What is art direction (in terms of Oscars) ?

Question

What is a good description of art direction?

Answer 1

It is the person who is responsible for the look of the film - working out the scenic details, finding the locations, working for consistancy throughout the various scenes so the movie looks like it exists in a specific time and place. A film set in Middle Earth should not look like 1930's Los Angeles even though both were shot in Montreal. The Art Director oversees the Scene Designer, Set Dresser, Lighting Designer, etc.