Oscars introduce diversity guidelines for best picture award

Seems fine. The fact that it covers everyone involved in the filmmaking process all the way down to apprentices means that filmmakers and studios are extremely unlikely to have to compromise on their preferred cast, senior production staff and artistic direction in order to hit two of the four boxes. A lot of people are acting like this is the Academy's doomsday, but I don't think it result in much more than a cursory nudge in improved hiring practices.

Reply 2

Napp

22

So, am i misreading this, or do the new guidelines mean unless films meet a race quota they will be bumped down the list...? Rather defeats the point of rating a movie on its artistic merit surely? Be it all white/black/asian/straight/queer etc.

Reply 3

Original post by Napp

So, am i misreading this, or do the new guidelines mean unless films meet a race quota they will be bumped down the list...? Rather defeats the point of rating a movie on its artistic merit surely? Be it all white/black/asian/straight/queer etc.

The requirements are minimal, they can literally tick one of the two boxes with only six film crew. One of the other four criteria is literally for the distributor to have two minority employees, even interns, or even just "offer training or work opportunities to people from those underrepresented groups", it's that broad. Pretty much the only way any major Hollywood production is going to fail to meet these criteria is if they're deliberately trying not to.

Reply 4

Napp

22

Ah fair enough. Still seems somewhat dubious, not least of all the 'tokenism' of it in this instance.

Reply 5

username4986690

This is essentially enforcing tokenism.

Women, ethnic minorities, LGBT+ and people with disabilities are now lumped into one category of marginalised people.

Reply 6

Original post by Napp

Ah fair enough. Still seems somewhat dubious, not least of all the 'tokenism' of it in this instance.

Yeah it definitely has its issues, and I'd have much rather seen them go down other solutions to incentivise diversity in the industry more organically than simply enforcing quotas. But at the same time, if this is the route they choose to go down they've at least done it in a way where it will be very unobtrusive to the creative process. The initial knee-jerk reaction was that every film was going to have to incorporate diversity-related subplots or cast anachronistic races/genders in period pieces, but that's not the case at all.

As with all changes proposed to the oscars, they've tried to appease everybody and ended up pleasing nobody.

Reply 7

Napp

22

True say on this bit in particular. I do like the observation on compromise that if it pleases no one it is notionally doing it jobs (or simply failing spectacularly :lol:

)

Reply 8

Original post by Napp

True say on this bit in particular. I do like the observation on compromise that if it pleases no one it is notionally doing it jobs (or simply failing spectacularly :lol:

)

At least it's not hated as badly as the Best Popular Film proposal :ahee:

Reply 9

fallen_acorns

20

as long as its applied fairly, then so be it. By fairly, I mean that white people have to be included in the diversity, e.g. a film with an all black cast would fail on that criteria. Diversity =/= minority, and it should be applied equally to all. Equally I hope the focus isn't too much on black minorities - they are under represented, but far less so than Hispanic people who get the real rough end of the stick when it comes to the film industry and awards.

I don't have any inherent problem with them setting requirements though - after all, all film compettions/awards set entry requirements covering a whole range of things, making sure that the hiring/recruitment is fair, doesn't seem to out of place to me, amoung the many other requirements.

Its not like the oscars ever really represent the best picture anyway - simply by their massive bias against international films. Its just a big fun silly event, no need to take it as if its a true competition.

Reply 10

username4986690

https://www.oscars.org/news/academy-establishes-representation-and-inclusion-standards-oscarsr-eligibility

Original post by fallen_acorns

as long as its applied fairly, then so be it. By fairly, I mean that white people have to be included in the diversity, e.g. a film with an all black cast would fail on that criteria. Diversity =/= minority, and it should be applied equally to all. Equally I hope the focus isn't too much on black minorities - they are under represented, but far less so than Hispanic people who get the real rough end of the stick when it comes to the film industry and awards.

It doesn't matter which minorities you include as long as they are minorities such as women :lol:

Reply 11

PTMalewski

20

It's all about American industry awarding American industry and largely ignoring movies from abroad so who cares. Whole US is thankfully at decline of their influence.

Reply 12

nulli tertius

This will inevitably produce embarassing outcomes. To require a film dealing with a theme of discrimination or with heavy representation of minority actors to also meet "backroom" quotas invites this. It also means that many overseas made films will be excluded from consideration for best picture because they have no chance of addressing diversity quotas designed with the US film industry in mind.

Reply 13

Original post by nulli tertius

This will inevitably produce embarassing outcomes. To require a film dealing with a theme of discrimination or with heavy representation of minority actors to also meet "backroom" quotas invites this. It also means that many overseas made films will be excluded from consideration for best picture because they have no chance of addressing diversity quotas designed with the US film industry in mind.

Films have no requirement to change their story or characters if they have a handful of minority production crew as I addressed in an earlier post, and international films submitted for Best Picture are not required to adhere to the new rules.

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 14

Underscore__

So film studios are supposed to hire based on the colour of someone’s skin as opposed to their ability to do the job?

Reply 15

nulli tertius

Let's say a film tackling discrimination against a black man has a single black actor in a starring role. That ticks box A both for lead and subject matter. How does the film achieve 2 of boxes A to D where is B-crew C-interns and D-producers? Are we really saying that Best Picture should be determined on the ethnicity of interns?

Can you point me to the exclusion of international films from this, because I've read the standard and can't see any reference to it.

Reply 16

username4986690

Original post by Underscore__

So film studios are supposed to hire based on the colour of someone’s skin as opposed to their ability to do the job?

If they want win Best Picture? Yes. Although they could also hire LGBT people or women.

Reply 17

Underscore__

Original post by DiddyDec

If they want win Best Picture? Yes. Although they could also hire LGBT people or women.

Who’d have thought judging based on skill would be so frowned upon

Reply 18

Occitanie

16

Original post by DiddyDec

This is essentially enforcing tokenism.

Women, ethnic minorities, LGBT+ and people with disabilities are now lumped into one category of marginalised people.

This, and in regards to the "fairness" that @fallen_acorns has questioned, I don't think this applies to white people unless you're LGBT or a woman. I could, and I hope I am, be wrong.

Reply 19

username4406682