Cruise was nominated for his lead performances in “Born on the Fourth of July” and “Jerry Maguire.” He also was nominated for his supporting role in “Magnolia.” Cruise was recently seen in “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” and will be seen next in “Rock of Ages.” His other film credits include “Tropic Thunder,” “War of the Worlds,” “Collateral,” “Minority Report,” “A Few Good Men,” “Rain Man,” “The Color of Money” and “Top Gun.”

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Completed ballots must be returned to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) by 5 p.m. Tuesday, February 21. Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted. Listed on the ballots are nominees in 19 Awards categories. Separate ballots for five categories (Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Foreign Language Film, Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film) will be distributed after verification of mandatory member attendance at screenings.

Following the tabulation of the votes, the winners’ names will be placed in sealed envelopes to be opened on Oscar Sunday, February 26.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Lopez, who serves as a judge on “American Idol,” will be seen next in the feature “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” and recently completed work on “Parker” and “Ice Age: Continental Drift.” Her other film credits include “The Back-Up Plan,” “El Cantante,” “Monster-in-Law,” “Maid in Manhattan,” “Enough,” “The Wedding Planner,” “Out of Sight” and “Selena.”

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

While Hollywood and most of the entertainment world will rightfully want a solution to stop digital piracy, legislation currently does not exist that stringently takes down offending websites. However, the problem with taking action against sites that are violating copyright is that there are many users who use these services for legitimate use. What happens when sites like Megaupload get taken offline for good? As we can see in today’s report via AP, the 150 million + members of Megaupload would appear to have no choice in the matter as to what happens to their data. This intellectual property, created individually or in groups has been transferred through the website, and stored remotely.

Now that Megaupload is shut down, the data centres storing user files (Carpathia Hosting and Cogent Communications Group) may decide to delete legitimate content. This poses a problem for legislation because if web users are duped into using a service that has illegal content, would it not be wise to allow a recovery process for data that is legitimate, stored by 3rd parties?

It is clear that web legislation is still in its early days, and from what we’ve seen so far, it is fundamentally flawed. There are so many aspects of content, intellectual property rights and freedom of information that finding the right balance to suit all parties will not be easy. At least those who created unique digital content on Megaupload should be given the chance to take back their data.

(PRESS RELEASE) Beverly Hills, CA – Producer credits for 84th Academy Awards® Best Picture nominee “The Tree of Life” have been determined by the Producers Branch Executive Committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The official nominees for the film are Sarah Green, Bill Pohlad, Dede Gardner and Grant Hill.

Academy rules allow for no more than three producers to be nominated and to potentially receive Oscar® statuettes. The executive committee called a meeting to determine if “The Tree of Life” represented a “rare and extraordinary circumstance,” as described by the rules, and if any additional producer would be eligible. The committee determined that Green, Pohlad, Gardner and Hill functioned as genuine producers of the film and would be cited in the nomination.

Producers for the eight other motion pictures nominated in the Best Picture category – “The Artist,” “The Descendants,” “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,” “The Help,” “Hugo,” “Midnight in Paris,” “Moneyball” and “War Horse” – were announced on January 24 and remain unchanged.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Oscars 2012 App

Developed by the Academy and Disney/ABC Television Group’s Digital Media Team, the Oscars App is designed to be the ultimate complement to the live telecast, giving fans premier access to the most memorable moments of the night through exclusive live cameras strategically placed on the Red Carpet, throughout the Kodak Theatre, and even in the Governors Ball, which is the official Oscar party of the night. Special cameras include the Thank You Cam — offering winners an extended opportunity to thank their supporters; Backstage Cam — capturing sound bites, backstage action, short interviews and behind-the-scenes footage; Control Room Cam – allowing users to watch the show’s director in action; and Press Room Cam – featuring moments of winners in the press area.

“Many iPad, iPhone and iPod touch owners use their device daily while watching TV to look for show-related information,” said Karin Gilford, SVP of Digital Media for ABC.com. “Our goal is to utilize the best digital technologies to make sure those fans are having a really full, immersive experience leading up to, during and after the Oscars. We want this to be the next best thing to attending the show itself.”

