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

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.

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

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)

SHOT LIST

APTN

Los Angeles, Ca. 16 November 2004

1. Pan of interior, Anderson Printing

2. Closeup on printing press with pull out

3. Closeup on tech's hands on equipment

4. Wide shot of tech making adjustments to equipment

5. Camera cutaway

6. Closeup of poster detail, with pull out revealing all

7. Closeup poster designer Brett Davidson, with pull out to show him inspecting color of poster

8. Closeup poster

9. Wide shot Davidson speaking with reporter

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Brett Davidson/Oscar Poster Designer (on his reaction to hearing his design was chosen this year's Oscar campaign):

"Actually, it was a really good day. The day I found out that I got the poster was the day that I found out my mom had kicked her breast cancer. So, it was an

excellent day. I actually did not go out drinking, but I went to the back, into the network in the Academy, where I work, and I had a pretty good scream."

11. Shot of two 2005 Oscar posters

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Davidson (on how his design is, in part, a reaction to current world affairs):

"Well, it's kind of crazy times in the world right now. We need a little fun. Last year, we were at war when we had the Oscars, so there was sort of a subdued kind of feeling. And it wasn't necessarily an inspiration, but it definitely gives that sort of happiness and sort of energy back to the show. These are definitely odd times, and we need a little excitement out there."

APTN

Los Angeles, Ca. 27 January 2004

13. Wide shot exterior Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

14. Close up of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences sign

APTN

Los Angeles, Ca. 16 November 2004

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Davidson (on why being an Academy employee did not help his chances):

"Well, it was a blind selection competition. So, the poster didn't have my name on it. I didn't want it to be influences one way or another, that it was me or not. It was really about basing the decision on the merit of the work. And so I was submitted blindly with a lot of other artists and it was sort of a unanimous decision. The governors of the Academy, and the executives were all sort of drawn to it, that's what they picked, and I guess I got lucky this year."

APTN

Los Angeles, Ca. 16 November 2004

16. Shot of tech examining color of poster

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Davidson (on where else his design will be employed):

"You'll be seeing in several different places: Wallscapes around town on some of the big buildings, pole banners up and down some of the major streets. I'm not sure if there are going to be billboards or not, but there are going to be different collateral pieces, outdoor advertising, phone shelters, bus shelters, telephone kiosks, taxicab toppers. I think there are going to be doing a few more promotional things that they haven't done in the past with the Oscars, and they're really going to be marketing it pretty big."

18. David posing for photographers

POSTER MARKS START OF OSCAR SEASON

Hard to believe, there are just 103 shopping days left until . . . . . the 2005 Academy Awards.

The movie-awards season got as close as one gets to an official kickoff this morning (16 November 2004) inside a Hollywood printing plant, as the new Oscar

poster rolled off the presses.

A homage to such pop-art legends as Andy Warhol and Peter Max, the poster boasts a blinding-bright graphic rendering of the top half of an Oscar, surrounded by

four blocks of pastels: burnt orange, lime green, light teal and bold fuchsia. The main caption is a single word: "oscar."

This is the work of Brent Davidson, 33, an information-systems specialist at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which supervises and produces the

annual Academy Awards. A self-profession "computer geek," Davidson studied graphics arts at both the University of Miami and University of Southern California. But this marks his first high-profiled artistic accomplishment.

"The day I found out that I got the poster was the day that I found out my mom had kicked her breast cancer," he recalled. "So, it was an excellent day. I actually did not go out drinking, but I went to the back, into the network in the Academy, where I work, and I had a pretty good scream." Davidson said "about 50" designs were reviewed by the Academy executives and members of its Board of Governors, but there wasn't a chance they could have been biased. After all, Davidson is one of their own. "Well, it was a blind selection competition," he explained. "So, the poster didn't have my name on it. I didn't want it to be influences one way or another, that it was me or not. It was really about basing the decision on the merit of the work. And so I was submitted blindly with a lot of other artists and it was sort of a unanimous decision. The Governors of the Academy, and the executives were all sort of drawn to it, that's what they picked, and I guess I got lucky this year."

The poster continues last year's lighter, brighter Oscar-poster sensibility. Davidson's image is, in part, a reaction to deeper, dark world realities. "Well, it's kind of crazy times in the world right now," he noted. "We need a little fun. Last year, we were at war when we had the Oscars, so there was sort of a subdued kind of feeling. And it wasn't necessarily an inspiration, but it definitely gives that sort of happiness and sort of energy back to the show. These are definitely odd times, and we need a little excitement out there."

