Skip to main content

All cinema-lovers have at least a passing awareness of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This global organization is dedicated to representing the best of the art form, and members from countries all over the world belong to the Academy. Members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are responsible for nominating and voting for candidates for the Academy Awards, otherwise known as the Oscars. Membership in the Academy is by invitation only, and invitations are issued based on individuals’ distinctive achievements in film production.

The History and Founding of the Academy

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was formed in 1927 as an honorary society of professionals in the filmmaking industry. The primary purpose of the Academy is to give out the Academy Awards, which promote excellence in the art of filmmaking by honoring achievements that occurred during the previous year.

The Academy was originally created in part to encourage harmony among the different filmmaking branches and to handle labor disputes when they arose. The Academy was also founded to enhance the film industry’s public image and to facilitate discussion about new film production technologies and procedures. By 1937, the Academy decided to abandon its efforts to intervene in labor negotiations, instead choosing to focus on cultural and educational pursuits.

The Academy Awards statuette was first created in 1928 and was at the time called the Academy Award of Merit. It wasn’t until several years later that the award was dubbed an Oscar. The Oscar is intended to depict a knight holding a sword, and it is made of bronze and plated with 24-karat gold. Oscars are 13.5 inches tall, and the figure stands on a film reel with five spokes that represent actors, directors, producers, technicians, and writers.

oscar award

How the Academy Operates

The Academy engages in a variety of projects that range from exploring new film technologies to preserving old films, but the most famous activity of the Academy is the yearly Oscar awards ceremony, which tends to attract widespread attention across all demographics.

The Academy has different branches that focus on particular aspects of filmmaking. Academy members in these branches choose Oscar winners by casting ballots; thus, Oscars are bestowed upon winners by their industry peers.

Each Academy branch has unique standards that dictate potential members’ eligibility to become part of the organization. More than 7,000 filmmaking professionals are members of the Academy. Initially, joining the Academy was a lifelong honor. However, in 2018, the Academy changed its membership rules; now, membership lasts for ten years. If members remain active in the film industry, they can renew their memberships.

To become a candidate for membership in the Academy, two existing members in the same branch must offer their sponsorship. In addition, anyone who is nominated for an Academy Award qualifies for membership without needing sponsors. Every spring, branch committees review candidates to decide who will receive endorsements for membership. After clearing this hurdle, nominees’ names are submitted to the Academy’s Board of Governors. Those receiving final approval are issued a formal invitation for membership.

academy awards rope

The Academy Now

Today, the Academy is working hard to maintain its relevance and better reflect the full slate of cinematic achievements across all demographics. In 2013, limits on the number of new members each year were dropped, and since this time, Academy membership numbers have risen. In a movement to increase diversity in the Academy, a rising number of seats have been given to women and minorities.

The Academy also makes periodic rule changes as needed to keep the Academy Awards relevant to what’s going on in the world of film and the world at large. Changes might be made to category rules that affect eligibility for awards consideration, and occasionally, new categories are added, such as when the Academy added a category for animated films in 2002. Categories may also be renamed to keep current with technological advances. The Academy makes concerted efforts to avoid controversy with the changes it makes.

The Academy also operates theaters used to screen films that will be eligible to be considered for Academy Awards. The Academy’s flagship theater is the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, located in Beverly Hills. This theater has 1,012 seats, and it’s used for film screenings as well as the annual announcement of Academy Awards nominees. The Academy also hosts screenings, lectures, and forums at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood.

film screening