The year-end Awards season, culminating in the Oscars, is usually an occasion for glitz, glamour and many cocktails sipped on red carpets. With the disaster that 2020 has wrought on many aspects of the entertainment industry, however, the usual ‘wow’ factor in-person events have been packed away ‘til next season. That doesn’t mean the Oscars won’t be going ahead, however, leaving those with films in the running an interesting conundrum or two to solve. BLAKE & WANG P.A Entertainment Lawyer takes a closer look.
Perhaps the most pressing question in the industry currently is, ‘How will I get them to see my film at all?’ Most typical Oscar season campaigning is designed to lure bums-on-seats for the big screen. This year, with even the Award ceremony itself going digital, contenders have to face the fact that their films will be viewed on laptops and home systems, no doubt to be paused frequently and competing with smartphones, snacks, and other distractions. So much of a successful Oscar campaign hinges on getting people to watch the film at all, and preferably in a situation as close to the director’s ideal as possible. A laptop screen just isn’t that.
Nor has this been the ideal year to generate hype or snag pop-culture prominence for your movie. People are burned out by the pandemic, more interested in bingeing something light from Netflix than engaging with complex commentary with a movie. It’s a year where Box Office hits were postponed, little of ‘blockbuster’ status produced, and movies play very much second fiddle to other, more corporeal worries for most. Those who do have contenders have to keep interest in their movies alive until April, too, meaning even the festive season won’t create much momentum for them. Last year saw ‘Parasite’, the first non-English Best Picture winner, take the title through social media hype. Many more will inevitably win through online campaigns this year. How will these be managed, however, is the real question, and it will be interesting to see what contenders bring to the table. BLAKE & WANG P.A, as always, will be here to keep you clued in on new developments.
Film and Television 