Seth MacFarlane to Host 85th Oscars® Airs February 24 on ABC

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – October 1, 2012, Seth MacFarlane will host the 85th Academy Awards®, telecast producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today. This will be MacFarlane’s first appearance on Oscar’s stage. The 85th Academy Awards will be broadcast live on Oscar® Sunday, February 24, on the ABC Television Network.

“We are thrilled to have Seth MacFarlane host the Oscars. His performing skills blend perfectly with our ideas for making the show entertaining and fresh,” said Zadan and Meron. “He will be the consummate host, and we are so happy to be working with him.”

“It’s truly an overwhelming privilege to be asked to host the Oscars,” said MacFarlane. “My thoughts upon hearing the news were, one, I will do my utmost to live up to the high standards set forth by my predecessors; and two, I hope they don’t find out I hosted the Charlie Sheen Roast.”

“Seth is unbelievably talented,” said Academy President Hawk Koch. “We couldn’t be happier with the creative team we’ve assembled. With Craig, Neil, and now Seth, we’re off to a great start.”

MacFarlane made his feature directorial debut this summer with the box office success “Ted. “He also co-wrote and produced the film, and voiced the title character. “Ted” has brought in over $420 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing films of the year.

MacFarlane is the creative force behind the television series “Family Guy” and co-creator of “American Dad!” and “The Cleveland Show. “In September he hosted “Saturday Night Live” for the first time, for the show’s 38th season premiere. An accomplished live performer, MacFarlane has played to sold-out audiences at London’s Royal Albert Hall and New York’s Carnegie Hall.In 2011 he released his debut album, “Music Is Better Than Words,” which earned two Grammy® nominations. He also has earned 13 Emmy® nominations and won two for his work on “Family Guy.”

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®. Don Mischer will direct the telecast for the third consecutive time. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

About The Academy:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards–in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners–Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

Source: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Photo credit to: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Jeffrey Katzenberg, Hal Needham, D.A. Pennebaker and George Stevens, Jr. to Receive Academy’s Governors Awards

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – September 5, 2012, The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted tonight to present Honorary Awards to stunt performer Hal Needham, documentarian D. A. Pennebaker and arts advocate George Stevens, Jr., and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to philanthropist Jeffrey Katzenberg. All four awards will be presented at the Academy’s 4th Annual Governors Awards dinner on Saturday, December 1, at The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center®.

Hal Needham is a legendary stunt performer and coordinator who has worked on more than 300 feature films including “The Spirit of St. Louis,” “How the West Was Won,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Little Big Man” and “Chinatown.” A pioneer in improving stunt technology and safety procedures, Needham also co-founded Stunts Unlimited, and is known for mentoring young stunt performers. In 1986, the Academy presented Needham with a Scientific and Engineering Award for the design and development of the Shotmaker Elite camera car and crane, which allows filmmakers greater versatility in shooting action sequences. Needham made his directorial debut with “Smokey and the Bandit.” He went on to direct such features as “Hooper” and the “Cannonball Run” films.

D. A. Pennebaker, a pioneer of modern nonfiction film, has directed more than 20 feature-length documentaries, including “Don’t Look Back,” “Monterey Pop,” “Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars,” “Moon over Broadway,” “Kings of Pastry” and “The War Room,” for which he received an Oscar® nomination. During his career of more than six decades, Pennebaker has inspired generations of filmmakers with his “you are here” style. He is considered one of the founders of the cinéma vérité movement, beginning with his collaboration on the seminal 1960 film “Primary.”

George Stevens, Jr. has spent a lifetime celebrating and preserving the heritage of motion pictures. After several years at the United States Information Agency, where he championed the work of young documentary filmmakers and was Oscar-nominated for producing the documentary short subject “The Five Cities of June,” Stevens went on to become the founding director of the American Film Institute. Under his leadership, the AFI established the Center for Advanced Film Studies, created the AFI Life Achievement Award and embarked on a host of educational initiatives. In 1977, Stevens co-founded the Kennedy Center Honors, which he has produced for the past 34 years.

