“The Hollywood Reporter: An Insider’s Look” was the last panel of the 2013 Savannah Film Festival. Held at the SCAD Museum of Art, the panel featured three personnel from “The Hollywood Reporter” — Stephen Galloway, the executive editor of features, Scott Feinberg, the awards analyst, and Tim Appelo, a film reporter.
They shared their insight into the Oscars and got into the dirty side of the business. With an election as their model, they covered everything from mudslinging to the film festival “primaries,” and all of the little things that may affect a film or actor’s chance of winning.
“All of these political elements play a very big role,” said Galloway. “There are strategies to win.”
The factors that come into play, such as the release date and similarity of contenders, can change the outcome. If a company releases a movie early in the year — February or March — then there is a chance that it could lose its luster and novelty.
According to Galloway, “Three or four months down the road, you might forget that initial burst of love.”
With so many great movies in the running for the Academy Awards, things can turn political. The panel hit on a few ways people try to get on top.
Feinberg mentioned that certain actors will campaign for supporting actor instead of going for an award for best actor if they don’t think there is a good chance they will win. Galloway added that why someone would be nominated for a supporting part when they are in every shot is questionable, but the intentional outcome is clear: a big win.
One of the problems the panel focused on was what’s happening with foreign films. In each country, only one film is selected to be in the running for an Oscar. Galloway shared these rules, pointing out how outrageous they are. Appelo agreed.
“The politics of each government are awful; often the best of the films aren’t even submitted,” the film reporter said.
The panel also shared their thoughts on the possible nominations for best picture and best actor and actress at this year’s awards, but they were not as interested with that as the behind the scenes voting.
“The voting system will affect the winner,” said Galloway. He pointed out the lack of minorities and also the bias people have to vote for those with the same career. Feinberg and Galloway got into how unfair it is, saying that individuals vote based on actors’ entire careers, instead of focusing on their acting in the single film that they are nominated for.
Galloway posed the question of right or wrong to which Feinberg replied, ““It doesn’t matter, that’s the way it is.”