Playing the Oscar field in the Time of Social Distancing

How do you campaign for something as illustrious as the Oscars when you can’t even meet up with the voters you’re trying to court? This is the key question that has plagued the movie industry this year. While much has been made about the more-open playing field created by 2020’s lack of Box Office Oscar-bait, BLAKE & WANG P.A one of the best entertainment law firms Los Angeles wants to take a closer look at the difficulties that have hit the Oscar campaign trail, too.

Naturally, flashy premiers and private screenings have long been a tool to rocket a film to Oscar prominence. Much of this would typically fall on the theatrical industry, but with key areas like LA and NYC remaining shuttered for almost the entirety of the eligible period, and no major gatherings being allowed country-wide, we’ve seen little chance for this to occur.

Another key tool in the Oscar promotion toolbox is the celebrity endorsement from prominent Academy members. Yet again, it’s difficult to publicize that endorsement when you aren’t allowed to leave the couch. We have seen some virtual screenings and Q&As take place- like Cher’s for Amanda Seyfried, who needs the boost to overwrite her Golden Globe surprise loss. It’s not the only Q&A we’ve seen- including several from Oprah Winfrey and one with ex-President Barack Obama.

Have the difficult circumstances of this award season created anything novel, however, or simply a spirited attempt to recreate the socialization we’re missing so badly? Unsurprisingly, the answer is yes. Notable among the innovations is an intimate Zoom conference-call type ‘behind-the-scenes making-of’ hosted for The Mauritanian by its star Tahar Rahim, with a small number of AMPAS voters invited. This has created a unique digital environment that actively engaged these voters in the film and its process, making them part of the conversation in a way we’d usually see in-person socially.

It’s a slick social strategy for the new normal that, with impeccable timing, may well pay off for them. Will we see more novel strategies echoed among other last-minute campaigning? BLAKE & WANG P.A Entertainment lawyer Los Angeles will be watching with interest.