A studio executive, film producer and philanthropist, Jeffrey Katzenberg has been instrumental in raising money for education, art and health-related causes, particularly those benefiting the motion picture industry. During more than two decades as chairman of the board for the Motion Picture and Television Fund, he helped to raise $200 million for the organization, created “The Night Before” event and worked to expand the MPTF campus. He also serves on the boards of such organizations as the California Institute of the Arts, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, AIDS Project Los Angeles, the Geffen Playhouse, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Katzenberg currently serves as CEO of DreamWorks Animation.

The Honorary Award, an Oscar statuette, is given to an individual for “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, an Oscar statuette, is given to an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry.

The Governors Awards presentation will be produced for the Academy by marketing executive Cheryl Boone Isaacs with the Don Mischer Production team led by Don Mischer, Charlie Haykel and Juliane Hare.

Source: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 
Photo credit to: (C) The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Names Andy Horn CFO

Beverly Hills, CA – July 18, 2012, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science has promoted Andy Horn to the newly created position of Chief Financial Officer, Academy CEO Dawn Hudson announced. Horn will report directly to Hudson.

“Andy is an exceptional executive and an outstanding financial strategist,” said Hudson. “Over the years, his skills and expertise have earned him the respect of the Board, and he has led us in uncertain economic times to an even more secure place from which we can continue to grow and prosper.”

Horn has served as the Academy’s Controller since joining the staff in 2001. During that time, he has managed the year-round, day-to-day financial activities of the organization. For the annual Academy Awards®, Horn participates in devising the budget and reviews expenditures, and has been involved in contract negotiations with the ABC Television Network and the CIM Group, owners of the Hollywood & Highland Center® where the Oscars® ceremony is held. In addition, Horn oversaw the $35 million bond offering on the Academy’s Pickford Center in Hollywood, as well as two subsequent refinancing efforts.

In his new position, Horn will help set the strategic vision for the Academy’s financial affairs while continuing to oversee their daily administration. He will be responsible for the finances of the Academy and its foundations, which hold the assets of the Margaret Herrick Library, the Academy Film Archive, the Science and Technology Council and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. For the Academy Museum, Horn will oversee all non-fundraising financial matters.

The creation of the CFO position was enabled by a change to the Academy’s bylaws, which was approved by the Board of Governors at its most recent meeting, making Horn the most senior financial executive at the organization.

Before joining the Academy staff, Horn spent seven years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he oversaw audits of a number of large entertainment industry clients, including the Academy.

Source: The Academy
Photo credit to: (C) Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Cheryl Boone Isaacs to Produce 2012 Governors Awards

Don Mischer Productions Returns for Fourth Show.
Beverly Hills, CA (July 9, 2012) – Marketing executive Cheryl Boone Isaacs will produce the 4th Annual Governors Awards for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Academy President Tom Sherak announced. She will share the duties with the Don Mischer Production team led by Don Mischer, Charlie Haykel and Juliane Hare. One or more of the Academy’s highest honors – the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and the Honorary Award – will be presented at the event on Saturday, December 1, in the Ray Dolby Ballroom at the Hollywood & Highland Center®.

“Cheryl’s vision, creativity and her love of movies and our Academy are the perfect foundation for honoring those who have given so much to our industry,” said Sherak. “It’s also a pleasure to welcome back Don and his team, some of the most capable professionals in the business, who will give our honorees and guests an exciting and unforgettable evening.”

Boone Isaacs, a member of the Academy’s Board of Governors representing the Public Relations Branch, currently heads CBI Enterprises, Inc. where she has consulted on such films as “The Artist,” “The King’s Speech,” “Precious,” “Spiderman 2″ and “Tupac: Resurrection.“ Boone Isaacs served as president of theatrical marketing for New Line Cinema, where she oversaw box offices successes including “The Spy who Shagged Me” and “Rush Hour.” Prior to joining New Line Cinema in 1997, Boone Isaacs served as executive vice president of worldwide publicity for Paramount Pictures. She orchestrated publicity campaigns for “Forrest Gump” and “Braveheart,” each of which won multiple Academy Awards®, including Best Picture.

