SHOTLIST

PLEASE NOTE: ANY CLIENT THAT BROADCASTS ANY ARRIVALS - EITHER TAPE OR LIVE - BETWEEN 0100-0131 GMT WILL BE IN BREACH OF OSCARS PROGRAMME RULES AND COULD FACE LEGAL ACTION

THE FOLLOWING RESTRICTIONS MUST BE RIGIDLY ADHERED TO AS SET OUT BY THE ACADEMY:

1. No portion of the broadcast of the ACADEMY AWARDS Presentation, nor any portion of the broadcast of the ACADEMY AWARDS pre-ceremony segment, nor any on-stage press photographs of the ACADEMY AWARDS, may be rebroadcast or used in any medium whatsoever, including the internet, prior to the conclusion of the live broadcast of the ACADEMY AWARDS Presentation.

2. No guest arrival audio tape or video footage, whether live or previously taped by any organisation, may be broadcast on television or the internet, during the ACADEMY AWARDS pre-ceremony segment, which starts at 5:00 pm Pacific Time (0100 GMT) and continues until the start of the Awards Presentation at 5:30 pm Pacific Time (0130 GMT). Radio outlets are permitted to broadcast live and taped interviews and commentary during the 5:00 to 5:30 pm Period (0100-0130 GMT).

3. Any rebroadcast after the conclusion of the live broadcast of the ACADEMY AWARDS Presentation and ACADEMY AWARDS pre-ceremony segment is subject to the current Academy Regulations, including, but not limited to, the following: In accordance with fair use provisions of copyright law, broadcast news programs and services may excerpt portions of the Academy Awards telecast ( including pre-ceremony segment material, considered together with the Awards presentation as one property of the academy) for rebroadcast during the seven days following the telecast (up to, and including, the following Sunday), subject to the following conditions:

(a) up to three minutes may be used within the period ending the first day (Monday) following the telecast.

(b) up to one minute, not separate from the three minutes in (a), above, may be used within the period of the second through seventh days (Tuesday through Sunday) following the telecast.

(c) the material may be used only for news reporting purposes directly related to the Awards Presentation as an event.

(d) any display, exhibition or performance of the material must be accompanied by the legend "Clip Courtesy A.M.P.A.S.� 2007" .

4. No audio or video broadcasts or still photographs from the press rooms may be used in any medium, including the internet, while the show is in progress except for the four-per-hour one-minute radio announcements.

5. Use of screen grabs from any portion of the broadcast prior to the conclusion of the broadcast of the ACADEMY AWARDS Presentation is expressly prohibited. Use of screen grabs as still images following the broadcast is permissible only with the express written consent of the Academy. Those wishing to use screen grabs following the conclusion of the broadcast may submit the image and a description of its use to the Academy's Communications Department for consideration.

6. Violation of the foregoing may result in the forfeiture of ACADEMY AWARDS press credentials as well as the permanent loss of ACADEMY AWARDS press privileges. Additionally, the Academy reserves the right to pursue all available civil and criminal remedies and penalties.

AP Entertainment

Los Angeles, 25th February 2007

1. Wide Kodak theatre

2. Medium Peter Sarsgaard and Maggie Gyllenhaal

3. Medium James Taylor

4. Medium Al Gore

5. Close-up Jennifer Lopez

6. Medium Cameron Diaz

7. Wide red carpet

8. Medium Penelope Cruz

9.SOUNDBITE: (English) Paul Haggis/ nominated, best writing, original screenplay 'Letters from Iwo Jima': "Luckily I was working this year and I was shooting up until this week. I was away and I could really enjoy the nomination and not be in town where everyone was saying, this is the odds on this and this is the odds on that. That is the only part I don't like. I do like celebrating all the nominations with all the nominees, meet them and meet new people."

10. SOUNDBITE: (Hindi) Deepa Mehta/ director, nominated, best foreign language film, 'Water' "

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Al Gore, nominee, best documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth' "I don't think there is any pageant in the world that matches the Oscars. It is great to be here and see it in person."

12. SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Ennio Morricone, recipient, honorary Oscar (talks about his award, also talks about Celine Dion performing):

" It's a great consideration for the whole of my career, .....

Celine will sing a song about the theme of Deborah in Once Upon a time in America. "

13. Close-up Emily Blunt

14. Close-up Rachel Weisz

15. Medium Jodi Foster and Penelope Cruz

16. Medium Jessica Biel

17. Medium John Travolta and Kelly Preston

18. Close-up Will Smith

19. Medium Guillermo del Torro

20. Close-up Jennifer Hudson

21. Medium crowd pan

22. Close-up Will Smith and Leonardo Di Caprio

23. Medium Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

24. SOUNDBITE: (German) Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, nominee, best foreign language film, 'The Lives of Others' :

" I hope that when Catherine Deneuve makes the winning announcement it will be Germany, I remember very well when Volker Schlondorff won in 1979 for the 'Tin Drum ', how much that meant to me even as a small child, I felt I had won an Oscar, because the Oscar in fact also goes to the country, to Germany and I am the representative of my country as film maker."

25. Medium Melissa Etheridge

26. SOUNDBITE: (English) Melissa Etheridge, nominee, best achievement in music for a motion picture, 'An Inconvenient Truth,' "It feels so international. It finally feels like a global event. Motion pictures should be that, it should represent the world and I am glad it is expanding like that."

27. Medium Rachel Weisz

28. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Rinko Kikuchi, nominee, best actress in a supporting role, Babel'

28. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jennifer Lopez: "It absolutely is a very special year. I think it is a very international time for the Oscars. It shows you that Hollywood is not the center of filmmaking anymore. It is really a global industry. So many cultures around the world have so many stories to tell. It is a real representation of that. I think us as Latinos we feel really proud, I think it is almost 19 or 20 nominations in front and behind the camera. It is a real special year for our community. We are glad to be here representing."

29. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jennifer Hudson, nominee, best supporting actress, 'Dreamgirls' "Look around. One it is the Oscars and then every star under the sun is here. It don't get no better than this. It is amazing."

30. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Guillermo del Torro/ Director, nominee, best writing and original screenplay, 'Pan's Labyrinth'

31. SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Giorgio Armani/ Designer:

"..Yes it was the first time. It was even risky because I didn't want to take out any attention from the Oscars ..."

32. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu/ Director, 'Babel,' several nominations

33. Close-up Helen Mirren

34. Close-up Daniel Craig

35. Medium Sasha Baron Cohen

36. Close-up Gwyneth Patlrow

37. Medium Mark Wahlberg

38. Close-up Beyonce

39. Medium Forest Whitaker

40. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ken Watanabe, 'Letters from Iwo Jima' "It's the first time for the Oscar. It is a kind of miracle. I can be standing here again is so amazing."

41. SOUNDBITE: (English) Helen Mirren, nominee, best actress, 'The Queen': "Tonight feels totally special. It really does. It is always memorable. This evening I will never forget."

Medium Helen Mirren

42. SOUNDBITE: (English) Celine Dion (talking about Ennio Morricone): "I think it happens a lot when you meet people, few people like him in this world, they are intimidating because they are bigger than life. To have such an impact on all of us they bring our dreams to reality and dreams to our homes, so they are untouchable and that is why we are intimidated by them. I was very touched and moved when I met him."

43. Medium Celine Dion

44. SOUNDBITE: (English) Cate Blanchett, best supporting actress, 'Notes on a Scandal': "It is an incredible thing to think that Forest and Eddie Murphy and Jennifer could take three of the four acting awards which is unbelievably fantastic. The Mexicans are going, it really is kind of like soccer."

45. Medium Cate Blanchett

46. SOUNDBITE: (English) Forest Whitaker "Just taking it in as it comes, just trying to feel the energy of the people and enjoy it with Keisha. We are having a good time."

47. Medium Forest Whitaker

48. SOUNDBITE: (English) Beyonce, 'Dreamgirls' "There is an energy here tonight. I have done a lot of red carpets and this gives you chills. Me being a woman, a female, a young African-American actor, I am so proud to be here this year. It is a huge year for us, especially Jennifer Hudson. She is so young and she is a woman and Eddie Murphy and all of the other actors that are nominated. I am just so proud."

49. SOUNDBITE: (English) Clint Eastwood/ Director, multiple nominations, 'Letters from Iwo Jima' "I think it is great. I don't know if there is anything to read into all that. It just that people are making films and there is an international outlook. I don't think there is anything special except all these nominees I think did a really good job."

50. Wide Beyonce, Queen Latifah and Clint Eastwood

51. Close-up Kate Winslet

52. Close-up Eddie Murphy

53. Medium Martin Scorsese

54. Medium Nicole Kidman

55. Wide Kodak theatre

ACADEMY AWARDS ROLL OUT RED CARPET FOR MOST DIVERSE LINE-UP EVER

Once an evening of backslapping and merrymaking within the narrow confines of Hollywood, the Academy Awards this time look like a United Nations exercise in diversity.

The 79th annual Oscars Sunday feature their most ethnically varied lineup ever, with stars and stories that reflect the growing multiculturalism taking root around the globe.

Competing for best picture was Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's "Babel," a sweeping ensemble drama. The film's cast ranges from A-listers such as Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett to comparative unknowns

Adriana Barraza from Mexico and Rinko Kikuchi from Japan, who both earned supporting-actress nominations for "Babel."

Also in the running were Stephen Frears' classy British saga "The Queen," a portrait of the royal family in crisis, and Clint Eastwood's Japanese-language war tale "Letters From Iwo Jima."

Those films joined two idiosyncratic American stories nominated for best picture, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris' road comedy "Little Miss Sunshine" and Martin Scorsese's crime epic "The Departed."

Though set among the distinctive cops and mobsters of Boston, "The Departed" had a global connection - it was based on the Hong Kong crime thriller "Infernal Affairs."

Gray clouds floated over the red carpet as limousines delivered guests to the Kodak Theatre, but the hint of rain did not diminish the enthusiasm of spectators as the likes of Spanish actress Penelope Cruz, British actress Rachel Weisz, Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal, Scottish actor James McAvoy, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Al and Tipper Gore walked the carpet.

Of the 20 acting nominees, five were black, two were Hispanic and one was Asian, while only two Americans _ Eastwood and Scorsese - were among the five best-director contenders.

With a Directors Guild of America award and other top film honors behind him, Scorsese was considered a shoo-in to earn the directing Oscar, a prize that has eluded him throughout his illustrious career.

There were clear front-runners in all four acting categories, as well: Forest Whitaker as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland" and Mirren for the lead-acting trophies, Eddie Murphy and Hudson as soul singers in "Dreamgirls" for the supporting honors.

The best-picture race was up for grabs, though, with all five films in the running but many Oscar watchers generally figuring it was a three-way race among "Babel," "The Departed" and "Little Miss Sunshine."

Organizers at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hope the suspense of the wide-open best-picture category will help offset moviegoers' relative lack of interest in the competing films.

