How can we make the Academy Awards broadcast more entertaining?

Answer 1

Focus more on clips from the films nominated, like montages or favorites. Have fan-voted favorite clips from the films released in the past year.

During the weeks that voters are voting on the winners, open up an on-line voting for a multitude of things ranging from
favorite clips,
favorite scenes,
memorable quotes
and have them vote on each category with a sixth option of "none of the above."

This brings the fans into the pre-oscar hype and also brings them to the telecast to watch other options submitted by other users.

Answer 2

There are many things that could be fixed. 1. It is simply way too long, and it doesn't need to be. Cutting the acceptance speeches down is a good start. I also think that some of those awards should be given out before the ceremony. It's not that the award is not important, but it is a drag after a while. 2. Nominate movies that people have actually seen. I am not concluding that blockbusters= the best movies, because that's not true. It just seems that the nominated movies are not familiar to the average American. People get bored during the ceremony because they have never seen these movies. This year was a little bit better with the Dreamgirls, The Departed nominations. Will Ferrell and Jack Black were right; comedy will never get respect from the Oscars. I like that the Golden Globes give out separate awards for Comedy/Musical and Drama. 3. NO MORE POLITICS.

Answer 3

The Academy Awards is an international awards show, remove American politics from the agenda and focus on the reason for the show: Celebrating film and the industry.

I don't normally watch the Academy Awards but did last night. While I thought Ellen Degeneres did a great job, the long-winded film compilations were a total waste of time (eg. foreign films over the last what 50 years - why?). It is also discouraging to see an award handed out to a team and that team not prepared to answer within the time-frame - when one person hogs the time and the others clearly want to speak and are cut-off I find the entire function rude. There should be a pre-award event where every nominee/nominee team should have to run their acceptance speech(es) in front of a camera with a timer to make sure they can do it.

Lastly, the music portion of the show takes too much time. While it can be entertaining, we've all heard the songs a million times by the time we reach the Oscars and can live without hearing them again. Play a snippet just like with the original score category.

Answer 4

If they held it on a Cable channel without time constraints would be one good move.

Also; if they were to make it "looser" like the Golden Globes were where the Actors/Actresses were seen more down to being themselves and allowing them to have that Champagne or Wine so that everyone is not so starched up and can be more human.

It would also be nice if the audience (those that actually create the Box Office numbers)....the viewers were more acknowledged as afterall it is the world audience that makes a movie successful at the Box Office and not merely the movie on it's own merits.

It would also be nice to have flash backs to Oscar Nights of Decades past and have some of the older actors present awards instead of always last years winners.

Only those that don't have a true appreciation of the movie making industry finds it boring in the first place.

There needs to be a gap closed between the industry and the public and the public needs to know that it's their real life stories, and their positions as "extras" and many things they do that adds to the autheticity to so many movies and hand in hand, the people and the industry is what makes the great cinema stories.

Other than that, this is the Royal Ceremony for the film industry, but, I think they should not restrict categories to the best 5. If there is 8 actors that gained critical accalim for a year, let them be nominated, and allow more than one winner if more than one is truly deserving.

A year of many great performances and movies should never be left to just one winner if more are deserving.

The Academy Awards could be divided into a 1st half and a second half of the year awards also. But, there is a lot that can be done, and to make it more creative.

Other than that, I watch them every year including the Golden Globes, and the SAG awards. There is just so much neat things to see and experience for the true movie lover.

Also; the Red Carpet and the styles and such could really be cut back. Whom gives a damn about who loks the best or not. Most these actors and actresses do their best work in costumes or dirty clothes. Who gives a damn about whom wore Valentino, Versace, or anyone else? These are not the Fashion Awards. This is about Thesbiansa and their craft of excellence.

Answer 5

I sincerely believe that there is no perfect answer to that question. It all depends on everything. The movies have to be great which they have not been in the past. The comedic aspect actually has to be funny and not stupid. It would also help if we didn't have so much Oscar buzz before the show even starts. I feel as if I have seen every thing exciting befor the actual ceremony. Keep polictics out of it. This is an awards show not the democratic convention. I guess I need to be entertained just as much by this night by these perfromers as I was watching their movies. For instance Meryl Streep is always gracious and classy when she's on. I miss the classy part. It's gotten almost undignified some years. And if you could do something to get rid of those 2 ugly Rivers twins (Joan and Melissa) it might improve moral for us viewers a lot. Abouth the only thing I enjoyed last year was remembering the celebrities that has passed on with the tribute that always fills in a gap somewhere. This year was the best Grammy show I have seen in 10 years. It flowed well. Make the Academy awards flow well. Good luck!

Answer 6

Here are the sole writing suggestions: cut out all of the canned jokes the presenting stars-in-training will butcher anyway and have more man on the street stuff. Cut away to questions asked the great unwashed about each movie/award, perhaps. Short ones would be less time than watching a starlet try to pronounce what's on the monitor.

I know these things probably aren't under your control, but slip them to the producer. (Laura, please listen on these.)

1. I think we've all gotten over the ridiculous dance sequences, right? Also, don't have the artists perform the entire song. Just show part of the movie where maybe the song is used. If they MUST keep the full performance, please don't make it something ridiculous like Crash's entry last year. Dance interp doesn't even work when you're at the height of pretension in college, people.

2. Make the Thalberg award a separate special on its own night, or have it start off the evening.

3. Also, for God's sake, please stop with the congratulatory montages celebrating all that is Hollywood. Keep the dead montage, cut the others. Besides Jon Stewart's "look how gay cowboy movies have always been" submission from last year, they all drag the evening on way too much, and 9 xs out of 10, they're not entertaining.