In spite of his new notoriety and graphic-business success, Davidson insists he's keeping his day job at the Academy. That said, he plans to enjoy being L.A.'s latest man about town. His Oscar image will be just about everywhere. "You'll be seeing it in several different places: Wallscapes around town on some of the big buildings, pole banners up and down some of the major streets. I'm not sure if there are going to be billboards or not, but there are going to be different collateral pieces, outdoor advertising, phone shelters, bus shelters, telephone kiosks, taxicab toppers. I think there are going to be doing a few more promotional things that they haven't done in the past with the Oscars, and they're really going to be marketing it pretty big."

The 72nd Annual Academy Awards takes place 27 February 2004 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.

SHOTLIST

AP Entertainment

Santa Monica, California, 23 February 2013

1. Wide Santa Monica pier

2. Wide parasailor on over the Pacific Ocean

3. Wide tented site of the Film Independent Spirit Awards

4. Wide Film Independent Spirit Awards

5. Actors Bruce Willis and actress wife Emmy Heming posing for photographers

6. Actors Rosemarie DeWitt and Rob Livingston pose for photographers

7. Actor Marcia Gay Hardin (right, in white) poses for photographers

8. Actor Andy Samberg speaking to reporter

9. (Reporter: "How is this not the Oscars?") SOUNBITE (English) John Waters/Independent Filmmaker:

"Well, I like the Oscars, too. But this is the hip version. This is the one where we want fun. This is the one where people they don't care if they aren't gonna win. There's just as much anxiety here, because everybody wants to win this, too. And the old-school thing was that if you win the Spirits you won't win the Oscars, but that isn't even true anymore. We'll see."

10. Setup shot actor Bradley Cooper speaking to reporter

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Bradley Cooper/Oscar Nominee, on how he'll get ready for the Academy Awards:

"You know, I don't know. I don't know what it'll be. I'll probably get up and do something physical and eat something and then make sure my mom's alright."

12. Setup shot actor Bradley Cooper speaking to reporters

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Bradley Cooper/Actor-Oscar Nominee, "Silver Livings Playbook":

"I would just kill if Bob (Robert De Niro) wins. I would just love it if Robert would win."

14. Setup shot "Silver Linings Playbook" producers Jonathan Gordon and Bruce Cohen speaking to reporters.

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Bruce Cohen, Producers-Oscar Nominees, "Silver Linings Playbook":

"I recommend not drinking a lot before you get in the car, because I think you do want to at least make it through the red carpet. Then, at the reception, you have a glass of champaign. But, for me, it's my favorite day of the year. It always has been since I was eight years old. I would start getting excited five or six days in advance, just to watch on television. So, everytime I get to be there -- either as a nominee or when I produce the show -- it is literally like a greay come true happening over and over again. I just try to enjoy it and take in every single second. as it's happening."

16. Fashion shot: "Beasts of the Southern Wild" actress Quvenzhan� Wallis

17. (Reporter: "Talk to me about tomorrow. What is your day going to be like from the minute you get up to the minute you get into the car. How is it going to go? What are you going to eat? Who is going to come over and get you ready? Give me the whole story of the day, getting ready for the Oscars."

SOUNDBITE (English) Quvenzhan� Wallis/Actress-Oscar Nominee, "Beasts of the Southern Wild":

"I have no idea."

18. "A Royal Affair" actor Mads Mikkelsen and filmmaker-wife Hanne Jacobson speak with reporters

19. Hanne Jacobson/Actess, on how she and husband Mads Mikkelsen ("A Royal Affair") prepare for the Academy Awards:

"That's a difficult one. I don't know. Relax. Talk a little drink before."

Mads Mikkelsen/Actor, "A Royal Affair":

"Two. Two drinks."

20. Woman hold up envelope including "The Invisible War" documentarian Kirby Dick's ticket for the Academy Awards

21. SOUNDBITE (English) Kirby Dick/Documentarian-Oscar Nominee, "The Invisible War," on preparing for the Oscars red carpter:

'Well, it's the second time for me, so, I'm glad it (the ticket) was in my hands, let's just put it that way. It's always hard to made sure you always have the tickets. Tickets are always so desired that it's good that they're in your hands."

