When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science announced it would pre-record eight of the Oscar categories and air edited versions of those presentations during the live broadcast ceremony so as to tighten the notoriously long running time, reaction was swift and overwhelmingly negative from industry professionals, including dozens of big-name filmmakers and artists who signed a letter urging the Academy to reconsider their decision.
No doubt their concern was legitimate, but come on. It’s not as if any high-profile director or producer is going to step forward in support of this change. They depend on those musicians and editors and production design folks and makeup and hairstyling artists and their invaluable contributions to the art of filmmaking. Nobody is disputing that.
