The Golden Globes are always more entertaining for both the celebrities and the viewers at home, thanks to an open bar and a very casual atmosphere. This year's hybrid of Zoom red carpet/acceptances speeches and on-stage schticks made it all the more entertaining.
Well, we hope you enjoyed it because the Oscars aren't having any of that nonsense on April 25. Deadline Hollywood obtained a recent email from the show's producers to nominees outlining what the 93rd Academy Awards will look like: No Zoom speeches and absolutely no hoodies.
“For those of you unable to attend because of scheduling or continued uneasiness about traveling, we want you to know there will not be an option to Zoom in for the show,” producers Steven Soderbergh, Stacey Sher and Jesse Collins wrote. “We are going to great lengths to provide a safe and ENJOYABLE evening for all of you in person, as well as for all the millions of film fans around the world, and we feel the virtual thing will diminish those efforts.”
So...what about the hoodies?
“We’re aiming for a fusion of Inspirational and Aspirational, which in actual words means formal is totally cool if you want to go there, but casual is really not."
So...no hoodies, then.
This year's theme is "Stories Matter," and each nominee (not just the high-profile ones) is being asked to talk about what led them to this important moment. The purpose is to connect the idea that movies tell stories and everyone's interview will be shared on Oscar night.
"We, as a species, are wired for narrative. It’s how we communicate. It’s how we learn. It’s how we evolve. We are surrounded by stories, we’re swimming in them, they’re inescapable," the email reads. "And MOVIES are—we think––the most powerful form of storytelling ever invented. It is an art form that is unique in its blending of so many other art forms, along with the singular skills required to execute it well."
I'm into it.
The email also emphasizes that the Academy will be going to great lengths to ensure that COVID-19 safety precautions will be taken and everyone feels comfortable.
“Regarding the practical aspects of the show, our plan is to stage an intimate, in-person event at Union Station in Los Angeles, with additional show elements live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Of course, your first thought is CAN THAT BE DONE SAFELY? The answer is YES, IT CAN. We are treating the event as an active movie set, with specially designed testing cadences to ensure up-to-the-minute results, including an on-site COVID safety team with PCR testing capability."
It looks like musical performances will take place at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, while the nominees, their guests and presenters will attend the show at Union Station in downtown L.A.
Finally, the speeches.
"It is our belief the show isn’t 'too long' because of the speeches. HAVING SAID THAT, we’d like to say THIS: With great freedom comes great responsibility, and if you’re wondering what we mean by that exactly, we mean READ THE ROOM. Tell a STORY. If you’re thanking someone, say their name, not their title. Don’t say MY MANAGER, PEGGY just say PEGGY. Make it PERSONAL. The audience leans back when they see a winner with a piece of paper in their hand. The good news is you should be pretty relaxed by show time because you will have been at a pre-show gathering in the Union Station courtyard for the previous ninety minutes with your fellow nominees and their guests (ONLY nominees and their guests will be attending the show, by the way. Oh, and the presenters!). We’re aiming for a feeling of casual exchange and good humor."
As someone who sees the Oscars as the show with the least casual of exchanges and good humor, April 25 will certainly be interesting.