Apparently they think audiences don’t care about those categories. Here’s a better idea: Explain this work to TV audiences, and get them involved with these artisans, who are often the most interesting and valuable contributors to a film.
Friday, February 15, 2019
Why Oscars Should Respect Below the Line
Apparently they think audiences don’t care about those categories. Here’s a better idea: Explain this work to TV audiences, and get them involved with these artisans, who are often the most interesting and valuable contributors to a film.
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7 comments:
I think that it's more respectful to all the artists who put in years and months and days and hours into helping create a beautiful and significant environment for these movies to not just be allowed their moment when "no one is watching." If you are going to include these categories in the show, they can be included in the on-screen portion. I understand that timing of the show is a genuine concern, and I don't think that the decision to include these categories in an off-stage setting is entirely malicious. Many people watch the Oscars for the movies and people that are familiar to them. If you only present these awards to these artists below the line, not only is the artist not able to speak to everyone they wanted to, but the audiences may never get to see the faces of who helped create that movie or design they enjoy so much. As the article expresses at the very end, "Support our artisans." I agree with this statement wholeheartedly and I hope the Academy can figure out a way to include all those who made these important movies happen.
I really enjoyed this article; it is possible that I am more biased when it comes to movie and theater artists because I would eventually like to be one myself. I do think, however, that the artistic and technical aspects of a movie are just objectively interesting because these viewpoints allow any audience member to gain a deeper understanding of a production. Every element that is presented on screen has been carefully thought about and, if everyone learns more about what goes into every artistic choice, I think people will be better able to criticize and evaluate art and theater. When I first started working on my high school theater productions, my family started to notice all the details of the lighting and of the scenery and costumes that I had talked about with them. For me, it has been a while since I’ve seen a show and not paid any attention to the technical elements and I occasionally wish that I could go back just to experience a production without knowing anything about the technical side. For the most part, though, I think knowing the technical and artistic side of a production makes seeing it a lot more interesting and fulfilling.
This is blatant evidence of how the Academy, and even other facets of the entertainment industry, are incredibly performer centric. The entertainment industry as a whole is incredibly performer centric. I have no doubt that audiences would like to hear about what these “Below-the-line” artisans do to create the work they are awarded for, but it is being aired because the people in charge do not feel it is as important. THEY do not think people want to hear about it, so the people do not hear about it, and thus audiences have also internalized that the performer is more important. It is kind of comparable to the article that was posted about male vs. female works of theatre – when we focus on one thing over another, that other thing is left less valued by everyone, and thus not as abundant. It makes me so sad that I never get to hear about the technical designer awards at the Tonys, and only get a playback of the speech if I am lucky. When outside speakers come to Conservatory Hour to do a discussion or give a presentation, it is always directed primarily towards the performers in the room, and not the DPs. So much of the press was yelling about how performing females are being harassed in the industry, and the only articles I saw about technicians and designers inuring harassment were from here on the Greenpage. By no means am I saying that one is more important than another, or that we should eliminate all the time we focus on performers, but there should be more space given to the artisans and technicians behind the scenes. If the larger powers that be in entertainment gave air time to “Below-the-line” awards, then those artisans and positions and industries become less of a mystery.
First off, I think award shows are BS in general. I don’t like that people assign more value to a film that won an Oscar or a production that won a Tony over one that didn’t, just because a committee thought it deserving of some sort of special recognition, and who’s opinions are often steeped in bias. The idea of presenting “Below the Line” awards during commercial breaks irritates me for a similar reason. They are deciding that some categories are more important or deserve more recognition than others, and that is absurd. As a person entering the “behind the scenes” side of entertainment industry, that tells me that my work will never be valued as highly as the names on the poster. Without those working “below the line,” the Oscars would have nothing to judge. There would be no movies. I read a bit more on this because it made me mad, and the Oscars have officially reversed their decision and will be airing all 24 categories live, which is good to hear, but I’m sad that it was ever a question.
I agree that it is insulting to the audience's intelligence to assume they would not be interested in behind the scenes work. Also am I the only one who thinks the title "below the line" sounds belittling? I think it is interesting that the Oscars is under so much fire for this, though, when the Tony's has been doing this for awhile I assume from the few times I've watched it and and I'm pretty sure that viewer base is way more likely to be invested in those technical awards. That aside, I am glad the Oscars reversed the decision. The excuse of wanting a shorter run time is stupid to me considering the Oscars have been happening for quite awhile and I'm pretty sure still rake in plenty of money so watch time shouldn't be a concern. I never really watch award shows though because the judging process is so biased, but I am excited to be going to school with people who care so much. For once I am kind of excited to watch the Oscars.
These categories in The Oscars are so important because of the artisan recognition. Being able to put your best effort and work into a film that is Oscar-worthy, you deserve the chance to win the award, just like the actors do. As a person on the technical side, seeing what you can accomplish, like an aspiring performer would, it is important to see that representation in the award shows. Without the artists behind the scenes, these movies would not have the high production value they do. The actors deserve the recognition they get, “behind-the-scenes” people deserve it just as much. Plus there are so many audience members who have no idea these people exist, that kind of exposure brings attention to a field that needs to be recognized. My classmates and I will be watching the Oscars all together, and I am excited to see who they recognize with the three hour run-time.
This article is witness to how award committee like to assign different values to each of the award category and decide for the audience as to what category they might find interesting, both of which, according to me, are arrogant decisions.
In order to create a visual production, a lot of different departments are involved. Each department is as crucial to the final product. So then why are certain categories given more importance than others? Apparently, it is because awards ceremonies decide that technical awards don't need and deserve as much attention and appreciation as say like, best actor/actress awards, a mindset which is condescending to the hard work that all these departments have put in the creation of the final project.
And this mindset is the reason why awards ceremonies like to decide which category might be more appealing to audience, which is a wrong approach cause even the awards ceremonies have no idea as to what people take away from a production, hence they are not aware of what categories might be interesting to the audience.
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