The Carpetbagger, aka Melena Ryzik on the Academy’s kind of funny push-me, pull-you year they’re having. ¬†I have never tried to sell the idea that The King’s Speech appeals to older while The Social Network appeals to younger, necessarily: more young people actually prefer The King’s Speech I’m told. Actually, the King’s Speech is doing well because it appeals broadly — young and old, rich and poor, American or British or Brazilian….it is one of those movies that simply appeals. ¬†Still, one can’t help but note the irony of the Academy going all social networky this year:
The theme of this year’s show on ABC is “You’re Invited,” and the normally staid Academy has been working overtime to lift the veil on its big night. It’s live-streaming backstage moments on a newly revamped Web site,Oscar.go.com. A new app will feature footage from the Governors Ball, the Academy’s official, exclusive afterparty. Fans can submit questions for nominees to the Academy online; a few mothers of nominees — “mominees” — have even been corralled to post on Twitter. (Ever the over-achievers, the Franco family has not one but three generations online: Mr. Franco; his mother, Betsy; and his grandmother, Mitzi.)
A lot of this is meant to take advantage of the two-screen behavior that seems to be driving a rise in viewership forawards shows and other water-cooler spectacles, like the Super Bowl. (The New York Times is no exception in taking advantage of the extra eyeballs; we’ll be asking your two-screen attention too, with updates from the red carpet and backstage on Oscar night, and live video commentary during commercial breaks by our reporters and critics.)
For old and new media alike this may be a cultural shift in how we use and understand media, a glasnost that comes with everyone’s ability to self-publish. Or it’s simply an appeal to relevancy and youth. (Mr. Franco and Ms. Hathaway are among the youngest hosts in Oscar history.)