CHERYL BOONE ISAACS RE-ELECTED ACADEMY PRESIDENT

LOS ANGELES, CA – Cheryl Boone Isaacs was re-elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Tuesday night (August 4) by the organization’s Board of Governors.

In addition, Jeffrey Kurland was elected first vice president; John Bailey, Kathleen Kennedy and Bill Kroyer were elected to vice president posts; Jim Gianopulos was elected treasurer; and Phil Robinson was elected secretary.

Boone Isaacs is beginning her third term as president and her 23rd year as a governor representing the Public Relations Branch.  Kurland and Bailey were re-elected to their posts.  Kennedy has served previous terms as vice president.  Last year Kroyer served as secretary.  This will be the first officer stint for Gianopulos.  Robinson has served previous terms as vice president as well as secretary.

Boone Isaacs currently heads CBI Enterprises, Inc., where she consults on film marketing efforts.  Starting this September, she will be an adjunct professor at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.  She recently received an honorary doctorate from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.  Over her career, Boone Isaacs has consulted on such films as “The Call,” “The Artist,” “The King’s Speech,” “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” “Spider-Man 2” and “Tupac: Resurrection.”

Boone Isaacs previously served as president of theatrical marketing for New Line Cinema, where she oversaw numerous box office successes, including “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me” and “Rush Hour.”  Prior to joining New Line in 1997, she was executive vice president of worldwide publicity for Paramount Pictures, where she orchestrated publicity campaigns for the Best Picture winners “Forrest Gump” and “Braveheart.”

Academy board members may serve up to three consecutive three-year terms, while officers serve one-year terms, with a maximum of four consecutive years in any one office.

For a full listing of the Academy’s 2015–16 Board of Governors, click here.

STATEMENT REGARDING THE PASSING OF FORMER ACADEMY PRESIDENT TOM SHERAK

 

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy is deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved former president Tom Sherak.

Sherak joined the Executives Branch of the Academy in 1983. He served three terms on the Board of Governors, from August 2003 through July 2012, the last three as President.

He was most recently named Los Angeles film czar by Mayor Eric Garcetti to support local film production and serve as a liaison between state lawmakers and the entertainment industry.

Sherak’s remarkable five-decade career has seen him at the pinnacle of motion picture marketing, distribution and production at companies including Revolution Studios, 20th Century Fox and Paramount Pictures.

He was founder and chairman of the MS Hope Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting the needs of the Multiple Sclerosis community.

His passion and tireless energy impacted the Academy in countless ways – especially his support of our new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

Statement from Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Academy President
“In the more than 30 years I’ve known Tom, his passionate support of and excitement about the motion picture business, the Academy, his family and friends never wavered. He was truly larger than life, and he will be missed.”

Statement from Dawn Hudson, Academy CEO
“He was my mentor and my friend.  I learned from him, I laughed with him, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the time we shared together.  He had a huge influence on the direction of our Academy and on me personally.  I will miss laughing with him most of all.”

SOURCE Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

CHERYL BOONE ISAACS ELECTED ACADEMY PRESIDENT

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Cheryl Boone Isaacs was elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Tuesday night (July 30) by the organization’s Board of Governors.

Boone Isaacs, who is beginning her 21st year as a governor representing the Public Relations Branch, served as Academy first vice president during the past year. She also produced the 2012 Governors Awards. Boone Isaacs succeeds Hawk Koch, who served a one-year term as president.

In addition, John Lasseter was elected first vice president; Jeffrey Kurland and Leonard Engelman were elected to vice president posts; Dick Cook was elected treasurer; and Phil Robinson was elected secretary.

These will be the first officer stints for Engelman, Kurland and Cook.  Lasseter previously served one-year terms as treasurer (2011-2012) and secretary (2009-2010). Robinson served as vice president during the past year, his fourth consecutive term in that office (2009-2013).

