Critics Choice members will have just four days upon receiving their ballots to vote early in December. They will be airing their show live on January 11. They are positioning themselves to be influencers more than predictors of the Oscars, as you can see by their early awards. The Golden Globes happen on January 7, and the Critics Choice Awards happen the following weekend, January 11.
Their goal, essentially, is to become as prominent as the Golden Globes. Or the SAG Awards. Meaning, a show people watch and advertise on. Coming in as early in the game as they are, they will reflect what the punditry thinks about the awards, not necessarily how the industry will vote. I remember last year saying it was too early and that they were going to pick La La Land and they could be wrong. But no one really listened to me about that, as everyone thought it was the ride or die frontrunner. Will that happen this year? Who can say. The preferential ballot and the powerful hive mind do funny things to the Oscar race.
If all of the celebrities are showing at the Hollywood Film Awards, as they did these past few days, they’re going to show up at the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice and the SAG Awards and eventually the Oscars. They have to. They don’t have the luxury of losing the moment and have to put themselves out there in extraordinary ways to keep their position in the race. One powerful moment at the microphone can be a good indicator of what people are expecting with a potential winner. Sometimes they get up there and it feels right that they’re the winner. Sometimes they get up there and it feels wrong. That’s a lot of pressure to put on people who are just trying to do the work but it is what it is.
Let’s see how their timeline fits into the overall timeline:
Critics Choice nominating ballots go out – December 1
Critics Choice ballot deadline – December 4
Critics Choice nominations announced – December 6
Golden Globe nominations – December 11
SAG nominations – December 12
WGA nominations – January 4
Oscar Ballots sent out – January 5
PGA nominations – January 5
Golden Globe awards – January 7
Final Critics Choice ballots go out – January 8
Final Critics Choice Ballots Due – January 9
DGA nominations – January 11
Critics Choice awards – January 11
Oscar ballots due – January 12
PGA awards – January 20
SAG awards – January 21
Oscar nominations announced – January 23
Ace Awards – January 26
DGA Awards – February 3
WGA Awards – February 11
BAFTA Awards – February 18
Final Oscar ballots sent out – February 20
Final Oscar ballots due – February 27
Spirit Awards – March 3
Oscars March 4
So you can see, as happened last year, a lot can change between January 11 and March 4. But the money and the power in the Oscar race is always in the game of influencing, rather than predicting. That’s because if everyone wants an Oscar they don’t care whether or not you predict them to win. They care if your choosing them helps them win. That’s the idea behind this, I think.
Full press release:
CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARDS WILL RETURN TO
THE CW FOR 23RD ANNUAL CEREMONY
GALA EVENT WILL AIR LIVE ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018
FROM THE BARKER HANGAR IN SANTA MONICA
(Los Angeles, CA – November 7, 2017) – The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) are pleased to announce that the 23rd Annual Critics’ Choice Awards will air LIVE on The CW Network on Thursday, January 11, 2018 (8:00-10:00p.m. ET/PT). The show will continue its combined Film and Television awards format, honoring the finest in both cinematic and televised/streaming achievement, and take place once again at The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.
“BFCA and BTJA are thrilled to be back on The CW, where many of our finest CCA shows were nurtured,” said BFCA President Joey Berlin. “The CW is home to some of the best shows anywhere on broadcast television, and we’re looking forward to being back in their company for years to come. The Critics’ Choice Awards show has grown to be one of the most important and star-studded in Hollywood – and perhaps the most fun. We can’t wait to gather the brightest lights in film and television together again for what is sure to be a spectacular event on January 11.”
“We are delighted to welcome the Critics’ Choice Awards back to The CW, and showcase the best of both film and television during this live event in January,” said Gaye Hirsch, The CW’s head of development, who also oversees alternative and special programming. “As award season kicks into high gear, we’re thrilled we can bring viewers an exciting night filled with the biggest and brightest stars in Hollywood.”
The BFCA and BTJA also announced new timelines for the Film and Television awards:
FILM AWARDS
· December 1, 2017 – Nominating ballots go out to BFCA members
· December 4, 2017 – Deadline for returning nominating ballots
· December 6, 2017 – Critics’ Choice Awards Film nominations announced
· January 8, 2018 – Final ballots go out to BFCA members
· January 9, 2018 – Deadline for returning final ballots
TELEVISION AWARDS
· November 20, 2017 – Nomination Committees begin consideration
· December 4, 2017 – Nomination Committees render recommendations
· December 6, 2017 – Critics’ Choice Awards TV nominations announced
· January 8, 2018 – Final ballots go out to BTJA members
· January 9, 2018 – Deadline for returning final ballots
The 22nd Annual Critics’ Choice Awards were hosted by actor and comedian T.J. Miller. “La La Land,” the most nominated film of the evening, took home eight awards, the most of the night, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay (a tie) for Damien Chazelle, Best Cinematography for Linus Sandgren, Best Production Design for David Wasco and Sandy Reynolds-Wasco, Best Editing for Tom Cross, Best Song, and Best Score for Justin Hurwitz. Nominated for six awards, the most of any series, The People v. O.J. Simpson (FX) took home four trophies including Best Movie Made for Television or Limited Series. Sarah Paulson won for Best Actress in a Movie Made for Television or Limited Series, Courtney B. Vance for Best Actor in a Movie Made for Television or Limited Series, and Sterling K. Brown for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie Made for Television or Limited Series.
“The Critics’ Choice Awards” are bestowed annually by the BFCA and BTJA to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. The BFCA is the largest film critics’ organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 300 television, radio and online critics. BFCA members are the primary source of information for today’s film-going public. BTJA is the collective voice of journalists who regularly cover television for TV viewers, radio listeners and online audiences. Historically, the “Critics’ Choice Awards” are the most accurate predictor of the Academy Award nominations.
The 23rd Annual Critics’ Choice Awards show will be produced by Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment. The BFCA and BTJA are represented by Dan Black of Greenberg Traurig and WME.