TV ratings for the Oscars tend to be lower when fewer people have seen the top nominees. Collectively, the five best-picture nominees had drawn a total domestic theatrical audience of about 38.5 million people, about a third the number of fans who have gone to see the contenders in recent peak years when such blockbusters as "Gladiator" or "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" have won.

SHOTLIST

2011 ACADEMY AWARD BROADCAST RESTRICTIONS

Broadcast-news programs and services may excerpt portions of the 2011 Academy Awards telecast for rebroadcast until 0000GMT 6 MARCH 2011, subject to the following conditions:

a.) Up to three minutes may be used within the period ending the first day (2359GMT 28 FEBRUARY 2011) following the telecast.

b.) One minute, not separate from the three minutes in (a), above, may be used within the period of the second through seventh days (0000GMT 1 MARCH 2011-0000GMT 6 MARCH 2911) following the telecast.

The material may be used only for news-reporting purposes directly related to the awards presentation as an event.

Any display, exhibition or performance of the material must be accompanied by the legend "Clip Courtesy A.M.P.A.S.� 2011" and no use of any excerpt from any Awards Presentation may be made while the telecast is in progress.

Long-form version:

USE OF CLIPS FROM ACADEMY AWARD PRESENTATIONS

The Annual Academy Awards telecast is copyrighted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Any rebroadcast or other use of the program or any of its contents, except in accordance with the following, is prohibited.

In accordance with fair use provisions of copyright law, broadcast news programs and services may excerpt portions of the Academy Awards telecast for rebroadcast during the seven days following the telecast (up to, and including, Sunday), subject to the following conditions:

up to three minutes may be used within the period ending the first day (Monday) following the telecast,

one minute, not separate from the three minutes in (a), above, may be used within the period of the second through seventh days (Tuesday through Sunday) following the telecast,

the material may be used only for news reporting purposes directly related to the Awards Presentation as an event,

any display, exhibition or performance of the material must be accompanied by the legend "Clip Courtesy A.M.P.A.S.� ____" (year supplied as appropriate), and

no use of any excerpt from any Awards Presentation may be made while the telecast is in progress.

Permission may also be given for the use of Academy Awards telecast clips in connection with obituary reporting on past Academy Award recipients. The Academy will attempt to facilitate the granting of permission for the use of clips from the Awards Presentations for obituary news reporting upon request under the following conditions:

only clips approved by the Academy are used,

the clips are used only in news broadcasts and only in conjunction with stories concerning the deceased in such news broadcasts,

the clips are used only within a 72-hour period immediately following announcement of death,

any display, exhibition or performance of the material must be accompanied by the legend "Clip Courtesy A.M.P.A.S.� ____" (year supplied as appropriate),

the approved obituary clip(s) shall not exceed 60 seconds in total running time, and

those requesting the clips agree to obtain, at their own expense, the consent of all other persons appearing in the clips and all guild or other clearances that might be required.

All those rebroadcasting any clip(s) from any Academy Awards telecasts hereby agree to indemnify the Academy, its governors, officers, members, agents, employees and representatives, and to save and hold the Academy and each of them harmless from, and to defend the Academy and each of them against, any liability and expense, including attorneys' fees, arising out of any claim whatsoever which may be brought or based upon the use of the clip(s).

Permission shall not be granted for the use of clips from the Academy Awards telecast for non-news ventures, except under unusual circumstances, and on a case-by-case basis. An exception, if granted, shall not be considered precedential.

This policy shall apply also to requests for permission to use the audio portions of Academy Awards presentations.

AP Television

Los Angeles, Calif., 27 February 2011

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Christian Bale/British actor:

"I missed the F-bomb. But you know what? I've you know - I've laid down many of them before. I think I know what it was all about."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Natalie Portman/American actor:

"I think that's one of the most beautiful things about the film is that it can be interpreted in so many different ways. I really see it as this one woman's coming of age. And that she becomes a woman, she starts out a girl by finding her own artistic voice and killing the child version of herself. She becomes a woman. I don't see it necessarily as a death at the end, like many people do."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Natalie Portman/American actor:

"When it was working it was really so, so hectic. We were just working such long days and sleeping 5 hours a night and then just starting the day again and there was so much preparation, so much training that I didn't really necessarily have time to think about what was happening. And dream wise I was just so exhausted every day. I was literally just falling into bed and waking up and going back to set. I think that sort of pace helped me stay so focused for the part. Yeah, I didn't have too many crazy dreams. I'm pretty good at shutting off. This one was a little harder to shake, just the whole mood of the whole movie was so intense. It stayed with me a little longer than usual."

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Natalie Portman/American actor:

"I have no idea. It's one of the most exciting things about being pregnant.

I just am accepting complete unknown. It's a complete mystery and miracle and yeah it's really just accepting that I have no idea and it's what all of us live every day."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Firth/British actor:

"I don't really want to get entangled in the political judgment on that. I tend to find that my rather insignificant opinions get more attention that they deserve. But I do think on the face of it that that was a short-sighted decision. I do however think that the fact that BFI seems to have taken up that role is very positive. I think that it was probably a sign that the government has recognized a need for a body like that that they need to work closely with to find a way to find a way to get films financed with government cooperation. I'm optimistic at the moment."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Firth/British actor:

"I think I'm going to cook a lot. I don't think I'm very good at it but I'm going to inflict my cooking on anybody within range. I tend to find that that's a very good way to decompress. I'll probably be the only one eating it. But I think that's what I'm going to."

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Hooper/British director "There was something about the way that I was shooting them, the fact that I like them so much as people probably, probably is in the DNA of the movie.

Their liking for each other is in the DNA of the movie. There's a lot of kindness in the movie and compassion in the movie. Alongside our professional relationship, we respected each other so much was probably what Geoffrey Rush has jokingly referred to as something a little bit more."

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Hooper/British director

"We shot the Geoffrey and Colin stuff first and so when she arrived, she arrived into this incredibly strong bond between them. And it was a source of endless comedy from then on, that she felt that the real love story was between the two men and not between her and Colin. But she acted the supportive wife brilliantly on-camera as you know, but off-camera she was teasing us for the fact that the love story should really be between her husband and her."

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Hooper/British director

"I don't think I'm going to go to bed for a while. I've got Oprah Winfrey at 10am. I've got Today Show at 5am. I don't want to be the first person to go on Oprah drunk so I'll try and restrain myself."

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Hooper/British director

"I think I didn't quite believe that there were masterpieces sitting unread in attics. I kinda thought the system worked that there were scouts everywhere as efficient that if there was a script somewhere we'd all know that it existed. The story of how this film came to be is a classic example of how that's not the case. This play failed to be produced as a fringe theater play, as a fringe theater play. So this play was going nowhere when I came to it and my producers came to it and Geoffrey came to it. So it's made me more open-minded to the idea that there may be masterpieces, wonderful stories that are lying neglected and that the system doesn't always deliver to you the best stuff that's out there."

STORYLINE

WINNERS REACT BACKSTAGE

The King's Speech" was crowned best picture Sunday at an Academy Awards ceremony as precise as a state coronation. The monarchy drama won an expected four Oscars, and predictable favorites claimed acting honors.

Colin Firth as stammering British ruler George VI in "The King's Speech" earned the best-actor prize, while Natalie Portman won best actress as a delusional ballerina in "Black Swan."

Firth said he was planning to cook a lot to relax after the exhilaration of a successful awards season.

"I don't think I'm very good at it but I'm going to inflict my cooking on anybody within range. I tend to find that that's a very good way to decompress. I'll probably be the only one eating it," he said.

Backstage in the press room, Portman described how the long days of shooting kept her from dwelling on the film's dark mood.

"I was literally just falling into bed and waking up and going back to set. I think that sort of pace helped me stay so focused for the part. Yeah, I didn't have too many crazy dreams. I'm pretty good at shutting off. This one was a little harder to shake, just the whole mood of the whole movie was so intense. It stayed with me a little longer than usual," she said.

The boxing drama "The Fighter" captured both supporting-acting honors, for Christian Bale as a boxer-turned-drug-abuser and Melissa Leo as a boxing clan's domineering matriarch.

Network censors bleeped Leo for dropping the F-word during her speech.

Backstage, she jokingly conceded it was "probably a very inappropriate place to use that particular word."

Bale joked that he was keeping his language clean.

"I missed the F-bomb. But you know what? I've you know - I've laid down many of them before. I think I know what it was all about."

"The King's Speech" director Tom Hooper described the on-set camaraderie between stars Geoffrey Rush and Colin Firth and said finding the story shook his faith in Hollywood's ability to find good scripts.

"It's made me more open-minded to the idea that there may be masterpieces, wonderful stories that are lying neglected and that the system doesn't always deliver to you the best stuff that's out there," he said.

Hooper said he didn't think he'd be going to bed for a while.

"I've got Oprah Winfrey at 10am. I've got Today Show at 5am. I don't want to be the first person to go on Oprah drunk so I'll try and restrain myself," he said.

RIDLEY. EDGERTON, LIU AND SAWYERS REFRESHINGLY EARTHBOUND AT STUDENT ACADEMY AWARDS

Some actors are cannily looking to the future.

Joel Edgerton decided to be a presenter at Thursday's (22 SEPT. 2016) Student Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles in order to meet new talent and secure his next paychecks.

"I'm thinking 10 years ahead and I'm, like, 'I need a job.'" he said half-joking.

"I'm a smart guy. I'm like looking to the future. No, I'm seriously looking to the future, because where I started was no film school. There was a film school. But like whether you make it up as you go along, which we did. Or you go to, like, an established film school, it's taking baby steps and dipping your toe into something that feels a little bit unknown. And I think it's an exciting thing, and I think some of the most exciting filmmakers -- to be honest, I feel like the people I want to side up with are people who are starting out. It's a gamble. As an actor, you need to be partnered up with people that make you look good. But it's sometimes a great gamble to work with young filmmakers. And I have a real affinity to that because I remember what it was like to be young filmmaker, and wanting people to kind of partner up with us."

The awards have been established by the Academy as a platform for emerging global talent 43 years ago.

Actor Parker Sawyers who also presented at the event said it was important to discover talent early.

"We know there are incredible alumni, people from the winners of yesteryear. So, it's an exciting time for the future of film -- especially as an actor, I get to see people and meet people and present an award to people I hopefully will be working with in the future," he said.

Some Student Academy Award winners went on to be showbiz powerhouses: Robert Zemeckis ("Forrest Gump"), Bob Saget ("Full House"), Spike Lee ("Do the Right Thing"), Trey Parker ("South Park") and John Lasseter ("Toy Story") to name just a few.

Lucy Liu said she felt the time was right to participate in the ceremony, with Hollywood now openly discussing the lack of diversity in the film industry, and making moves to close gender, racial and other gaps.

"I think the timing worked out perfectly. I think there's a great deal of awareness and inclusion in terms of diversity and gender," she said.

"And we're seeing a lot of that tonight. I love that -- I'm presenting the Foreign Film, so I think there's something great about that. And Animation, which I love, too. So the combination of it is perfect."

Winners represented not only the United States, but also Germany, Israel, Poland, China, Greece, Lebanon and other countries.

