HOLLYWOOD—This is quite baffling and frustrating as a filmmaker. I have always been prone to watching the Academy Awards or Oscars as many people know them. It is the pinnacle of all awards shows, but for people like myself who are inspiring filmmakers it gives you an inside glimpse into the Hollywood elite and how they are acknowledged and some honored with what many called the greatest award one can receive: Oscar.

Now, look this is not to say that the Oscars are not boring. Hell, there have been ceremonies that have clocked in over 4 hours. Yeah, that’s a long time for an awards show. I can do without the musical numbers, but I’ve always appreciated the Academy Awards because they acknowledge every single category and give those people who play a vital role in the moviemaking process to receive recognition. I was stunned, baffled, left speechless discovering that for the 2022 ceremony producers are NOT planning to give out several awards during the live telecast. Really?

Is that what we’re doing? I mean film editing, original score, documentary are just as important as Best Picture, Best Director and Lead Actor. To see that letter sent out by the AMPAS noting the public cares more about the Big Six (as many of us call it in the industry): Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actress is a slap in the face. Yeah, people might care about seeing the acting categories, but do we need to give more vanity or place people on a pedestal because a body of people in the industry decided this individual or this movie was the best of the best? The Academy Award is a popularity contest and if we argue otherwise, we’re lying. Whoever smiles, mingles and promotes the most is likely to walk away with the prize people. I know people don’t want to hear it, but people in the industry and those outside of the industry who are insiders know I’m speaking the truth.

Who cares if the public wants to see those categories more? That is the problem with awards shows they are constantly attempting to draw in audiences. Hello, the Oscars were NOT always televised! Sometimes the awards were just handed out people. People who want to watch the Academy Awards will watch them, others will not. Not every awards show is everyone’s cup of tea. Hell, the Academy Awards fills like with this move they are becoming a bit like the Grammys where ONLY 10 awards out of somewhere between 70 to 80 categories if not more are handed out. Everyone else, well they don’t receive their moment on the stage. It’s a bummer, but the Grammys have been like that for years, as they focus on music versus actual awards, but it is an awards show, make that make sense people.

I don’t want to see that with the Oscars, because throughout my journey at film school I learned some things about myself. You might say like what? How important cinematography is when it comes to the camera and the close-up, medium shot or long shot, as well as camera angles and placements. Oh, they have a huge impact on perception and striking certain emotions in the viewer people.

How the editor is the glue of the movie and how intricate that process is and it is no cakewalk to be a successful editor people. How sound can change a movie completely? Hello people, do you think the horror film “Halloween” would be scary without John Carpenter composing that iconic 1978 score for the movie. What about “Star Wars,” “Jaws” and so many other movies known for their musical scores. Nope. Editors, composers, cinematographers and so many others who work behind the scenes are VITAL elements to a movie that people who don’t actual make movies don’t always understand.

They deserve their moment on the big stage just like everyone else and we shouldn’t be so quick to play them off the stage, to listen to an actor or actress ramble for minutes sometimes giving a speech that is NOT inspiring and just shows how vain some people in Hollywood actually are. I know I’m going on a tangent a bit, but as a filmmaker this is so disheartening because it’s noting that certain crafts in the industry are more important than others, and that is NOT accurate people, not at all.

Some of the awards that have the big spotlight placed on them are no more as important as those who don’t get the accolades they absolutely deserve. I can ONLY hope that the Academy Awards change their stance on this decision, it sends a bad message to those who work so tirelessly in the cinematic universe and never get the recognition that absolutely earned and deserve.