Eight of the 23 Oscars will not be awarded live at the 2022 Academy Awards, according to Deadline. Instead, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President David Rubin stated Tuesday that these prizes will be presented before the live transmission, then “edited” and “folded seamlessly” into the ceremony.
“In order to provide more time and opportunity for audience entertainment and engagement through comedy, musical numbers, film clip packages and movie tributes, a change in the show’s production will take place,” Rubin said.
Documentary short subject, film editing, makeup and hairstyling, original score, production design, animated short film, live action short film, and sound will not be shown live.
The Academy has earlier proposed in 2019 that the Oscars for cinematography, editing, live action short, and makeup and hairstyling not be presented live. However, this prompted outrage, with filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino signing an open letter claiming that “relegating these vital cinematic trades to inferior rank” was “an insult.” As a result, the plan was shelved.
Since then, Oscar viewership has dropped even further, forcing the Academy to examine a number of adjustments, including awarding a “fan favorite” picture chosen by Twitter. The Academy’s statement on Tuesday sparked more criticism, and the hashtag #PresentAll23 immediately became a popular topic on Twitter. “These winners deserve to be given their time in the spotlight they so richly deserve and dedicated themselves to accomplish,” reviewer Courtney Howard stated.