Beverly Hills, Calif., 22 Sept. 2016

1. Wide exterior Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences building

2. Close-up shot of Academy logo on step-and-repeat backdrop

3. Push in on actress Daisy Ridley posing for photographers

4. Actor Joel Edgerton poses for photographers

5. Fashion shot Lucy Liu poses for photographers

6. Actress Daisy Ridley speaks to reporter

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Daisy Ridley, actress:

"This is the Student Academy Awards. And it's important because this was founded because the Academy, I think 43 years ago, thought that it would be amazing to have something for students. And the quality of work is absolutely amazing. And a lot of winners from tonight have gone on to win Academy Awards."

8. Actor Parker Sawyers poses for photographers

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Parker Sawyers, actor:

"We know there are incredible alumni, people from the winners of yesteryear. So, it's an exciting time for the future of film -- especially as an actor, I get to see people and meet people and present an award to people I hopefully will be working with in the future. And, so, yeah, it's really cool."

10. Wide of group of students posing with Sawyers

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Lucy Liu, actress - on why she agreed to be a presenter at this year's Student Academy Awards:

"I think the timing worked out perfectly. I think there's a great deal of awareness and inclusion in terms of diversity and gender. And we're seeing a lot of that tonight. I love that -- I'm presenting the Foreign Film, so I think there's something great about that. And Animation, which I love, too. So the combination of it is perfect."

12. Actress Lucy Liu poses with Student Academy Award winners

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmad Saleh, student Academy Award Winner, "Ayny," on reactions to his award from the many places he calls home, including Germany, Palestine and Jordan:

"Actually, the most reactions were from Germany. They knew the news faster, because it was announced as a German production. Because it actually is a German production. Even the mayor sent me a letter. I was really surprised. That's really amazing, that the mayor could actually do that, recognize even short film making it to the Oscars. And then Palestine: I was in Palestine, actually, when I heard the news. So, family and some radio stations also tried to tell the news. It was really nice. It was like a surreal day when they told the news -- all the news and friends. In Jordan, as well the film commission of Jordan also contacted me. Yeah, it was very, very nice to see how everybody was very, very happy for this."

14. (Reporter: "When the news came out, what was the response in Greece?")

SOUNDBITE (English) Daphne Matziaraki, student Academy Award Winner, "4.1 Miles":

"I think they were excited. They were excited. You know, America is a far-away place. The Student Oscars sounds like a big thing. It is a big thing. They're very proud because the news wrote a lot because it's a country that's been burdened a lot lately, as you know. And I think people are very happy to hear some good news."

15. Set-up shot Joel Edgerton speaking to reporter

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Joel Edgerton, actor - on why he felt it was important to serve as a presenter at the 2016 Student Academy Awards:

"'Cause I'm thinking 10 years ahead and I'm, like, 'I need a job.' You know what I mean? I'm a smart guy. I'm like looking to the future. No, I'm seriously looking to the future, because where I started was no film school. There was a film school. But like whether you make it up as you go along, which we did. Or you go to, like, an established film school, it's taking baby steps and dipping your toe into something that feels a little bit unknown. And I think it's an exciting thing, and I think some of the most exciting filmmakers -- to be honest, I feel like the people I want to side up with are people who are starting out. It's a gamble. As an actor, you need to be partnered up with people that make you look good. But it's sometimes a great gamble to work with young filmmakers. And I have a real affinity to that because I remember what it was like to be young filmmaker, and wanting people to kind of partner up with us."

17. Actor Joel Edgerton poses with Student Academy Award winners

SHOTLIST (including transcript):-

AP Entertainment

Los Angeles, 18 Feb. 2016

1. Wide interior Ray Dolby Ballroom

2. Medium chef Wolfgang Puck speaking to reporter

3. Wide display of Governors Ball food offerings in front from site where chef Wolfgang Puck speaks to reporters

4. Display of chocolate Oscar-statuette shaped candy atop chocolate platform etched with gold Oscars logo

5. Oscar-statuette shaped candy next to chocolate box etched with gold Oscars logo and gold rendering of statuette silhouette

6. Wide Oscar statue behind display of Piper-Heidsieck wines

7. Medium Oscar statue in front of display of Piper-Heidsieck so-called "Rare" blend of wine

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Cheryl Cecchetto/Producer, 88th Annual Academy Awards Governors Ball:

"This is the official press preview for the 88th Annual (Academy Awards) Governors Ball. And the Governors Ball is the official Oscars after party hosted by the governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. So, we made this press event. We built this for you, so that you could get a taste of sights and sounds of what everybody's going to experience the night of."

9. Alcoholic beverages to be served at the 88th Annual Academy Awards Governors Ball

10. Tilt up bottle of Piper-Heidsieck so-called "Rare" blend of wine

11. Wide wall of filmmaker illustrations inspired by the pen-and-ink work of celebrity caricaturist Al Hirschfeld

12. Caricatures of actors Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby

13. Shot of banquette

14. Setup shot of Academy governor Jeffrey Kurland

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeffrey Kurland/Academy Governor:

"Well, the theme of it all -- because, we looked at many, many things: the Brown Derby was one of my many inspirations, when you look at that. But the idea the soft pink, which, I thought, was a great idea for the room itself. And keeping everything rather simple: white linen tablecloths, with just slashes of pink color on them, just kind of asymmetrically cutting the table. But keeping it all very simple: one tone, with a white center floor. And then the art then becomes the focal point of the room."

15. Poster of filmmaker caricatures

16. Wide wall of filmmaker caricature

17. Actress Bette Davis caricature

18. Illustrators hired to create caricatures to decorate the walls of the 88th Annual Academy Awards Governors Ball

19. Caricature of director Alfred Hitchcock

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Brian Valenzuela/Illustrator:

"Well, Alfred Hitchcock was fairly simple. I mean, we had that iconic profile from his television show, which I was tempted to work just off of that. But I stayed close and was able to find some good reference of his very sly, dark personality and his sort of tongue-in-cheek look, and just worked off the fact that he looks like a bloody pear."

21. Wide display of food to be served up at the Governors Ball for the 88th Annual Academy Awards

22. Dumplings in pot-sticker machine

23. Smoked salmon

24. Oscar-statuette shaped smoked salmon atop matzo

25. Truffle macaroni and cheese

26. Chef Wolfgang Puck speaks to reporter

27. SOUNDBITE (English) Wolfgang Puck/Chef, Governors Ball, 88th Annual Academy Awards:

"What is new this year, for example, is we have Alaska king crab. We flew in 40 crabs, 40 whole big crabs. Each one cost like $450-500. And we're going cook it, like, Chinese style: open the shell a little bit so you can serve it very easily, and serve it with some beautiful jade rice, some emerald rice."

28. Medium shot of Alaskan king crab

29. Close-up shot of Alaskan king crab

30. Desserts in display case

31. Close-up shot gold-covered Oscar-statuette shaped chocolate candy

32. Sweet taco with market cherries

33. Chocolate passion layer cake

34. Tray of gold-covered Oscar-statuette shaped chocolate candies

35. Medium interior Ray Dolby Ballroom

36. SOUNDBITE (English) Cheryl Cecchetto/Producer, 88th Annual Academy Awards Governors Ball:

"You know, we really do have between 800-900 staff in here the night of. It's every type of staff you could think of: It's maître d's. It's waiters. It's entertainers, etc. It's managers. You name it, Because we really want to make sure -- that, you know, people have been preparing forever for this event. Ever. They're going to walk into those doors and everything should be at their fingertips."

39. Facsimiles of envelopes that will hold cards embossed with names of Oscar winners

40. Facsimile of cards embossed with names of Oscar winners

41. Tilt up on Oscar statuette

ART OF FILMMAKING TO BE CELEBRATED AT OFFICIAL OSCARS AFTER PARTY

After the last envelope is opened and Academy Award for Best Picture is revealed, select guests will make their ways up the escalators to the Ray Dolby Ballroom to the event's only official after party, the Governors Ball.

Hosted by the Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the party is usually the first stop for Oscar-ceremony attendees, before they head elsewhere -- to soirees hosted by Vanity Fair, Elton John and private bashes thrown by big celebs.

The Academy held its annual Governors Ball preview Thursday (18 FEB. 2016), revealing a celebration of art, inspired by the caricatures that plastered the walls of the late, legendary Hollywood Brown Derby eatery, as well as and New York's Sardi's restraurant, which is still operating.

It was more than those restaurants' caricatures that inspired Academy governor Jeffrey Kurland. "The idea the soft pink, which, I thought, was a great idea for the room itself," he explained. "And keeping everything rather simple: white linen tablecloths, with just slashes of pink color on them, just kind of asymmetrically cutting the table. But keeping it all very simple: one tone, with a white center floor. And then the art then becomes the focal point of the room."

The black-and-white art on the walls at the Governors Ball is inspired by celebrity caricaturist Al Hirschfeld, whose work appeared on movie posters, popular magazines and perhaps most notably in "The New York Times."

Kurland, an Oscar-nominated costume designer, called in a crew of artists to create nearly 200 original caricatures of everyone from current, well-known nominees to behind-the-scenes craftspeople -- filmmakers of every variety.

Among artist Brian Valenzuela's assignments was director Alfred Hitchcock ("Psycho").

"Well, Alfred Hitchcock was fairly simple," Valenzuela said. "I mean, we had that iconic profile from his television show, which I was tempted to work just off of that. But I stayed close and was able to find some good reference of his very sly, dark personality and his sort of tongue-in-cheek look, and just worked off the fact that he looks like a bloody pear."

Speaking of food, Wolfgang Puck returns to cater the ball, and give comfort to guests who have been sitting for hours in the Dolby with nothing to eat. Such hearty Puck favorites as chicken pot pie, truffle macaroni and cheese, aged-cheddar mini burgers will return. But there will be new additions.

"We have Alaska king crab," Puck said. "We flew in 40 crabs, 40 whole big crabs. Each one cost like $450-500. And we're going cook it, like, Chinese style: open the shell a little bit so you can serve it very easily, and serve it with some beautiful jade rice, some emerald rice."

The ball is produced by Cheryl Cecchetto, owner of Sequoia Productions, who has long headed up the event -- headset in place to command the troops the second those last Oscar winners hit the Dolby stage.

"You know, we really do have between 800-900 staff in here the night of," she noted. "It's every type of staff you could think of: It's maître d's. It's waiters. It's entertainers, etc. It's managers. You name it, Because we really want to make sure -- that, you know, people have been preparing forever for this event. Ever. They're going to walk into those doors and everything should be at their fingertips."

The 88th Annual Academy Awards is set for Sunday, Feb. 28 at the Dolby Theatre, which is located in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.