“We love the level of interaction this app provides our fans,” said Christina Kounelias, chief marketing officer, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “It pulls back the curtain and takes viewers on a backstage experience that is fun and engaging. It allows fans access and vantage points that guests in the theater don’t have.”

The app debuted last year as an integral part of the Oscar Digital Experience, which won an Emmy for Creative Achievement in Interactive Arts. This year, the team has built on that success with a few key enhancements, including:

A much larger pre-show presence in a new magazine-style format. Fans who download the app between nominations and the live show will have access to original video from last year’s show, photos and – utilizing new iOS 5 Twitter integration – the latest social media buzz.
All video views are tracked through iCloud so viewers can keep track of what video they’ve watched regardless of the iOS device they are on.

Access to the hugely popular “Oscar My Picks,” an interactive play-along game that offers fans a chance to test their Oscar prediction skills. Once they fill out their ballot they can share and view their friends picks on Facebook. On Oscar Sunday, users play along during the show and predict category winners ahead of the opening of the envelopes. The app will refresh and calculate your results as categories are won.
Viewers can watch the live experience in two different modes: Watch or Direct. In Watch mode, the viewer will be guided through the live behind-the-scenes show. In the Direct mode, the viewer can select the cameras they want to use.
This year’s app will have a live video grid so the viewer can watch all available cameras at once or zero in on one that looks the most interesting to them.

Once in a camera view, a ticker will display over the video to tell viewers what is happening on other cameras. That way, if a fan’s favorite actor enters another view, they can jump to it quickly and easily.

“Our team really listened to what fans had to say last year, and made a huge effort to build on the things that worked to make them even better,”

added Gilford.

The 84rd Academy Awards will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood and Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network.

The Oscars App is available for free from the App Store on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

Performance by an actor in a leading role

• Demián Bichir in “A Better Life” (Summit Entertainment)
• George Clooney in “The Descendants” (Fox Searchlight)
• Jean Dujardin in “The Artist” (The Weinstein Company)
• Gary Oldman in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” (Focus Features)
• Brad Pitt in “Moneyball” (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

• Kenneth Branagh in “My Week with Marilyn” (The Weinstein Company)
• Jonah Hill in “Moneyball” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
• Nick Nolte in “Warrior” (Lionsgate)
• Christopher Plummer in “Beginners” (Focus Features)
• Max von Sydow in “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” (Warner Bros.)

Performance by an actress in a leading role

• Glenn Close in “Albert Nobbs” (Roadside Attractions)
• Viola Davis in “The Help” (Touchstone)
• Rooney Mara in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
• Meryl Streep in “The Iron Lady” (The Weinstein Company)
• Michelle Williams in “My Week with Marilyn” (The Weinstein Company)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

• Bérénice Bejo in “The Artist” (The Weinstein Company)
• Jessica Chastain in “The Help” (Touchstone)
• Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids” (Universal)
• Janet McTeer in “Albert Nobbs” (Roadside Attractions)
• Octavia Spencer in “The Help” (Touchstone)

Best animated feature film of the year

• “A Cat in Paris” (GKIDS) Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
• “Chico & Rita” (GKIDS) Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
• “Kung Fu Panda 2” (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount) Jennifer Yuh Nelson
• “Puss in Boots” (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount) Chris Miller
• “Rango” (Paramount) Gore Verbinski

Achievement in art direction

• “The Artist” (The Weinstein Company) Production Design: Laurence Bennett, Set Decoration: Robert Gould
• “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” (Warner Bros.) Production Design: Stuart Craig, Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
• “Hugo” (Paramount) Production Design: Dante Ferretti, Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
• “Midnight in Paris” (Sony Pictures Classics) Production Design: Anne Seibel, Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil
• “War Horse” (Touchstone) Production Design: Rick Carter, Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Achievement in cinematography

• “The Artist” (The Weinstein Company) Guillaume Schiffman
• “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Jeff Cronenweth
• “Hugo” (Paramount) Robert Richardson
• “The Tree of Life” (Fox Searchlight) Emmanuel Lubezki
• “War Horse” (Touchstone) Janusz Kaminski

Achievement in costume design

• “Anonymous” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Lisy Christl
• “The Artist” (The Weinstein Company) Mark Bridges
• “Hugo” (Paramount) Sandy Powell
• “Jane Eyre” (Focus Features) Michael O’Connor
• “W.E.” (The Weinstein Company) Arianne Phillips

