Blog: Oscars

The 94thAcademy Awards are only 26 days away, and the long-established hype machine for promoting the Oscars, as they are popularly known, is well underway. Arguably, as the first Oscars post-pandemic (where the pandemic has been side-lined in favour of a resumption of post-lockdown life), the movie industry will be hoping that the Oscars return to their traditional default position at the pinnacle of the entertainment ecosystem.

Yesterday saw the 93rdAcademy Awards take place. Better known to the movie-consuming public as the Oscars, the 2021 ceremony was ground breaking in a number of crucial ways. Despite being held (as ever) in LA, the twin venues of Union Station and Dolby Theatre were the COVID-complaint hubs of the first ever virtual Academy Awards ceremony, making the prestigious Oscars join the long list of live events which are now performed primarily in the digital ether.

Last week’s story that Apple is getting into the movie business to bolster its premium video positioning – if officially confirmed – would follow on the well-trodden path established by the current direct-to-consumer (D2C) leaders: Netflix and Amazon.

Sunday night saw the 71 st Emmy Awards broadcast live on Fox. Traditionally the Emmys have been the cornerstone of TV production credibility alongside the BAFTAs. However, the Oscars of the TV industry is facing two existential challenges which threaten its relevance: plummeting ratings, and the ongoing encroachment of the streaming services.

Last night at the Oscars Netflix finally won its first Academy Award, and then a second one, and then a third one. Like London buses, Netflix had spent a long time waiting and then suddenly three came along at once.