SHOTLIST

AP Entertainment

Los Angeles, 4 Feb. 2013

1. One-time Oscar winner and current nominee, producer Ben Affleck ("Argo") poses for photographers

2. Two-time Oscar nominee, actress Jennifer Lawrence ("Silver Linings Playbook"), poses for photographers

3. Two-time Oscar winner and current nominee, actress Sally Field, poses for photographers

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sally Field/Oscar Nominee, "Lincoln," on how previous Academy Award experiences have informed this latest one: "Boy it's hard to say. I mean, the Oscars that I won before, that I was nominated before, last time was in the 80's when I was so much younger, and they were important to me, those films were important to me, Norma was hugely important to me, and now I'm not young and I'm this age and time has marched along, and you know, the whole 'Lincoln' journey has been unbelievably important to me. That it culminates in so much recognition is fabulous and so that feels wonderful to me."

5. Two-time Oscar nominee, actress Jacki Weaver, poses for photographers

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Jacki Weaver/Oscar Nominee, "Silver Linings Playbook," on how previous Academy Award experience has informed this new one:

"This time around I know what to expect and I'm not going to be so overwhelmed and frightened. I'm just going to enjoy it. I mean, I am overwhelmed, but it is such an enjoyable series of events and this time I'm going to really make the most of it and enjoy it and not be frightened and shy and scared."

Reporter: "I can't imagine you being scared!'

Weaver: "It is overwhelming. It really is overwhelming. Yeah. Well, it's a juggernaut of events and appearances and talking to strangers, which I've never been great at. I'm much better when I'm pretending to be someone else, which is what my job is."

7. Two-time Oscar nominee, director Tim Burton, poses for photographers

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Tim Burton/Oscar Nominee, "Frankenweenie," on how previous Academy Award experience has informed this new one: "I don't know. This is only the second time I've been here. The way I treat it it's like, especially film -- you feel special about all films -- but with a film like this that gets any kind of recognition is really nice. Because I'm painfully aware of like the amount of work, frame by frame, that people put into it. So I think for a film like this that kind of recognition is special."

9. Two-time Oscar winner and current nominee, screenwriter-producer Mark Boal, poses for photographers with Academy president Hawk Koch (left) and director Kathryn Bigelow (center)

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Boal/Oscar Nominee, "Zero Dark Thirty," on how previous Academy Award experience has informed this new one: "It's special every time. It is special every time, but again the greatest thing about it is you get in these rooms and you get to meet people and spend time with people that are usually pretty inaccessible. To be able to sit down with some of my heroes, that's really the best part about it, to be honest."

11. Three-time Oscar nominee, writer-director David O. Russell, poses for photographers with Academy president Hawk Koch

12. SOUNDBITE (English) David O. Russell/Oscar Nominee, "Silver Linings Playbook," on how previous Academy Award experience has informed this new one: "So I feel different in that I feel probably even more appreciative than I did the first time, and I feel probably even more present. I might have been a little so overwhelmed or nervous for the first time with 'The Fighter' that it was a little harder to take it all in. This time I'm being sure to slow down and take it all in more. and I'm so grateful to be here with the entire cast. I wanted the entire cast of 'The Fighter' and I didn't think that some of them got what they could have gotten. You can't talk about deserved, because nobody really deserves anything. You're just happy if you make the movie. So this is a whole other animal, the world of awards, you know?"

13. Five-time Oscar nominee, composer Alexandre Desplat, poses for photographers

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Alexandre Desplat/Oscar Nominee, "Argo," on how previous Academy Award experiences have informed this new one: "I think the first time is always the best time, because it's something you might have dreamed of. Not as something tangible, it's nothing tangible, oh the Oscars, it's over there somewhere. It suddenly becomes tangible. That's the first time and what happens next, you never know. And we never know. Maybe we never get an invitation again in my life, so the second time you say to yourself, it's incredible that I'm there again and the third time is the same. And today it's the same."

15. Two-time Oscar nominee, actress Naomi Watts, poses for photographers

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Naomi Watts/Oscar Nominee, "The Impossible," on how previous Academy Award experience has informed this new one: "It does feel like, OK, so maybe the first time wasn't a fluke. And it will be fun. And the Oscars is a big deal, like every, all the other events are great too, but your family, I've got family all over the world, and they will be watching the Oscars. It is a big deal for all of them. And you know my kids will probably watch it too, or I don't know, they might fall asleep. But it is a nice thing!"

17. One-time Oscar winner and current nominee, actor Tommy Lee Jones, poses for photographers with Academy president Hawk Koch

18. Two-time Oscar nominee, acress Anne Hathaway ("Les Miserables), poses for photographers

19. Three-time Oscar winner and current nominee, director and producer Steven Spielberg ("Lincoln"), poses for photographers

STORYLINE

OSCAR VETERANS ON WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED

Many of this year's nominees have traveled the Oscar road before.

At this month's annual luncheon, we asked them to share how their previous experiences have changed how they've approached award season this year.

"Boy it's hard to say," said supporting actress nominee Sally Field ("Lincoln"). "I mean, the Oscars that I won before, that I was nominated before, last time was in the 80's when I was so much younger, and they were important to me, those films were important to me, Norma was hugely important to me, and now I'm not young and I'm this age and time has marched along, and you know, the whole 'Lincoln' journey has been unbelievably important to me. That it culminates in so much recognition is fabulous and so that feels wonderful to me."

"This time around I know what to expect and I'm not going to be so overwhelmed and frightened," said Field's competition, Australian actress Jacki Weaver ("Silver Linings Playbook"). "I'm just going to enjoy it. I mean, I am overwhelmed, but it is such an enjoyable series of events and this time I'm going to really make the most of it and enjoy it and not be frightened and shy and scared."

"I feel different in that I feel probably even more appreciative than I did the first time, and I feel probably even more present," said "Silver Linings Playbook" director David O. Russell. "I might have been a little so overwhelmed or nervous for the first time with 'The Fighter' that it was a little harder to take it all in. This time I'm being sure to slow down and take it all in more. and I'm so grateful to be here with the entire cast. I wanted the entire cast of 'The Fighter' and I didn't think that some of them got what they could have gotten. You can't talk about deserved, because nobody really deserves anything. You're just happy if you make the movie. So this is a whole other animal, the world of awards, you know?"

There's a great deal of that world that viewers don't get to see at home, and screenwriter Mark Boal said that's often when the best memories are made.

"It is special every time, but again the greatest thing about it is you get in these rooms and you get to meet people and spend time with people that are usually pretty inaccessible," he said. "To be able to sit down with some of my heroes, that's really the best part about it, to be honest."

The 85th annual Academy Awards will be held Sunday, Feb. 24, in Los Angeles.

English/Nat

The ballots are in the post and the fashions have hit the catwalk - Oscar fever is sweeping Tinseltown and the stars are ready to start shopping.

Wednesday saw in the debut of this year's 'must wear' styles for the 1997 Academy Awards.

From fashion regulars like Donna Karen and Armani to newcomer Zang Toi - the Academy is geared up to make the 69th Awards show something special.

Ready or not - only 18 more shopping days for anyone and everyone who's going to the Oscars.

What's hot for the 69th Academy Awards?

Satins, sparkles and see-through sheers all made their way down the runway on Wednesday as Academy fashion coordinator, Fred Hayman, put this year's finest on display.

More than twenty designers took part in this year's fashion parade - each dress completed with a spectacular set of baubles.

Who's going to be wearing what? Organisers are remaining tight-lipped - but there's no doubt that they're pleased with this year's styles.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"It's going to be better. The nominees and presenters have taken much more interest - designers are dying, so to speak, to dress a star because the publicity and the statement it makes is talked about for a long time and it's very important to them."

SUPERCAPTION: Fred Hayman, Academy Awards Fashion Coordinator

It's little wonder the stars bring security with them - these gems are worth a pretty penny - some well over a (m) million dollars.

But if diamonds, rubies and emeralds aren't your style - one can always opt for a confetti fringed gown and round the outfit off with some rose-coloured glasses.

How the stars see themselves on Awards night, though, is still up in the air.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"What I thought was unique about today's fashion show was the variety. Very formal material, formal tuxedos - informal tuxedoes - a tuxedo without a tie - you know, elongated dresses, ball dresses. I think the diversity was extraordinary this year."

SUPERCAPTION: Gil Cates, 69th Academy Awards Producer

You won't find any of these gowns or tuxedos in your local mall - it's a trip to Beverly Hills and into some of the world's most exclusive shops.

The jewels, too, require a trip to Beverly Hills where the House of Harry Winston will be happy to help you look your best for the awards.

Beauty may be only skin deep - but on Oscars night a grand entrance in the right outfit is everything.

Los Angeles, California U-S-A, 6 March 1997

1. Academy models walking down catwalk

2. Pan up Oscar

3. Model in pink frock

4. Pair of models in chain dresses

5. Model in red dress with faux fur pan to man in tuxedo and tilt down

6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Fred Hayman, Academy Fashion Coordinator

7. Woman in jeweled gown

8. Man and woman in black evening wear

9. Tilt down spangled dress

10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Gil Cates, Producer 69th Academy Awards

11. Modelling couple in black evening wear

12. Woman in yellow ball gown

13. Pan down woman in pink

14. Model in gold lame number

15. Tilt up of model in golden ball gown

16. Models doing final run on catwalk

KEYWORDS: FASHION

HOLLYWOOD PREPARES FOR SUNDAY'S ACADEMY AWARDS

Hollywood is bracing for an Academy Awards that more than any in recent memory has the feel of a high-stakes showdown.

After a second straight year of all-white nominees prompted industry-wide scrutiny, viewers and stars alike are hanging on the opening words of host Chris Rock.

Media gathered on the red carpet and workers made final preparations on Saturday (27 February) outside the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, which will be at the center of a swirling storm over diversity in the movies and at the Oscars. Protests are planned near the red carpet and some viewers are organizing a boycott of the broadcast.

The 88th Academy Awards are this year charged with enough politics and uncertainty to rival an election debate. Arrivals for the ceremony are to begin by 6 p.m. Eastern (2300 GMT) on Sunday, with the show kicking off at 8:30 p.m. Eastern (0130 Monday GMT) on ABC in the United States.

Security around Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue is especially heighted because Vice President Joe Biden will be attending to give a special presentation with Lady Gaga aimed at combating sexual violence.

HOLLYWOOD PREPARES FOR SUNDAY'S ACADEMY AWARDS

Hollywood is bracing for an Academy Awards that more than any in recent memory has the feel of a high-stakes showdown.

After a second straight year of all-white nominees prompted industry-wide scrutiny, viewers and stars alike are hanging on the opening words of host Chris Rock.

Media gathered on the red carpet and workers made final preparations on Saturday (27 February) outside the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, which will be at the center of a swirling storm over diversity in the movies and at the Oscars. Protests are planned near the red carpet and some viewers are organizing a boycott of the broadcast.

The 88th Academy Awards are this year charged with enough politics and uncertainty to rival an election debate. Arrivals for the ceremony are to begin by 6 p.m. Eastern (2300 GMT) on Sunday, with the show kicking off at 8:30 p.m. Eastern (0130 Monday GMT) on ABC in the United States.

Security around Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue is especially heighted because Vice President Joe Biden will be attending to give a special presentation with Lady Gaga aimed at combating sexual violence.

