Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 18, 2016 21:23:42 GMT -5
Film director Spike Lee and actress Jada Pinkett Smith have said they will not attend next month's Oscars ceremony because of the mostly white nominees.Lee said on Instagram he "cannot support" the "lily white" awards show. This is the second year in a row there have been boycott calls, sparked by a list of nominees that is mostly white. Among those overlooked were the NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton for best picture and Will Smith for best actor in NFL film Concussion. His wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, said in a video message on Facebook that she would not attend. "Begging for acknowledgement, or even asking, diminishes dignity and diminishes power," she said. "And we are a dignified people and we are powerful." She and Lee made their announcement on Martin Luther King Jr Day, a national holiday in the US to remember the civil rights leader. "Forty white actors in two years and no flava at all," said Lee."We can't act?!" SOURCE - link
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 18, 2016 21:25:53 GMT -5
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 18, 2016 21:29:19 GMT -5
I'm betting on Mad Maxx Fury Road winning the Best Film.
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 19, 2016 7:43:42 GMT -5
There's talk of a major boycott of the Oscars this year. How Are Oscar Nominees Chosen? CHECK OUT - linkQuote: Becoming a Part of the Club
To become one of the 6028 voting members of the Academy, you better be in the business. Aside from requiring an “unusually high level of quality and distinction” in their respective fields, candidates must also meet quantitative standards. Writers, producers, and directors must have at least two screen credits to their names, while actors must have credited roles in at least three films. Candidates in technical branches of filmmaking—like art directors or visual effects supervisors—must be active in their fields for a certain number of years (just how many varies based on the particular area of expertise).
If wannabe Academy members don't have the necessary credentials, they can also find two or more current members to officially sponsor them; their membership then is approved or denied by an Academy committee and its Board of Governors. But the easiest route to Academy membership is simply to get nominated: Those who were nominated for or won an Oscar the previous year and are not currently a member are automatically considered.
Once inducted into the Academy, an individual can belong to only one branch. Ben Affleck, for example, can only be an Academy member as an actor and not as a director, or Brad Pitt can only belong to the Academy as an actor and not a producer.
Members vote on potential nominees for standard awards that are given to individuals or collective groups in up to 25 categories, yet members from each field may only vote to determine the nominees in their respective field. Directors only vote for Best Director nominees, editors only vote for Best Editing nominees, cinematographers only vote for Best Cinematography nominees, and actors only vote for nominees in each acting category. Yet all voting members are eligible to vote for potential Best Picture nominees.
I have heard though (on T.V. the other day) that the majority of those in the Academy are male and white.
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 19, 2016 7:45:21 GMT -5
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 19, 2016 20:43:44 GMT -5
Oscars head acts over lack of nominees' diversity Oscars head Cheryl Boone Isaacs is taking action to "alter the make-up" of their membership, after Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett Smith's refusal to attend because of the mostly white nominees. Boone Isaacs praised the "wonderful work" of the nominees but said she was "heartbroken" at the lack of diversity. Lee said on Instagram he "cannot support" the "lily white" awards show. Jada Pinkett Smith said in a video message on Facebook that she would not be attending the awards ceremony. link
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 20, 2016 9:03:35 GMT -5
Oscars 2016: George Clooney and Lupita Nyong'o add to criticism Oscar-winning actor George Clooney has accused the Academy Awards of "moving in the wrong direction" amid controversy over lack of diversity. For the second year running, no black or minority actors have been nominated in the four Oscars acting categories. Star Wars actress Lupita Nyong'o also said she is "disappointed by the lack of inclusion" in the nominations. Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs vowed to review its membership as stars pledged to boycott the ceremony. 'Calling for change' Clooney, who has won two Academy Awards, said:"We need to get better at this. We used to be better at it." Nyong'o, who won a best supporting actress Oscar for 12 Years a Slave in 2014, wrote on Instagram that she stands with those "calling for change" and that the awards should be a "diverse reflection of the best of what our art has to offer today". And British director Steve McQueen, whose 12 Years a Slave won best film, has said black actors need to be given a "fair bite". link
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Date Joined: Jun 24, 2015 16:58:16 GMT -5
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Post by mikemarshall on Jan 20, 2016 18:25:14 GMT -5
Spike Lee is a very talented man who has made some brilliant films. He is absolutely right to complain about the absence of black actors, directors and other black people in positions of power in the cinema let alone winning Oscars.