22. Documentarians Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering speaking to reporter

23. SOUNDBITE (English) Amy Ziering/Documentarian-Oscar Nominee, "The Invisible War," on preparing for the Oscars red carpet:

"You know where the expression, 'It takes a village,' came from? It came from a women getting ready for Oscar morning. It's, like, such an entourage. I mean, this just does not happen. I'm like 10 sessions away from early seahag. So, it's going to be a lot of work. We're going to start super early to sort of start the transformation."

Kirby Dick/Documentarian: "And you don't interrupt her, either. No phone calls. Oh, no."

24. "Beasts of the Southern Wild Director Benh Zeitlin speaking to reporters

25. SOUNDBITE (English) Benh Zeitlin/Director-Oscar Nominee, "Beasts of the Southers Wild," on preparing for the Academy Awards:

"I heard it's like steroids of like everything I've seen before. I don't know. It's going to be great. It's a circus. I love the circus."

26. Wide arrivals line for the Film Independent Spirit Award

STORYLINE

INDIE-FILMMAKERS SHOW OSCAR SPIRIT

While the countdown for the Oscar ceremony is on, celebrities on the red carpet for the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica last night ( Saturday Feb 23 ) had a taster of things to come.

Indie film maker John Waters was there and compared the two events:

"Well, I like the Oscars, too. But this is the hip version. " he said.

"This is the one where people they don't care if they aren't gonna win. There's just as much anxiety here, because everybody wants to win this, too. And the old-school thing was that if you win the Spirits you won't win the Oscars, but that isn't even true anymore. We'll see."

Tips for Oscar preparations were freely shared:

"That's a difficult one. I don't know. Relax. Talk a little drink before." says actress Hanne Jacobson, and husband Mads Mikkelsen adds:"Two. Two drinks."

But Bruce Cohen who produced "Silver Linings Playbook"does not agree:

"I recommend not drinking a lot before you get in the car, because I think you do want to at least make it through the red carpet.

The 85th Annual Academy Awards will be presented Sunday night in 24 categories at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles from 830p to about midnight EST, hosted by Seth MacFarlane and televised live on ABC.

"Argo" is the current best picture favorite, but "Lincoln" may actually win the most Oscars because of its strength in actor,directing and craft categories.

SHOTLIST

AP Entertainment

Los Angeles, 10 February 2006

1. Wide establishing of the Kodak Theatre

2. Pan from the entrance of the Hollywood and Highland Center to the shopping center itself

3. Pan of the inside of the the Oscar display room

4. Academy President Sid Ganis poses for photographers

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sid Ganis/Academy President:

"Well here we have a display of Academy memorabilia, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences memorabilia, relating to the Oscar show. And so we have 50 Oscars here, 50 Oscars that will actually be given out On March 5th to winners."

6. Medium of two women as they observe the statuettes in a glass case

7. Close-up of Oscar statuettes displayed in a glass case

8. Wide of Oscars displayed in a glass case surrounded by photographs

9. Director of Special Projects for the Academy Rany Haberkamp observes exhibit while speaking to someone

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Randy Haberkamp/Director of Special Projects for the Academy:

"It's quite an arrangement because obviously we had to make sure it's in a secure space, but it's also making sure we're bringing, putting it in a way that people will find it interesting and so there's somethig for everybody. Some people will enjoy seeing all 50 Oscars, some people enjoy learing about the Academy's history and some people enjoy just being able to hold an Oscar for the first time."

10. Wide of a man holding the Oscar while being photogtaphed with it

11. Medium shot of the line of people waiting to see the Oscar statuette

12. Close-up of Oscar statuettes

13. Academy President Sid Ganis speaks to reporter

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Sid Ganis/Academy President:

"Pretty soon when we do take them to the Kodak. We're going to have our own little red carpet walk by the 50 of them. We've figured out a way to do that nicely, and in they'll go. They'll have their walk down the red carpet. They'll have the experience of the red carpet, into the theatre and then March fifth in the evening, five o'clock on the west coast, eight o'clock in the east coast, they'll be busy."

14. Wide pan of poster memorabilia

15. Wide of the nominees posters

16. Zoom out of running video with previous Oscar highlights

17. Medium of Oscar statuettes displayed in a glass case surrounded by Oscar vintage photographs

18. Close-up of Oscar stauette

MEET THE OSCARS

Before the Oscars statuettes are placed in the excited hands of its winners, they will sit in a walk-through exhibition at the Hollywood and Highland Center beginning on Friday, February 10th.

