And… they're… off! It's movie award season, which means that after a whole year of watching performances which were all dubbed "Oscar Worthy," we get to finally see who walks away with a statue, and who has to settle for a wiener. While the merit of the performance does come into play, it's really the marketing and publicity that dictates who gets nominated and who wins.

How Marketing Helps

Within the entertainment industry, studios take out ads in trade publications like Variety that read "for your consideration." If you haven't seen them, these ads remind Academy Members of the studios' films throughout the year and ask voting members to consider each film and its notable participants for nomination them for an Oscar. That's all well and good, and frankly, I wish I were selling ads for Variety during awards season. This form of marketing is necessary because when films and actors are nominated, it can dramatically increase box office revenue.

But before the "for your consideration" ads come out, the subliminal marketing campaigns begin. In England, one is born into royalty - and every so often the Queen will Knight or Dame an individual she deems deserving (for example Sir Paul McCartney or Dame Diana Rigg.) In Hollywood, the royal title is either "Academy Award Winner" or "Academy Award Nominee." Granted, it is an achievement to earn either of those distinctions, but I get tired of being hit over the head with that reminder during every single movie trailer that I see. "Coming soon to a theater near you… blah blah blah starring Academy Award Winner Sir Anthony Hopkins, Academy Award Winner Dame Judi Dench and Academy Award Winner Sir Michael Caine." Christ, start the movie already. I know who they are.

The general public can't even sit through a movie trailer without being reminded that an actor is an "Academy Award Nominee" or an "Academy Award Winner" (or told everything that happens in the movie - but that's another issue.) Does anyone really need to be reminded that Jack Nicholson is an Academy Award winner? Does Michelle Pfeiffer really want to keep reminding people that she's a three (or is it four) time Academy Award nominee that hasn't taken home the prize yet? Haven't we seen them in enough movies over the years to know and like each of these actors, without having to wonder if they got nominated for Wolf?

No, this is just a marketing campaign to remind people, but more importantly critics and voters, that they're seeing qualvity actors when they see their films. The marketing strategy is to woo critics into dubbing a performance "Oscar Worthy," which will in turn remind (and justify) voters to write that name in their nomination ballot. To me, that kind of "Academy Award Winner/Nominee" marketing overkill can be kept exclusively in the press kit. It's the critics that get that nomination ball rolling anyway.

Before reviewing films, major critics receive marketing press kits from the studios about the film they're going to review. Marketing departments prepare slick packages with all sorts of information and "messaging" for the critics, so that after they see the movie, they'll have enough information to write their review. And while critics are free to write whatever they feel about a film, the marketing departments know this is their first and best opportunity to begin lobbying for the critics' support for their film.

Case in point, we at Chaser were asked to deliver our own Top Ten list for the best films of 2002 - along with our opinions of Best Actor, etc. (I understand our lists will be posted sometime next week.) Being a dutiful Chaserer, I went on a movie binge to see as many contenders as I could fit into my schedule. But I concede that I looked at the Top Ten lists of other critics (National Board of Review, New York Critics Film Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, National Society of Film Critics, etc.) to guide me as to what the likely candidates to make the list were going to be. I saw a lot of movies this year, but I didn't see everything. So Jackass might have made my list if I had seen it, which I might have if one of these groups had listed it - and it was still in release in my area. (I'm renting it when it comes out on DVD.)

Critics and critics groups name a variety of films, actors and directors as the year's best before Academy Members fill in their ballots to decide on the year's nominees for the top prize. Once the nominees are announced, it becomes a political campaign.

How Publicity Seals The Deal

Russell Crowe really blew it last year with his off-stage bullying antics. His performance in A Beautiful Mind was pitch-perfect and he was poised to win two Oscars in a row. But the publicity of him roughing up the director of the British Academy Awards didn't sit well with the public. Denzel Washington, who's been known to grouse when he's lost, was able to appear gracious from nomination to win. Even Julia Roberts threw her support to him publicly, saying she would love it if he would win. Not that the Academy members voted for him because Julia wanted them to, but it doesn't hurt to have the Pretty Woman sing your praises.

It is known that Denzel Washington was upset that he lost for Malcom X. He lost to Al Pacino, who should have won for The Godfather (and Godfather Part II and Dog Day Afternoon and so on). Everyone wanted Al Pacino to win, because the guy absolutely deserves an Oscar. Denzel also went head to head with Kevin Spacey for 1999's The Hurricane and American Beauty respectively. Kevin Spacey reportedly went to the SAG retirement home and shook hands with everyone there in order to court some votes. This glad-handing also didn't sit well with Mr. Washington. But glad-handing has worked in the past, too. Back in 1988, Cher threw huge parties for Academy voters to court votes away from Glenn Close - her stiffest competition for Fatal Attraction. Being popular and well-liked helps make it easier for people to put an "x" next to your name. Denzel was more popular and well-liked last year. And yes, it helps that he's a great actor, too.

Every time the Academy Award nominees are mostly white, Spike Lee has protested the lack of diversity in the nominations. His denouncements haven't sat well with the public in the past, primarily because the nominations are supposed to be about merit, not the color of one's skin. But with last year's double win of Denzel Washington and Halle Berry, Spike Lee's rhetoric should be toned down, if not muted all together. This could help him attain a nod for his directorial work for 25th Hour.

As of this writing, everyone's been pretty well behaved and hasn't done anything to tarnish their chances for an Oscar nomination or win. Winona Ryder really isn't on anyone's radar to score a nomination for Mr. Deeds. Hopefully the next time she's up for consideration, she'll have been redeemed in Hollywood's eyes. There was buzz about Eminem getting a nomination earlier this year (more marketing and PR hard at work) for 8 Mile, a film where he basically plays himself. As good as he was reported to be (I still haven't seen it), and as well as he's been behaving, he probably hasn't ingratiated himself enough with the Academy voters yet in order to secure a nod. He'll just have to settle for being a gozillionaire. Nicolas Cage is a likely nominee for Adaptation, and as long as Lisa Marie doesn't air any dirty laundry -- or cause him to make a scene -- there shouldn't be any reason not to vote for him.

But it is still too early to say whose year this is going to be. Generally, there's an aroma in the air about whom the Academy will vote for in each category. Again, the publicity comes into play. Ed Harris has had three nominations and so has Julianne Moore. Maybe it's their turn. Or maybe the Academy will feel that Paul Newman should have another Oscar and that Ed Harris will have another shot. Will Jack bring home his fourth, or will he have to bring home his fourth next time around? I don't know yet, but if you want to win any Oscar pool you might enter, I suggest keeping your eye on two sources. Keep checking out Page Six of the New York Post and also Variety Online for what's going on in Hollywood and how people are behaving. A note about Variety Online - you need to subscribe to it in order to access their articles. If you keep your eye on the marketing and the publicity and you'll know which way the Hollywood wind is blowing. Who's going to win isn't as much of a guessing game as you might think. And that's why in the end, it truly is an honor just to be nominated.