Welcome to the blog of Dr. Lisa Burns' Media Studies senior capstone class (2 pm section) at Quinnipiac University. If you're looking for the latest on media industry trends and insightful media analysis, you've come to the right place!
Jennifer Greene In the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the film industry suffered as productions shut down and theaters closed. Now, as we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of the pandemic (I hope.), we are seeing the industry gain momentum once again, however, there is one area that is still struggling. It should be noted that, “even before the pandemic, awards show viewership had been in decline,” (Battaglio, 2021), due to several critiques from the public and the industry. These critiques range from lack of diversity in nominees and winners to biases against blockbuster films. These are valid criticisms when looking at the history of award shows. For example, it was only in 2021 that the Academy Awards had “a record-breaking year for diversity” by having just nine actors of color nominated, (Jackson, 2022). It is sad that this counts as record-breaking. Diversity in all areas of the industry needs improvement, but especially in award shows as it has only been in recent years that they have had BIPOC nominees. All award shows are struggling with diversifying their nominees, but there has been progress nonetheless. In terms of bias against blockbuster movies, this critique is not as cut and dry. In the past, many blockbuster movies have been beat out by independent films for a nomination. This can be an issue for the general public as these are films they know, due to popularity, but are they Oscar worthy? Bilge Ebiri from Vulture further explains that when blockbuster films meet the artistic and technical criteria for a nomination, they are usually nominated such as Joker, Avatar, Titanic, etc. But, the Oscars should not just start nominating popular movies because they are popular, Ebiri writes, “Someone who is angry that a film like The Power of the Dog was nominated for Best Picture over Spider-Man: No Way Home is not a person who has ever given a shit about the Oscars, and the Oscars should stop worrying about trying to get that person to watch the Oscars.” In other words, the Oscars, and other award shows, need to remember their brand and their purpose, which is to highlight and award exceptional films and TV programs. Maybe this means their audience is not mainstream, but would you rather have an audience who is intrigued and engaged or a larger audience who doesn’t care? Piggybacking off of Ebiri’s idea, I believe award shows are facing a critical point in their existence where they need to connect to their roots in order to go forward, and start listening to their audiences rather than just implementing half-baked strategies to increase numbers. These discussions about what is not working with award shows brings us to a bigger question, which is: Do award shows still matter? In my opinion, I believe they do. In an industry such as film and television, it is important to demonstrate praise and recognition towards those building and creating these entertainment pieces for us. As a film-lover, I am interested in hearing from the director, actors, editors, composers, and everyone involved in creating movies because to me it is art. However, even people who are not interested in these elements are still going to enjoy the occasional trip to the theater or the newest scripted series that is blowing up on Twitter. Aside from recognition and thanks, award shows provide creators and artists with motivation to keep making these films or TV series.
Battaglio, S. (2021, April 13). Why the Oscars and other awards shows are struggling - Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times; Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2021-04-13/oscars-grammys-awards-shows-ratings-struggling Ebiri, B. (2022, February 23). Please Stop Trying to Fix the Oscars. Vulture; Vulture. https://www.vulture.com/2022/02/please-stop-trying-to-fix-the-oscars.html Jackson, A. (2022, February 8). Oscars Diversity Report: 4 POC Actors Nominated, Strides Behind Camera - Variety. Variety; Variety. https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/
The articles that covered data and opinions of the decline in awards shows prove that there is a loss of interest in award programs. Each reasoning provided in the sources is particular to each award ceremony. For example, Blige Ebiri explains in “Self-Loathing Will Kill the Oscars” how the types of films being nominated in the Oscars are a reason for a decrease in viewership and interest in the ceremony. Ebiri explains that sometimes people believe blockbusters should hold prominence over other films nominated for a category simply because they are well-known and featured in the mainstream media. Another interesting point she makes is how the loss of tradition has caused disinterest in the Oscars (Ebiri). The examples Ebiri provides are the producers' decisions to cut down film clips and get rid of hosts. I personally would argue that the academy’s process and decision of nominating films make the ceremony more important. Ebiri states in her article that the academy does a good job of choosing films that are done well artistically rather than ratings-wise. Therefore, I believe that having a film win in a particular category establishes that the film was exquisitely done artistically rather than for the sole purpose of making sales. Also, this recognition allows more people to hear about the film that may have not gotten as much recognition as a blockbuster film.
The example of when Moonlight took the win for Best Picture over La La Land at the Oscars Ceremony in 2017 is when there was a public disappointment that a mainstream film didn’t win over a lesser-known film. At the time, I remember being part of the audience that wanted La La Land to win mainly because it was talked about on the news and social media. However, its loss was significant because it represented a moment where a story that talked about more important societal topics took prominence. Moonlight, directed by Barry Jenkins, centralizes on Kevin Chiron’s childhood. The film covers the concept of race, sexuality, and economic hardship in a complex way. Melanie Camejo Coffigny, the author of “Gay, Black, and Revolutionary: The Importance of ‘Moonlight’” talks about the importance of representation within Moonlight. She says “ [Moonlight] challenges our beliefs and biases, asking questions on the intersectionality of an individual’s identity and how it affects the community these individuals came from” (Chiron). Therefore, I would argue that Moonlight's win was significant because it showed how a story regarding an identity that has been unwritten before in film could hold prominence over a traditional romance musical with a predominately white cast. I believe that its Oscar win for Best Picture signifies that there is room for other identities in the film industry other than the ones that have traditionally been shown to audiences.
I believe it is critical for the academy to improve diversity amongst their nominees, especially after the 2015 and 2016 Oscars Awards ceremonies. If the academy chooses to only nominate actors, films, and crews that are predominately white for each award then this further states that marginalized groups and their stories are unimportant or hold no artistic value. Diversifying nominees are important because this shows that there is a place for a specific group of people in the film industry and that their creative work or performance is worthy of being recognized. As Angelique Jackson writes in “Actors Make Strides in Diversity Beyond the Acting Categories,” diversity in gender and race has been improving in recent Oscars ceremonies. However, she says that improving diversity also includes recognizing actors, casts, crews, and other creators that are disabled (Jackson).
From the sources assigned and the one which I sought from the Point Foundation, I would argue that award shows do matter specifically because it highlights a creative work and the people a part of it. A win for marginalized stories also shows that there is room for them in the film when traditionally such stories have been ignored or misrepresented.
Sources:
Camejo Coffigny, Melanie. “Gay, Black, and Revolutionary: The Importance of 'Moonlight' - Point Foundation.” Point Foundation - The National LGBTQ Scholarship Fund, 14 Feb. 2019, https://pointfoundation.org/gay-black-revolutionary-importance-moonlight/#:~:text=Moonlight%20depicts%20a%20journey%20of,when%20it%20comes%20to%20Chiron.
Ebiri, Bilge. “Self-Loathing Will Kill the Oscars.” Vulture, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2022, https://www.vulture.com/2022/02/please-stop-trying-to-fix-the-oscars.html.
Jackson, Angelique. “Oscars Make Strides in Diversity beyond the Acting Categories.” Variety, Variety, 8 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/.
I think it goes without saying that award shows like the Oscars, Golden Globes, and Grammy’s, have been struggling for quite a few years. In the past, these shows were entertaining and something to look forward to every year. Each year, I would sit and hope my favorite actors and musicians would win in their respective categories, but more recently it feels like the Oscars and other award shows are a clout grab and experts in performative activism. The criticism of these shows being biased against blockbusters and lacking in diversity is nothing short of valid. For the last few years, it seems the Academy only favors those who play along with their games, giving awards to those who may not deserve it. An article by Vox stated that Variety estimates that studios spend about 3 million to 10 million dollars lobbying for Oscar votes (Wilkinson). It continues to go on to state that Oscar campaigns are similar to presidential campaigns, and I couldn’t agree more. These award shows try to trick viewers into thinking they are honest and dedicated to honoring the films and actors that deserve to win, that have made an artistic statement, but in reality, these shows are just as much of a money and influence competition as presidential elections are. The faux activism and representation are just as bad as the money and influence competition. I want to be clear in saying that I firmly believe we need representation and diversity in all forms of art and all walks of life. My problem with big award shows claiming to be “diverse”, is that they didn’t do so naturally. Instead of making honest and true efforts to illuminate the voices and the art of POC and LGBTQ+ individuals, they’ve been asked to make a change in their flawed system, because they hadn’t been planning to change it themselves. To be in has always felt dishonest and performative, but I can’t speak to these changes with words as valuable as those a part of those communities since I am privileged enough to have always seen myself represented. Despite my beliefs, I am glad they are making these changes, dishonest or not. Seeing that so many POC and women have been nominated and winning in categories some have never been nominated or won in, is progress at the very least (Jackson and Wallenstein). However, I am shocked that in the year 2022, we are just now seeing a woman be nominated for a second time as best director, given that I am certain male directors have been nominated twice or more. It seems that as a whole, these award shows have lost the plot. They’ve become predictable and as the Vulture article stated best, self-loathing. Each year we watch the same lack of viewership, the same “wow” moment, and the same disappointment (Ebiri). I think these award shows will never die out, as they’ve become so integrated into pop culture, but I think they will continue to be lackluster so long as they continue to be a skewed representation of what the public thought of the performances of the actors and movies. If we continue to allow it to be an influence and money competition, we’ll see the same result each year, and it takes away from the purpose of the shows themselves, which is to award the people and art that made the most influence. Serious changes need to be made in the Academy and Golden Globes and until then we will see the same thing play out each year.
Works Cited Ebiri, Bilge. “Please Stop Trying to Fix the Oscars.” Vulture, 23 February 2022, https://www.vulture.com/2022/02/please-stop-trying-to-fix-the-oscars.html. Accessed 21 March 2022. Jackson, Angelique, and Andrew Wallenstein. “Oscars Diversity Report: 4 POC Actors Nominated, Strides Behind Camera.” Variety, 8 February 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/. Accessed 21 March 2022. Wilkinson, Alissa. “How Oscar campaigns turn movies into winners.” Vox, 21 February 2019, https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/2/21/18229512/oscar-campaigns-for-your-consideration-events-narratives-weinstein. Accessed 21 March 2022.
