This blog sidebar is background on my position for the issue of popularity vs excellence as it applies only to the Academy’s decision to create the ‘Popularity’ Oscar.  The opening paragraph of this sidebar reads the same as the original blog.

On September 5, 2018, the Academy rescinded its decision to award a ‘popular’ Oscar.  So this post is now dated but still applicable to the overall message.

As a former Hollywood executive, I was inspired to use the decision to create a ‘Popularity’ Oscar as an example of the decision rising entrepreneurs face when positioning their business in the market.  I also consider this story another example of how we need to be a aware that technology is changing our world, and react appropriately.  

Excellence vs. Acceptance:  The Hollywood Version

The Academy has given in.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the people who put on the Oscars, have announced their latest category “outstanding achievement in popular film.” An Oscar for getting people to like you. The most glaring example yet of the transformation of our society from value to likeability, from excellence to acceptance.

You may have always thought the Oscars were awarded for outstanding achievement in motion picture production in all its forms. The awards were to recognize the work of the crooked fingers of the seamstress sewing a never-before seen gown; the squinting graphics artist staring at a computer screen in a darkened room; the meticulous set designer putting one final vase ‘just so’ for the scene – those detail-oriented creative geniuses who think and act for art are fading fast.

In their place are those who can crash into trees, use virtual crayons to draw funny faces on their photos, do unmentionable things to their genitals, make a cat dance and a baby sing.

Some would argue, the ability to deliver an audience is as vital as any achievement in motion pictures. After all, as everyone in the industry knows, one or two studio ‘tentpole’ movies pay the bills for the other 20 or so that are made by each company, and the salaries for the thousands of employees who work all year to support the physical and operational production infrastructure. Failing to acknowledge the achievement of popularity is looking the proverbial gift horse in the mouth. You have to dance with the lady who brought you. You have to know which side your bread is buttered on.

For some, the addition of the already nicknamed “popcorn Oscar,” is a decision designed to improve the ratings of the Oscar telecast on broadcast television. This is the same decision-making that brought beach volleyball, snow boarding and artistic gymnastics to the Olympics. The decision effectively declaring: if the idea is contributing to the overall goal (participating in sports, going to the movies), the decision is worthwhile for the industry.

On the Academy’s website, the ‘our story’ section explains the idea to start the organization in 1927 came about because MGM’s Louis B. Mayer and his ‘guests’ talked about creating an “organized group to benefit the film industry.” In 1927, the audience had many fewer distractions than they have today. Popularity was almost guaranteed to one of the few inexpensive entertainment opportunities that existed for all, which meant the original founding Academy group was free to focus on excellence.

By 2018, popularity is the relentless quest for all those who seek to deliver entertainment. In the category labeled ‘sitting and staring at a screen with moving pictures alone,’ motion pictures have been joined by broadcast, cable and pay television, paid streaming video services, free video services, social media, gaming, gambling, lectures, surveillance cameras, and every related form of video advertising (yes some people just watch the ads).

To ‘benefit the film industry’ today means to reach way out of the box, even if it makes you cringe a little, and give in to a world basking in the throes of 15-minutes of fame and click-driven relevance. Broadcast television numbers are falling overall. There is little ‘cultural anticipation’ drama in the build-up to Oscar night. Someone is bound to be talking about who will show up, what they will wear and what they will say. But pre-Oscar discussions are just general noise amidst the many screens vying for a potential viewer’s attention. If the Academy wants more eyeballs on Oscar night, they have to reach out to the madness of crowds and draw in the casual viewer.

By the way, this probably means the Academy should just stream the show so people who even care a little bit can multi-something while watching. Instead, they have made a pledge to keep the show under three hours. Three hours!!   The TV movie is dead for a reason Oscar people!

Or how about this storytellers – turn the Oscar show into a story. Find a common thread weaving through the nominees and have the presenters talk through the narrative leading to each award. There is a reason people will binge watch a show for ten hours Oscar people! And it’s not to hear really bad jokes from equally awkward entertainers. (you’re welcome).

Ironically, the ‘popularity’ contest award shows like the People’s Choice Awards are not exactly ratings juggernauts generating non-stop public comment. In fact, there are so many award shows now, in 2020 the Oscars will move their date up again, to early February, to try and be ahead of all the other relevance seekers. Oscars for Christmas anyone?

But regardless of the cheerleader or cynics’ view of the Academy’s decision, the message is clear. Popularity must be recognized. Does this mean excellence will be diminished? Hopefully not.   The existence of popularity should not fade the glory of excellence and the recognition those who strive for perfection rightly deserve. We will be a sorry world indeed when we no longer care about taking the time to do work beyond the best of our ability, and competing against only the most skilled, innovative and imaginative in our respective industries.

Does the popularity decision mean excellence is equal? Perhaps yes. But the dangers here are more acute. A male work colleague once told me he went to see The Dark Knight five times to try to help the film beat Titanic for biggest box office ever. His reasoning – a ‘girls’ movie should not be number one (yes I said work colleague, a grown man). What happens when the Oscar campaigns begin to ensure a certain kind of ‘demographic’ popularity? Do the Oscars really want to be in that fight?

Probably yes. A gossipy scandal about ‘whose definition of popularity wins’ would be exactly the kind of buzz and drama that would get people watching the show. The same way people wondered if the awarding of best picture to Crash instead of Brokeback Mountain was more a symbol of the voting Academy’s political views and biases than an acknowledgement of excellence. Imagine the Academy salivating at the possibility of getting two fights like that every year, in the Best Picture and Best Popcorn categories. Such a well-publicized battle would be vindication for everyone who made this decision.

But in the background, those who strive for excellence will have to continue their lonely struggle unrequited. Popularity is here to stay. Human beings are hard-wired to outshine each other, which means your likes, follows and retweets for the day now define your value to the world. If you want to earn more, have an independent life, function successfully, you have to deliver value in the form of eyeballs who you ‘influence’ with – well…whatever you’ve got.

Popularity is having its moment, and soon it will have its Oscar. But now that this has happened, let’s imagine the next truly great bar for achieving greatness…anonymity.

Let’s say a secretive billionaire will begin handing out million-dollar film prizes only to a certain type of film – the Obscurity Prize for the greatest movie no one has heard of. This movie will become known as the Real Best Picture because the benefactor of the prize has no agenda and the production was made for the satisfaction of excellence in film creation only.

All over the world, people will submit their films online for a chance to win. Of course, this will drive more people to see the movie, but since they are viewing online, and not in theaters, the film’s prestige will be heightened. People will blog, post and comment about their preferred selection all year long. The announcement of the winner will be one of the biggest news stories of the year.

Oscar people: start brainstorming on your next alternative.