AP ENTERTAINMENT

Los Angeles, 27 February 2016

1. Wide exterior intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in Los Angeles, zoom in on Academy Awards signage

2. Wide Dolby Theatre in Hollywood with Oscar statue

3. Close Oscar statue

4. Low-angle view of red carpet outside Dolby Theatre

5. Medium Oscars signage on wall

6. Wide Oscar statue with signage

7. Medium tilt down Oscar statue

8. Wide red carpet outside Dolby Theatre

9. Close electronic signage with Oscar nominees

10. Wide Oscars red carpet from high angle

11. Medium media outside Dolby Theatre

12. Wide media outside Dolby Theatre

13. Close Dolby Theatre signage

14. Wide push in Dolby Theatre with workers and media outside

15. Wide Dolby Theatre with red carpet from high angle

16. Wide Oscars signage in Hollywood

Held at the Music Centre, Hollywood, the 1973 Academy Awards. 8 Awards go to 'Cabaret'. Many film personalities attend. ® A dramatic rejection for best actor, Marlon Brando, who wished to bring to public attention his defence of the oppressed American Indian.

Disclaimer: British Movietone is an historical collection. Any views and expressions within either the video or metadata of the collection are reproduced for historical accuracy and do not represent the opinions or editorial policies of the Associated Press.

SHOTLIST:

GV exteriot Music Centre, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. GV interior stage all set for awards & showing name "Hollywood". LV exterior excited crowds. SV Greer Garson arrives and waves to crowd. SV crowds wave. SV Diana Ross with her parents. SV Roger Moore and wife. SV Gene Hackman and wife. SV girl photographer wearing hot pants. SV Richard Stanfill and family. SV Michael Caine and daughter. SV Elke Sommer with husband Joe Hyams. SV Shelley Winters. SV Julie Andrews and husband Blake Edwards. SV Joel Grey and Burt Reynolds. Angle shot cameramen. SV Liza Minelli with father Vincente Minelli and Dezi Arnaz. GV interior audience. GV Walt Disney characters. SV audience. CU pan Walt Disney characters on stage dancing etc. SV crowd applauding. SV Al Kasha & Joel Hirschorn receiver award from Sonny Bono and Cher for Best Song "The Morning After" from "The Poseidon Adventure". SV Albert S Ruddy (Producer) receives award from Clint Eastwood for the Best Picture - "The Godfather". SV Apache Indian girl Shasheen (Little Feather) walks up to Roger Moore and Liv Ullman and refuses award on behalf of Marlon Brando (Best Actor in "The Godfather"). SV Joel Grey receives award from James Coburn and Diana Ross for Best Supporting Actor in "Cabaret". SV presentation of award for Best Achievement in Sound, "Cabaret". SV David Bretherton receives award from Katherine Ross for Best Film Editing "Cabaret". SV presentation award for Best Achievement in Art Direction, "Cabaret". SV ditto. Ralph Burns receives award from Dyan Cannon and Burt Reynolds for Best Scoring, "Cabaret". SV Bob Fosse receives award for Best Direction, "Cabaret". SV Liza Minelli for Best Performance by an Actress, "Cabaret", from Gene Hackman. SV Minelli hold up award & walks off stage.

SHOTLIST:

AP Television

Los Angeles, 7 March 2010

1. Wide exterior Kodak Theatre, site of Academy Awards ceremony, pan left to red carpet

2. Medium Oscar statue

3. Wide Academy Awards red carpet

4. Wide Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences banner zoom to close on AMPAS

5. Wide 2010 Academy Awards arrivals line

6. Medium Anna Kendrick arrives for Oscars

7. Wide zoom to medium Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Connelly pose at Oscars red carpet

8. Medium Miley Cyrus poses on Oscars red carpet

9. Wide Jake Gyllenhaal on Oscars red carpet

10. Wide pan left Oscars red carpet

STORYLINE

ORGANIZERS CONSIDER EARLIER START TIME FOR OSCAR

Academy Awards organizers are talking about moving up the date of the show, possibly as early as January.

At a meeting Tuesday (22 JUNE 2010), the academy's board of governors discussed the idea of holding the Oscars earlier. Most recent shows have been held in late February.

A statement Wednesday (23 JUNE 2010) by the academy said the earliest any date change could take effect would be for the Oscars in 2012. A firm date of Feb. 27, 2011, already has been set for the 83rd Oscars.

The academy statement said the idea is "being explored as a possibility."

For many years, the Oscars were held in late March but were moved to February in 2004 to shorten what many in Hollywood considered a prolonged awards season.

At the time, Oscar planners said waiting until late March to hand out awards might have been hurting the show's TV ratings, with audiences losing interest by then. Slotting the show in late February brought Hollywood's biggest awards show closer to earlier honors, such as the Golden Globes and ceremonies held by actors and directors guilds.

BOLLYWOOD STARS KICK OFF IIFA IN MADRID

Bollywood extravaganza descended on Madrid.

The 17th edition of the IIFA Awards brought an array of Bollywood A-listers who attended the first part of the ceremony on Friday (24 June 2016) night in the Spanish capital.

Indian stars converged on the red carpet to honor the technical categories of the awards.

One of the hosts of the evening Manish Paul said he cannot pick a favorite among the nominees.

"I think all are my favourites. It's a family, you can't choose one," he said.

Perennial baddie Gulshan Grover wasn't nominated in the Performance in a Negative Role category but he made an appearance to cheer for the other on-screen villains.

"I feel it requires a very good actor to play the part of a villain, the part of a bad man because your screen time is less and your deeds are very predictable."

Actor and martial artists Tiger Shroff broke out some of his signature dance moves for the cameras, while actor Boman Irani said to the press his suit was tailored without him even being present in the room.

Meanwhile actress Freida Pinto said that there's a definite awareness in Hollywood of the Indian talent on the market.

"I definitely think they have, they are definitely waking up, but I don't think it is "they are waking up now" I think everybody was always privy of how much talent there was in India," she said.

Whereas American actress Nargis Fakhri admitted she got a lot of jobs in Bollywood based on her work in comedy "Spy."

The International Indian Film Academy Awards has been giving out trophies to its brightest stars in cities across the globe. Previous host cities for the IIFAs included Kuala Lumpur, Tampa Bay, Macau, Singapore, Toronto, Dubai and London.

The gala will resume Saturday night when the creative awards will be given in 13 categories.

BOLLYWOOD STARS KICK OFF IIFA IN MADRID

Bollywood extravaganza descended on Madrid.

The 17th edition of the IIFA Awards brought an array of Bollywood A-listers who attended the first part of the ceremony on Friday (24 June 2016) night in the Spanish capital.

Indian stars converged on the red carpet to honor the technical categories of the awards.

One of the hosts of the evening Manish Paul said he cannot pick a favorite among the nominees.

"I think all are my favourites. It's a family, you can't choose one," he said.

Perennial baddie Gulshan Grover wasn't nominated in the Performance in a Negative Role category but he made an appearance to cheer for the other on-screen villains.

"I feel it requires a very good actor to play the part of a villain, the part of a bad man because your screen time is less and your deeds are very predictable."

Actor and martial artists Tiger Shroff broke out some of his signature dance moves for the cameras, while actor Boman Irani said to the press his suit was tailored without him even being present in the room.

Meanwhile actress Freida Pinto said that there's a definite awareness in Hollywood of the Indian talent on the market.

"I definitely think they have, they are definitely waking up, but I don't think it is "they are waking up now" I think everybody was always privy of how much talent there was in India," she said.

Whereas American actress Nargis Fakhri admitted she got a lot of jobs in Bollywood based on her work in comedy "Spy."

The International Indian Film Academy Awards has been giving out trophies to its brightest stars in cities across the globe. Previous host cities for the IIFAs included Kuala Lumpur, Tampa Bay, Macau, Singapore, Toronto, Dubai and London.

The gala will resume Saturday night when the creative awards will be given in 13 categories.

Madrid, Spain, 24 June 2016

1. Tilt up of the statue representing the awards given at the 17th IIFA (International Indian Film Academy) awards ceremony

2. Close up of logos on panel reading "IIFA weekend Madrid" and "IIFA awards Madrid"

3. Indian television presenter doing lives from the green carpet

4. Cutaway cameras

5. Tilt up of Indian actress and one of the presenters of the gala Sayani Gupta

6. Wide of the main presenter, Indian tv host and actor Manish Paul

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Manish Paul, Indian TV host and actor:

"I think all are my favourites. It's a family, you can't choose one."

8. Indian actor Gulshan Grover posing for the media

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Gulshan Grover, Indian actor:

"I feel it requires a very good actor to play the part of a villain, the part of a bad man because your screen time is less and your deeds are very predictable."

10. Close up of Indian film director and producer Karan Johar

11. Mid of Gulshan Grover posing alongside Pakistani actor and singer Fawad Khan

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Angaraag Mahanta better known as "Papon", Indian singer and music producer:

"Right now I should say Moh Moh Ke Dhaage (song) I'm nominated for, for Best playback singer, so I think it is the stronger right now."

13. "Papon" taking a selfie with a fan

14. Indian actress Freida Pinto talking to the media

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Freida Pinto, Indian actress:

"I definitely think they have, they are definitely waking up, but I don't think it is "they are waking up now" I think everybody was always privy of how much talent there was in India."

16. Wide of Divya Khosla Kumar, Indian actress and film director with her husband posing for photographers

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Boman Irani, actor - on who made his suit:

"Never took my measurements, he just made a suit , he saw me on the television, measured of the television and made me a suit."

18. Indian actor Sooraj Pancholi approaching reporters to take a selfie with them

19. Wide of the green carpet leading to the awards ceremony

20. Mid of couple made of Indian singer Benny Dayal with wife

21. Neil Nitin Mukesh, Indian actor, approaching the media to take a selfie with a reporter

22. SOUNDBITE (English) Nargis Fakhri, actress:

"After 'Spy,' I had 4 Bollywood films I was so busy, so let's see, I don't know if anything comes along , that will be awesome."

23. Indian actor Anil Kapoor walking the red carpet and approaching the media

24. Indian actor Sonu Sood talking to the media

25. Indian actor Aftab Shivdasani with wife Nin Dusanj

26. Indian actress Dia Mirza and husband posing for photographers

27. Tilt up of Indian actress posing for photographers

28. Indian actor and dancer Tiger Shroff posing for the media

29. Tiger Shroff doing a few Bollywood dance moves for the cameras

30. SOUNDBITE (English) Athiya Shetty, Indian actress and model:

"I would be signing soon so as soon as I'll sign I'm sure you guys will know"

Reporter: "Can you share something?"

"Secret, I'll ruin the fun"

31. Indian actress Athiya Shetty posing for photographers

Amid calls for a boycott of the Academy Awards by Rev. Al Sharpton over its all-white acting nominees and Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett Smith both announcing they would sit out this year's ceremony, the academy's president said it was time for major changes — and soon.

Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences President Cheryl Boone Isaacs issued a statement promising more diversity, and quickly.

In a video message on Facebook, Pinkett Smith also said she wouldn't attend or watch the

Oscars in February. Pinkett Smith, whose husband Will Smith wasn't nominated for his performance in the NFL head trauma drama "Concussion," said it was time for people of color to disregard the Academy Awards.