Mischer is a veteran television producer and director who has been recognized with 15 Emmy® Awards and a record 10 Directors Guild of America Awards. With a career spanning more than three decades, his credits include producing and directing the 83rd and 84th Academy Awards; opening and closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City; the 2004 Democratic National Convention; Super Bowl halftime shows starring Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones and Prince; and “We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial.”

Haykel and Hare most recently executive produced “Oscars® Red Carpet Live,” the 90-minute red carpet arrivals show that immediately preceded the 84th Academy Awards telecast in February. They were also consulting producers for the Oscar® telecast.

The 2012 honorees will be selected at a specially convened meeting of the Academy’s Board in August.

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and the Honorary Award are Oscar statuettes; the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award is a bust of its namesake.

Photo credit to: (C) Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Source: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Hugo and The Artist Big Winners at 84th Annual Academy Awards Oscar Ceremony

Movies biggest night came to a conclusion when the 84th Annual Academy Awards Oscar Ceremony presented Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 on Sunday, February 26, 2012 at Hollywood & Highland Center and broadcast by ABC Television Network. The 84th Annual Academy Awards Oscar Ceremony was hosted by Billy Crystal.

As you may see Hugo and The Artist takes the most awards and like they say at the show. And the Oscar goes to…

The 84th Annual Academy Awards Oscar Full List of Winners:
Best Cinematography: Robert Richardson, “Hugo”
Best Art Direction: Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schavo, “Hugo”
Best Costume Design: Mark Bridges, “The Artist”
Best Makeup: Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland, “The Iron Lady”
Best Foreign Language Film: “A Separation”
Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, “The Help”
Best Editing: Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
Best Sound Editing: Phillip Stockton and Eugene Gearty, “Hugo”
Best Sound Mixing: Tom Fleischman and John Midgley, “Hugo”
Best Documentary: “Undefeated”
Best Animated Feature: “Rango”
Best Visual Effects: “Hugo”
Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, “Beginners”
Best Original Score: Ludovic Bource, “The Artist”
Best Original Song: Bret McKenzie, “Man or Muppet”
Best Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, “The Descendants”
Best Original Screenplay: Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris”
Best Live Action Short: “The Shore”
Best Documentary Short: “Saving Face”
Best Animated Short: “The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr. Morris Lessmore”
Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”
Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, “The Artist”
Best Actress: Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady”
Best Picture: “The Artist”

 

About The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards—in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners—the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies. For more information visit http://www.oscars.org/

Photos credit to: Matt Brown & Richard D. Salyer / ©A.M.P.A.S.

Editor’s Note: Congratulations to all the nominees and winners.

Actress Meryl Streep Present at 84th Academy Awards Oscar Ceremony Sunday, February 26th

On Wednesday, February 22, 2012 The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences telecast producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer announced that two-time Academy Award®-winning actress Meryl Streep will present at the 84th Academy Awards Oscar ceremony. Billy Crystal to host the awards ceremony show.

Streep, who is nominated for her lead performance in “The Iron Lady,” has been nominated a total of 17 times – the most for any performer in Oscar history. She won a Supporting Actress Oscar in 1979 for her role in “Kramer vs. Kramer” and the Best Actress award in 1982 for her role in “Sophie’s Choice.” Her other film credits include “It’s Complicated,” “Julie & Julia,” “Doubt,” “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Adaptation,” “The Hours,” “Music of the Heart,” “The Bridges of Madison County,” “The River Wild,” “Ironweed” and “Silkwood.” Streep will be seen next in “Great Hope Springs.”

Streep joins a stellar list of previously announced Oscar presenters, including Halle Berry, Rose Byrne, Bradley Cooper, Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Michael Douglas, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Zach Galifianakis, Tom Hanks, Angelina Jolie, Milla Jovovich, Ellie Kemper, Jennifer Lopez, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Maya Rudolph, Emma Stone and Kristen Wiig.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the 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.

About The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards—in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners—the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies. For more information visit http://www.oscars.org/

Source: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Photos credit to: Michael Yada, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Editor’s Note: Diversity News Magazine and Diversity News TV team started covering the 84th Academy Awards Oscar Week from Monday to Sunday, February 26, 2012. Thank you to The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.