The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the creation of the Production and Technology Branch, which is made up of 400 individuals who were previously classified as members-at-large.
The new branch, which comes 10 years after the creation of the Casting Directors in 2013, represents members working in key technical and production positions in all phases of filmmaking, from pre to post-production in Hollywood. This will broaden the Academy’s perspective in board discussions and help start important conversations regarding how the Academy can continue to advance in the industry and ensure new voices and professions are represented.
Branch members include chief technology officers, senior department heads in technology and creative services, and preservation and restoration specialists. In addition, credited production roles, including stunt coordinators, script supervisors, choreographers, music supervisors, colorists, line producers and associate producers, will be a part of the branch.
This now brings the total number of Academy Branches to 18, which represent all areas of the film industry. One branch member will be elected to the Board of Governors for 2023-2024.
The news comes after Friday’s meeting of the 54-person Board of Governors for its annual post-mortem that takes place after the telecast to discuss areas of opportunity and potential changes moving forward.
There’s been much chatter regarding studios and strategists bending or breaking the Academy’s campaign rules over the past year including “Top Gun: Maverick” and most prominently, “To Leslie.”
This year’s 95th Oscars ceremony drew nearly 20 million viewers with A24’s sci-fi comedy “Everything Everywhere All at Once” netting seven statuettes including best picture.
Information regarding membership and added bylaws from the Academy are below.
From Academy Bylaws:
Article III, Section 1. Membership shall be by invitation of the Board of Governors.
Invitations to active membership shall be limited to those persons active in the motion
picture arts and sciences, or credited with screen achievements, or who have otherwise
achieved distinction in the motion picture arts and sciences and who, in the opinion of the
Board, are qualified for membership.
To be considered for invitation to membership in the Production and Technology Branch of the
Academy, a candidate must:
(a) have been actively engaged for the past eight years in the theatrical motion picture arts
and sciences in a key creative or technical position, and meet criteria in one of the following
two classifications.
(a.i) Production
• have credited roles on at least eight theatrical feature films which, in the opinion of the
executive committee, reflect the high standards of the Academy, in the following roles:
o Stunt Coordinator
o Script Supervisor
o Choreographer/Movement Director
o Music Supervisor
o Line Producer
o Colorist (lead only if multiple colorists)
o Associate Producer responsible for post, or
• have served for five consecutive years in a Head Production position such as:
o Head of Visual Effects Production
o Head of Post-Production
o Head of Virtual Production
o Head of Music
o Head of Sound
o Head of Editorial
o Head of Production Services
o Head of Title Design
o CEO or Head of product development in key industry supplier companies, or
(a.ii) Technology
• have served for five consecutive years in a Head Technical position such as:
• Head of Preservation and/or Restoration
• Head of Technology
• Chief Technical Officer, or
• have made scientific and/or technological contributions which produced leading creative
tools and/or systems for the crafts involved in the creation of the theatrical motion picture
experience, or
• have received an Academy Scientific and Technical Award, or
• have had direct involvement in the last eight years, not solely in an administrative position,
in the preservation and/or restoration of legacy and current content of the moving image
and/or recorded sound, or
(b) have, in the judgment of the Production and Technology Executive Committee,
achieved unique distinction, earned special merit, or made an outstanding contribution to
the arts or sciences of motion pictures in the above described areas.
Proposals must be accompanied by a letter from each sponsor which addresses, as specifically as
possible, how the candidate meets one or another of the requirements above.