Olivia Kettell 1/2 After years of steadily declining viewership numbers, many award shows, including the Golden Globes, Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys experienced record low ratings in 2021. This could be attributed to any number of factors – Covid, streaming, or even backlash at many of the organizations for their lack of diversity and poor behavior. These factors are understandable, and some even go hand in hand. Clearly the pandemic has shut down theaters and spurred streaming, and with so many different platforms there is even more content to consume right from your couch. As a result of this, many nominees of this year’s Golden Globes came right from Netflix or HBO Max (Davis). Unfortunately, while this news is good for the streaming players it could have been another component to the less-than-ideal Golden Globes this year. Amidst backlash regarding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, due to the organization’s misconduct and lack of representation with no Black members, the awards ceremony was held nowhere other than on social media (Davis). In an article curtly titled “Golden Globes Put on an Event That Could Have Been Put in an Email,” Clayton Davis quotes a presenter from the ceremony who described it as “the most expensive Instagram production ever.” It’s clear that the times have really caught up with some of these shows, especially the Golden Globes, and they will need to change if they want to remain at all relevant.
Conversely, despite a decrease in the number of actors of color nominated in this year’s Oscars compared to last years, the Academy seems to have made strides in recognizing a diverse array of nominees across many categories. Among these nominations include the Academy’s first Afro-Latina actress, who doubles as the first openly queer woman of color, the first Latina nominated for an animated feature, and the first woman of color to win best director (Jackson). I think the Golden Globes could definitely take notes from this and expose their audience to a wider variety of individuals who make all of these shows and movies possible.
Olivia Kettell 2/2 Still, many were confused by other nominations at the Oscars, especially the films in the best picture category. Viewers questioned the absence of Spider Man: No Way Home despite the movie being the first real blockbuster in a long time. From a viewer perspective, Spider Man was a movie that people had “actually seen.” But from a film perspective, is an Oscar necessary to affirm a movie is good or even the best? The best picture category is difficult because it considers films of all sizes and genres, this year especially from westerns to sci-fis, from sports to musicals. However, unfortunately, the vast majority of viewers do equate Oscars with blockbusters, and with the lack of Spider Man’s nomination many were upset. To rectify this situation, the Oscars introduced Twitter-elected awards to show Spider Man the recognition and make everyone happy (Chang). Justin Chang from the LA Times points out that the Academy’s mission is to educate viewers and highlight artistic projects made in the past year. Further, the recognition of popular films simply because of their popularity is “cowardly,” and somewhat insulting to the artists of the industry.
This situation is tough, because the average viewer wants to see popular movies recognized and award shows aren’t in a position to forfeit viewership. For the time being, award shows definitely can focus on highlighting more diverse artists because there are still people of all backgrounds watching the shows and waiting to see representation on the screen.
Works Cited
Chang, Justin. “The Oscars Are Embracing Better Movies. the Show Acts like It's Embarrassed by Them.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2022, https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-03-21/oscars-2022-changes-controversy-popularity.
Davis, Clayton, and Michael Schneider. “Golden Globes Put on an Event That Could Have Been Put in an Email.” Variety, Variety, 10 Jan. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/news/golden-globes-twitter-show-netflix-oscars-1235149983/.
Jackson, Angelique. “Oscars Make Strides in Diversity beyond the Acting Categories.” Variety, Variety, 8 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/.
With the pandemic and the rise of virtual events, there have been questions about whether or not these large-scale award shows need to happen. There have been any critiques over the past few years regarding these award shows, particularly the ones that focus on the film industry. According to Inevitably, The Film Awards Reckoning Has Arrived, “the film awards business – what’s left of it after the latest round of Covid shutdowns – has devolved into an inside game” (Cieply, 2022). As seen on the most recent Golden Globes, the awards show focused heavily on philanthropy and took to social media to live tweet the winners instead of the traditional award show platform. The decision to not televise the Golden Globes gained some major backlash from people in the industry who have spoken out about how “immensely insignificant” the Golden Globes felt in 2022 (Davis & Schneider, 2022). Specifically, people referred to the Golden Globes virtual attempt as “the most expensive Instagram production ever” and described how they missed the camaraderie from familiar hosts (Davis & Schneider, 2022). On the other hand, there were also people who believed that the new set up for the Golden Globes was an effective “evening for giving” (Curtis, 2022) and showed praise for the new set up. This also showed how these award shows could become obsolete given the ability to have them in a more asynchronous fashion.
A variety of film award shows have also been under major scrutiny for having a lack of diversity in their nominees. This discussion about diversity first began in 2015 when there was an “all-white slate of acting nominees” (Jackson 2022). Though this sparked the conversation, it was only the start for the discussion about diversity in the context of not only race, but also gender and ability. In 2022, there were only four actors of color nominated (Jackson, 2022). This begs the question for all award shows within the film industry; is the industry inherently racist? According to an article from USA Today, “We don't see any movement this year. We don't see them advancing the ball in terms of ensuring that people of color and women are, at least at the director level, are at the center of opportunity” (Wright, 2022). USA Today also points out the missed opportunities by the Oscars with films such as “Encanto” who has become a number 1 hit in the music industry and has taken off in the social media world. These critiques are valid and can definitely be viewed as problematic considering how award shows like these have been seen as a place for rich and white people to celebrate each other. Specifically, the Golden Globes received backlash after being viewed as “too white, too clubby, and too self-serving” (Cieply, 2022). These award shows have also demonstrated a major bias against Blockbuster movies. One instance, where the Oscars took to Twitter fans in an attempt to recognize more Blockbuster movies, turned into a performative measure to check off a box rather than to actually recognize talent (Ebriri, 2022). This reminds me of how the popular vote really means nothing when the electoral college overrides it anyways.
I believe that these awards shows still do matter because it gives recognition to the talented people in the film industry. Taking away such award ceremonies would be similar to taking away championship titles for sports teams or medals for Olympians. For these actors, actresses, and film makers, these awards are the pinnacle of recognition for success and I believe they definitely still do matter. However, I don’t necessarily think that the awards ceremony must remain the same format as they have always been. As seen with the Golden Globes, there is an effective way to recognize talent in the industry while also making a philanthropic impact. The main issue that these awards shows face is diversity and representation should be their primary focus. Works Cited
Cieply, M. (2022, February 9). Inevitably, the film awards reckoning has arrived. Deadline. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://deadline.com/2022/01/inevitably-film-awards-reckoning-arrived-1234903542/#! Ebiri, B. (2022, February 23). Self-loathing will kill the Oscars. Vulture. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://www.vulture.com/2022/02/please-stop-trying-to-fix-the-oscars.html Jackson, A. (2022, February 8). Oscars make strides in diversity beyond the acting categories. Variety. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/ Oliver, D. (2022, February 9). Oscar nominations in 2022 fail to build on diversity momentum. what needs to happen next. USA Today. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2022/02/08/oscar-nominations-diversity-efforts-2022-oscars/6662632001/
I think we can all agree that award shows now are nothing like they used to be before the start of the pandemic. Award shows like the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Golden Globes have had a steady decline in viewers and have struggled to gain the momentum they once had. Since I was younger, watching the award shows with my family is something we looked forward to every year. However, the buildup surrounding them has gotten less and less effective, specifically those focusing on the film industry. Since the pandemic, movie theaters were at a short decline while streaming services were on the rise. Big streamers like Netflix, HBO Max and Amazon Prime swept up the Golden Globe awards with big wins. However, a lack of diversity and bias against blockbusters have been a big reason as to why these award shows aren't as successful as they used to be. Due to the lack of representation of black members, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has been “demonstrating patterns of unethical and inappropriate behavior,” (Davis, 2022). This has caused backlash altogether and raised questions about how diverse or included award shows can be. There has been a certain stigma that develops around awards shows that comes across as “an inside game, played by the studios, promoters, talent, filmmakers and media, with little or no connection to outsiders.” (Cieply, 2022). Past shows have not put enough emphasis on actors of different races, sexual orientations or disabilities. I believe that award shows need to continue to branch out and be more diverse and included. For example, The 2021 Oscars ceremony was watched by the smallest audience the award show has ever received. 10.4 million people tuned into the Oscars this year, which was a 56% decline in viewers from their 26.3 million viewers in 2020. The Emmys also declined 14% in viewers as well as a 51% decline for the Grammys. (Whittens, 2021). However, the Oscars have made strides to recognize and highlight diversity to its fullest extent. According to Variety, Denzel Washington was the most nominated Black actor at the Oscars, with a total of 10 overall nominations and two wins. Yuh-Jung Youn became the first Korean person to win an acting Oscar for best supporting actress as well as “Judas and the Black Messiah” making history for its all black producing team. Despite all of the negative notions surrounding award shows, I still believe that they will continue to matter. This is a platform that recognizes the talent of all people in the film industry. It is a way for us to see our favorite celebrities receive acknowledgement for the hard work they give. I think that there will still continue to be a slight decrease in viewers for years to come, but I don’t think award shows will be going anywhere. As long as diverse issues change and stay integrated into pop culture, award shows should continue to stay relevant.
Work Cited:
Cieply, M. (2022, February 9). Inevitably, the film awards reckoning has arrived. Deadline. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://deadline.com/2022/01/inevitably-film-awards-reckoning-arrived-1234903542 Davis, C. (2022, January 10). Golden Globes put on an event that could have been put in an email. Variety. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://variety.com/2022/awards/news/golden-globes-twitter-show-netflix-oscars-1235149983/ Whitten, S. (2021, May 2). Audiences for award shows are in steep decline. this chart shows how far viewership has fallen. CNBC. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/02/oscars-2021-nielsen-data-shows-viewers-have-lost-interest-in-award-shows.html
Award shows such as the Oscars and Golden Globes have been around for ages, defining the best films and productions of the year. They have recently come under criticism in the past few years for reasons such as lack of diversity in their nominees, bias against blockbusters, and many more. These criticisms have had many people wondering how much award shows actually matter, or if they even matter at all.
