New Oscar Rules Announced for Songs and Music Scores

Last year Oscars campaigners were barred from sending CDs to voters. The academy wanted members of the music branch to judge scores in the context of viewing the full films and to evaluate songs during separate “bake-off" viewing sessions conducted over one day in Los Angeles and New York during which voters were shown a marathon of clips of the songs as they were featured in movies. Branch members were not permitted to vote for the nominees of best song unless they attended the bake-off screenings that were first introduced in 2004.

Attendance at the bake-off screenings reportedly was low, so now more members may participate at home by watching DVDs of the film clips that will be sent directly by the academy to members who can't attend the bake-offs.

Under the new rules, Oscars campaigners may now send CDs of the songs to the full membership after nominees are determined. They may send CDs of music scores during and after the nomination phase.

Regarding the music-score CDs, the academy announcement of the new rules notes that “each music track must be titled, include the name of the composer(s) and be identical to the music used in the finished film. The CD may contain only music written by the eligible composer(s). Music written by other composers, licensed music or music that is otherwise ineligible for award consideration is not permitted."

The latest changes in the rules governing music follow others announced in June that restrict the number of songs that may be nominated from one film to two.