Boone Isaacs currently heads CBI Enterprises, Inc., where she has consulted on such films as “The Call,” “The Artist,” “The King’s Speech,” “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” “Spider-Man 2” and “Tupac: Resurrection.” Boone Isaacs previously served as president of theatrical marketing for New Line Cinema, where she oversaw numerous box office successes, including “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me” and “Rush Hour.” Prior to joining New Line in 1997, Boone Isaacs was executive vice president of worldwide publicity for Paramount Pictures, where she orchestrated publicity campaigns for the Best Picture winners “Forrest Gump” and “Braveheart.”

Academy board members may serve up to three consecutive three-year terms, while officers serve one-year terms, with a maximum of four consecutive years in any one office.

ACADEMY NAMES 2013–2014 BOARD OF GOVERNORS

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Ten first-time governors have been elected to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Board of Governors. In addition, eight incumbents have been reelected and one previous governor is returning to the board. This year's election increases the Academy's governing body from 43 to 48.

The first-time governors are Judianna Makovsky and Deborah Nadoolman, representing the Costume Designers Branch; Rick Carter and Jan Pascale, Designers Branch; Alex Gibney, Documentary; Lynzee Klingman, Film Editors; Amy Pascal, Executives; Kathryn Blondell and Bill Corso, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists; and Nancy Utley, Public Relations.

The reelected governors are Ed Begley, Jr., Actors Branch; John Bailey, Cinematographers; Kathryn Bigelow, Directors; Charles Fox, Music; Jon Bloom, Short Films and Feature Animation; Curt Behlmer, Sound; Richard Edlund, Visual Effects; and Robin Swicord, Writers.

Mark Johnson, representing the Producers Branch, is returning to the board after a hiatus.

The Academy's 16 branches, including the recently created Costume Designers Branch, are each represented by three governors, who may serve up to three consecutive three-year terms. For the first time, the Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch is represented by three governors; the branch was previously represented by one.

Governors who were not up for reelection and who continue on the board are Annette Bening and Tom Hanks, Actors Branch; Jim Bissell, Designers; Richard P. Crudo and Dante Spinotti, Cinematographers; Jeffrey Kurland, Costume Designers; Lisa Cholodenko and Michael Mann, Directors; Michael Apted and Rob Epstein, Documentary; Dick Cook and Robert Rehme, Executives; Mark L. Goldblatt and Michael Tronick, Film Editors; Leonard Engelman, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists; Arthur Hamilton and David L. Newman, Music; Gale Anne Hurd and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers; Cheryl Boone Isaacs and Rob Friedman, Public Relations; Bill Kroyer and John Lasseter, Short Films and Feature Animation; Don Hall and Scott Millan, Sound; Craig Barron and John Knoll, Visual Effects; and Bill Condon and Phil Robinson, Writers.

Jeffrey Katzenberg, Hal Needham, D.A. Pennebaker and George Stevens, Jr. to Receive Academy's Governors Awards

BEVERLY HILLS, CA –The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted tonight to present Honorary Awards to stunt performer Hal Needham, documentarian D. A. Pennebaker and arts advocate George Stevens, Jr., and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to philanthropist Jeffrey Katzenberg. All four awards will be presented at the Academy's 4th Annual Governors Awards dinner on Saturday, December 1, at The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center®.

Hal Needham is a legendary stunt performer and coordinator who has worked on more than 300 feature films including "The Spirit of St. Louis," "How the West Was Won," "Blazing Saddles," "Little Big Man" and "Chinatown." A pioneer in improving stunt technology and safety procedures, Needham also co-founded Stunts Unlimited, and is known for mentoring young stunt performers. In 1986, the Academy presented Needham with a Scientific and Engineering Award for the design and development of the Shotmaker Elite camera car and crane, which allows filmmakers greater versatility in shooting action sequences. Needham made his directorial debut with "Smokey and the Bandit." He went on to direct such features as "Hooper" and the "Cannonball Run" films.