In 2021, the Oscars nominated nine actors of color, followed by in 2022 only four actors of color were nominated. Popular movies such as “The Tragedy of Macbeth”, “West Side Story”, “Encanto”, and “Raya and “The Last Dragon” took the nominations this year with actors of color (Jackson). Many of these movies, especially “West Side Story” and “Encanto” blew up on social media this year. I think it is really nice to see these amazing actors of color finally get the recognition that they deserve. This is because in 2015 and 2016 the Oscars had all white nominations, adding no diversity to the show. Later in 2020, there was only one black actor nominated (Jackson). Although things improved in 2021, it is crazy to think that some of the most diverse nominations we have seen are nine actors of color. There are hundreds of films that get nominated but only a few actors of color get nominated. I think the Oscars need to keep moving in the right direction in order to keep highlighting actors of color.
Blockbuster movies are films that are highly successful based on their popularity and financial success. Many people argue that award shows have some sort of bias against blockbusters. Since the 1990s award shows have “introduced, honored, and promoted challenging movies that could never have survived blockbuster competition without awards” (Cieply). Famous films such as “American Beauty”, “No Country For Old Men”, The Hurt Locker”, and “12 Years A Slave” probably would not have been blockbuster movies without their awards they received (Cieply).
So, do award shows really matter? I think both yes and no. In 2019, the Oscars barley gave any new films a chance and stuck with the same “veterans” that they’ve been praising for over 30 years (Bahr). This is why many people feel there is a bias because they continue to award popular names instead of looking into new films. It can dictate what films people watch and who gets to have a voice in Hollywood (Bahr). On the contrary, award shows are a large factor of what brings people to the theaters and is what gets the box office sales to spike. Once a film gets nominated it will typically see a surge in profits (Bahr). Award shows can also have a tendency to help films and stars become what they are. In 2010, the Oscars helped director Debra Granik and Actress Jennifer Lawrence become who they are today because of their four nominations (Bahr). Popular films taking all the wins also don’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. When “Joker” had eleven nominations, this helped Warner Bros raise money to help support smaller and more diverse films such as “Just Mercy” and “In the Heights” (Bahr).
At the end of the day there is still a lot wrong with award shows, from diversity to blockbuster bias to not giving new, smaller films a chance. This proves that award shows don’t actually have that deep of a meaning to them. But they also can really help directors, actors, and studios be able to produce more films and solve the diversity and blockbuster bias issues.
Works Cited: Bahr, Robyn. “Why Awards Shows Still Matter for Movies.” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2020, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/why-awards-shows-still-matter-movies-1274059/. Cieply, Michael. “Inevitably, the Film Awards Reckoning Has Arrived.” Deadline, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2022, https://deadline.com/2022/01/inevitably-film-awards-reckoning-arrived-1234903542/. Jackson, Angelique. “Oscars Make Strides in Diversity beyond the Acting Categories.” Variety, Variety, 8 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/.
Award shows have been paramount in the entertainment industry for years now. Big events like the Oscars, Golden Globes and the Emmys are some of the most prestigious events in the industry that bring A List celebrities together to be granted awards for their respective role they played in the industry that year.
Representation in television and film has created a progressive movement and has become increasingly important in society, especially in the entertainment industry. This movement has forced entertainment to acknowledge and focus on the representation of people of color, women, the queer community, and people with disabilities. (Davis, 2022) This has been a long time coming, and the representation needed is still not as prevalent as it should be, but it could make awards shows more relevant in today's climate if they continue to make progress towards equality and inclusion. (Jackson, 2022)
In the past audiences have been sheltered and the entertainment industry has been caught making cookie cutter productions with all white casts, and your typical white picket fence family. Viewers are eager to learn more about marginalized and underrepresented groups, but it is still uncomfortable for many. (Zarum, 2020) An example of this is Mrs. America, a television show based in the 1970s that focuses on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Phyllys Schlafly, one of the main characters is a multidimensional character who does not fit the mold of a woman of that time. She works on organizing against the ERA and is a powerful, influential, and confident woman. Many did not like her character, it made viewers uncomfortable not constantly seeing her at home with the children or being a typical homemaker. However, this series is coming of age and displays many of the issues discussed in the series are still so prevalent today. Society is still, fifty years later, uncomfortable with women that do not fit in a predictable box of who a woman should be and how a woman should act in society. This again demonstrates why representation within the media is so important. In the series, Mad Men, a television show with a similar ambiance, character Donald Draper, a businessperson working for an ad agency, who is displayed as a family man that never sees his family was never questioned about why he did not spend more time with his children. This goes to show the disparity and lack of representation that women have in television, and the different expectations that people have in society.
Hopefully, representation in the media can help change the narrative of underrepresented groups when it is displayed in an honest and transparent manner on television or in the cinema, and award shows can play a role in this movement, too. Representation is the only way that awards shows can stay relevant. People want to be seen, heard, and recognized for their roles.
When it comes to the Oscars, there has been controversy for years. Many blockbuster films that make money and the masses flock to are not rewarded. (Cameron) Instead, there is somewhat of an arrogance towards film and a sense that the public needs to be told what to watch and be enlightened by the genius of those in the film industry. (Loughry, 2017) Very rarely are blockbuster hits granted awards at the Oscars, which does not make a lot of sense if you think about it. Art is all about perception and film is no different. There are many opinions, and everyone wants to be heard, to be seen progressively and as thinking freely, and that is where the controversy with blockbuster films comes in - it is seen as too mainstream. The Oscars take the role of telling people what they should see, instead of rewarding films that people have seen and enjoyed. (Loughry, 2017)
Overall, the lack of representation and bias with blockbuster films may come from the same place – arrogance and privilege. However, if awards shows want any chance of sticking around and staying relevant, they will have to make changes with the times and adapt to new expectations. (Loughry, 2017)
Davis, C. (2022, January 10). Golden Globes put on an event that could have been put in an email. Variety. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://variety.com/2022/awards/news/golden-globes-twitter-show-netflix-oscars-1235149983/
Jackson, A. (2022, February 8). Oscars make strides in diversity beyond the acting categories. Variety. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/
Loughrey, C. (2017, February 6). James Cameron says the Oscars are 'biased' against blockbusters. The Independent. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/oscars-2017-james-cameron-bias-blockbusters-titanic-avatar-a7563956.html
Zarum, L. (2020, April 10). 'mrs. America' depicts a different kind of feminist: The anti- kind. The New York Times. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/10/arts/television/mrs-america-cate-blanchett.html
Within the past couple of years it is evident that shows like the Oscars and Golden Globes have come under criticism for several reasons. Whether that being a lack of diversity or a bias against blockbusters, these shows are always getting slammed with backlash. For instance, “the discussion about diversity comes in the wake of an all-white slate of acting nominees for both the 2015 and 2016 ceremonies. While the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has made aggressive efforts to diversify its membership in the years since, in 2020 just one Black actor, “Harriet” star Cynthia Erivo, earned a nomination for best actress” (Jackson). It actually is crazy to think that they got away with two years in a row with not one nominee being a person of color. When you pull up the history of these shows, it appears the critiques for a lack of diversity are more than valid. Although these shows are making enormous efforts going forward, it almost makes you think which nominees are deserved, and which are posed for the color of their skin.
As for the backlash regarding a bias against blockbusters, it makes sense time and time again that there is a present bias. I think this mostly has to do with how these award shows love a good narrative. Such as, in “2009’s ceremony offered up one of the more striking narratives in recent memory: James Cameron’s visual effects marvel Avatar was head-to-head with the low-budget, low-grossing gritty war drama The Hurt Locker, directed by Kathryn Bigelow. That Cameron also happened to be Bigelow’s ex-husband only added to this dramatic narrative, pitting the two films and filmmakers against each other in a battle for Oscar glory. Ultimately The Hurt Locker won out, as did Bigelow, making history as the first (and only) woman ever to win the Best Director prize” (Chitwood). This goes to show how these award shows put their bias first to get a better story, rather than maybe who actually deserved the recognition.
These critiques make me wonder if award shows still matter. I think they still matter in the sense that it is important to give credit to the people that have worked so hard to produce masterpieces. However, I also feel like the winners are not always the most deserving based on the pool of nominees. With that being said, not everyone can be a winner. So the best case scenario would be for these shows to take constructive criticism to improve their system, presentation, nominees, and winners for an overall better experience for everyone involved, including those watching at home. It is important to note that steps have been taken, but there is always room for improvement. It will be especially interesting to see how these shows do going forward after the lack of audience since Covid-19. “But the precedent has been set. Hollywood’s premium awards show is selling at a discount. You can bet the parties will be talking more cuts if the audience doesn’t come back” (Cieply). I originally didn’t think these award shows were going anywhere anytime soon. But if the money is not there, these shows will sink sooner than I anticipated.
Works Cited
Jackson, Angelique. “Oscars Make Strides in Diversity beyond the Acting Categories.” Variety, Variety, 8 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/.
Chitwood, Adam. “James Cameron Says Oscars Are Biased against Blockbusters.” Collider, 30 Jan. 2017, https://collider.com/james-cameron-oscars-biased/.
Cieply, Michael. “Inevitably, the Film Awards Reckoning Has Arrived.” Deadline, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2022, https://deadline.com/2022/01/inevitably-film-awards-reckoning-arrived-1234903542/.