Achievement in directing

• “The Artist” (The Weinstein Company) Michel Hazanavicius
• “The Descendants” (Fox Searchlight) Alexander Payne
• “Hugo” (Paramount) Martin Scorsese
• “Midnight in Paris” (Sony Pictures Classics) Woody Allen
• “The Tree of Life” (Fox Searchlight) Terrence Malick

Best documentary feature

• “Hell and Back Again” (Docurama Films) A Roast Beef Limited Production, Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
• “If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front” (Oscilloscope Laboratories) A Marshall Curry Production, Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
• “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory” An @radical.media Production, Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky
• “Pina” (Sundance Selects) A Neue Road Movies Production, Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel
• “Undefeated” (The Weinstein Company) A Spitfire Pictures Production, TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

Best documentary short subject

• “The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement” A Purposeful Production, Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin
• “God Is the Bigger Elvis” A Documentress Films Production, Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson
• “Incident in New Baghdad” A Morninglight Films Production, James Spione
• “Saving Face” A Milkhaus/Jungefilm Production, Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
• “The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom” A Supply & Demand Integrated Production, Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen

Achievement in film editing

• “The Artist” (The Weinstein Company) Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
• “The Descendants” (Fox Searchlight) Kevin Tent
• “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
• “Hugo” (Paramount) Thelma Schoonmaker
• “Moneyball” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Christopher Tellefsen
•
Best foreign language film of the year

• “Bullhead” A Savage Film Production, Belgium
• “Footnote” (Sony Pictures Classics) A Footnote Limited Partnership Production, Israel
• “In Darkness” (Sony Pictures Classics) A Studio Filmowe Zebra Production, Poland
• “Monsieur Lazhar” (Music Box Films) A micro_scope Production, Canada
• “A Separation” (Sony Pictures Classics) A Dreamlab Films Production, Iran

Achievement in makeup

• “Albert Nobbs” (Roadside Attractions) Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle
• “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” (Warner Bros.) Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin
• “The Iron Lady” (The Weinstein Company) Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

• “The Adventures of Tintin” (Paramount) John Williams
• “The Artist” (The Weinstein Company) Ludovic Bource
• “Hugo” (Paramount) Howard Shore
• “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” (Focus Features) Alberto Iglesias
• “War Horse” (Touchstone) John Williams

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
• “Man or Muppet” from “The Muppets” (Walt Disney) Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
• “Real in Rio” from “Rio” (20th Century Fox) Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown, Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Best motion picture of the year

• “The Artist” (The Weinstein Company) A La Petite Reine/Studio 37/La Classe Américaine/JD Prod/France3 Cinéma/Jouror Productions/uFilm Production, Thomas Langmann, Producer
• “The Descendants” (Fox Searchlight) An Ad Hominem Enterprises Production, Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
• “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” (Warner Bros.) A Warner Bros. Pictures Production, Scott Rudin, Producer
• “The Help” (Touchstone) A DreamWorks Pictures Production, Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
• “Hugo” (Paramount) A Paramount Pictures and GK Films Production, Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
• “Midnight in Paris” (Sony Pictures Classics) A Pontchartrain Production, Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
• “Moneyball” (Sony Pictures Releasing) A Columbia Pictures Production, Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
• “The Tree of Life” (Fox Searchlight) A River Road Entertainment Production, Nominees to be determined
• “War Horse” (Touchstone) A DreamWorks Pictures Production, Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

Best animated short film

• “Dimanche/Sunday” (National Film Board of Canada) A National Film Board of Canada Production, Patrick Doyon
• “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” A Moonbot Studios LA Production, William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
• “La Luna” (Walt Disney) A Pixar Animation Studios Production, Enrico Casarosa
• “A Morning Stroll” (Studio AKA) A Studio AKA Production, Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
• “Wild Life” (National Film Board of Canada) A National Film Board of Canada Production, Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

Best live action short film

• “Pentecost” (Network Ireland Television) An EMU Production, Peter McDonald and Eimear O’Kane
• “Raju” A Hamburg Media School/Filmwerkstatt Production, Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
• “The Shore” An All Ashore Production, Terry George and Oorlagh George
• “Time Freak” A Team Toad Production, Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
• “Tuba Atlantic” (Norsk Filminstitutt) A Norwegian Film School/Den Norske Filmskolen Production, Hallvar Witzø