Last year's all-white acting nominees also drew calls for a boycott, though not from such prominent individuals as Lee and Pinkett Smith. Whether it had any impact or not, the audience for the broadcast, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, was down 16 percent from the year prior, a six-year low.

Isaacs has made a point of presenting a more inclusive show this year. The Feb. 28 broadcast will be hosted by Chris Rock and produced by "Django Unchained" producer Reginald Hudlin and David Hill. On Saturday, Rock, unveiling a new promotion for the broadcast, called the ceremony "The White BET Awards."

When Oscar nominations were announced Thursday, Isaacs acknowledged she was "disappointed" that all 20 acting nominees were again white and promised to "continue the conversation" on diversity.

Isaacs has worked to diversify membership for the academy, which a 2012 study by the Los Angeles Times found is overwhelming white and male.

But on Monday, Isaacs was more explicit and promised an examination of the academy and a more intense drive to diversify.

"This is a difficult but important conversation, and it's time for big changes," she said in a statement released Monday night. "The Academy is taking dramatic steps to alter the makeup of our membership. In the coming days and weeks we will conduct a review of our membership recruitment in order to bring about much-needed diversity in our 2016 class and beyond."

Many awards handicappers expected nominations for Idris Elba of "Beasts of No Nation" and Benicio Del Toro for "Sicario." The N.W.A. biopic "Straight Outta Compton" also failed to earn a best picture nomination, despite some predictions it would. Ryan Coogler's acclaimed Rocky sequel "Creed" scored a nomination only for Sylvester Stallone. (Lee's own movie, the Chicago gang violence hip-hop musical "Chi-Raq" — celebrated by some and scorned by others — also went unnoticed.)

The hashtag "OscarsSoWhite," created last year, was quickly resurrected online following the nominations. The Rev. Al Sharpton — who last year met with former Sony head Amy Pascal following leaked emails that some viewed as racist — on Friday first lambasted the academy.

Amid calls for a boycott of the Academy Awards by Rev. Al Sharpton over its all-white acting nominees and Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett Smith both announcing they would sit out this year's ceremony, the academy's president said it was time for major changes — and soon.

Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences President Cheryl Boone Isaacs issued a statement promising more diversity, and quickly.

In a video message on Facebook, Pinkett Smith also said she wouldn't attend or watch the

Oscars in February. Pinkett Smith, whose husband Will Smith wasn't nominated for his performance in the NFL head trauma drama "Concussion," said it was time for people of color to disregard the Academy Awards.

Last year's all-white acting nominees also drew calls for a boycott, though not from such prominent individuals as Lee and Pinkett Smith. Whether it had any impact or not, the audience for the broadcast, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, was down 16 percent from the year prior, a six-year low.

Isaacs has made a point of presenting a more inclusive show this year. The Feb. 28 broadcast will be hosted by Chris Rock and produced by "Django Unchained" producer Reginald Hudlin and David Hill. On Saturday, Rock, unveiling a new promotion for the broadcast, called the ceremony "The White BET Awards."

When Oscar nominations were announced Thursday, Isaacs acknowledged she was "disappointed" that all 20 acting nominees were again white and promised to "continue the conversation" on diversity.

Isaacs has worked to diversify membership for the academy, which a 2012 study by the Los Angeles Times found is overwhelming white and male.

But on Monday, Isaacs was more explicit and promised an examination of the academy and a more intense drive to diversify.

"This is a difficult but important conversation, and it's time for big changes," she said in a statement released Monday night. "The Academy is taking dramatic steps to alter the makeup of our membership. In the coming days and weeks we will conduct a review of our membership recruitment in order to bring about much-needed diversity in our 2016 class and beyond."

Many awards handicappers expected nominations for Idris Elba of "Beasts of No Nation" and Benicio Del Toro for "Sicario." The N.W.A. biopic "Straight Outta Compton" also failed to earn a best picture nomination, despite some predictions it would. Ryan Coogler's acclaimed Rocky sequel "Creed" scored a nomination only for Sylvester Stallone. (Lee's own movie, the Chicago gang violence hip-hop musical "Chi-Raq" — celebrated by some and scorned by others — also went unnoticed.)

The hashtag "OscarsSoWhite," created last year, was quickly resurrected online following the nominations. The Rev. Al Sharpton — who last year met with former Sony head Amy Pascal following leaked emails that some viewed as racist — on Friday first lambasted the academy.

AP TELEVISION

New York - January 19, 2016

1. Rev. Al Sharpton walking into his office

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rev. Al Sharpton, National Action Network

"How do you live in an age when we can put a black man in the White House a black woman as Attorney General but you can't get a black or brown male or female nominated for an Oscar in a key position in Hollywood. So we have no alternative now but to escalate our drive since talking would not achieve it. And that is by telling people to tune out."

AP TELEVISION

Los Angeles - March 2, 2014

3. Wide shot of Oscar red carpet

AP TELEVISION

New York - January 19, 2016

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rev. Al Sharpton, National Action Network

"We are doing a series of conference calls with major leaders and influencers throughout our community. Radio announcers, syndicators, ministers and civil rights groups and activists particularly those that hit the age demographic that watches the Oscars. And say to them we want to do a campaign to say: tune out, we do not have to be insulted. That will send a message to advertisers. Many major advertisers have to deal with regulators and members of congress and others to expand their businesses and do their mergers."

AP TELEVISION

Los Angeles - March 2, 2014

5. Zoom in on Oscar red carpet

AP TELEVISION

New York - January 19, 2016

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rev. Al Sharpton, National Action Network

"If we cannot change the hearts of Hollywood we can at least change the bottom line and sometimes when people's profit is touched it leads to them turning around and changing their minds about institutional neglect and institutional exclusion."

AP TELEVISION

Los Angeles - March 2, 2014

7. Wide of Oscar statuettes

AP TELEVISION

New York - January 19, 2016

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rev. Al Sharpton, National Action Network

"How it has happened is you have an exclusionary voting pool. The Los Angeles Times has come out with extensive data on the makeup of the academy. But again we've had these conversations over the last year and a half and they've not made a move. I think our job as civil rights organizations is to change the climate in which the conversation is happening. Sometimes you have to turn up the heat to make it uncomfortable for those that are sitting at poolside thinking this will go away."

AP TELEVISION

Los Angeles - March 2, 2014

9. Zoom out on Oscar red carpet

AP TELEVISION

New York - January 19, 2016

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Rev. Al Sharpton, National Action Network

"We raise the issue of Hollywood being exclusionary no blacks and browns being in positions to make deals. Excluded from the top nominations two years in a row in the Oscars. So it appears that Hollywood does have the image of liberal, image of being progressive, but there business is 50 years behind their politics, or at least what they claim to be their politics."

AP TELEVISION

Los Angeles - March 2, 2015

9. Wide of Oscar red carpet

SHOTLIST

AP Entertainment

Los Angeles, 8 February 2006

1. Wide exterior Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences building

2. Close up of AMPAS sign

3. Group at table sorting ballots

4. Close up Academy President Sid Ganis (centre, standing) and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Brad Oltmanns (left) and Rick Rosas (right), posing for photographers

5. Group sorting ballots

6. Close up woman counting ballots

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rick Rosas, Tax Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers:

"Well today's the final leg for the Academy awards, we're taking custody of the ballots from the Academy and we've already audited them this week and we're heading them directly to the US postal service for delivery to the voters. And those ballots will then be sent directly back from the voters to us at Price Waterhouse Coopers, no later than 28th of February"

8. Ballots in boxes being placed on cart

9. Wide shot ballots in boxes on cart

10. PricewaterhouseCoopers' Brad Oltmanns and Rick Rosas push cart through Academy lobby

11. Brad Oltmanns and Rick Rosas push cart to driveway

12. US Postal Service employee and Brad Oltmanns and Rick Rosas load up truck

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Brad Oltmanns, managing partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers:

"When we get the ballots back on 28th, Rick Rosas and I assemble a small team of people to assist us, we open the ballots, and begin the counting process. It takes us three days to complete that and at the end of that counting process the Friday evening before the show, Rick and I are the only two people who know the results of the Academy Award winners."

14. US Postal Service employee and Los Angeles Police office in front of mail truck

15. Mail truck pulls away

OSCAR BALLOTS MAILED

They're in the mail.

Final-award ballots -- all 5,798 of them -- for the 78th Annual Academy Awards were sent this a.m. from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences building in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Completed ballots must be returned to PricewaterhouseCoopers by 5 p.m., Tuesday, February 28. Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted.

Listed on the ballots are nominees in 19 Oscar categories. Separate ballots for 5 award categories (foreign language film, short and feature-length documentaries and animated and live-action short films) will be distributed after verification of mandatory member attendance at screenings.

Once the auditing firm has tabulated the votes, the winners' names are placed in sealed envelopes to be opened on Oscar night, Sunday, 5 March.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements for 2005 will be presented on March 5, 2006, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland, and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5 p.m. PST. (9am GMT)

A one-hour red carpet arrivals show will precede the telecast at 4 p.m. PST.(8am GMT).

SHOTLIST

APTN Los Angeles, 25 February 2005

1. Wide red carpet

2. Medium Oscar statue pull out to wide

3. Wide red carpet

4. Wide Louis Horvitz and Gil Cates on stage

5. Wide Louis Horvitz and Gil Cates on stage

6. Camera cutaway

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Gil Cates/Academy Awards Producer:

"We had a big rehearsal yesterday. We are doing these nominees and some of these awards in very new an unconventional ways. We had a rehearsal where we had many categories come to experience what it is going to experience what it''s going to be like to get an Oscar award firstly by having the nominees on stage and crossing down to get an award, and also to get the Oscar in the aisle in the audience. We practiced that as well and all that went terrifically."

8. Camera cutaway

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Louis Horvitz/Academy Awards Director:

"It''s going to be a great show. Gil has a lot of ideas to streamline the event in general with the presentation of the awards on stage and with the audience to make it kind of interesting and exciting. Last night as Gil said it was very interesting to bring the nominees down to give them an idea of what they were going to do and everybody received it well. I think everybody is in for a treat. We rehearsed a little music this afternoon and we are looking pretty good."

10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Gil Cates:

"It seems to me that what we tried to do- the Oscars is always the leader of things. We were the first show in colour in stereo and all those things. We were the first show to start the memorial. When we began it, people thought it was depressing to do that, now all shows kind of do that. What we wanted to do is to get more of the nominees on camera to make it an emotional show. It would be more emotional if you saw the visual effects community."

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Gil Cates: "I can''t comment on what he''ll say other than to say Chris (Rock) has a sense of humour and everything he says is said humorously. If you take anything he says seriously, more is the pity for you because he really is a funny guy. To the question of whether we will get a young audience, I hope so. That wasn''t the reason we selected him. You need a movie star and someone who is a standup comic so they can deal with the show."

