Go on, take a guess where most of this hardware is going to go.
Sound Editing and Sound Mixing go hand in hand (except for last year, for some reason) and both categories are nearly identical this year. Both include Avatar, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, and Star Trek. Up is up for Sound Editing and Transformers 2 is up for Sound Mixing. These awards usually go to noisy action films or animated movies where all the effects have to be produced or edited in-studio. While there's a chance that The Hurt Locker will take one or both of the sound Oscars, I think that they'll both go to Avatar. All of Avatar's achievements are technical achievements, and I expect the Academy to recognize that.
Visual effects? Seriously? Do I even need to mention that Avatar is up against District 9 and Star Trek? This one is going straight to the blue monkey-cats.
Editing is a different story. The nominees are Avatar, The Hurt Locker, District 9, Inglourious Basterds, and Precious. The Hurt Locker was one of the most suspenseful films of the year, due in no small part to some intense editing. Best Editing may get caught in an Avatar technical sweep and District 9 may upset, but I think The Hurt Locker is the strongest contender here.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Best Supporting Actress
Let's jump right in to the big awards.
This one's pretty simple, really. The nominees are Penelope Cruz in Nine, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick in Up In the Air, Maggie Gyllenhaal in Crazy Heart, and Mo'Nique in Precious.
Here's how it will go down: Cruz got the sole acting nomination in a film that banked on its on-screen talent and lost - critics hated it and audiences didn't show. Farmiga and Kendrick will likely cancel each other out. Gyllenhaal is the surprise nominee here for a movie that's really all about Jeff Bridges. Then there's Mo'Nique - a comedian known for loud, broad slapstick (Soul Plane, TV's Moesha) who nailed a powerful dramatic role. She shocked audiences enough to win every major award this year so far and is a clear favorite for the Oscar.
Jim Carey is probably crying himself to sleep these days.
Traditionally, we look for a lead actress who has supporting screen time to win here. Someone like Meryl Streep in Kramer Vs. Kramer or Marissa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny, or Marcia Gay Harden in Pollock (I could go on). If that were the case, it would probably be Anna Kendrick's year, but Mo'Nique's story, the surprising depth of her performance, and her ability to give a good acceptance speech will likely get her to the podium on Oscar night.
This one's pretty simple, really. The nominees are Penelope Cruz in Nine, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick in Up In the Air, Maggie Gyllenhaal in Crazy Heart, and Mo'Nique in Precious.
Here's how it will go down: Cruz got the sole acting nomination in a film that banked on its on-screen talent and lost - critics hated it and audiences didn't show. Farmiga and Kendrick will likely cancel each other out. Gyllenhaal is the surprise nominee here for a movie that's really all about Jeff Bridges. Then there's Mo'Nique - a comedian known for loud, broad slapstick (Soul Plane, TV's Moesha) who nailed a powerful dramatic role. She shocked audiences enough to win every major award this year so far and is a clear favorite for the Oscar.
Jim Carey is probably crying himself to sleep these days.
Traditionally, we look for a lead actress who has supporting screen time to win here. Someone like Meryl Streep in Kramer Vs. Kramer or Marissa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny, or Marcia Gay Harden in Pollock (I could go on). If that were the case, it would probably be Anna Kendrick's year, but Mo'Nique's story, the surprising depth of her performance, and her ability to give a good acceptance speech will likely get her to the podium on Oscar night.
Doug's Big Oscar Quiz - Part 1
Guess what, everyone! Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak made an appearance in Los Angeles early yesterday morning and saw his shadow. You know what that means - five weeks of Oscar season!
It's going to be a great year for Oscar! We have the second-ever Best Picture nomination for an animated film (Up), the fourth woman ever nominated for Best Director (Kathryn Bigelow), plus, she's up against her ex-husband, James Cameron (a first at the awards). Ten Best Picture nominees and a good showing for sci-fi and action movies should make things especially exciting.
I have some catching up to do, but I thought I'd start things off with an Oscar Quiz. Answers will be posted later in the week.
