The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has revised its rules for animated features, visual effects and best picture for the 84th annual Oscars ceremony.
In the animated feature film category, the need for the Board of Governors to vote to “activate” the category each year was eliminated, though at least eight eligible releases are still required for a competitive category.
The board also approved the recommendation of the short films and feature animation branch to alter the nomination process for animated features in the following ways:
- Either two or three films would be nominated in years in which at least eight but no more than 12 eligible features are released.
- As many as four films may be nominated when 13 to 15 films are eligible.
- Up to five films may be nominated when 16 or more films are eligible.
In the visual effects category, the bakeoff has been expanded from seven to 10 contenders. The increase in the number of participants is related to a change made last year in which the number of films nominated in the visual effects category was increased from three to five.
For the best picture race, the Academy will institute a system in which at least five but no more than 10 films will be nominated. The number of nominees will remain secret each year until the nominations are announced.
The best picture nominations will be determined by the number of first-place votes each film receives, with a film needing a minimum of 5 percent of its votes being first-place votes for it to qualify for a nomination. The final round of voting for Best Picture will continue to employ the preferential system.
The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Jan. 24 at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater, and the winners announced at the annual Oscars ceremony, set for Feb. 26.