Award shows, which used to be some of the most viewed television content, have faced criticism for nearly the past decade. The once acclaimed shows such as the Oscars and the Golden Globes are struggling to stay relevant in today’s world of streaming. For years there has been discussion and outrage over the lack of diversity of award show nominees, most notably nominees of color and female nominees. Just as television shows and movies face criticism for their lack of diversity, award shows are being brought into the same light. While we began to see change at the 2021 Academy Awards with nine actors of color being nominated, which was a record-breaking number, this year’s Academy Awards only feature four actors of color. While nominations should not be based off of race alone, this is, unfortunately, not a good look for the Academy Awards because with the timing of the Black Lives Matter movement, their nominations last year could be seen as performative activism. I think the critiques regarding lack of diversity and favoring blockbusters are valid because awards should be nominated based on the talent portrayed by the actors, directors, and team; not by the color of their skin. Additionally, the conversation about representation doesn’t only apply to gender and race, but to people with disabilities as well. Variety notes that “‘CODA’ actor Troy Kotsur became only the second deaf actor to be nominated for an Oscar, 35 years after his co-star Marlee Matlin won an Academy Award for ‘Children of a Lesser God,’” (Jackson). The pandemic did not do any good for award shows either. The events that once used to host live performances and celebrity interactions have now fallen flat. Due to the pandemic, “the Golden Globes were held with no pomp and circumstance in a room devoid of celebrities, red carpets and splashy media coverage. Instead, winners were live-tweeted on the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s social media channels, with the show focusing on philanthropy,” (Davis and Schneider). Award shows have also started to try different entertainment forms other than performing music such as acting out skits or reading monologues. However, with the quickly shortening attention spans of the members of society, viewers do not want to sit through a three-hour show of skits when all they want to see is who won which awards and the occasional musical performance. Keeping this in mind, I do think that award shows are still an important part of the media, especially for celebrities. It is a chance for artists and performers to feel validated for all of the hard work they have done. The Hollywood Reporter mentions another reason that award shows are still important: “Awards revenues help funnel money to films that would otherwise be forgotten and fund niche ideas that would otherwise be ignored,” (Bahr). If award shows want to exist in the future, it is necessary that they continue to search for unique and diverse content, most of which has yet to be discovered. While I think award shows will be around for at least the next few years, it is unsure what their future holds.
Sources: Bahr, Robyn. “Why Awards Shows Still Matter for Movies.” Google, Google, 31 Jan. 2020, https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/why-awards-shows-still-matter-movies-1274059/amp/.
Davis, Clayton. “Golden Globes Put on an Event That Could Have Been Put in an Email.” Variety, Variety, 10 Jan. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/news/golden-globes-twitter-show-netflix-oscars-1235149983/.
Jackson, Angelique. “Oscars Make Strides in Diversity beyond the Acting Categories.” Variety, Variety, 8 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/.
Award shows are just one of many things that have undergone a shift in meaning and importance in the hyper-digital age of the 21st century. Gone are the days of the Grammys being the only place to see music’s biggest stars in one room — now you can pull up anyone’s performances on YouTube. The Oscars is no longer the only event to discover which movies are worth heading to the theater and seeing — now you can watch them on the streaming service of your choosing and turn it off if the first ten minutes don’t float your boat. Another threat to the traditional awards shows are their critics who say the nominations lack diversity, both in the demographics and tendencies to over-promote the stalwarts of the industry.
Little has been done since the calls for increased diversity in awards nominations reached their peak about five years ago, “in the wake of an all-white slate of acting nominees for both the 2015 and 2016 ceremonies. While the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has made aggressive efforts to diversify its membership in the years since, in 2020 just one Black actor, “Harriet” star Cynthia Erivo, earned a nomination (for best actress)” (Jackson). The lack of diversity in the film and awards industries are a microcosm of our country as a whole. Non-white actors and filmmakers receive fewer nominations because their works aren’t publicized as well, meaning the issue is at the root and not at the top level. It’s a problem that must continue to be addressed, because the nominee list is straying further and further away from being an accurate sampling of each year’s best works.
Award shows are obviously played up for television, under the guise of being the true judgment of whose films were objectively the best that year, whatever that means to the viewer. As with most content made for TV, award show producers are experts in creating this false reality — the fancy suits and dresses, the drawn-out announcements (“And the winner is…”), the lifetime achievement awards. The dichotomy has never been clearer, since “the film awards business – what’s left of it after the latest round of Covid shutdowns – has devolved into an inside game, played by the studios, promoters, talent, filmmakers and media, with little or no connection to outsiders, the people” (Cieply).
This isn’t to say awards shows have lost all their meaning. It’s still a valued marker of success in the industry. It could be argued that the calls for increased diversity wouldn’t be coming in as fiercely as they are if winning awards weren’t still a sign of “making it” in Hollywood, which “is a business — if you want production companies, studios and distributors to back the up-and-coming filmmakers you love, then you also need to acknowledge the magnitude of the big, lumbering players who keep the money rolling in” (Bahr).
Works Cited
Bahr, Robyn. “Why Awards Shows Still Matter for Movies.” The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2020, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/why-awards-shows-still-matter-movies-1274059/.
Cieply, Michael. “Inevitably, the Film Awards Reckoning Has Arrived.” Deadline, 9 Feb. 2022, https://deadline.com/2022/01/inevitably-film-awards-reckoning-arrived-1234903542/.
Jackson, Angelique. “Oscars Make Strides in Diversity beyond the Acting Categories.” Variety, 8 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/.
It is no secret that the viewership for award shows has taken a nosedive in recent years. This continuous decline in audience engagement has resulted in many annual awards shows such as the Grammys, Emmys, Golden Globes and Oscars tallying some of their worst viewership ever during this past year. These large scale awkward shows fall from grace can be attributed to a slew of factors including the covid pandemic, lack of diversity representation, a shift towards streaming and even an apparent bias towards certain film genres. For starters, the pandemic has clearly been detrimental to the success of these award shows. With everyone being restricted from going about their daily routines for the good part of the past two years, activities such as going to the movie theater, attending live concerts or chatting in person with groups of friends has been absent. There is a direct correlation between the pandemic and the decline in viewership, due to the fact audiences haven’t been going out and seeing as many movies or attending concerts. This means that audiences aren't as engaged or up-to-date with newly released film, music and television. If audiences haven’t experienced this new media content, they are far less likely to have an interest in tuning into these long, drawn out award shows. In an article from Deadline titled “Inevitably, The Film Awards Reckoning Has Arrived”, it is discussed how the covid lockdowns have dramatically altered the format/structure of the award ceremonies. This can be seen through a lack of traditional in-person events, as ceremonies shifted towards a virtual approach. This meant no live audiences, live tweeting reactions, pre-recorded acceptance speeches, etc. (Cieply). This shows how these once elegant, extravagant award shows are now a shell of their former selves and struggling to stay afloat.
Similarly, the dawn of streaming in the media landscape has also contributed to the decline in viewership for these large scale award shows. For example, as audiences have been cooped up indoors due to the pandemic, streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu and HBO have been reaping the awards as their original content has seen significant success. (Davis). As a result, many of this past year’s awards went to streaming originals, rather than movies released for theater-goers. In addition to covid and streaming factoring into the negative reception these award shows are receiving, the events have also come under some heavy fire for their apparent lack of diversity. After a slate of nominees in 2015 that lacked a single Black actor/actress, the discussion arose that there was not fair representation of diversity in these award shows. (Jackson). The award shows quickly took note of this point and began to make steady efforts to remedy the issue. The 2021 Oscars featured a record-breaking nine actors/actresses of color, which showed the efforts to increase diversity in these awards shows. Better yet, the awards also made huge strides as both the latino and Asian community so additional representation as the nominations bolstered a new image for the ceremonies. The academy even featured their first both African and Latina nomination, including the first ever winner of “best director” by a woman of color. (Jackson). These added efforts to reach a fair level of representation have been noted in the industry and amongst viewers, and may serve as the first stepping stone to reclaiming their lost success.
Lastly, along with the other scrutiny that the awards shows have been suffering from, a bias towards blockbuster films has also made its way to the forefront of conversation. To further validate the idea of this bias, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences proposed to introduce a brand new Academy Award category that would be titled “Best Popular Film”. This category would serve to honor the many blockbuster films that have been seen by the public to be ignored/neglected by the Oscars (Fox). The most obvious example of this bias was the recent snub of Spider Man: No Way Home, which was undoubtedly the largest blockbuster film in recent years. Those who do tune into watch these award shows oftentimes want to see these mega-blockbusters at least get representation via a nomination, but without Spider Man being shown any love, fans were left with a sour taste in their mouth.
In conclusion, I still believe that these award shows should remain and hold a special importance. Despite having some glaring shortcomings and pitfalls, the award shows are a source of validation for fans who are fans of a hit movie or series. They also more importantly help recognize the outstanding work/performances by all actors/actresses/directors/staff that are involved in creating these large scale productions. Countless hours of work go into the production of these films and it would be remiss to not recognize the effort and professionalism these individuals put forth. I believe that with continued efforts to better improve diversity in nominations, coupled with adapting to a changing landscape in terms of streaming, I believe that award shows will be able to once again regain their status and prestige.
Works Cited:
Davis, Clayton, and Michael Schneider. “Golden Globes Put on an Event That Could Have Been Put in an Email.” Variety, Variety, 10 Jan. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/news/golden-globes-twitter-show-netflix-oscars-1235149983/.
Jackson, Angelique. “Oscars Make Strides in Diversity beyond the Acting Categories.” Variety, Variety, 8 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/.
Cieply, M. (2022, February 9). Inevitably, the film awards reckoning has arrived. Deadline. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://deadline.com/2022/01/inevitably-film-awards-reckoning-arrived-1234903542/#!
Porter, Rick. “Oscars' TV Ratings Low Caps Award Shows' Down Year.” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Apr. 2021, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/oscars-2021-ratings-low-award-shows-4174528/. Fox, Audrey. “Are Oscar Voters Really Biased Against ‘Popular’ Films?” Crooked Marquee, 6 Feb. 2020, https://crookedmarquee.com/are-oscar-voters-really-biased-against-popular-films/.