12. Camera cutaway

13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Gil Cates:

"The other thing I''ll add is you know we have Beyonce on the show and she''s going to be singing a duet with Josh Groban from the movie ''Polar Express,'' we have Antonio Banderas and Carlos Santana and he''s doing a song from ''The Motorcycle Diaries.'' We have Counting Crows; we have a wonderful French chorus to sing a song with Beyonce. That entertainment looks like it is going to be really good, the best it''s been in years."

14. Wide stage

15. Wide Frank Pierson

16. SOUNDBITE: (English) Frank Pierson/President Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences:

"Chris (Rock) has his own crew of writers. They work with the staff and crew of the show. Principally his material will be written by his regular people that he knows and knows how to work with."

17. Camera cutaway

18. SOUNDBITE: (English) Frank Pierson:

"I think the highlights of this year more than anything else are the diversity of the awards across all the categories- the smaller films that are in contention, they sometimes get overlooked. This year they seem to have stepped to the floor and I think it''s a wonderful thing. Ethnically and racially and in every other way it''s a wonderful diverse year that reflects the diversity of the film audience around the world. I think it''s a great thing."

19. Wide entrance Kodak Theatre

20. Wide Oscar stage

21. Medium Antonio Banderas singing, pull out to wide

22. Close-up Banderas

23. Wide balcony pan to stage

OSCARS ORGANISERS PROMISE TO PROVIDE DRAMA

The Oscars countdown is almost over, but you don''t have to wait until Sunday to find out more details about this year''s Academy Awards.

Academy Awards director Gil Cates says this year''s show will be all about the drama. It''s no secret that Oscars will be presented to winners in more unconventional ways this year. Statues will be presented to winners while they are seated. Also, some Oscars will be presented to the winners while the other nominees are also on stage.

"What we wanted to do is to get more of the nominees on camera to make it an emotional show. It would be more emotional if you saw the visual effects community," Cates said during a press conference.

Cates is also hoping Oscar host, comedian Chris Rock, will shake-up the three-hour show.

Obviously the Oscars is all about the acting, but Academy insiders say the musical performances may just steal the show. Beyonce is set to perform a duet with crooner Josh Groban from ''The Polar Express.'' And they aren''t the only singing combo. Antonio Banderas and Carlos Santana are teaming up to perform a song sung in Spanish from ''The Motorcycle Diaries.'' Banderas practiced his performance at the Kodak Theatre on Friday using a guitarist stand-in.

Academy President Frank Pierson says this is the most exciting show in years because, "Ethnically and racially and in every other way it''s a wonderful diverse year that reflects the diversity of the film audience around the world. I think it''s a great thing."

The Academy Awards air live this Sunday (27 Feb) on ABC.

English/Nat

More than one-hundred Academy Award nominees from 23 Oscar categories met in Beverly Hills Monday for the annual Academy Awards luncheon.

Even though 80 percent of the nominees will leave next week's ceremony empty-handed, they will be basking in their new status as Academy Award nominees.

A record number of nominees attended the 17th Annual Nominees Luncheon in Beverly Hills Monday where they talked about how their lives have been changed by the honor.

Newcomers like Good Will Hunting's Matt Damon are up against veteran nominees like Jack Nicholson for the Best Actor Award.

James Cameron's Titanic has garnered the largest number of nominations - seventeen.

Cameron says that no matter what happens at next week's ceremony - nothing can spoil his Titanic high.

SOUNDBITE:

"It's not a career maker or breaker sort of thing, so for me it's all upside. It's either gonna be fun and we'll get drunk afterwards or we'll lose and get drunk afterwards. But I'm not gonna sit around moping about it the next day if it doesn't go our way."

SUPER CAPTION: James Cameron, Director of Titanic

Some actors will enter the Oscars ceremony with a few other awards already under their belt.

The previous evening, Titanic actress Gloria Stuart and LA Confidential's Kim Basinger tied for the Screen Actor's Guild Best Supporting Actress Award.

Both Titanic and LA Confidential have also won a number of key awards at the Golden Globe Awards.

The LA Confidential crew agreed that the Academy Award nominations have been a boon to the movie's success.

SOUNDBITE:

"The movie has been in the theatres for 23 weeks. It's still hovering in the top ten. The picture is doing really well, and you know it was a difficult movie to get a handle on from the marketing point of view because it's a complex movie that is different than the kind of movies usually made by the major studios, which is part of the reason why I wanted to make it."

SUPER CAPTION: Curtis Hanson, LA Confidential director

The Best Actress category is unique this year because As Good As It Gets actress Helen Hunt is the only American nominated.

Britain's Helena Bonham Carter found that the newfound attention does have its drawbacks.

SOUNDBITE:

"It's the one point in one's life when you're probably gonna receive the most exposure ever, but one's least equipped to deal with it because one's so exhausted with being excited. Then there's the dress issue, you know."

SUPER CAPTION: Helena Bonham Carter, Best Actress Nominee

This year's nominees in the Best Actor category include veteran actors such as Robert Duvall, Peter Fonda, and Dustin Hoffman, and Jack Nicholson, making Matt Damon the only relative newcomer.

The Nominees Luncheon was initiated 17 years ago to bridge the gap in publicity between the nominations and the ceremony itself.

The nominees enjoyed a four course lunch before listening to acceptance speech advice that included suggestions to keep their speeches short.

Beverly Hills, California, U-S-A - 9 March, 1998

1. Pull down on exterior of Beverly Hilton hotel

2. Wide shot of interior with nominees Matt Damon and Julianne Moore

3. Close up of Matt Damon

4. Close up of Jack Nicholson to wide shot of Jack and female guest

5. Pull out on James Cameron and Jon Landau - Titanic Producer

6. Close up of photographers

7. SOUNDBITE: James Cameron, Titanic Director

8. Wide shot of actress Gloria Stuart

9. Close up of Stuart laughing

10. Close up of Minnie Driver

11. Curtis Hanson and Kim Basinger

12. SOUNDBITE: Curtis Hanson, LA Confidential Director

13. Wide shot of Helen Hunt to close up of her

14. Pull out on Helena Bonham Carter

15. SOUNDBITE: Helena Bonham Carter, Best Actress Nominee (The Wings of the Dove)

16. Dustin Hoffman slapping someone five

17. Robert Duvall and female guest

18. Wide shot of Peter Fonda; cut to close up of Fonda

19. Various cutaways of photographers

20. Pan of group photo op of nominees

21. Wide shot of nominees clapping

SHOTLIST:-

AP Entertainment

L.A., 5th March 2006

1, Wide arrivals area, with pan to Kodak Theatre archway

2. Oscar statue

3. Fans in bleachers

4. Pan of fans in bleachers

5. Chef Wolfgang Puck with Governors Ball appetisers

6. Close up appetisers

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Wolfgang Puck, Oscar Chef:

"I think the Oscars is the greatest party in the world, I don't think I know anything like it, I don't think the Superbowl or the Presidential inauguration, whatever it is, is all second to the Oscars. The whole world loves movies."

8. Zoom into actors Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves on red carpet

9. Fashion shot actor Jennifer Garner

10. Fashion shot actor Catherine Keener

11. Fashion shot actor Judi Dench

12. Fashion shot entertainers Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez

13. Close up Anthony and Lopez

14. Fashion shot Jennifer Lopez

15. Fashion shot actor Hilary Swank

16. Fashion shot actor Nicole Kidman

17. Fashion shot actor Salma Hayek

18. Actors Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams on red carpet

19. Fashion shot actor Keira Knightley

20. Actors George Clooney and Eric Bana hug

21. SOUNDBITE (English) George Clooney, Oscar Winner, Best Supporting Actor:

"Well you know, the funniest thing is as long as you keep plugging away; my thing was always about survival, and you just keep working and every once in a while you get lucky, it required a lot of luck, I needed a television show to get picked up on a Thursday night for everything to change for me. And that's luck, that's nothing to do with me. So luck, mostly."

22. SOUNDBITE (English) Steven Spielberg, Oscar Nominee,'Munich':

"I don't know, if it ever gets old for me then I guess I got old. Because this is so exciting you know, just to be nominated with the other nominees this year, this very significant year where all these films have some social and cultural importance, and it's just great company to be in."

23. SOUNDBITE (English) Three 6 Mafia, Oscar Nominees, Best Song:

(Singing)

24. SOUNDBITE (English) Dolly Parton, Oscar Nominee, Best Song:

"Well when I first came out here 25 years ago I was just a hill-billy in the city and it was the first movie I'd ever made, I'd never seen a movie being made, but now I've seen it all and done it all but it's still very exciting; you never get too old and callous to not appreciate it."

25. Set-up shot, Olympian Mark Zupan, subject of nominated documentary 'Murderball'

26. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Zupan, Subject of Oscar-Nominated 'Murderball':

"This is crazy, I mean it rivals the Paralympics because this is the best of the best and we're just fortunate enough to be considered one of the best of the best so I mean this is, wow, it's so surreal."

27. SOUNDBITE (English) Rachel Weisz, Oscar Winner, Best Supporting Actress:

"I've never even been to the Oscars, so to come here for the first time and be nominated for the best supporting actress is a huge, huge honour and of course it's a dream; it's all actors' dream, that maybe one day I'll be at the Academy Awards, and here I am. And I know it's a clich� to say, but it's enough to be nominated."

28. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Cristina Comencin, Oscar Nominee, Foreign Language Film, 'Don't Tell':

29. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Gustavo Santaolalla, Oscar Winner, Best Score, 'Brokeback Mountain':

30. SOUNDBITE (English) Presley Chweneyagae, Actor, Oscar-Nominated Foreign Language Film, 'Tsotsi':

"Well I mean it feels great to be here on the red carpet in LA, and the movie's nominated, I'm so excited, the whole country is excited because we're still a growing industry and I'm very proud to be standing here today representing the country and the film industry in South Africa."

31, SOUNDBITE (French) Luc Jacquet, Oscar Winner, Best Documentary, 'March of the Penguins':

32. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Alberto Iglesias, Oscar Nominee, Best Score, 'The Constant Gardener':

33. SOUNDBITE (English) Hani Abu-Assad, Oscar Nominee, Foreign Language Film, 'Paradise Now,' on Hollywood's embracing is controversial film:

"yeah, it needs a lot of courage. We have to admit it needs a lot of courage to nominate our film for the Oscar, but anyhow without courage, believe me, we will never solve problems, we can't go further, we can't be human beings with courage, accepting others as human beings and allow them to have their place here as a nation that also have culture."

34. SOUNDBITE (German) Marc Rothemund, Oscar Nominee, Foreign Language Film, 'Sophie Scholl':

Julia Jentsch, Actor, Oscar Nominated Foreign Language Film, "Sophie Scholl":

35. SOUNDBITE (English/Mandarin) Ang Lee, Oscar Nominee, Best Director, 'Brokeback Mountain':

"I love them, I thank them for their support (Chinese). I am proud to be Chinese, I'm not American actually, but I work here legally, I do have a Green Card."

LIGHTS, CAMERA....OSCARS

Movie stars packed the glittering Oscar red carpet tonight (06MAR06) in the fabulous annual celebration of all things film and the greatest concentration of top celebrities the world ever sees.

