An Oscars comeback? How the film academy went global and found its footing again

For a few years, the Oscars looked to be hanging on by a thread. “It’s been an amazing year for film in general,” film academy CEO Bill Kramer said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. “Given the past couple of years with the pandemic, and the strikes, and to all of the topics associated with the strikes, the academy needs to remain a neutral ground for these conversations.”.ENGAGING MORE WITH THE PUBLIC There has also been substantial focus on engaging the public through social media, often drawing on the academy’s vast archival material — whether that be vintage acceptance speeches or just memorable moments from Oscars past. Their Instagram account is close to 4 million followers and their YouTube channel is a treasure trove of fun clips: Leonardo DiCaprio’s best actor win, Hugh Jackman’s 2009 opening number, Chris Rock’s opening monologue, Jack Black and Will Ferrell singing “Get Off the Stage”, and Fred Astaire dancing at the 1970 Oscars. And people overseas, outside of the U.S., engage with the show in a lot of different ways.” All of these conversations will continue about the future of the industry, the academy, its membership, and, Yang said, even “weaning” the Oscars from ABC in a few years.