"Well here we have a display of Academy memorabilia," explained Academy President Sid Ganis. "Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences memorabilia, relating to the Oscar show. And so we have 50 Oscars here, 50 Oscars that will actually be given out On March 5th to winners. To the winners."

The exhibition, "Meet the Oscars: The 50 Golden Statuettes" features Academy Award-related displays, with a gallery of photographs featuring winners from previous ceremonies.

"It's quite an arrangement because obviously we had to make sure it's in a secure space," explained Randy Haberkamp, the Director of Special Projects for the Academy. "But it's also making sure we're bringing, putting it in a way that people will find it interesting and so there's something for everybody. Some people will enjoy seeing all 50 Oscars, some people enjoy learning about the Academy's history and some people enjoy just being able to hold an Oscar for the first time."

After the close of the exhibition on March 3, the Oscars, under heavy security, will make their way to the Kodak Theatre where they will be handed out during the Awards Presentation.

"Pretty soon when we do take them to the Kodak," noted Ganis. "We're going to have our own little red carpet walk by the 50 of them. We've figured out a way to do that nicely, and in they'll go. They'll have their walk down the red carpet. They'll have the experience of the red carpet, into the theatre and then March fifth in the evening, five o'clock on the west coast, eight o'clock in the east coast, they'll be busy."

Weighing in at eight-and-a half pounds, each statuette is thirteen-and-a half inches tall and s made of gold-plated titannium, a metal alloy. Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements for 2005 will be presented on 05 March 2006 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.

SHOTLIST

AP Entertainment

Hollywood, 24 February 2008

1. Wide exterior pan left of arrivals

2. Steve Carell set up

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Steve Carell/Actor:

" Well, I was talking to John Stewart a couple days ago and they didn't have very long to write their awards ceremony, they usual take months and I think they just had a week or two, so it was tough, the strike was hard on a lot of people, I'm very happy everybody is getting back to work."

4. Wide of tent covering arrivals

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sid Ganis/President of the Academy:

" I think it's great to come in under that, although boy oh boy the sun is shining right now, but it's ok I'm glad we're all here, and look at this crowd, this is amazing, this is as good a crowd, I think everybody really wanted to come out, finally come out in Hollywood and tonight's the night."

6. George Clooney on arrivals

7. Heidi Klum on arrivals

8. Amy Ryan on arrivals

9. Laura Linney on arrivals

10. Anne Hathaway speaks to reporter

11. Jason Reitman speaks to reporter

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Jason Reitman/Director:

" I don't even know where I am right now, I'm at the Oscars I can hardly believe it, I'm not even sure if my feet are on the ground."

13. John Travolta and Kelly Preston speak to reporter

14. James McAvoy speaks to reporter

15. Miley Cyrus speaks to reporter

16. Hillary Swank on arrivals

17. Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart on arrivals

18. Forest Whitaker and wife Keisha Whitaker on arrivals

19. Michael Moore on arrivals

20. Cate Blanchett on arrivals

21. Viggo Mortensen set up

22. SOUNDBITE (English) Viggo Mortensen/Actor:

" I thought there would be a show, I didn't really doubt it, I was surprised to be nominated I mean I've been nominated for the Golden Globes and the others which I have never been, it was a chance but I was surprised because I haven't been able to go out and do the kind of self promotion that people say you have to do, I've been busy, and as sorry as I am that David Cronenberg isn't here because I think he really deserves it, I do feel like I am representing him and the movie, I'm very proud of our movie as you know, and let's see what happens you never know, the New York Giants won the superbowl."

23. Hal Holbrook set up

24. SOUNDBITE (English) Hal Holbrook/Actor:

" I think there's something to that, I think you can appreciate it more later in your career, I think when you've got an Oscar when very young it must be quite a burden on you in many ways, very hard to handle because then you have to try to top it, you got a whole life ahead of you and you got to top it early on and that's pretty tough and I know that from my remainder success with Mark Twain, and then I had to spend a whole life time as an actor trying to top it."

25. Camera cutaway

26. SOUNDBITE (English) George Clooney/Actor:

" I think the last couple of days are just, when you're moving towards the end of an election and things start to get a little nastier I think that always happens and I've never seen it not happen so I'm very excited about what's been going on with Junior senator from Illinois, I'm having a really good time with that."

27. Camera cutaway

28. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Christie/Actor:

" This is an ACLU ribbon and it's the " Close Guant�namo " campaign, so it's a very, very important issue for well, I'm British but for us, for everybody in the world, those torture camps should be closed."

