrity of our nomination and voting procedures and support a true grassroots campaign for superior performance.”
The drama, which grossed just $27,000 at the box office, came in to scrutinize the targeted campaign run by its supporters on behalf of Riseborough.
Since Tuesday’s nomination, the industry has been hotly debating whether her campaign violated rules and guidelines established by AMPAS. Rumors are circulating that there is In fact, multiple sources say the Academy will hold a meeting next Tuesday where Riseborough will be on the agenda. No formal complaint has been filed.
If you drove through West LA this past winter, you’ve likely seen countless award-winning billboards, including Netflix’s “All Quiet on the Western Front” and Paramount’s “Top Gun: Maverick.” No one would have seen her in the Momentum Pictures drama To Leslie, which nominated Roseboro over Viola Davis (“Queen”) and Danielle Deadweiler (“Till”).However, her grassroots endeavors garnered star endorsements such as Edward Norton, Jane Fonda, and fellow nominee Cate Blanchett, all of whom publicly admired the actress’ work. was directed by Michael Morris, and his wife Mary McCormack proved instrumental in rallying an A-list army in favor of Riseborough. Email obtained by varietyMcCormick provided language and details that friends shared via social media and other means to pitch the leading lady in “To Leslie.”
As the Riseborough nomination continues to be the talk of the town, we have a few questions to answer over the next few days.
Did the Riseborough Faction Break Academy Rules?
There is nothing wrong with encouraging Oscar voters to watch the film by touting its merits. However, some rival campaigns say “To Leslie” used “aggressive tactics” to cross the line.
There are also precedents for movies and artists to be disqualified for violating the rules. In 2014, Bruce Broughton, then executive committee member of the Academy’s music department, was nominated for original composition for the title track, “Alone Yet Not Alone.” His nomination was revoked after it was discovered that he had emailed members of the music department to inform them of his submission during the voting period.
In the case of Riseborough, critics have yet to find “conclusive evidence” of direct recruitment from Riseborough to Academy membership. But others who worked on her behalf have been accused of breaking the rules.
Academy member and “Titanic” star Frances Fisher was one of Riseborough’s most vocal supporters, sharing multiple posts on social media about her performance. However, some of these posts may or may not violate Academy rules. 11 “References to Other Candidates” states that “Any tactic of singling out ‘competitions’ by name or title is expressly prohibited.”
In a post from her personal Instagram account dated Jan. 14, Fisher wrote: The Actors Her Branch nominated her for Best Actress. “
she continues. [Davis]Michelle [Yeoh],Daniel [Deadwyler] & Kate [Blanchett] Key to their outstanding work. “
It’s not “illegal” to defend a favorite movie or performance, but references to Yeoh, Deadweiler, Blanchett, and Davis seem to have made Fisher a mistake. Unless there is a way, it has nothing to do with Riseborough directly.
If a formal complaint is filed, Fischer could be suspended by the Academy for one year. Part C of the Regulations states: of membership for first-time violations. “
Again, no formal complaints have yet been filed regarding “To Leslie.”
Who funded this “self-funded” effort?
Oscar campaigns are expensive activities, including parties, consultants, and advertising. The “To Leslie” campaign was clearly self-funded. But he enlisted his two PR firms, Narrative and Shelter, and his planners for events like Colleen Camp, to bring attention to the film. Who paid those bills? Momentum Pictures? Riseboro? some third party? Inquisitive minds want to know.
What does ‘lobbying’ mean to the Academy?
In the weeks leading up to the AMPAS vote, Riseborough’s selfie campaign began to take off with the help of manager Jason Weinberg, Narrative PR and Shelter PR. Nonetheless, most award pundits assumed the actor would be a long shot after other nominees for Ray were nominated from the Golden Globes, SAG, and other major foreshadowing awards.
However, the personal charm of her high-profile friends may have taken over her. It could be the result of Riseborough’s stacked résumés, including. Many Oscar nominees do her Q&As with other actors and talent as a way to get their films noticed. The question, however, is whether the endorsement of friends in Riseborough constitutes lobbying, as the Academy forbids.
Can Riseborough revoke her nomination?
It’s possible, but highly unlikely.
For various reasons, nine nominations have been revoked in the Academy’s 95 years. This includes Charlie Chaplin in the film The Circus (1928) at the first ceremony for Greg Russell’s recent appearance removed for the best sound mixing in ’13 Hours’ (2016).
There’s no evidence that Riseborough broke any Oscar rules, but it’s possible the team took advantage of a loophole to gain the recognition they felt she deserved.
Riseborough’s friends found that only 218 of the 9,579 AMPAS members needed her name written down to secure the nomination. And they used that her math to their advantage.
The Actors Branch was the largest of the Academy this year with 1,302 members. If all members vote (if they don’t), a candidate needs 218 votes to secure a slot. If the number of votes is low, the required number is also reduced. But then again, I’m fine with dealing with numbers, and I need hard evidence that hasn’t yet been fleshed out to disqualify Riseborough.
How will this affect future award campaigns?
If nothing is done, many high-profile studios and strategists will be using the same tactics next awards season. You may also see the Academy clarifying some of its own rules to close some “loopholes”.
Riseborough is not the first person to self-fund her campaign. However, Melissa Leo’s infamous “CONSIDER” ad was bought to win “The Fighter” (2010). Intended to show her charming side, she walked to the edge of what was acceptable, in contrast to her work in that film as a blue-collar mother. (2012) as Restaurant Manager, she scraped about $13,000 from a colleague and her bank account to send a DVD of her work to members of the Academy, but fell short of being nominated.
“There will be a lot of tough conversations going forward,” one studio spokesperson told Variety, who requested anonymity. Andrea’s nomination is out of the ordinary. It’s a miracle. Otherwise many of us would be out of work.”
There is a cottage industry that has sprung up around. oscarthe one that generates a lot of money for strategists and advisors.