Match the Best-Picture winning film with its poster tagline:
1. What does it take to find a lost love? A. Money B. Luck C. Smarts D. Destiny
2. Two great lovers of the screen in the grandest of romantic comedies!
3. They will sacrifice anything to achieve their goals...Except their honor.
4. The eye of the enemy is moving.
5. Beyond his silence, there is a past. Beyond her dreams, there is a feeling. Beyond hope, there is a memory. Beyond their journey, there is a love.
a. Chariots of Fire
b. Million Dollar Baby
c. Slumdog Millionaire
d. It Happened One Night
e. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
It's going to be a great year for Oscar! We have the second-ever Best Picture nomination for an animated film (Up), the fourth woman ever nominated for Best Director (Kathryn Bigelow), plus, she's up against her ex-husband, James Cameron (a first at the awards). Ten Best Picture nominees and a good showing for sci-fi and action movies should make things especially exciting.
I have some catching up to do, but I thought I'd start things off with an Oscar Quiz. Answers will be posted later in the week.
Match the Best-Picture winning film with its poster tagline:
1. What does it take to find a lost love? A. Money B. Luck C. Smarts D. Destiny
2. Two great lovers of the screen in the grandest of romantic comedies!
3. They will sacrifice anything to achieve their goals...Except their honor.
4. The eye of the enemy is moving.
5. Beyond his silence, there is a past. Beyond her dreams, there is a feeling. Beyond hope, there is a memory. Beyond their journey, there is a love.
a. Chariots of Fire
b. Million Dollar Baby
c. Slumdog Millionaire
d. It Happened One Night
e. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
Monday, January 25, 2010
Slow Going
I've been working on a new piece for the past week or two and it's really coming along very slowly. I actually came up with the opening melody rather quickly, but everything that follows has been a challenge. The main concern is that it has an Adagio tempo, so keeping things moving and interesting is a primary concern. Also, giving the music momentum, a proper structure, and a forward-moving direction has been a real challenge. This one is in sort of an Irish style - a stylistic homage to Percy Grainger, whose music I've admired since my days in High School band.
As I told someone recently, though, a major part of my creative process is to sit back and listen to what I've done and let my imagination dictate what comes next. I just seem to be spending a lot more time than usual sitting back. There are a bunch of false starts, dead-ends, and good material that I can't seem to fit into the context of the whole piece.
The whole process has been a little disheartening, but I buckled down this past weekend and made some firm decisions. Now I'm about ready to tie things up in a coda, put on some finishing touches, and call it done, so I can move on to the next new piece.
As I told someone recently, though, a major part of my creative process is to sit back and listen to what I've done and let my imagination dictate what comes next. I just seem to be spending a lot more time than usual sitting back. There are a bunch of false starts, dead-ends, and good material that I can't seem to fit into the context of the whole piece.
The whole process has been a little disheartening, but I buckled down this past weekend and made some firm decisions. Now I'm about ready to tie things up in a coda, put on some finishing touches, and call it done, so I can move on to the next new piece.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Bingo!
So remember that spreadsheet that I keep with all the new music I write for the year? The one that helps me organize new pieces by difficulty level and tonality?
No? Then check this out. Or this one.
Anyhoo, just before Christmas, I finished the board, filling up every square! I now have music for beginners, intermediate level, and advanced students in major keys, minor keys, and "novelty" selections. That means that I've completed my self-imposed quota for the year and I still have about four months before I send anything off to publishers! Plus, I've been working ahead for a while which means I have extras handy. I also have previously-passed-over music that I can re-submit, so there's no lack of selection when it comes time to send music to publishers in the Spring.
Also, I found time recently to do some revisions on my opera. I adjusted the vocal lines a little bit, made the choruses a little easier to sing, completely re-worked the wind parts in the final scene, and reduced the whole thing into a piano-4-hands version that will be easier to perform while still sounding like the full orchestral score.
No? Then check this out. Or this one.
Anyhoo, just before Christmas, I finished the board, filling up every square! I now have music for beginners, intermediate level, and advanced students in major keys, minor keys, and "novelty" selections. That means that I've completed my self-imposed quota for the year and I still have about four months before I send anything off to publishers! Plus, I've been working ahead for a while which means I have extras handy. I also have previously-passed-over music that I can re-submit, so there's no lack of selection when it comes time to send music to publishers in the Spring.
Also, I found time recently to do some revisions on my opera. I adjusted the vocal lines a little bit, made the choruses a little easier to sing, completely re-worked the wind parts in the final scene, and reduced the whole thing into a piano-4-hands version that will be easier to perform while still sounding like the full orchestral score.
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