How exciting that a woman has actually risen in the ranks at the AMPAS. Says Gold Derby’s Paul Sheehan:
Dawn Hudson, long-time head of Film Independent, becomes the ultimate Hollywood insider as CEO of the motion picture academy. She replaces departing executive director Bruce Davis. His long-time lieutenant Ric Robertson will be COO in the revamped structure which will be put in place June 1.
In making the announcement, academy president Tom Sherakexplained the revised hierarchy thus: “We’re a different organization than we used to be with a range of activities that couldn’t have been conceived of when the present structure came into place. Now, with the leadership team of Dawn as our CEO and Ric as our COO, we have the ideal combination of new vision and institutional continuity to move us forward.”
Great, now let’s see if the voters themselves can actually move the AMPAS forward. ¬†They seem to be at least trying to drag the AMPAS kicking and screaming into the modern era.
The key concept at play here seems to be “the future,” with this move being a “next chapter” in the ongoing saga of the 84 years the AMPAS has been in business. ¬†The film awards, which mean less and less as the decade wears on but never meant so little as they did this past year, are only part of what the AMPAS does. ¬†Still, let’s see if Ms. Hudson can shake things up a bit.
Comment trolling grousing after the cut (cue the “you’re so bitter, get over it” refrains).
Unfortunately, the industry film awards, not just the AMPAS but the PGA, DGA and SAG only bolster the nagging truth about what they really are: a popularity contest. ¬†Rarely does a deserving contender ever win. ¬†People vote for whom they like, particularly when you’re talking about thousands of voters. ¬†This past year saw a sharp divide in what the critics felt was best versus what the industry wanted to reward. ¬†The critics are never afraid of the future. ¬†The industry voters are. ¬†They want security and reassurance that traditional Hollywood will remain. ¬†That is what makes this a compelling time to be awards watching. ¬†Here’s to the braver, bolder filmmakers – many of whom will be rolling out their work at the far more interesting film awards spectacle of the year: Cannes.
And yes, many will shout “the critics loved The King’s Speech too.” ¬†And yes, it’s true, they did. They also loved Toy Story 3 and Winter’s Bone. ¬†Choosing the best is never easy.