It is not easy to explain except on the basis of an at least unconscious racism.
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 21, 2016 8:02:10 GMT -5
It could be a bit of both. Conscious and unconscious racism and prejudices at play.
But there is some kind of unfairness going on (no pun intended).
There was some amazing talent and acting by black actors in 2015. And not one of them was even nominated? This sticks out like a sour thumb.
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Date Joined: Dec 31, 2015 11:36:57 GMT -5
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Post by Kyng on Jan 21, 2016 16:55:07 GMT -5
Like everyone else, I'm disappointed about the lack of non-white actors in the nominations. Ten years ago, the Oscars didn't have this problem: they had the likes of Will Smith, Don Cheadle and Morgan Freeman winning and/or being nominated for Academy Awards. So, I'd definitely like to know what's happened since then that's resulted in the disappearance of nominees from ethnic minority backgrounds.
At the same time, however, I'm a bit confused as to what exactly the aims of this boycott are. Obviously, they (like all of us) want more non-white actors to be nominated, but how will that be achieved? If it's to be achieved via some kind of quota system, then I'd be firmly opposed to that: in my opinion, all nominees, regardless of ethnic background, must be there based on merit. Otherwise, those from ethnic minorities begin to look like 'token nominees', and their achievements begin to become de-valued. If the issue is that film-makers aren't giving enough opportunities to non-white actors (at least, in the kinds of roles that would result in nominations for Academy Awards), then that's a genuine problem that needs fixing, but unfortunately it's also something that the Academy has little to no direct control over.
If the Academy genuinely is discriminating (i.e. the lack of non-white nominees is more than just a consequence of some other issue outside their direct control), then I could get behind a boycott of the ceremony - but I'd need some direct, concrete evidence of this discrimination. We do know the demographic make-up of the people doing the nominating (i.e. mostly white, mostly male, mostly over 50), and this is a cause for suspicion, but the fact that most of them are white men isn't enough on its own to constitute direct, concrete evidence that any of them are racists (conscious or unconscious). I'd need something more than that.
So, I think the people doing the boycotting have identified a genuine issue, and I think their hearts are in the right place. However, I don't understand what their proposed solution is, and I'm not sure they know the best way to implement it.
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 21, 2016 17:10:23 GMT -5
My thoughts exactly Kyng. There is a lot of confusion going on over exactly what is happening.
And how can this happen when the head of the "Academy" is black? And they have chosen a black presenter this year too. So, what I am wondering is - are they some kind of smoke screen for a problem that exists behind the screens and they don't want exposed? We all know that having a black person (a woman on top of that) is NOT representing the population who do the actual voting -"The Academy", who are mostly older white men. And we also know that a head of an organization can hold very little (if any) power and can just be used as a convenient disguise, by those who hold the strings.
And how much does money play into all this? Movies are a very lucrative business. Winning An Oscar can make an actor sought after for life. I'm not much for conspiracy theories, but I have to ask how biased are these in the "Academy" that do the actual voting? What other kind of connections do they have to the nominees? Can votes be bought? Will some of the voters tend to vote or nominate people they are friends with or related to?
Show business is still a business. And Actors get paid astonishing amounts for each movie. I can't believe that there is more to this business then just choosing the actor who has most ability. Perhaps the casting couch has evolved?
Maybe what is being exposed here is more than just a matter of black or white.. It could be a much bigger problem within the Academy itself. One that has always been hidden or at least never questioned before. People want things out in the open more than they ever dared to ask before. I hope the Academy is investigated thoroughly at some point in time.
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 21, 2016 17:23:34 GMT -5
Unconscious racism stems from the belief that somehow non whites cannot do the same quality work as whites. Pawning this off as only unconscious as Mike has tried is attempting to say that this is not done purposefully and in a lot of cases it might very well be. Well to be fair to Mike, he did say " at least''(that could be part of the problem). Perhaps Unconscious racism is more worrying than the kind that can be seen and heard more clearly.
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 21, 2016 19:21:05 GMT -5
I was under the impression that it was only this year and last year that black actors were not nominated. Still not fair or right of course.
I don't think Mike was saying it was unintentional, just that is could have been partly unconscious racist decisions that lead to Academy members not electing any black nominees. And that is a worrying thing, because it goes deeper and further. And is harder (if not impossible) to know about, be aware of, or irradiate, then just straight out racism.