Jennifer Greene
ReplyDeleteIn the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the film industry suffered as productions shut down and theaters closed. Now, as we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of the pandemic (I hope.), we are seeing the industry gain momentum once again, however, there is one area that is still struggling. It should be noted that, “even before the pandemic, awards show viewership had been in decline,” (Battaglio, 2021), due to several critiques from the public and the industry. These critiques range from lack of diversity in nominees and winners to biases against blockbuster films. These are valid criticisms when looking at the history of award shows. For example, it was only in 2021 that the Academy Awards had “a record-breaking year for diversity” by having just nine actors of color nominated, (Jackson, 2022). It is sad that this counts as record-breaking. Diversity in all areas of the industry needs improvement, but especially in award shows as it has only been in recent years that they have had BIPOC nominees. All award shows are struggling with diversifying their nominees, but there has been progress nonetheless. In terms of bias against blockbuster movies, this critique is not as cut and dry. In the past, many blockbuster movies have been beat out by independent films for a nomination. This can be an issue for the general public as these are films they know, due to popularity, but are they Oscar worthy? Bilge Ebiri from Vulture further explains that when blockbuster films meet the artistic and technical criteria for a nomination, they are usually nominated such as Joker, Avatar, Titanic, etc. But, the Oscars should not just start nominating popular movies because they are popular, Ebiri writes, “Someone who is angry that a film like The Power of the Dog was nominated for Best Picture over Spider-Man: No Way Home is not a person who has ever given a shit about the Oscars, and the Oscars should stop worrying about trying to get that person to watch the Oscars.” In other words, the Oscars, and other award shows, need to remember their brand and their purpose, which is to highlight and award exceptional films and TV programs. Maybe this means their audience is not mainstream, but would you rather have an audience who is intrigued and engaged or a larger audience who doesn’t care? Piggybacking off of Ebiri’s idea, I believe award shows are facing a critical point in their existence where they need to connect to their roots in order to go forward, and start listening to their audiences rather than just implementing half-baked strategies to increase numbers.
These discussions about what is not working with award shows brings us to a bigger question, which is: Do award shows still matter? In my opinion, I believe they do. In an industry such as film and television, it is important to demonstrate praise and recognition towards those building and creating these entertainment pieces for us. As a film-lover, I am interested in hearing from the director, actors, editors, composers, and everyone involved in creating movies because to me it is art. However, even people who are not interested in these elements are still going to enjoy the occasional trip to the theater or the newest scripted series that is blowing up on Twitter. Aside from recognition and thanks, award shows provide creators and artists with motivation to keep making these films or TV series.
Battaglio, S. (2021, April 13). Why the Oscars and other awards shows are struggling - Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times; Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2021-04-13/oscars-grammys-awards-shows-ratings-struggling
Ebiri, B. (2022, February 23). Please Stop Trying to Fix the Oscars. Vulture; Vulture. https://www.vulture.com/2022/02/please-stop-trying-to-fix-the-oscars.html
Jackson, A. (2022, February 8). Oscars Diversity Report: 4 POC Actors Nominated, Strides Behind Camera - Variety. Variety; Variety. https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/
Glenna Gobeil
ReplyDeleteThe articles that covered data and opinions of the decline in awards shows prove that there is a loss of interest in award programs. Each reasoning provided in the sources is particular to each award ceremony. For example, Blige Ebiri explains in “Self-Loathing Will Kill the Oscars” how the types of films being nominated in the Oscars are a reason for a decrease in viewership and interest in the ceremony. Ebiri explains that sometimes people believe blockbusters should hold prominence over other films nominated for a category simply because they are well-known and featured in the mainstream media. Another interesting point she makes is how the loss of tradition has caused disinterest in the Oscars (Ebiri). The examples Ebiri provides are the producers' decisions to cut down film clips and get rid of hosts. I personally would argue that the academy’s process and decision of nominating films make the ceremony more important. Ebiri states in her article that the academy does a good job of choosing films that are done well artistically rather than ratings-wise. Therefore, I believe that having a film win in a particular category establishes that the film was exquisitely done artistically rather than for the sole purpose of making sales. Also, this recognition allows more people to hear about the film that may have not gotten as much recognition as a blockbuster film.
The example of when Moonlight took the win for Best Picture over La La Land at the Oscars Ceremony in 2017 is when there was a public disappointment that a mainstream film didn’t win over a lesser-known film. At the time, I remember being part of the audience that wanted La La Land to win mainly because it was talked about on the news and social media. However, its loss was significant because it represented a moment where a story that talked about more important societal topics took prominence. Moonlight, directed by Barry Jenkins, centralizes on Kevin Chiron’s childhood. The film covers the concept of race, sexuality, and economic hardship in a complex way. Melanie Camejo Coffigny, the author of “Gay, Black, and Revolutionary: The Importance of ‘Moonlight’” talks about the importance of representation within Moonlight. She says “ [Moonlight] challenges our beliefs and biases, asking questions on the intersectionality of an individual’s identity and how it affects the community these individuals came from” (Chiron). Therefore, I would argue that Moonlight's win was significant because it showed how a story regarding an identity that has been unwritten before in film could hold prominence over a traditional romance musical with a predominately white cast. I believe that its Oscar win for Best Picture signifies that there is room for other identities in the film industry other than the ones that have traditionally been shown to audiences.
I believe it is critical for the academy to improve diversity amongst their nominees, especially after the 2015 and 2016 Oscars Awards ceremonies. If the academy chooses to only nominate actors, films, and crews that are predominately white for each award then this further states that marginalized groups and their stories are unimportant or hold no artistic value. Diversifying nominees are important because this shows that there is a place for a specific group of people in the film industry and that their creative work or performance is worthy of being recognized. As Angelique Jackson writes in “Actors Make Strides in Diversity Beyond the Acting Categories,” diversity in gender and race has been improving in recent Oscars ceremonies. However, she says that improving diversity also includes recognizing actors, casts, crews, and other creators that are disabled (Jackson).
ReplyDeleteFrom the sources assigned and the one which I sought from the Point Foundation, I would argue that award shows do matter specifically because it highlights a creative work and the people a part of it. A win for marginalized stories also shows that there is room for them in the film when traditionally such stories have been ignored or misrepresented.
Sources:
Camejo Coffigny, Melanie. “Gay, Black, and Revolutionary: The Importance of 'Moonlight' - Point Foundation.” Point Foundation - The National LGBTQ Scholarship Fund, 14 Feb. 2019, https://pointfoundation.org/gay-black-revolutionary-importance-moonlight/#:~:text=Moonlight%20depicts%20a%20journey%20of,when%20it%20comes%20to%20Chiron.
Ebiri, Bilge. “Self-Loathing Will Kill the Oscars.” Vulture, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2022, https://www.vulture.com/2022/02/please-stop-trying-to-fix-the-oscars.html.
Jackson, Angelique. “Oscars Make Strides in Diversity beyond the Acting Categories.” Variety, Variety, 8 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/.
Vera Helein
ReplyDeleteI think it goes without saying that award shows like the Oscars, Golden Globes, and Grammy’s, have been struggling for quite a few years. In the past, these shows were entertaining and something to look forward to every year. Each year, I would sit and hope my favorite actors and musicians would win in their respective categories, but more recently it feels like the Oscars and other award shows are a clout grab and experts in performative activism.
The criticism of these shows being biased against blockbusters and lacking in diversity is nothing short of valid. For the last few years, it seems the Academy only favors those who play along with their games, giving awards to those who may not deserve it. An article by Vox stated that Variety estimates that studios spend about 3 million to 10 million dollars lobbying for Oscar votes (Wilkinson). It continues to go on to state that Oscar campaigns are similar to presidential campaigns, and I couldn’t agree more. These award shows try to trick viewers into thinking they are honest and dedicated to honoring the films and actors that deserve to win, that have made an artistic statement, but in reality, these shows are just as much of a money and influence competition as presidential elections are. The faux activism and representation are just as bad as the money and influence competition.
I want to be clear in saying that I firmly believe we need representation and diversity in all forms of art and all walks of life. My problem with big award shows claiming to be “diverse”, is that they didn’t do so naturally. Instead of making honest and true efforts to illuminate the voices and the art of POC and LGBTQ+ individuals, they’ve been asked to make a change in their flawed system, because they hadn’t been planning to change it themselves. To be in has always felt dishonest and performative, but I can’t speak to these changes with words as valuable as those a part of those communities since I am privileged enough to have always seen myself represented. Despite my beliefs, I am glad they are making these changes, dishonest or not. Seeing that so many POC and women have been nominated and winning in categories some have never been nominated or won in, is progress at the very least (Jackson and Wallenstein). However, I am shocked that in the year 2022, we are just now seeing a woman be nominated for a second time as best director, given that I am certain male directors have been nominated twice or more.
It seems that as a whole, these award shows have lost the plot. They’ve become predictable and as the Vulture article stated best, self-loathing. Each year we watch the same lack of viewership, the same “wow” moment, and the same disappointment (Ebiri). I think these award shows will never die out, as they’ve become so integrated into pop culture, but I think they will continue to be lackluster so long as they continue to be a skewed representation of what the public thought of the performances of the actors and movies. If we continue to allow it to be an influence and money competition, we’ll see the same result each year, and it takes away from the purpose of the shows themselves, which is to award the people and art that made the most influence. Serious changes need to be made in the Academy and Golden Globes and until then we will see the same thing play out each year.
Works Cited
Ebiri, Bilge. “Please Stop Trying to Fix the Oscars.” Vulture, 23 February 2022, https://www.vulture.com/2022/02/please-stop-trying-to-fix-the-oscars.html. Accessed 21 March 2022.
Jackson, Angelique, and Andrew Wallenstein. “Oscars Diversity Report: 4 POC Actors Nominated, Strides Behind Camera.” Variety, 8 February 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/. Accessed 21 March 2022.