Posing for cameras and talking to the media before entering the Kodak Theatre for the 78th Oscars ceremony the excitement was palpable.

Wolfgang Puck, Oscar Chef, summed up the occasion. "I think the Oscars is the greatest party in the world, I don't think I know anything like it, I don't think the Superbowl or the Presidential inauguration, whatever it is, is all second to the Oscars. The whole world loves movies."

Academy Awards organizers hoped that a new host and the cultural buzz over front-runner 'Brokeback Mountain' with its gay cowboys theme could boost interest in Sunday's Oscars show, even though none of the best-picture nominees were big hits at the box office.

The Oscars generally lure their biggest global audiences in years when blockbusters such as 'Titanic' or 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' are favoured to win.

This year's best-picture lineup has been heralded as an artistic triumph of daring, character-driven stories, yet none of the contenders had the box-office clout to ensure viewers would tune in.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences assembled an A-list collection of Oscar presenters to help offset a relatively unknown cast of nominees that includes David Strathairn for 'Good Night, and Good Luck, 'Terrence Howard for 'Hustle & Flow' and Amy Adams for 'Junebug.'

George Clooney who won the supporting-actor Academy Award for the oil-industry thriller 'Syriana,' capped a remarkable year for Clooney, who made Oscar history by becoming the first person nominated for acting in one movie and directing another.

On the red carpet, he was all modesty.

He said: "Well you know, the funniest thing is as long as you keep plugging away; my thing was always about survival, and you just keep working and every once in a while you get lucky, it required a lot of luck, I needed a television show to get picked up on a Thursday night for everything to change for me. And that's luck, that's nothing to do with me. So luck, mostly."

Even a veteran such as Steven Spielberg (best Director nominee, ''Munich') admitted the excitement of the evening was infectious.

"I don't know, if it ever gets old for me then I guess I got old. Because this is so exciting you know, just to be nominated with the other nominees this year, this very significant year where all these films have some social and cultural importance, and it's just great company to be in."

Country & music legend Dolly Parton added:

"Well when I first came out here 25 years ago I was just a hill-billy in the city and it was the first movie I'd ever made, I'd never seen a movie being made, but now I've seen it all and done it all but it's still very exciting; you never get too old and callous to not appreciate it."

The Oscars also pay tribute to every aspect of film making - hence the marathon four hour ceremony - as well as movies from across the globe.

This allows little known artists to step into the spotlight alongside the giant screen names and movie legends.

Presley Chweneyagae, who stars in the South African Oscar-Nominated Foreign Language Film, 'Tsotsi', said:

"Well I mean it feels great to be here on the red carpet in LA, and the movie's nominated, I'm so excited, the whole country is excited because we're still a growing industry and I'm very proud to be standing here today representing the country and the film industry in South Africa."

In a year in which the Oscars has embraced taboo-busting issues ('Brokeback Mountain, 'Transamerica,' 'Crash') and hard-hitting politics ('Munich,' Syriana, 'godd Night, and Good Luck') probably the most controversial nomination of the nigt is for 'Paradise Now,' a Palestinian made film about two would be suicide bombers.

Director Hani Abu-Assad, congratulated for the Academy its bravery:

"yeah, it needs a lot of courage. We have to admit it needs a lot of courage to nominate our film for the Oscar, but anyhow without courage, believe me, we will never solve problems, we can't go further, we can't be human beings with courage, accepting others as human beings and allow them to have their place here as a nation that also have culture."

The ceremony also had its second first-time host in as many years, Jon Stewart of the cable television comedy news program 'The Daily Show' taking over from Chris Rock, emcee of last year's Oscars.

The mould-breaking 'Brokeback Mountain' won top prizes at earlier Hollywood honours including the Golden Globes and was expected to earn best picture at the Oscars and the directing trophy for Ang Lee, who would be the first Asian filmmaker to receive that award.

Before he entered the Kodak Theatre, he said: "I love them, I thank them for their support (Chinese). I am proud to be Chinese, I'm not American actually, but I work here legally, I do have a Green Card."

Partial list of winners at the 78th annual Academy Awards, presented Sunday night at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles:

Best Actor - Philip Seymour Hoffman, 'Capote'

Best Actress - Reese Witherspoon, 'Walk the Line'

Supporting Actor - George Clooney, 'Syriana.'

Supporting Actress - Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener'

Animated Feature Film - 'Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of

the Were-Rabbit'

Animated Short Film - 'The Moon and the Son: An Imagined

Conversation.'

Live Action Short Film - 'Six Shooter.'

Visual Effects - 'King Kong'

___

Oscar winners previously announced this year:

Honorary Academy Award (Oscar statuette): Robert Altman. The Gordon E. Sawyer award for technical achievement (Oscar statuette): Gary Demos.

English/Nat

Oscar preparations are in high gear as the countdown begins to Monday's biggest night in Hollywood.

Six twenty-four foot Oscar statues were installed in front of the Shrine providing a dramatic backdrop for the (b)billion viewers watching the televised coverage.

But, it is not enough for the ceremony to be visually stunning, it also has to sound great and the musicians have been busy practising new scores for the big night.

Preparations are getting underway for Monday's seventieth Oscar awards presentation in Los Angeles.

Oscar is literally returning to the Shrine Auditorium for the eighth time.

Six 24 foot gold-painted statues were brought in by crane to be placed by the entrance of the Shrine.

The world famous statues are the face of Oscar and the backdrop for the avalanche of television cameras at the most covered event in Hollywood.

The Shrine's key asset is its size with six -thousand and three hundred seats.

The big show was first held there back in 1947 and then again in 1948, but forty years passed before the Academy moved back to the Shrine again.

Barricades will be put up to prevent bystanders and protesters from crossing the street during celebrity arrivals.

Meanwhile, lucky fans will get bleacher seats along the runway allowing them a glimpse of Leonardo, Kate or Jack Nicholson.

But no Oscar would be complete without an original musical score for the telecast.

At Capitol Records here in the heart of Hollywood, the musical director for this year's Academy telecast is rehearsing the Oscar score.

This is Conti's thirteenth time as musical director for the Academy Awards.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"There is a performance element - it's a live show and musicians usually in Hollywood work in a clinical environment, we work for tape recorders and maybe if the director loves it that's wonderful but we have a few million people watching and if it sounds great and it makes them happy then it makes us happy.

SUPER CAPTION: Bill Conti, Musical Director, Academy Awards Telecast

It is a dramatic score meant to usher in the grandeur of one of the most anticipated events in the entertainment capital.

Los Angeles, U-S-A - 18 March 1998

1. Exterior Academy Awards Shrine Auditorium

2. Pan from towers to front of the Shrine Auditorium

3. Close up banner

4. Pan of banner saying 70th Annual Academy Awards

5. Oscar statue being lifted from lorry

6. Cutaway cameraman

7. Statue being placed outside the Shrine Auditorium

8. Close up man hammering nails to wood

9. Statue being installed

10. Medium shot exterior Capitol Records

11. Zoom in sign saying recording area

12. Musicians sitting around in recording studio

13. Bill Conti conducting the band

14. Close up flute player

15. Close up musician

16. Zoom out from musician to band

17. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bill Conti, Musical Director Academy Awards Telecast

18. Profile of Conti

19. Close up flute player pan down flute

DIRECTOR JON M. CHU PRAISES FILM ACADEMY CHANGES

Director Jon M. Chu is praising the film academy's recent push for a more diverse membership -- but says it's just one part of a larger shift in Hollywood.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences invited 683 new members to join the organization this week -- saying its invitees were 46 percent female and 41 percent minority. Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said it was part of a push to diversify its largely white, male membership.

Chu, who most recently directed the magic-themed thriller "Now You See Me 2," directed two of the invitees -- RZA and Byung-hun Lee -- in 2013's "G.I. Joe: Retaliation."

"I'm really excited that the Academy took very serious, real, quick change. I mean that's a pretty dramatic shift. But it's going to take those moves," Chu said. "And there's still a lot to go when you look at the actual numbers. ... It's sort of symbolic in a certain way. But the real work is going to be done in the actual stories that we tell, and the actual actors that we start to get to know and can expose," he said. "The more diverse voices, the more unique new stories, will only help cinema. So as happy as I am for the Academy, that they are making an effort, and that means a lot – I think the real actual work is going to be in the work, not in the awards system."

Chu's is next set to tackle an adaptation of the 2013 book "Crazy Rich Asians."

DIRECTOR JON M. CHU PRAISES FILM ACADEMY CHANGES

Director Jon M. Chu is praising the film academy's recent push for a more diverse membership -- but says it's just one part of a larger shift in Hollywood.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences invited 683 new members to join the organization this week -- saying its invitees were 46 percent female and 41 percent minority. Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said it was part of a push to diversify its largely white, male membership.

Chu, who most recently directed the magic-themed thriller "Now You See Me 2," directed two of the invitees -- RZA and Byung-hun Lee -- in 2013's "G.I. Joe: Retaliation."

"I'm really excited that the Academy took very serious, real, quick change. I mean that's a pretty dramatic shift. But it's going to take those moves," Chu said. "And there's still a lot to go when you look at the actual numbers. ... It's sort of symbolic in a certain way. But the real work is going to be done in the actual stories that we tell, and the actual actors that we start to get to know and can expose," he said. "The more diverse voices, the more unique new stories, will only help cinema. So as happy as I am for the Academy, that they are making an effort, and that means a lot – I think the real actual work is going to be in the work, not in the awards system."

Chu's is next set to tackle an adaptation of the 2013 book "Crazy Rich Asians."

AP Entertainment

Los Angeles, 27 February 2016

1. Wide Dolby Theatre with Oscar statue

2. Medium Oscars red carpet with Oscar statue

Lionsgate - no re-sale/no archive

3. BTS b-roll: Jon M. Chu on-set of "Now You See Me 2" (mute audio)

AP Entertainment

Los Angeles, 30 June 2016

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Jon M. Chu/Director: "I'm really excited that the Academy took very serious, real, quick change. I mean that's a pretty dramatic shift. But it's going to take those moves. And there's still a lot to go when you look at the actual numbers. I'm super proud of everyone who got in there. And of course it doesn't determine like any votes or anything like that – which again, isn't a big deal. I feel like the Academy Awards is one thing. It's an award show. It's an organization, it's sort of symbolic in a certain way. But the real work is going to be done in the actual stories that we tell, and the actual actors that we start to get to know and can expose."

Lionsgate - no re-sale/no archive

5. BTS b-roll: Jon M. Chu on-set of "Now You See Me 2" (mute audio)

AP Entertainment

Los Angeles, 30 June 2016

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Jon M. Chu/Director: "The more diverse voices, the more unique new stories, will only help cinema. So as happy as I am for the Academy, that they are making an effort, and that means a lot – I think the real actual work is going to be in the work, not in the awards system."

Lionsgate - no re-sale/no archive

7. Close zoom to wide Jon M. Chu at "Now You See Me 2" premiere (mute audio)

8. Medium Chu at premiere (mute audio)