But, I honestly think there is more at play here. Like I have stated in my last post.
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 21, 2016 20:08:09 GMT -5
Well, lets not drag up the past - past posts and such. Let's stick to the subject and hopefully we can keep more threads on the main board. Yes, im2. It is obvious that there is racism in Hollywood. It's been years that black and other non-white actors have been complaining about not having any or very few roles. I thought in the last few years there was a bit of a turnaround. Maybe the Academy needs to catch up to that? I know that now there are quite a few black actors in Hollywood and some good aspiring black actors trying to make it there. However there are next to none other minority actors there at all. I imagine with time that will change. And hopefully the bigwigs who run Hollywood will start to open their eyes a bit more. I actually think a total boycott of the Academy awards this year would be a very good thing. It would send out a very powerful message.
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 21, 2016 22:06:49 GMT -5
Jada Pinkett Smith Responds To Janet Hubert's Oscars Jab Some may have thought Janet Hubert was just bitter when she criticized Jada Pinkett Smith, but the "Gotham" star didn't get personal in response to her husband's former co-star. Pinkett Smith was asked at an airport what she thought of the "Fresh Prince" actress' dismissal of her plan to boycott the Academy Awards, and instead of targeting Hubert herself, she said that all people of colour "need to take back" their power. However, Hubert won't back down, saying in an interview published Wednesday that Smith's boycott "annoyed" her. Maybe they'll have to agree to disagree. Watch the video above to hear what Pinkett Smith had to say. CHECK OUT LINK - link
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 22, 2016 9:39:30 GMT -5
Well, you know as well as I do, im2, that as people of color we have to be near enough perfect to have the same respect and attention as white people.
I like Jada Pinkett, because she's brave enough to touch on those uncomfortable subjects and does so in a way that people pay attention.
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Date Joined: Dec 31, 2015 11:36:57 GMT -5
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Post by Kyng on Jan 23, 2016 6:29:44 GMT -5
Well, the Academy has issued a response to all of this. They've pledged to double the number of female and minority members by 2020: www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35387639I hope that in the short term, this placates the people who are threatening to boycott - and in the long term, it helps to prevent a repeat.
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 23, 2016 8:30:42 GMT -5
Good morning, Kyng.
Diversity is a good thing, and a step in the right direction.
From your link:
This is just what im2 has been telling us.
And Steve McQueen was talking about 'lack of opportunity for black directors' back in 2014:
There is a recent clip (in Kyng's link) of what director Steve McQueen has to say about this, but I can't seem to embed it.
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 23, 2016 8:36:11 GMT -5
Like Dustin Hoffman is saying 'There is a bigger problem'.
I agree. The Oscars are just the tip of the ice-burg. There is much more going on that needs to be addressed and in a realistic way.
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Date Joined: Jun 7, 2010 10:10:35 GMT -5
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Post by deyana on Jan 24, 2016 14:04:07 GMT -5
Academy diversity pledges welcomed by HollywoodPledges made to double the number of female and minority members of the organisation behind the Oscars have been welcomed by Hollywood figures. Actor Don Cheadle called the measures "a step in the right direction". Oscar nominee Matt Damon also praised the initiatives, but added the industry had "a long, long, long way to go". Writing on Twitter, Selma director Ava DuVernay - whose omission from last year's best director shortlist was the source of some controversy - said "shame [was] a helluva motivator". "Marginalised artists have advocated for Academy change for DECADES," she continued, claiming their calls had been met with "deaf ears [and] closed minds". The film-maker said the new measures represented "one good step in a long, complicated journey for people of colour [and] women artists". Spike Lee also expressed qualified support for the new measures, describing them as "a start". "I commend the Academy for what they've done," he continued, while reiterating his own pledge that he would not be attending on 28 February. Damon, who is up for best actor for his role in The Martian, said the moves were "a wonderful first step" but said Hollywood must do "much, much, much more'' to more accurately reflect society. Nelson Mandela's daughter Maki, meanwhile, has called the protests about the lack of black actors in this year's nominees "very significant". "You have to understand that the struggle of oppressed people anywhere in the world is a struggle of oppressed people around the world," she told John Pienaar on BBC Radio 5 live's Pienaar's Politics. "You can't say that I am only concerned about my own backyard." CHECK OUT - link
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