Achievement in sound editing

• “Drive” (FilmDistrict) Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
• “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Ren Klyce
• “Hugo” (Paramount) Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
• “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” (Paramount) Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
• “War Horse” (Touchstone) Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

Achievement in sound mixing
• “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (Sony Pictures Releasing) David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
• “Hugo” (Paramount) Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
• “Moneyball” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick
• “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” (Paramount) Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
• “War Horse” (Touchstone) Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

Achievement in visual effects

• “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” (Warner Bros.) Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
• “Hugo” (Paramount) Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
• “Real Steel” (Touchstone) Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
• “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (20th Century Fox) Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
• “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” (Paramount) Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

Adapted screenplay

• “The Descendants” (Fox Searchlight) Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
• “Hugo” (Paramount) Screenplay by John Logan
• “The Ides of March” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
• “Moneyball” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin Story by Stan Chervin
• “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” (Focus Features) Screenplay by Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan

Original screenplay

• “The Artist” (The Weinstein Company) Written by Michel Hazanavicius
• “Bridesmaids” (Universal) Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
• “Margin Call” (Roadside Attractions) Written by J.C. Chandor
• “Midnight in Paris” (Sony Pictures Classics) Written by Woody Allen
“A Separation” (Sony Pictures Classics) Written by Asghar Farhadi

Earlier this month George Lucas revealed the shocking truth about how it took him 23 years to get his movie ‘Red Tails’ made because no one would fund an “all Black cast”. While the debate has reached every film magazine, journal, and all those working in the industry, it leaves the question : “Is Hollywood too white?”

It is true that a minority of successful actors in the business are African Americans, and Hollywood movies are dominated by white protagonists. Is there a lack of diversity at the cinema, or is it a fact that the African American cinema going audience is just not bringing enough returns for producers? What about Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Eddie Murphy or Will Smith? These are some of the most inspiring people in the business and they surely have a huge fan base, not just African Americans. So why should there not be an audience for ‘Red Tails’?

The story behind the making of ‘Red Tails’ seems to be more relevant to people today than the movie itself, set in WW2. While Lucas’ epic highlights these courageous airmen who were part of the American war machine back in the day, will we ever see a blockbuster of this type again with a leading Black cast? Is Lucas really the first, and last producer to make this happen? I hope not. Hollywood for me would not be the same without African American actors.

Red Tails Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpA6TC0T_Lw

The films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:

Belgium, “Bullhead,” Michael R. Roskam, director;
Canada, “Monsieur Lazhar,” Philippe Falardeau, director;
Denmark, “Superclásico,” Ole Christian Madsen, director;
Germany, “Pina,” Wim Wenders, director;
Iran, “A Separation,” Asghar Farhadi, director;
Israel, “Footnote,” Joseph Cedar, director;
Morocco, “Omar Killed Me,” Roschdy Zem, director;
Poland, “In Darkness,” Agnieszka Holland, director;
Taiwan, “Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale,” Wei Te-sheng, director.
Foreign Language Film nominations for 2011 are again being determined in two phases.

The Phase I committee, consisting of several hundred Los Angeles-based members, screened the 63 eligible films between mid-October and January 13. The group’s top six choices, augmented by three additional selections voted by the Academy’s Foreign Language Film Award Executive Committee, constitute the shortlist.

The shortlist will be winnowed down to the five nominees by specially invited committees in New York and Los Angeles. They will spend Friday, January 20, through Sunday, January 22, viewing three films each day and then casting their ballots.

The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

There has been much talk of websites shutting down in response to the SOPA Bill (anti-piracy legislation), but amidst the outcry, the entertainment industry will become a much stronger union thanks to this opposition.

It is to go without saying that the SOPA bill and the protect IP act (PIPA) have fundamental issues that go against the principles of freedom, and it is unfortunate that their elements cannot be refined to address these important issues that are the founding blocks of the web. How we surf and our freedom to navigate is at the heart of this anti-SOPA movement, but we must not forget the real issue is that of digital piracy, and the theft of people’s work. There are over 2 million employees in the American entertainment industry. Each person has a vested interest in knowing that protections exist in the 21st century to prevent piracy, which affects jobs, and takes away revenues from hard working people. They deserve that respect, and I would expect these safeguards in any other industry. Having that protection is after all one of the main values of society we live in, and should be respected by all parties.