29. Casey Affleck set up

30. SOUNDBITE (English) Casey Affleck/Actor:

" Well, I hope that it will be resolved, I know that a lot of people worked really hard on it, I know that Clooney has been involved I know that a lot of actors are playing a part and making sure the same thing isn't repeated from the writers strike, and I hope that it wont come to that.

31. Wide of arrivals

STORYLINE

2008 ACADEMY AWARDS ARRIVAL WRAP

Thousands of fans packed the bleachers and streets around the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, hoping to catch a glimpse of Hollywood's biggest stars as they arrived for the 80th annual Academy Awards.

George Clooney, nominated for best actor for "Michael Clayton," didn't disappoint fans, arriving 90 minutes before the show with girlfriend Sarah Larson and stopping to shake hands and schmooze with several screaming female fans.

Tom Wilkinson, nominated for supporting actor for "Michael Clayton," stopped briefly to wave and flash a shy smile.

The first acting Academy Award was picked up by Spanish actor Javier Bardem, who had been nominated for best supporting actor for his fearsome turn as an unshakable executioner in "No Country for Old Men," the first prize of the night for the Coen brothers' front-running crime saga.

Bardem's character was a terrifying yet perversely amusing presence in "No Country," the best-picture favourite in which his character tosses a coin to decide whether some people he encounters should live or die.

British actress Tilda Swinton won best supporting actress for her portrayal of a fiendish attorney in "Michael Clayton."

France's Marion Cotillard won the best actress Oscar for her performance in "La Vie en Rose."

Hollywood's biggest and glitziest event was a double celebration on Sunday - a ceremony honouring the year's best in film, and a celebration for a town relieved that the crushing writer's strike had ended.

Settled just two weeks before the Oscars, the 100-day strike had left the fate of the show in doubt as stars indicated they would not cross writers' picket lines to attend.

The celebrity party at the Golden Globes ended up cancelled for just that reason, so Oscar organisers figured everyone was ready for a big party.

The surprise best-picture win of "Crash" over "Brokeback Mountain" two years ago remained fresh in awards watchers' minds, but Sunday's show generally had been expected to crown favourites that had dominated throughout awards season, led by the Coen brothers' crime tale "No Country for Old Men."

Past screenplay winners for "Fargo," Joel and Ethan Coen went into the evening positioned to make Oscar history with potential wins in all four categories in which they had individual nominations, best picture, director, adapted screenplay and editing (under the pseudonym Roderick Jaynes).

Only one other person, Walt Disney, had ever won four Oscars in the same year, his prizes coming as producer of three short films and the documentary that won for 1953. No one has ever won four Oscars for the same film.

"No Country for Old Men" and the oil saga "There Will Be Blood" lead with eight nominations each, followed by the tragic romance "Atonement" and the legal thriller "Michael Clayton" with seven apiece.

All four films competed for best picture, with the pregnancy comedy "Juno" earning the fifth slot for the top prize.

SHOTLIST

APTN Los Angeles, California USA 22 March 2003

1. WS and pan of entrance to the Kodak Theater with sign for the Academy Awards.

2. CU technician

3. Ground shot red carpet area at theater entrance.

4. MS spectators and security guard.

5. Medium tight shot security guards near Kodak Theater.

6. WS helicopter overhead.

7. Tight shot of crowd milling around near theater.

8. VOX POP: British Tourist/Christopher Rush (English) "I think they could go ahead and celebrate as usual in my opinion. I don't think they should cut back on everything and just have fun, basically."

9. Medium shot of people taking photos.

10. VOX POP: (English) Tourist/Larry Burke "On the one hand, it's nice that there's recognition of something like this that these events are going on over in Iraq. On the other hand, you know, I guess it just seems so remote here. I came in from out of town just to walk around and it just seems like such a different place here."

11. VOX POP: (English) Tourist/ Vicky Plunkett "It just seems like the respectful response. We came here and we would have loved to see the fanfare and everything, but when you think of all our guys over there, it just seems like the respectful thing to do."

12. CU cameraman

13. WS observation bridge near Kodak Theater and pan to Kodak Theater entrance.

FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR TONED DOWN OSCARS

The last preparations are being made for a subtle version of the Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood tonight (Sunday 23MAR03).

The usual showbiz extravagances are being toned down for the 75th annual presentation of the Oscars, to show respect at a time of war.