Wilkinson, Alissa. “How Oscar campaigns turn movies into winners.” Vox, 21 February 2019, https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/2/21/18229512/oscar-campaigns-for-your-consideration-events-narratives-weinstein. Accessed 21 March 2022.
Olivia Kettell 1/2
ReplyDeleteAfter years of steadily declining viewership numbers, many award shows, including the Golden Globes, Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys experienced record low ratings in 2021. This could be attributed to any number of factors – Covid, streaming, or even backlash at many of the organizations for their lack of diversity and poor behavior. These factors are understandable, and some even go hand in hand. Clearly the pandemic has shut down theaters and spurred streaming, and with so many different platforms there is even more content to consume right from your couch. As a result of this, many nominees of this year’s Golden Globes came right from Netflix or HBO Max (Davis). Unfortunately, while this news is good for the streaming players it could have been another component to the less-than-ideal Golden Globes this year. Amidst backlash regarding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, due to the organization’s misconduct and lack of representation with no Black members, the awards ceremony was held nowhere other than on social media (Davis). In an article curtly titled “Golden Globes Put on an Event That Could Have Been Put in an Email,” Clayton Davis quotes a presenter from the ceremony who described it as “the most expensive Instagram production ever.” It’s clear that the times have really caught up with some of these shows, especially the Golden Globes, and they will need to change if they want to remain at all relevant.
Conversely, despite a decrease in the number of actors of color nominated in this year’s Oscars compared to last years, the Academy seems to have made strides in recognizing a diverse array of nominees across many categories. Among these nominations include the Academy’s first Afro-Latina actress, who doubles as the first openly queer woman of color, the first Latina nominated for an animated feature, and the first woman of color to win best director (Jackson). I think the Golden Globes could definitely take notes from this and expose their audience to a wider variety of individuals who make all of these shows and movies possible.
Olivia Kettell 2/2
DeleteStill, many were confused by other nominations at the Oscars, especially the films in the best picture category. Viewers questioned the absence of Spider Man: No Way Home despite the movie being the first real blockbuster in a long time. From a viewer perspective, Spider Man was a movie that people had “actually seen.” But from a film perspective, is an Oscar necessary to affirm a movie is good or even the best? The best picture category is difficult because it considers films of all sizes and genres, this year especially from westerns to sci-fis, from sports to musicals. However, unfortunately, the vast majority of viewers do equate Oscars with blockbusters, and with the lack of Spider Man’s nomination many were upset. To rectify this situation, the Oscars introduced Twitter-elected awards to show Spider Man the recognition and make everyone happy (Chang). Justin Chang from the LA Times points out that the Academy’s mission is to educate viewers and highlight artistic projects made in the past year. Further, the recognition of popular films simply because of their popularity is “cowardly,” and somewhat insulting to the artists of the industry.
This situation is tough, because the average viewer wants to see popular movies recognized and award shows aren’t in a position to forfeit viewership. For the time being, award shows definitely can focus on highlighting more diverse artists because there are still people of all backgrounds watching the shows and waiting to see representation on the screen.
Works Cited
Chang, Justin. “The Oscars Are Embracing Better Movies. the Show Acts like It's Embarrassed by Them.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2022, https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-03-21/oscars-2022-changes-controversy-popularity.
Davis, Clayton, and Michael Schneider. “Golden Globes Put on an Event That Could Have Been Put in an Email.” Variety, Variety, 10 Jan. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/news/golden-globes-twitter-show-netflix-oscars-1235149983/.
Jackson, Angelique. “Oscars Make Strides in Diversity beyond the Acting Categories.” Variety, Variety, 8 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/.
With the pandemic and the rise of virtual events, there have been questions about whether or not these large-scale award shows need to happen. There have been any critiques over the past few years regarding these award shows, particularly the ones that focus on the film industry. According to Inevitably, The Film Awards Reckoning Has Arrived, “the film awards business – what’s left of it after the latest round of Covid shutdowns – has devolved into an inside game” (Cieply, 2022). As seen on the most recent Golden Globes, the awards show focused heavily on philanthropy and took to social media to live tweet the winners instead of the traditional award show platform. The decision to not televise the Golden Globes gained some major backlash from people in the industry who have spoken out about how “immensely insignificant” the Golden Globes felt in 2022 (Davis & Schneider, 2022). Specifically, people referred to the Golden Globes virtual attempt as “the most expensive Instagram production ever” and described how they missed the camaraderie from familiar hosts (Davis & Schneider, 2022). On the other hand, there were also people who believed that the new set up for the Golden Globes was an effective “evening for giving” (Curtis, 2022) and showed praise for the new set up. This also showed how these award shows could become obsolete given the ability to have them in a more asynchronous fashion.
ReplyDeleteA variety of film award shows have also been under major scrutiny for having a lack of diversity in their nominees. This discussion about diversity first began in 2015 when there was an “all-white slate of acting nominees” (Jackson 2022). Though this sparked the conversation, it was only the start for the discussion about diversity in the context of not only race, but also gender and ability. In 2022, there were only four actors of color nominated (Jackson, 2022). This begs the question for all award shows within the film industry; is the industry inherently racist? According to an article from USA Today, “We don't see any movement this year. We don't see them advancing the ball in terms of ensuring that people of color and women are, at least at the director level, are at the center of opportunity” (Wright, 2022). USA Today also points out the missed opportunities by the Oscars with films such as “Encanto” who has become a number 1 hit in the music industry and has taken off in the social media world. These critiques are valid and can definitely be viewed as problematic considering how award shows like these have been seen as a place for rich and white people to celebrate each other. Specifically, the Golden Globes received backlash after being viewed as “too white, too clubby, and too self-serving” (Cieply, 2022). These award shows have also demonstrated a major bias against Blockbuster movies. One instance, where the Oscars took to Twitter fans in an attempt to recognize more Blockbuster movies, turned into a performative measure to check off a box rather than to actually recognize talent (Ebriri, 2022). This reminds me of how the popular vote really means nothing when the electoral college overrides it anyways.
I believe that these awards shows still do matter because it gives recognition to the talented people in the film industry. Taking away such award ceremonies would be similar to taking away championship titles for sports teams or medals for Olympians. For these actors, actresses, and film makers, these awards are the pinnacle of recognition for success and I believe they definitely still do matter. However, I don’t necessarily think that the awards ceremony must remain the same format as they have always been. As seen with the Golden Globes, there is an effective way to recognize talent in the industry while also making a philanthropic impact. The main issue that these awards shows face is diversity and representation should be their primary focus.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Cieply, M. (2022, February 9). Inevitably, the film awards reckoning has arrived. Deadline. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://deadline.com/2022/01/inevitably-film-awards-reckoning-arrived-1234903542/#!
Ebiri, B. (2022, February 23). Self-loathing will kill the Oscars. Vulture. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://www.vulture.com/2022/02/please-stop-trying-to-fix-the-oscars.html
Jackson, A. (2022, February 8). Oscars make strides in diversity beyond the acting categories. Variety. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/
Oliver, D. (2022, February 9). Oscar nominations in 2022 fail to build on diversity momentum. what needs to happen next. USA Today. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2022/02/08/oscar-nominations-diversity-efforts-2022-oscars/6662632001/
I think we can all agree that award shows now are nothing like they used to be before the start of the pandemic. Award shows like the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Golden Globes have had a steady decline in viewers and have struggled to gain the momentum they once had. Since I was younger, watching the award shows with my family is something we looked forward to every year. However, the buildup surrounding them has gotten less and less effective, specifically those focusing on the film industry.
ReplyDeleteSince the pandemic, movie theaters were at a short decline while streaming services were on the rise. Big streamers like Netflix, HBO Max and Amazon Prime swept up the Golden Globe awards with big wins. However, a lack of diversity and bias against blockbusters have been a big reason as to why these award shows aren't as successful as they used to be. Due to the lack of representation of black members, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has been “demonstrating patterns of unethical and inappropriate behavior,” (Davis, 2022). This has caused backlash altogether and raised questions about how diverse or included award shows can be. There has been a certain stigma that develops around awards shows that comes across as “an inside game, played by the studios, promoters, talent, filmmakers and media, with little or no connection to outsiders.” (Cieply, 2022). Past shows have not put enough emphasis on actors of different races, sexual orientations or disabilities.
I believe that award shows need to continue to branch out and be more diverse and included. For example, The 2021 Oscars ceremony was watched by the smallest audience the award show has ever received. 10.4 million people tuned into the Oscars this year, which was a 56% decline in viewers from their 26.3 million viewers in 2020. The Emmys also declined 14% in viewers as well as a 51% decline for the Grammys. (Whittens, 2021). However, the Oscars have made strides to recognize and highlight diversity to its fullest extent. According to Variety, Denzel Washington was the most nominated Black actor at the Oscars, with a total of 10 overall nominations and two wins. Yuh-Jung Youn became the first Korean person to win an acting Oscar for best supporting actress as well as “Judas and the Black Messiah” making history for its all black producing team.
Despite all of the negative notions surrounding award shows, I still believe that they will continue to matter. This is a platform that recognizes the talent of all people in the film industry. It is a way for us to see our favorite celebrities receive acknowledgement for the hard work they give. I think that there will still continue to be a slight decrease in viewers for years to come, but I don’t think award shows will be going anywhere. As long as diverse issues change and stay integrated into pop culture, award shows should continue to stay relevant.
