The stunt community continued its battle for the addition of a "Best Stunt
Coordinator Category" to the Oscar ballot by staging a picket line outside the
Academy
of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
at the end of June.
The petition, which has been headed up primarily by Jack Gill of Stunts
Unlimited as well as by representatives from Brand X, The Stuntmen's Association
of Motion Pictures and the International Stunt Association, came before AMPAS on
June 21st, during their annual rule approval process, and was rejected. A
statement released by Academy president Frank Pierson said that "At a time when
the Academy is trying to find ways to reduce the numbers of statuettes
given out and looks at categories with an eye more focused on reduction
than addition, the board is simply not prepared to institute any new annual
awards categories." It has been almost five years since the last new category
was created for Best Animated Feature Film.
In addition to to the varying date changes and general housekeeping
decisions, two major decisions were made during this rule voting session.
According to an AMPAS release, "Under 2005 rules, the 'producer' credits of
all contending pictures with more than one producer listed will be vetted for
legitimacy." Secondly, a new rule pertaining to the Original Song category
states that "no more than two statuettes will normally be given, but provisions
will be made when there are three essentially equal contributors to a song."
The 78th Annual Academy Awards is scheduled for Sunday March 5, 2006