4. Cut out the clips that show how much sound editing enhances a film. We get it.

5. Must we have the "we're animated cartoons presenting an award" be so long, too? The only entertaining thing about that is picking out which actors and actresses in the audience are blankly looking from the monitor to the stage, wondering where Goofy went.

Answer 7

Dear Bruce,
The 79th Annual Academy Awards was off the hook awesome. The commercials were even entertaining, much like one would expect of the Superbowl. The majority of the acceptance speeches were really good. The interaction between the stars and the host were incredibly entertaining. The jokes were not flat at all. And the Dance troupe....WOW!! Whoever came up with that idea....BRAVO!!! The song with Jack Black and Will Ferrell was hilarious and very true. The academy should give comedies a second glance. Although, many of the movies nominated this year looked very interesting. The nominee clips were cool! I especially liked the ones where the artist nominated described in their own voice what they were doing in the video. It was educational, funny, interesting and classy. I don't know how you will match this next year! Incredible!
The only thing I missed this year was the Enhanced TV, but the audio clips as the winners were walking up to the stage helped make up for some of what I missed from Enhanced TV. And the few political references made about Al Gore were appropriate partly because his movie was nominated and partly because they managed to make it an upbeat positive message. My husband and I thought it was the best Academy Awards that we have seen in, at least, 20 years. (since our childhood) The thing you did with Sid was incredibly funny and memorable. The memorial to those that have passed away was nicely done. The humanitarian award clip was informative and entertaining. The foreign film montage was good, but a bit long. Even the guy with the clipboard was entertaining. How on earth will next year's be this entertaining?
More dancing, more comedy and more great movie quotes?

Answer 8

Interactivity my dear Bruce. Just before a big award is coming up use the commercial break to have le public go to the Oscars website and vote on the candidates and see if the mob matches the moguls. I do like the idea of a new theme at each Oscars such as memorable quotes for this one.

One good idea maybe to make the presenters little speeches before the nominees are named shorter and to the point maybe include a bit of trivia or behind the scenes "i didn't know thats" in text on the bottom of the screen. Like for instance let's say some cast members of the film Flyboys present an award (they sure as heck wouldn't be nominated) you could have text on the bottom of the screen say something like "The first winner for best picture was "wings" about WW1 fighter pilots." You get the idea.

The Oscars are THE awards show all others are pretenders. If awards shows were resturants the Oscars would be Arpege and the others would be White Castle so keep it classy. No political jokes please, no toilet humor, self depreciation is okay but don't overdo it.

The Oscars are about the art of filmmaking not what movie made the most money let the wannabes like the People's Choice Awards do that so don't compromise artistic integrity for a few more viewers who think movies like Bring It On are intense drama.

I find it amusing that people who don't like the Oscars are even bothering to comment here.

I suggest or next years theme "Movie Heroes".

Answer 9

1) Keep politics out of it (for most categories). The academy awards is about art and entertainment. When politics creeps in, it automatically polarizes the audience or in some cases makes us feel used (RE: Micheal Moore's "documentary" of bygone years). If a documentary, for example, is far left or far right, but is a really good documentary, award it as such, but don't play up the politics one way or the other. I've seen stuff I horribly disagreed with, but it was so well done, I still would give it an award for best producer, best musical score, best actor/actress, etc. because it was good art.
2) Make sure the comedy and jokes employed by the host are funny, not offensive, etc. Maybe better yet -- stay away from comedy. These awards are very serious for those nominated. Have a host/M.C. that portrays quality and professionalism. Have a host/M.C. that respects the artists and the audience and the country that so graciously gives the artists the freedom, prosperity, and fans and respect that they deserve.
3) Make sure those who do not win awards are honored too. Just because someone wins and someone loses doesn't mean theirs is better or worse. It's all art -- subjective.
4) Do some research on people like me. Often, what I like best never gets awards or sometimes is deemed a box office disaster. Are the awards reflective of audiences like me?

Answer 10

I'd like to see some musical performances added, and not just for the Best Original Song nominees. Maybe the show's producers could have the nominated composers conduct a selection or two from their nominated score, or do some sort of musical show on that. Actually, I remember one Awards broadcast where they had dancers come out on stage and perform to selections from the nominated scores, changing routines and costumes when appropriate. I thought it was really innovative!
And I agree with several people here - the acceptance speeches need to be trimmed down. I know they've been doing that for the past few years, but some of the people get on there and talk still too long! I understand the need and importance of the speech, but it doesn't have to be all-inclusive!
Finally, I think the Lifetime Achievement award needs to be shortened. Usually, that part of the ceremony is around 30 minutes long; and, I know for me, I'll start channel surfing until it's over. Again, I recognize it's importance but timing is everything.
Overall, I'd think more people would watch the Academy Awards if it didn't run so long and late. Being on the east coast myself, the Awards ceremony runs well after midnight where I view it! That's too long for me; I'd rather just read about the winners in my morning paper.
But enough whining - cheers to this year's winners! :)

Answer 11

I've seen the awards since I'm small so I would always like that there was best comedy movie award. Also more music performances and a people's choice award. Something good would be not to have old comedians do the presentations. People over 50 should be out. We need Carlos Mencia, George Lopez, Kathy Griffin, and Pablo Francisco or Triumph the Comic Insult Dog. We need in the show also the speeches not to be too long. The movies nominated should not just be nominated for being controversial (aka: Brokeback Mountain). The academy also needs to promote more the show not just by a single commercial for different TV stations. The red carpet should also have a little place where fans can take pics of their actors. Also, if one actor has an accident, do a re-run of the moment.