Who Decides The Oscar Winners?
The Oscars, officially known as the Academy Awards, are one of the most prestigious honors in the film industry. Every year, the Oscars recognize outstanding achievements in cinema across various categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and more. But who exactly decides the winners of these coveted awards? The answer lies in a detailed voting process managed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, or AMPAS, is a professional honorary organization comprised of film industry experts, including directors, actors, producers, technicians, and other professionals working in film. Founded in 1927, the Academy has more than 9,000 members across 17 branches, each representing a different aspect of the film industry. These branches include actors, directors, producers, writers, cinematographers, editors, and more.
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The members of AMPAS are the ones who ultimately vote for the Oscars. However, it’s important to note that not all members vote on every category. The voting process is tailored to ensure that the people with the most expertise in a given area are responsible for selecting the winner in that category.
The Voting Process: How It Works
The Oscar voting process is divided into two major rounds: the nomination round and the final voting round.
1. Nomination Voting
The first round of voting is focused on nominations. Members of the Academy are eligible to vote for nominees in categories relevant to their specific branch. For example, actors nominate actors, directors nominate directors, and producers nominate producers. This system ensures that those with the most expertise in a given area select the best contenders.
Members are encouraged to watch the films and performances before casting their votes. Each category has its own set of rules for how many nominees are selected. In many categories, such as Best Picture, a certain number of nominees are chosen based on the number of votes received.
In the case of the Best Picture category, for example, members from all 17 branches vote on which films should be nominated. A film needs to receive a certain number of votes to make it onto the list of nominees. In most categories, the top five films or performances with the most votes make it to the final list.
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2. Final Voting
Once the nominations have been determined, the second round of voting begins: the final vote. This round is open to all members of the Academy, regardless of their branch. So, in the final voting process, even actors are allowed to vote on categories like Best Director or Best Cinematography.
In the final vote, members cast their ballots for the nominee they believe should win in each category. The results are tabulated by an accounting firm to ensure accuracy and secrecy, and the winners are kept sealed until the night of the ceremony.
Voting Methodology: Ranked Voting and Majority Rules
The method used to determine the winner of most Oscar categories is a system called ranked-choice voting, or preferential voting. This means that members do not simply pick their favorite nominee; instead, they rank the nominees in order of preference.
For example, in the Best Picture category, voters are asked to rank the nominees from first to last. If a nominee receives more than 50% of first-choice votes, they win. If no nominee receives a majority, the nominee with the fewest votes is eliminated, and the ballots are re-tabulated with the voters’ second-choice preferences. This process continues until one nominee emerges with more than 50% of the votes. This voting system is designed to ensure that the winner has widespread support across the voting body.
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For some categories, such as Best Animated Feature, the voting is slightly different, but the principle remains the same: ensure that the winner has earned broad consensus across the membership of the Academy.
Special Rules for Certain Categories
While the majority of the categories follow this process, some categories have unique rules. For example, in the acting categories, nominations are made by members of the respective acting branch, but voting is open to all Academy members. Additionally, in categories like Best Documentary Feature, only documentary filmmakers vote on the nominees.
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In short, the Oscar winners are decided by the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. These members, who are professionals from various branches of the film industry, vote on the nominees and then cast their ballots in a final round of voting. The process ensures that the Oscars are determined by individuals with expertise in the field, providing a fair and representative selection of the year’s best achievements in cinema. While the voting process may seem complex, its goal is to reward excellence in filmmaking in a manner that is as democratic and transparent as possible.