The SOPA Bill doesn’t just affect Americans as it has repercussions abroad, and also within the wider entertainment industry. It’s a message that the web has become so interconnected, that all industries are somewhat affected by legislative decisions, and therefore it is far reaching across the entire web, as we have seen these past few days. There is a growing trend that people are far more united because of the web, so the voices we hear today that go against the SOPA legislation Bill are just, and should be heard. However those for it should not be forgotten, because their arguments are just as valid, as the Bill’s intentions are not to punish ordinary web users, but to protect and remove offenders exploiting the work of others.

I do feel that this movement is a wake up call to the entertainment industry, from Hollywood studios to the MPAA that the issue of anti-piracy goes far beyond our industry. Whilst many if not everyone in the business will be for an anti-piracy legislation, this process is far from over. The SOPA Bill is just the beginning of awareness, and thanks to this movement against it, more people than ever before will learn to understand its implications. This in turn will make it so much more important and valued, so that the day an anti-piracy law is passed, it will fundamentally re-create the rules of the web, in the interest of all.

The ‘No Pants Subway ride’ features thousands of people who collectively took off their pants in major cities around the world to mark the 11th Annual No Pants Subway ride. While the cultural phenomenon may seem bizarre to many, the video has certainly caught the attention of the web, passing 4 million views in just 72 hours. That’s more viral than Rihanna videos which don’t get more than 1 million views a day at their most viral.

Created by Improveverywhere, the video features a montage of people in their undies (men and women) getting onto metros in New York.

Cultural videos that involve large groups of people tend to go viral very quickly as participants share it with their friends and family (if they dare). This then gets picked up by more people, and hence the video gets a lot of shares. However this particular video is a catchy, in your face, type message, that shows how people can have a good laugh if they get together to do something daring. It deserves a big thumbs up for entertainment value alone and the guys behind it have done a superb job in capturing this

No Pants Subway video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF9FM6KqCu4

In the Documentary Feature category, the entire Documentary Branch will now receive all eligible titles beginning in the first round of voting. To facilitate this change, filmmakers must submit 200 DVDs, an increase from the 30 that had been required in previous years. In the final round of voting in this category, members must still see all the nominated films, but the viewing of films on digital or DVD screeners will now be an option for satisfying this requirement.

A documentary feature film’s eligibility will continue to depend on completing seven-day qualifying runs in both New York and Los Angeles that are advertised in at least one major newspaper, as specified by Academy rules, in each city. For the 85th Academy Awards, however, a review by a movie critic in The New York Times and/or the Los Angeles Times will also be required.

In the Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film categories, members will still have to see all the nominated films before casting their final ballots, but viewing the films on screeners will now be an option for satisfying this requirement. Films that are shown during their theatrical run in a non-standard format, such as IMAX, will have to be submitted to the Academy in a standard theatrical aspect ratio and in a format currently accepted for Academy exhibition to remain eligible. Producers may provide additional screenings of their films in non-standard formats, but members’ attendance at such screenings will not be required for voting purposes.

Other rules changes for the documentary and short films categories include normal date changes and minor “housekeeping” changes.

Rules are reviewed annually by individual branch and category committees. The Awards Rules Committee then reviews all proposed changes before presenting its recommendations to the Board of Governors for approval.

The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Even getting into the nomination categories before the official nominations are out is a big deal, because it can generate a huge buzz around relatively obscure films.

Filmmakers currently in production looking to enter their films into major festivals should consider the Oscars before they even get up in the morning to head to the set. Why aim for 2nd, 3rd, or 4th place at an indie Festival, when Oscar glory will do? The filmmakers that do choose to start with this mindset are far better placed to make their films as good as possible and get into many festivals. (This is not to say that Indie film festivals are not credible, which they very much are. You should also submit to them without a doubt.)

There is however the argument that simply aiming for an Oscar defies the purpose of making a movie, but it’s the idea of what the Oscars represent that I think is more important. For me the Oscars represent recognition at the highest level from a professional stand-point. There is nothing better than getting votes from industry members about the quality of your film technically, and from the viewpoint of performances and storytelling. It’s the voice of Academy members in numbers that decide the winning or losing fate of each film, and it’s credible despite the gossip side of the press that fabricates theories ahead of the show for your entertainment.