Work Cited:
Cieply, M. (2022, February 9). Inevitably, the film awards reckoning has arrived. Deadline. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://deadline.com/2022/01/inevitably-film-awards-reckoning-arrived-1234903542
Davis, C. (2022, January 10). Golden Globes put on an event that could have been put in an email. Variety. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://variety.com/2022/awards/news/golden-globes-twitter-show-netflix-oscars-1235149983/
Whitten, S. (2021, May 2). Audiences for award shows are in steep decline. this chart shows how far viewership has fallen. CNBC. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/02/oscars-2021-nielsen-data-shows-viewers-have-lost-interest-in-award-shows.html
Jody Gallinger
ReplyDeleteAward shows such as the Oscars and Golden Globes have been around for ages, defining the best films and productions of the year. They have recently come under criticism in the past few years for reasons such as lack of diversity in their nominees, bias against blockbusters, and many more. These criticisms have had many people wondering how much award shows actually matter, or if they even matter at all.
In 2021, the Oscars nominated nine actors of color, followed by in 2022 only four actors of color were nominated. Popular movies such as “The Tragedy of Macbeth”, “West Side Story”, “Encanto”, and “Raya and “The Last Dragon” took the nominations this year with actors of color (Jackson). Many of these movies, especially “West Side Story” and “Encanto” blew up on social media this year. I think it is really nice to see these amazing actors of color finally get the recognition that they deserve. This is because in 2015 and 2016 the Oscars had all white nominations, adding no diversity to the show. Later in 2020, there was only one black actor nominated (Jackson). Although things improved in 2021, it is crazy to think that some of the most diverse nominations we have seen are nine actors of color. There are hundreds of films that get nominated but only a few actors of color get nominated. I think the Oscars need to keep moving in the right direction in order to keep highlighting actors of color.
Blockbuster movies are films that are highly successful based on their popularity and financial success. Many people argue that award shows have some sort of bias against blockbusters. Since the 1990s award shows have “introduced, honored, and promoted challenging movies that could never have survived blockbuster competition without awards” (Cieply). Famous films such as “American Beauty”, “No Country For Old Men”, The Hurt Locker”, and “12 Years A Slave” probably would not have been blockbuster movies without their awards they received (Cieply).
Pt. 2
DeleteSo, do award shows really matter? I think both yes and no. In 2019, the Oscars barley gave any new films a chance and stuck with the same “veterans” that they’ve been praising for over 30 years (Bahr). This is why many people feel there is a bias because they continue to award popular names instead of looking into new films. It can dictate what films people watch and who gets to have a voice in Hollywood (Bahr). On the contrary, award shows are a large factor of what brings people to the theaters and is what gets the box office sales to spike. Once a film gets nominated it will typically see a surge in profits (Bahr). Award shows can also have a tendency to help films and stars become what they are. In 2010, the Oscars helped director Debra Granik and Actress Jennifer Lawrence become who they are today because of their four nominations (Bahr). Popular films taking all the wins also don’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. When “Joker” had eleven nominations, this helped Warner Bros raise money to help support smaller and more diverse films such as “Just Mercy” and “In the Heights” (Bahr).
At the end of the day there is still a lot wrong with award shows, from diversity to blockbuster bias to not giving new, smaller films a chance. This proves that award shows don’t actually have that deep of a meaning to them. But they also can really help directors, actors, and studios be able to produce more films and solve the diversity and blockbuster bias issues.
Works Cited:
Bahr, Robyn. “Why Awards Shows Still Matter for Movies.” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2020, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/why-awards-shows-still-matter-movies-1274059/.
Cieply, Michael. “Inevitably, the Film Awards Reckoning Has Arrived.” Deadline, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2022, https://deadline.com/2022/01/inevitably-film-awards-reckoning-arrived-1234903542/.
Jackson, Angelique. “Oscars Make Strides in Diversity beyond the Acting Categories.” Variety, Variety, 8 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/.
Annie Morrison
ReplyDeleteAward shows have been paramount in the entertainment industry for years now. Big events like the Oscars, Golden Globes and the Emmys are some of the most prestigious events in the industry that bring A List celebrities together to be granted awards for their respective role they played in the industry that year.
Representation in television and film has created a progressive movement and has become increasingly important in society, especially in the entertainment industry. This movement has forced entertainment to acknowledge and focus on the representation of people of color, women, the queer community, and people with disabilities. (Davis, 2022) This has been a long time coming, and the representation needed is still not as prevalent as it should be, but it could make awards shows more relevant in today's climate if they continue to make progress towards equality and inclusion. (Jackson, 2022)
In the past audiences have been sheltered and the entertainment industry has been caught making cookie cutter productions with all white casts, and your typical white picket fence family. Viewers are eager to learn more about marginalized and underrepresented groups, but it is still uncomfortable for many. (Zarum, 2020) An example of this is Mrs. America, a television show based in the 1970s that focuses on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Phyllys Schlafly, one of the main characters is a multidimensional character who does not fit the mold of a woman of that time. She works on organizing against the ERA and is a powerful, influential, and confident woman. Many did not like her character, it made viewers uncomfortable not constantly seeing her at home with the children or being a typical homemaker. However, this series is coming of age and displays many of the issues discussed in the series are still so prevalent today. Society is still, fifty years later, uncomfortable with women that do not fit in a predictable box of who a woman should be and how a woman should act in society. This again demonstrates why representation within the media is so important. In the series, Mad Men, a television show with a similar ambiance, character Donald Draper, a businessperson working for an ad agency, who is displayed as a family man that never sees his family was never questioned about why he did not spend more time with his children. This goes to show the disparity and lack of representation that women have in television, and the different expectations that people have in society.
Annie Morrison
ReplyDeleteHopefully, representation in the media can help change the narrative of underrepresented groups when it is displayed in an honest and transparent manner on television or in the cinema, and award shows can play a role in this movement, too. Representation is the only way that awards shows can stay relevant. People want to be seen, heard, and recognized for their roles.
When it comes to the Oscars, there has been controversy for years. Many blockbuster films that make money and the masses flock to are not rewarded. (Cameron) Instead, there is somewhat of an arrogance towards film and a sense that the public needs to be told what to watch and be enlightened by the genius of those in the film industry. (Loughry, 2017) Very rarely are blockbuster hits granted awards at the Oscars, which does not make a lot of sense if you think about it. Art is all about perception and film is no different. There are many opinions, and everyone wants to be heard, to be seen progressively and as thinking freely, and that is where the controversy with blockbuster films comes in - it is seen as too mainstream. The Oscars take the role of telling people what they should see, instead of rewarding films that people have seen and enjoyed. (Loughry, 2017)
Overall, the lack of representation and bias with blockbuster films may come from the same place – arrogance and privilege. However, if awards shows want any chance of sticking around and staying relevant, they will have to make changes with the times and adapt to new expectations. (Loughry, 2017)
Davis, C. (2022, January 10). Golden Globes put on an event that could have been put in an email. Variety. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://variety.com/2022/awards/news/golden-globes-twitter-show-netflix-oscars-1235149983/
Jackson, A. (2022, February 8). Oscars make strides in diversity beyond the acting categories. Variety. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/
Loughrey, C. (2017, February 6). James Cameron says the Oscars are 'biased' against blockbusters. The Independent. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/oscars-2017-james-cameron-bias-blockbusters-titanic-avatar-a7563956.html
Zarum, L. (2020, April 10). 'mrs. America' depicts a different kind of feminist: The anti- kind. The New York Times. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/10/arts/television/mrs-america-cate-blanchett.html
Allison Kelleher
ReplyDeletePart 1
Within the past couple of years it is evident that shows like the Oscars and Golden Globes have come under criticism for several reasons. Whether that being a lack of diversity or a bias against blockbusters, these shows are always getting slammed with backlash. For instance, “the discussion about diversity comes in the wake of an all-white slate of acting nominees for both the 2015 and 2016 ceremonies. While the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has made aggressive efforts to diversify its membership in the years since, in 2020 just one Black actor, “Harriet” star Cynthia Erivo, earned a nomination for best actress” (Jackson). It actually is crazy to think that they got away with two years in a row with not one nominee being a person of color. When you pull up the history of these shows, it appears the critiques for a lack of diversity are more than valid. Although these shows are making enormous efforts going forward, it almost makes you think which nominees are deserved, and which are posed for the color of their skin.
As for the backlash regarding a bias against blockbusters, it makes sense time and time again that there is a present bias. I think this mostly has to do with how these award shows love a good narrative. Such as, in “2009’s ceremony offered up one of the more striking narratives in recent memory: James Cameron’s visual effects marvel Avatar was head-to-head with the low-budget, low-grossing gritty war drama The Hurt Locker, directed by Kathryn Bigelow. That Cameron also happened to be Bigelow’s ex-husband only added to this dramatic narrative, pitting the two films and filmmakers against each other in a battle for Oscar glory. Ultimately The Hurt Locker won out, as did Bigelow, making history as the first (and only) woman ever to win the Best Director prize” (Chitwood). This goes to show how these award shows put their bias first to get a better story, rather than maybe who actually deserved the recognition.
Allison Kelleher
DeletePart 2
These critiques make me wonder if award shows still matter. I think they still matter in the sense that it is important to give credit to the people that have worked so hard to produce masterpieces. However, I also feel like the winners are not always the most deserving based on the pool of nominees. With that being said, not everyone can be a winner. So the best case scenario would be for these shows to take constructive criticism to improve their system, presentation, nominees, and winners for an overall better experience for everyone involved, including those watching at home. It is important to note that steps have been taken, but there is always room for improvement. It will be especially interesting to see how these shows do going forward after the lack of audience since Covid-19. “But the precedent has been set. Hollywood’s premium awards show is selling at a discount. You can bet the parties will be talking more cuts if the audience doesn’t come back” (Cieply). I originally didn’t think these award shows were going anywhere anytime soon. But if the money is not there, these shows will sink sooner than I anticipated.
Works Cited
Jackson, Angelique. “Oscars Make Strides in Diversity beyond the Acting Categories.” Variety, Variety, 8 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/.
Chitwood, Adam. “James Cameron Says Oscars Are Biased against Blockbusters.” Collider, 30 Jan. 2017, https://collider.com/james-cameron-oscars-biased/.