D. A. Pennebaker, a pioneer of modern nonfiction film, has directed more than 20 feature-length documentaries, including "Don't Look Back," "Monterey Pop," "Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars," "Moon over Broadway," "Kings of Pastry" and "The War Room," for which he received an Oscar® nomination. During his career of more than six decades, Pennebaker has inspired generations of filmmakers with his "you are here" style. He is considered one of the founders of the cinéma vérité movement, beginning with his collaboration on the seminal 1960 film "Primary."

George Stevens, Jr. has spent a lifetime celebrating and preserving the heritage of motion pictures. After several years at the United States Information Agency, where he championed the work of young documentary filmmakers and was Oscar-nominated for producing the documentary short subject "The Five Cities of June," Stevens went on to become the founding director of the American Film Institute. Under his leadership, the AFI established the Center for Advanced Film Studies, created the AFI Life Achievement Award and embarked on a host of educational initiatives. In 1977, Stevens co-founded the Kennedy Center Honors, which he has produced for the past 34 years.

A studio executive, film producer and philanthropist, Jeffrey Katzenberg has been instrumental in raising money for education, art and health-related causes, particularly those benefiting the motion picture industry. During more than two decades as chairman of the board for the Motion Picture and Television Fund, he helped to raise $200 million for the organization, created "The Night Before" event and worked to expand the MPTF campus. He also serves on the boards of such organizations as the California Institute of the Arts, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, AIDS Project Los Angeles, the Geffen Playhouse, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Katzenberg currently serves as CEO of DreamWorks Animation.

The Honorary Award, an Oscar statuette, is given to an individual for "extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy."

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, an Oscar statuette, is given to an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry.

The Governors Awards presentation will be produced for the Academy by marketing executive Cheryl Boone Isaacs with the Don Mischer Production team led by Don Mischer, Charlie Haykel and Juliane Hare.

SOURCE The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences

Documentary, Short Films Rules Approved for 85th Academy Awards®

Beverly Hills, CA –The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences approved documentary and short films rules for the 85th Academy Awards at its most recent meeting (December 6). The most significant changes expand members’ opportunities to view contending films, enabling more members to participate in the Academy’s voting processes in the Documentary Feature, Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film categories.

In the Documentary Feature category, the entire Documentary Branch will now receive all eligible titles beginning in the first round of voting. To facilitate this change, filmmakers must submit 200 DVDs, an increase from the 30 that had been required in previous years. In the final round of voting in this category, members must still see all the nominated films, but the viewing of films on digital or DVD screeners will now be an option for satisfying this requirement.

A documentary feature film’s eligibility will continue to depend on completing seven-day qualifying runs in both New York and Los Angeles that are advertised in at least one major newspaper, as specified by Academy rules, in each city. For the 85th Academy Awards, however, a review by a movie critic in The New York Times and/or the Los Angeles Times will also be required.

In the Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film categories, members will still have to see all the nominated films before casting their final ballots, but viewing the films on screeners will now be an option for satisfying this requirement. Films that are shown during their theatrical run in a non-standard format, such as IMAX, will have to be submitted to the Academy in a standard theatrical aspect ratio and in a format currently accepted for Academy exhibition to remain eligible. Producers may provide additional screenings of their films in non-standard formats, but members’ attendance at such screenings will not be required for voting purposes.

Other rules changes for the documentary and short films categories include normal date changes and minor "housekeeping" changes.

Rules are reviewed annually by individual branch and category committees. The Awards Rules Committee then reviews all proposed changes before presenting its recommendations to the Board of Governors for approval.

The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

ACADEMY TO HONOR DOUGLAS TRUMBULL WITH GORDON E. SAWYER AWARD

Beverly Hills, CA – The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has voted the Gordon E. Sawyer Award to Douglas Trumbull, a visionary filmmaker who has worked as a designer, director, inventor and entrepreneur, for his lifetime of technical contributions and leadership in the motion picture industry.


