….
[30th October 2017]
[Location: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences HQ]
On the fourth floor, behind a series of soundproofed double doors requiring security keycards, was the team that will be releasing the strom by evening.
"Thank God…."
Arthur Finch said, his voice flat as he rubbed his temples, staring at the calendar pinned to the corkboard.
He was a veteran of thirty two Oscar campaigns, first as a publicist, then as an acquisitions consultant, and now as the Chairman of the Academy's Directors Branch Executive Committee.
He stood by the window. "We dodged a bullet. At least we don't have to deal with the Batman problem this year."
Eleanor Vance, a seventy-year-old former documentary producer who had guarded the Academy's 'prestige' guidelines for two decades, looked up from her spreadsheet–
"Because of ten days, Arthur?"
"Exactly ten days." James Cole, the Academy's PR director, said as he adjusted his glasses, his laptop displaying the official theatrical release certifications–
"Our bylaws are strict. For the 90th Academy Awards, the eligibility window runs from August 20, 2016, to August 20, 2017. The Dark Knight didn't hit theaters until August 30, 2017, missing the cutoff by exactly ten days. It will have to wait until the following year."
"A ten-day reprieve." Eleanor murmured, her lip curling with a mixture of relief and dry amusement. "That means we don't have to explain why we are issuing a dual Best Director nomination to Fede Álvarez and Regal Seraphsail for a single split-directed film.
"...and also to the actors' branch how Darren Hayes, a former line producer, managed to secure an acting nomination as the Joker with his debut project."
"But don't breathe easy yet." Cole warned, pulling up the certified submissions list from LIE Studios–
"The Batman film might be deferred to next year's slate, but Regal Seraphsail still has three separate, massive cultural juggernauts sitting squarely in the middle of our twelve month eligibility window:
"[John Wick], [Kung Fu Panda], and [Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]. He is still competing against himself across multiple screenplay, score, and picture categories."
Finch let out a sigh, leaning back in his chair. "Three films. All under LIE Studios. Last year, evaluating the 2015-2016 films, it was a sweep for [I Want to Eat Your Pancreas] and [Deadpool] with nine nominations, six wins, and Ryan Reynolds taking home 'Best Actor' for a profane, R-rated superhero movie. And the year before that, his slate took nine wins across [Superman: Man of Tomorrow] and [Iron Man].
"Is that even a career of someone who is in his late twenties, Eleanor?"
He walked over to the whiteboard, where the final list of final that will be released as for the 90th Academy Awards nomination:
====
[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix] (LIE Studios / Red Pictures)
[John Wick] (LIE Studios / Red Pictures)
[Kung Fu Panda] (LIE Studios / Unique FX)
[The Silent Horizon] (Apollo Pictures)
[The Mirror's Edge] (Whitebridge Studios)
====
"Let's look at 'John Wick' first." Eleanor said, tapping her pen against the first stack of ballots–
"A hard-R, hyper violent action movie. Usually our voters would relegate a film like that to the technical categories – Sound, Stunts, maybe a nod for visual coordination.
"But Keanu Reeves' performance is undeniable. His physical commitment, especially performing most of the stunts himself, practically guarantees that the actors' branch will lock in his nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role."
"It's the editing that carries the weight." James Cole noted, pulling up the timeline data. "Zack Barg, as always, went against the standard Hollywood shaky cam used to hide actors' flaws and instead held the camera wide, letting the choreography breathe. The nightclub scene, with the gunshots syncing perfectly to Ludwig Göransson's industrial synth score, becomes a visual ballet, which is why the editors' branch has nominated it for Best Film Editing."
"And Regal's script is on the board for Best Original Screenplay." Finch added, writing the nomination under the John Wick column. "It's the cleanest, most minimalist action script we've read in a decade without lazy exposition, or bloated setups."
"Well, at least we have it easy with this…"
Eleanor Vance said, pulling out a folder labeled: [KUNG FU PANDA - UNIQUE FX]
She added. "Since it is an animated film, it will be directly nominated for the [Best Animated Feature]."
"Right…" James Cole asked. "We are nominating the film, right?"
His question made me understand exactly the pressure he is going through.
Their official social media literally from the past few months had been filled with state-approved cultural delegates from Beijing writing formal reviews praising the film's Daoist philosophy, its thematic maturity, and its sheer respect for ancient traditions.
Actually, they are lucky to have the thoughts of nominating the film from the beginning; otherwise the backlash would have been unimaginable.
"And then there is our every year contender film from 'Harry Potter' franchise." Finch murmured, pointing his pen at the final column. "[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]."
There is no surprise amongst anyone over this.
From the last five years, they have gotten so used to seeing the film in the list, they don't even want to conduct any voting from the particular franchise films.
