Unveiling the Mysteries of Selecting the Ultimate Picture
As per the official Academy website, voting members are tasked with ranking the best picture nominees on a scale from 1 to 10, based on their personal preferences. The film that secures 50% or more of the votes emerges victorious. Should a movie fail to reach the 50% threshold initially, the one with the least votes is eliminated. The members who initially voted for the eliminated movie then see their votes transferred to their next preferred selection on the list.
This process might seem a bit convoluted at first glance. Let’s break it down with an example. Imagine you placed “Barbie” as your top pick last year, only to discover it garnered the fewest votes from the entire Academy. Consequently, “Barbie” would be ousted from the running for best picture, and your vote would then be reallocated to your second choice, perhaps “The Holdovers.” This elimination and redistribution cycle continues until one film garners at least 50% of the ballots as its top choice – as was the case last year with “Oppenheimer.”
In essence, it is advantageous for a film to be a popular selection for second or third place. This indicates widespread appeal among Academy members and enhances its prospects on the preferential ballot. Take “CODA,” for instance. While it may not have been a critical favorite, its heartwarming family narrative resonated with many, leading to its triumph as best picture over the more polarizing thriller “The Power of the Dog,” which could have easily garnered as many top votes as it did bottom ones.
Do all Academy members participate in selecting the best picture winner? Absolutely. While nominations are primarily decided by specific branches – actors casting votes for acting categories, directors for best director, and so forth – final Oscar winners in all categories are determined by the entire Academy. The voting process is conducted exclusively online, and while members are not obliged to view every best picture nominee before casting their votes, it is strongly encouraged. PricewaterhouseCoopers, an esteemed accounting firm, has assumed the responsibility of tallying all Oscar votes since the year 1935.
This informative piece was originally featured in USA TODAY, shedding light on the intricacies of the Oscar preferential ballot system and the fascinating dynamics of best picture voting.