Moving on, if you are heading into film production in 2012, consider a 2013 Oscars submission because you never know what chances that will bring you. Just to get in a nomination category is already a gift, and it will propel you to make better films, and refine your storytelling. Think big, and you will earn big.

Gene Hackman in 'The Conversation'

Technology this year is bringing our world closer together. The filmmaker in Detroit has just as much chance to succeed as the actor in Berlin. What sets these two individuals apart is geography and culture. Both countries have two different markets, languages and job rules. However, the ‘globalisation’ of technology means that Detroit filmmakers and Berlin based actors can access the same knowledge, gain the same advantage, and become better at what they do at the same speed.

It’s no longer a good excuse to blame a lack of resources for not being able to learn the skills needed to become better, or greater at something. There is so much information out there, you can learn the skill by taking online courses, learning from the success of others, and getting the best reading material for your specific skillset.

When you consider the wealth of information available to us, there are infinite opportunities to seek a way to earn a living, and not just based on the current rules of your local film community or even local jobs. 2012 will be the year to forge closer relationships with people around the world in this spirit.

I couldn’t get to where I am without teaming up with people thousands of miles away. It’s not just on a personal level, but a professional one too. The whole concept of the web makes us very close, and I wish for you to seek out those impossible answers from people that might even be 10,000 miles away.

So to the indie filmmaker, the struggling actor, or the seasoned pro, if you are lacking initiative, a job, or motivation, look to the web to find new skills, new opportunities. Even start a business with your unique skills and export them abroad. Anything is possible and I hope this encourages you to do it right now, this second, this instant.

Harrison Ford in 'Cowboys and Aliens'

Reviewing some of the Box Office flops, a lot of the worst performing titles for studios in 2011 had a pre-existing ‘character’ history or similarities to other movies we’ve already seen. ‘Cowboys & Aliens’ starring Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford tied two leading men in a the kind of ‘Alien Vs Predator’ style remix of the wild west meets Men in Black. It looks catchy as a one liner, but we’ve seen Indiana Jones trilogy, and Men in Black 1 and 2, and well, this just felt like a combination of other movies.

Schwarzenegger guaranteed controversy when he revealed he had fathered a love child, but this was not enough to resurrect a movie starring Jason Momoa entitled ‘Conan the Barbarian’. It was obvious that this movie didn’t need to be seen. Fans of Schwarzenegger would have unlikely flocked to support a Schwarzeneggerless muscle bound hero with zero cult classic status, in a movie that even diehard Arnie fans will have practically forgotten. 10 years too late in my view and why not Patrick Schwarzenegger?

Universal’s announcement to remake ‘The Thing’ was a big disappointment. Not only was the Kurt Russell original an absolute classic, but remaking it to fit a modern audience didn’t add significant desire for fans to go back and ‘watch it again in a whole new setting’.

Johnny Depp‘s unstoppable box office power with Pirates of The Caribbean 4 was essentially demolished when ‘The Rum Diary’ hit theatres in late October. It showed promise but in truth Hunter S Thompson’s already well known character in this movie didn’t enthuse fans to head to theatres. ‘Fear And Loathing in Las Vegas’ was a classic, and a hugely enjoyable movie, but we’ve had enough of cocaine, alcohol fuelled characters with absurd one-liners.

Each of these movies had a past, with characters we’ve already seen, concepts and genres already cross mixed, and remakes not enticing enough for fans of original movies to care.

It would seem that franchise fatigue has transitioned into ‘character fatigue’ and similar stories we’ve seen time and time again have made a string of movies fail in 2011. Studios are struggling to come up with new concepts, new scripts, original movies. Sequels are far too high in number, and there seems to be in my view ,a lack of investment in new writing talent. It’s inevitable that if the quality of your product continues to fall, so will the demand of it’s audience.

It’s a wake up call, for studios and the industry as a whole. Film quality has to go up. We need a new golden age for storytelling, with character’s we’ve not seen before. 3D should not be used as a concept either to make money. Special effects are losing their novelty, and story must come first.