Audio Video News

Ever wonder how all those short films you never heard of get nominated for Academy Awards? They have to run for a weekend at theaters in Los Angeles or New York in order for Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences members to get a chance to view them. Those are the rules, the Academy stated on June 13, after deciding to exclude from Oscar consideration any film debuting on the Internet.

The decision elaborated on existing rules that already excluded home video and TV debuts, and immediately disqualified thousands of short films that have been seen only on the Net. The Internet has been widely embraced as a low-cost way to gain exposure for new films, especially those from student directors or under-funded independent producers.

The rules, which stunned filmmakers, were clarified so makers of shorts wouldn't make the mistake of rushing to put their works on the Net, said Academy officials. "We have to pick out an area and stick to it," said Academy spokesman John Pavlik. "We are involved in the theatrical film business." The organization wanted to make sure "a legitimate theatrical motion picture doesn't inadvertently jeopardize its eligibility," according to the Academy's executive director, Bruce Davis.

A few days after the Academy's ruling, Internet film site IFILM teamed up with AMC Theaters to launch a program that will enable many short films to meet the Academy's requirements and be shown on the Internet. The two have come up with a showcase, ifilm@amcseries, to begin next month. The program will include as many as 10 films, ranging in length from five to 15 minutes each, which will be shown at as-yet-unnamed AMC theaters around Los Angeles. The purpose: to boost the careers of unknown filmmakers.

"Most filmmakers who create a short film hope to create a long film one day," said Kevin Wendle, co-founder and CEO of IFILM. "They want exposure, but they also want to win an Oscar. With AMC's involvement, they can reach the theatrical audience and the mass consumer market on the Internet and the business professionals who look to our site." Two-year-old IFILM's Portal and Directory is "the first comprehensive film portal and directory, containing links to more than 4000 Internet films from every major broadband content provider," according to the Los Angeles Times.