Cieply, Michael. “Inevitably, the Film Awards Reckoning Has Arrived.” Deadline, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2022, https://deadline.com/2022/01/inevitably-film-awards-reckoning-arrived-1234903542/.
Award shows, which used to be some of the most viewed television content, have faced criticism for nearly the past decade. The once acclaimed shows such as the Oscars and the Golden Globes are struggling to stay relevant in today’s world of streaming. For years there has been discussion and outrage over the lack of diversity of award show nominees, most notably nominees of color and female nominees. Just as television shows and movies face criticism for their lack of diversity, award shows are being brought into the same light. While we began to see change at the 2021 Academy Awards with nine actors of color being nominated, which was a record-breaking number, this year’s Academy Awards only feature four actors of color. While nominations should not be based off of race alone, this is, unfortunately, not a good look for the Academy Awards because with the timing of the Black Lives Matter movement, their nominations last year could be seen as performative activism. I think the critiques regarding lack of diversity and favoring blockbusters are valid because awards should be nominated based on the talent portrayed by the actors, directors, and team; not by the color of their skin. Additionally, the conversation about representation doesn’t only apply to gender and race, but to people with disabilities as well. Variety notes that “‘CODA’ actor Troy Kotsur became only the second deaf actor to be nominated for an Oscar, 35 years after his co-star Marlee Matlin won an Academy Award for ‘Children of a Lesser God,’” (Jackson). The pandemic did not do any good for award shows either. The events that once used to host live performances and celebrity interactions have now fallen flat. Due to the pandemic, “the Golden Globes were held with no pomp and circumstance in a room devoid of celebrities, red carpets and splashy media coverage. Instead, winners were live-tweeted on the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s social media channels, with the show focusing on philanthropy,” (Davis and Schneider). Award shows have also started to try different entertainment forms other than performing music such as acting out skits or reading monologues. However, with the quickly shortening attention spans of the members of society, viewers do not want to sit through a three-hour show of skits when all they want to see is who won which awards and the occasional musical performance. Keeping this in mind, I do think that award shows are still an important part of the media, especially for celebrities. It is a chance for artists and performers to feel validated for all of the hard work they have done. The Hollywood Reporter mentions another reason that award shows are still important: “Awards revenues help funnel money to films that would otherwise be forgotten and fund niche ideas that would otherwise be ignored,” (Bahr). If award shows want to exist in the future, it is necessary that they continue to search for unique and diverse content, most of which has yet to be discovered. While I think award shows will be around for at least the next few years, it is unsure what their future holds.
ReplyDeleteSources:
Bahr, Robyn. “Why Awards Shows Still Matter for Movies.” Google, Google, 31 Jan. 2020, https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/why-awards-shows-still-matter-movies-1274059/amp/.
Davis, Clayton. “Golden Globes Put on an Event That Could Have Been Put in an Email.” Variety, Variety, 10 Jan. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/news/golden-globes-twitter-show-netflix-oscars-1235149983/.
Jackson, Angelique. “Oscars Make Strides in Diversity beyond the Acting Categories.” Variety, Variety, 8 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/.
Jacob Resnick
ReplyDeleteAward shows are just one of many things that have undergone a shift in meaning and importance in the hyper-digital age of the 21st century. Gone are the days of the Grammys being the only place to see music’s biggest stars in one room — now you can pull up anyone’s performances on YouTube. The Oscars is no longer the only event to discover which movies are worth heading to the theater and seeing — now you can watch them on the streaming service of your choosing and turn it off if the first ten minutes don’t float your boat. Another threat to the traditional awards shows are their critics who say the nominations lack diversity, both in the demographics and tendencies to over-promote the stalwarts of the industry.
Little has been done since the calls for increased diversity in awards nominations reached their peak about five years ago, “in the wake of an all-white slate of acting nominees for both the 2015 and 2016 ceremonies. While the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has made aggressive efforts to diversify its membership in the years since, in 2020 just one Black actor, “Harriet” star Cynthia Erivo, earned a nomination (for best actress)” (Jackson). The lack of diversity in the film and awards industries are a microcosm of our country as a whole. Non-white actors and filmmakers receive fewer nominations because their works aren’t publicized as well, meaning the issue is at the root and not at the top level. It’s a problem that must continue to be addressed, because the nominee list is straying further and further away from being an accurate sampling of each year’s best works.
Award shows are obviously played up for television, under the guise of being the true judgment of whose films were objectively the best that year, whatever that means to the viewer. As with most content made for TV, award show producers are experts in creating this false reality — the fancy suits and dresses, the drawn-out announcements (“And the winner is…”), the lifetime achievement awards. The dichotomy has never been clearer, since “the film awards business – what’s left of it after the latest round of Covid shutdowns – has devolved into an inside game, played by the studios, promoters, talent, filmmakers and media, with little or no connection to outsiders, the people” (Cieply).
This isn’t to say awards shows have lost all their meaning. It’s still a valued marker of success in the industry. It could be argued that the calls for increased diversity wouldn’t be coming in as fiercely as they are if winning awards weren’t still a sign of “making it” in Hollywood, which “is a business — if you want production companies, studios and distributors to back the up-and-coming filmmakers you love, then you also need to acknowledge the magnitude of the big, lumbering players who keep the money rolling in” (Bahr).
Works Cited
Bahr, Robyn. “Why Awards Shows Still Matter for Movies.” The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2020, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/why-awards-shows-still-matter-movies-1274059/.
Cieply, Michael. “Inevitably, the Film Awards Reckoning Has Arrived.” Deadline, 9 Feb. 2022, https://deadline.com/2022/01/inevitably-film-awards-reckoning-arrived-1234903542/.
Jackson, Angelique. “Oscars Make Strides in Diversity beyond the Acting Categories.” Variety, 8 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/.
Nick Federico
ReplyDeleteIt is no secret that the viewership for award shows has taken a nosedive in recent years. This continuous decline in audience engagement has resulted in many annual awards shows such as the Grammys, Emmys, Golden Globes and Oscars tallying some of their worst viewership ever during this past year. These large scale awkward shows fall from grace can be attributed to a slew of factors including the covid pandemic, lack of diversity representation, a shift towards streaming and even an apparent bias towards certain film genres. For starters, the pandemic has clearly been detrimental to the success of these award shows. With everyone being restricted from going about their daily routines for the good part of the past two years, activities such as going to the movie theater, attending live concerts or chatting in person with groups of friends has been absent. There is a direct correlation between the pandemic and the decline in viewership, due to the fact audiences haven’t been going out and seeing as many movies or attending concerts. This means that audiences aren't as engaged or up-to-date with newly released film, music and television. If audiences haven’t experienced this new media content, they are far less likely to have an interest in tuning into these long, drawn out award shows. In an article from Deadline titled “Inevitably, The Film Awards Reckoning Has Arrived”, it is discussed how the covid lockdowns have dramatically altered the format/structure of the award ceremonies. This can be seen through a lack of traditional in-person events, as ceremonies shifted towards a virtual approach. This meant no live audiences, live tweeting reactions, pre-recorded acceptance speeches, etc. (Cieply). This shows how these once elegant, extravagant award shows are now a shell of their former selves and struggling to stay afloat.
Similarly, the dawn of streaming in the media landscape has also contributed to the decline in viewership for these large scale award shows. For example, as audiences have been cooped up indoors due to the pandemic, streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu and HBO have been reaping the awards as their original content has seen significant success. (Davis). As a result, many of this past year’s awards went to streaming originals, rather than movies released for theater-goers. In addition to covid and streaming factoring into the negative reception these award shows are receiving, the events have also come under some heavy fire for their apparent lack of diversity. After a slate of nominees in 2015 that lacked a single Black actor/actress, the discussion arose that there was not fair representation of diversity in these award shows. (Jackson). The award shows quickly took note of this point and began to make steady efforts to remedy the issue. The 2021 Oscars featured a record-breaking nine actors/actresses of color, which showed the efforts to increase diversity in these awards shows. Better yet, the awards also made huge strides as both the latino and Asian community so additional representation as the nominations bolstered a new image for the ceremonies. The academy even featured their first both African and Latina nomination, including the first ever winner of “best director” by a woman of color. (Jackson). These added efforts to reach a fair level of representation have been noted in the industry and amongst viewers, and may serve as the first stepping stone to reclaiming their lost success.
Lastly, along with the other scrutiny that the awards shows have been suffering from, a bias towards blockbuster films has also made its way to the forefront of conversation. To further validate the idea of this bias, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences proposed to introduce a brand new Academy Award category that would be titled “Best Popular Film”. This category would serve to honor the many blockbuster films that have been seen by the public to be ignored/neglected by the Oscars (Fox). The most obvious example of this bias was the recent snub of Spider Man: No Way Home, which was undoubtedly the largest blockbuster film in recent years. Those who do tune into watch these award shows oftentimes want to see these mega-blockbusters at least get representation via a nomination, but without Spider Man being shown any love, fans were left with a sour taste in their mouth.
DeleteIn conclusion, I still believe that these award shows should remain and hold a special importance. Despite having some glaring shortcomings and pitfalls, the award shows are a source of validation for fans who are fans of a hit movie or series. They also more importantly help recognize the outstanding work/performances by all actors/actresses/directors/staff that are involved in creating these large scale productions. Countless hours of work go into the production of these films and it would be remiss to not recognize the effort and professionalism these individuals put forth. I believe that with continued efforts to better improve diversity in nominations, coupled with adapting to a changing landscape in terms of streaming, I believe that award shows will be able to once again regain their status and prestige.
Works Cited:
Davis, Clayton, and Michael Schneider. “Golden Globes Put on an Event That Could Have Been Put in an Email.” Variety, Variety, 10 Jan. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/news/golden-globes-twitter-show-netflix-oscars-1235149983/.
Jackson, Angelique. “Oscars Make Strides in Diversity beyond the Acting Categories.” Variety, Variety, 8 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/oscars-diversity-denzel-washington-behind-camera-1235174558/.
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