Oscar Winners Speak Out on Live-Telecast Category Cuts: ‘I Hope This Is the Last Year’
variety.comGreig Fraser and editor Joe Walker were among those who spoke out about the Academy’s decision to cut eight categories from the live telecast at Sunday’s Oscars.Earlier this week, dozens of sound designers, engineers and mixers signed a petition challenging the move to award the sound Oscar during its pre-telecast hour on Sunday.
As threatened, guild members wore their badges upside down as a form of silent protest.In the press room after winning the cinematography Oscar, Fraser, whose category was shown in main part of the show, said, “Everybody in this crowd realizes why this happens, we understand the economics.
I just want my particular collaborators, the production design, editing, makeup and hair people to be equally rewarded for their jobs.” Walker, who won for editing “Dune,” said, “I feel strongly that that was a disservice to our eight categories that were not televised live.
The original statue of the Oscar has five reels — five circles that represent the five branches of the Academy as it started and they are equal size and strength.”But few winners wanted to break the celebratory mood by complaining too much.
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