It is an every year contender.
But there is something new this time–
"Lena Crawford directed the film." Eleanor Vance said, a faint, genuine note of respect touching her voice. "The trades called her a sitcom director who only got the job because of her connections to Friends. But she delivered a masterpiece of institutional dread. And the directors' branch was more than excited to nominate her for Best Director."
Regardless of whether they accept or not, female nominations for [Best Director] are rare.
And whenever it happens, it helps the Academy Awards to push Women Empowerment in Hollywood, and hope for others to follow.
And fortunately, the film really has substance to even win the Award.
"There is also…" James Cole chimed in, being careful. "Ross Oakley's… for Dumbledore."
They still remember how many times they have nominated this man, but often more times he had rarely won.
Which was broken a few years for his [Wiphlash] film.
"Yes…" Eleanor said simply–
"And Regal Seraphsail is nominated for 'Best Adapted Screenplay' for the same film. Meaning he has three separate screenplay nominations across three different films at the exact same ceremony. 'Best Original Screenplay' for 'John Wick', 'Best Original Screenplay' for 'Kung Fu Panda, and 'Best Adapted Screenplay' for 'Order of the Phoenix'"
Silence fell over the room.
The laser printers in the corner clacked to a stop, the final, certified nomination lists for the 90th Academy Awards cooling in the output trays.
"Do you think he will try to promote the film this time?" Cole asked, staring at the completed board.
Every other studio spends millions on these elaborate, exhausting 'For Your Consideration' campaigns, begging for our attention.
But Regal? He doesn't campaign. He just releases a trailer, breaks the internet's servers, and expects us to catch up to him.
"Because the work is true, James." Finch said softly, capping his green marker. "And if we try to exclude him to make room for safer, more traditional studio films, the public and the media will tear our credibility to shreds."
He turned to Eleanor. "Are we ready to certify?"
Eleanor picked up her pen, her hand steady despite the forty-eight hours of continuous deliberation.
"The trades write what they want." Eleanor said, a faint, resigned smile touching her lips as she signed her name at the bottom of the certification sheet–
"This year... we are just going to let the Boogeyman have his room."
====
THE 90th ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS (OCTOBER 2017):
For [Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix] (9 Nominations)
| Best Picture (Produced by LIE Studios / Red Pictures)
| Best Director – Lena Crawford
| Best Supporting Actor – Ross Oakley (Albus Dumbledore)
| Best Adapted Screenplay – Regal Seraphsail
| Best Cinematography – Leo Martinez
| Best Film Editing – Zack Barg
| Best Costume Design – Seren Seraphsail
| Best Production Design – LIE Studios and Red Studios
| Best Visual Effects - Unique FX
—
For [John Wick] (8 Nominations):
| Best Picture – LIE Studios
| Best Director – Regal Seraphsail
| Best Actor in a Leading Role – Keanu Reeves
| Best Original Screenplay – Regal Seraphsail
| Best Cinematography – Leo Martinez
| Best Film Editing – Zack Barg
| Best Sound Editing – Zack Barg and Ludwig Göransson
| Best Original Score – Ludwig Göransson
—
For [Kung Fu Panda] (4 Nominations):
| Best Animated Feature – Unique FX and LIE Studios
| Best Original Screenplay – Regal Seraphsail
| Best Original Score – Ludwig Göransson
| Best Sound Mixing – Ludwig Göransson
====
"A total of twenty three nominations across three films in a single cycle." Finch muttered, reviewing the certified sheets.
"And Regal Seraphsail holds three separate screenplay nominations at the exact same ceremony: Best Original Screenplay for John Wick, Best Original Screenplay for Kung Fu Panda, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Order of the Phoenix."
"Did that ever happen?"
"You are forgetting the Golden Globes nominations from two weeks ago." Cole noted with a hollow laugh–
"Ten nominations across the exact same three projects."
====
THE 74th GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS (OCTOBER 2017):
For [Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix] (5 Nominations)
| Best Motion Picture – Drama
| Best Director – Lena Crawford
| Best Supporting Actor – Ross Oakley (Albus Dumbledore)
| Best Screenplay – Regal Seraphsail
| Best Original Score – Ludwig Göransson
For [John Wick] (3 Nominations):
| Best Motion Picture – Drama
| Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama) – Keanu Reeves
| Best Screenplay – Regal Seraphsail
For [Kung Fu Panda] (2 Nominations):
| Best Animated Feature Film
| Best Original Score – Ludwig Göransson
====
Eleanor let out a long, resigned exhale as she filed the certification binder–
"Is there any legal way to just ban him from submitting his slate?"
.
….
[To be continued…]
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