The award, an Oscar® statuette, will be presented to Trumbull at the Scientific and Technical Awards presentation on Saturday, February 11, at the Beverly Wilshire.


Trumbull has distinguished himself as a visual effects pioneer with major contributions to such films as "2001: A Space Odyssey," "The Andromeda Strain," "Silent Running," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "Star Trek – The Motion Picture," "Blade Runner" and "Tree of Life."


In the course of his work, Trumbull created, developed or improved numerous filmmaking techniques and tools. These include slit-scan photography, process photography, miniature compositing, interpositive matte painting, large-format filming, high frame rate photography and projection, synchronized multiscale filming, motion control photography, virtual reality systems, interactive motion simulators and digital cinema. He has been awarded more than a dozen related patents.


In 1975 Trumbull founded Future General Corporation, a research and special effects house that not only served as a training ground for many leading filmmakers and visual effects artists, but fostered several related companies as well.


Trumbull has earned three Academy Award® nominations for Visual Effects and received a Scientific and Engineering Award in 1992 as part of the design team for the CP-65 Showscan Camera System for 65mm motion picture photography.


Established in 1981, the Gordon E. Sawyer Award is presented to "an individual in the motion picture industry whose technological contributions have brought credit to the industry." Trumbull will be the 23rd recipient of the award.


Portions of the Scientific and Technical Awards presentation will be included in the Oscar ceremony.


Academy Awards® for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Academy's Tech Council Adds Four New Members

Beverly Hills, CA – Denny Clairmont, John Hora, Bob Lambert and Milt Shefter have accepted invitations to join the Science and Technology Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, bringing the Council's 2011–2012 membership roster to 24.

Denny Clairmont

Clairmont, one of the industry's premier motion picture camera technologists, co-founded Clairmont Camera, a camera rental company that has grown into one of the largest in the world. In 2010 he received the John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation for "outstanding service and dedication in upholding the high standards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences." A member of the Academy's Scientific and Technical Awards Committee since 1993, Clairmont also has served for several years on numerous subcommittees. He has been an Academy member since 2002.

Hora is a cinematographer whose credits include "Honey I Blew Up the Kid," "Gremlins" and "Twilight Zone: The Movie." He has been a member of the Academy's Cinematographers Branch since 1986.

As a senior executive of The Walt Disney Company for more than 20 years, Lambert has been a leader in the transition to digital technologies in film, television, gaming, social media and emerging consumer media. He initiated the company's successful collaboration with Pixar and oversaw the development of new digital production processes such as the "CAPS" system for feature animation, which was recognized with a Scientific and Engineering Award in 1991. Lambert has been an Academy member since 1999.

Milt Shefter

Shefter, a film preservationist and president of Miljoy Enterprises, is best known for the creation, design and management of the extensive Paramount Pictures Asset Protection Program, including construction of state-of-the-art archival facilities worldwide. He was the project lead for the Academy reports The Digital Dilemma and the upcoming Digital Dilemma 2, due out next month. He has been an Academy member since 1989.

The 2011–2012 Council co-chairs are Academy governor Bill Kroyer (Short Films and Feature Animation Branch) and George Joblove, a digital media technology executive and consultant.

The Council's other 18 members are: Peter W. Anderson, Lisa Zeno Churgin, Elizabeth Cohen, Jonathan Erland, David W. Gray, Douglas Greenfield, Jim Houston, Rob Hummel, Brad Hunt, David Inglish, Randal Kleiser, Tad Marburg, Daryn Okada, Rick Sayre, Garrett Smith and Academy governors Craig Barron, Richard Edlund and Don Hall.

Established in 2003 by the Academy's Board of Governors, the Science and Technology Council provides a forum for the exchange of information, promotes cooperation among diverse technological interests within the industry, sponsors publications, fosters educational activities and preserves the history of science and technology of motion pictures.