Artisans and technicians were putting the finishing touches to the Kodak Theater on Saturday. A token red carpet has been rolled out at the entrance - but the usual glitzy runway has been cancelled, and celebrities will not stop for pictures.

The spectator bleachers, one of the biggest attractions for tourists and stargazers, have also gone this year.

Extra security guards in uniform and plain clothes have been stationed on Hollywood Boulevard near the Theater, as the traditional tight security at the Oscars is increased. This year, it includes a National Guard mobile lab to test for suspicious biological or chemical substances.

Frank Pierson, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences repeated what Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton told Oscar planners "he felt the safest place to be in America was probably at the Academy Awards on Sunday night."

Despite the changes, tourists and fans lined the streets near the theater hoping to share in Hollywood's biggest night of the year.

Many visitors say they agree with the decision to scale back the festive air of the Academy Awards. Others say it's important to try to proceed with life as normal.

A celebrity or two have backed out of the Oscars because of the war, among them Will Smith, who withdrew as an awards presenter, saying he was uncomfortable attending given world events.

Fellow presenters Tom Hanks and Cate Blanchett are also reported to be staying away.

But Gil Cates, the show's producer, said organizers have seen no more last-minute cancellations among celebrities and other guests than they do every year.

For those who do intend to be there tonight, formal evening wear remains a must, though guests at the 75th Oscars are expected to aim for respectful elegance rather than glitz.

Studios and other Hollywood groups still plan post-Oscar bashes, though many have dropped the usual gauntlet of reporters and photographers outside.

An extreme turn of events could force postponement of the Oscars, or prompt ABC to bump the live broadcast in favour of news coverage. But organisers said they expect the show to go ahead as planned and that the ceremony this year takes on greater symbolic merit.

"At a time when American culture and values are under attack all over the world, we think it is more important than ever that we honour those achievements that reflect us and America at our best," said Pierson.

Cates said a friend who is executive officer aboard a Navy ship told him that it was important to carry on "as normal, as usual, that we should do the show. That it would be kind of a terrible victory for Saddam if we didn't."

If the ceremony does indeed go ahead as intended, a few notable firsts might come out of the Oscars. Some possibilities:

Best-picture favourite 'Chicago' might be the first musical since 1968's 'Oliver!' to win best picture. Four cast members of 'Chicago' are nominated, with best-actress contender Renee Zellweger and supporting-actress

nominee Catherine Zeta-Jones appearing to have the best shot at becoming the first acting winners from a musical since Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey for 1972's 'Cabaret.'

Jack Nicholson could walk away with his fourth Oscar, tying Katharine Hepburn for most acting awards. Nicholson is up for best actor for the black comedy 'About Schmidt,' earning his 12th nomination.

Martin Scorsese could finally win an Oscar, though for a movie considered inferior to his best work. Scorsese is up for best director for 'Gangs of New York,' after losing with his previous nominations for 'Raging Bull,' 'The Last Temptation of Christ' and 'Goodfellas.'

Awards campaigning usually provokes sniping among rival studios, and Scorsese's nomination resulted in this year's nastiest feud. Competitors griped about distributor Miramax's tactics, characterising 'Gangs..' as a summation of Scorsese's work and suggestion that he might deserve the Oscar as a career honour.

Scorsese is considered a front-runner, though critics feel 'Chicago' director Rob Marshall stands a strong chance too - and it was Marshall who took the prize from the Directors Guild of America, whose winner usually goes on to win the Oscar.

Also competing for best director is Roman Polanski, who would face arrest if he entered the United States to attend the awards. Polanski, nominated for 'The Pianist,' has been living in exile since fleeing the United States 25

years ago while on bail, having pleaded guilty to having sex with a minor.

'The Pianist' is part of a best-picture field of generally dark and dour films, including 'Gangs,' 'The Hours' and 'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.' Yet it is "Chicago," a cynical but rousing song-and-dance satire, that could dominate the evening. 'Chicago' leads the pack with 13 nominations.

Host Steve Martin is expected to crack wise, delivering what Cates called a "don't miss it" opening monologue. Presenting awards will be Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Harrison Ford, Denzel Washington and Halle Berry,

while Peter O'Toole will be honoured with a lifetime-achievement Oscar.

All that revelry aside, organizers are aiming for a sober, dignified mood, much like the Oscar ceremonies of World War II.

"They've got to send the signal this isn't a self-indulgent party among pampered people," said Tom O'Neil, author of the book 'Movie Awards,' "and just get down to the business of honoring the best movies."