Will changes to the ‘Best Picture’ qualifying criteria make actual change in the industry?

With new changes tabled as to how the American Motion Picture Academy determines if a production qualifies for Best Picture, opinions are divided. Today BLAKE & WANG P.A takes a look at some of the key issues.

Have the changes gone over well?

To date, the only fair description is ‘mixed’. This would possibly have gone better if the new changes weren’t leaving people completely confused about when and where they apply. Of course, not every AMPAS voter has actually given the matter the thought it needs- some have just seen the word ‘diversity’ and let a knee-jerk reaction take over. Some have catastrophized that dream projects and creativity will grind to a halt. Others have taken the time to look at the matter in depth. While many are still considering all implications, it seems they’re viewing the changes with optimism for the industry.

In short, it’s probably too early to tell. Once the immediate feelings of excessive control and ‘false diversity’ have settled, however, cooler heads are likely to see this as an overall positive move forward for the film industry as a whole and the Academy and Oscars in particular.

Will these new regulations make a difference?

There’s no way we can tell at the moment. It’s certainly good that we’re seeing some movement towards these goals, and the intentions are excellent. It’s a forward-looking strategy that not only attempts to address diversity, but also ‘future-proof’ the Oscars to stay relevant as times (and audiences) change. 

Nor are the changes just about race. Women, for example, and the LGBTQ+ community have been drastically underrepresented in both the industry and the awards ceremony, and the ‘underrepresented communities’ part of these rules seeks to address this. It’s difficult to know how to reach into the systemic societal mess around these issues and create change, but at least this is trying to make a difference.

There will be no real indication of what wider effects this new ruling has until we’ve seen it in action. With the changes not due to go into effect until the 2024 Oscar season, it will be a while before we fully understand how this pans out. In the meantime, it seems like an interesting step forward.