11
Jul
If you follow this blog, you already know that I’m obsessed with the Oscars. To many people, the Oscars is a night that out-of-touch Hollywood celebrities celebrate themselves and the rest of us aren’t sure why we’re supposed to care. To me, Oscars night is one of the most exciting nights of the year. Let me tell you why.
I’ve always been a passionate movie fan! For as long as I can remember I’ve loved to watch movies. When I was a kid we didn’t get much movie time, so we would relish watching classic Disney movies, Winnie the Pooh, or the Tales of Peter Rabbit. I remember when The Chronicles of Narnia movie came out, and as someone who was already obsessed with the book, I became even more obsessed with the movie. My siblings and I watched it countless times and acted out so many scenes. But what I loved even more than watching the film, was watching the behind the scenes. Getting a sneak peek into the filmmaking process intrigued me. As the DVD era continued, I devoured any behind the scenes content I could for any movie. When I got my first point and shoot digital camera with a video setting, everything changed. I forced my siblings to be in my films, and with a little help from iMovie, we created so many ridiculous and frankly bad videos, but I absolutely loved the process. In high school, I went to photo and video camp where I got to use a professional grade video camera and editing software. Video camp convinced me that I should study film production in college.
After college, I got a job in corporate video production, which really caused my love of film to flourish even more. I love what I do, but corporate video can be dry and lack creativity. This is when my interest in the Oscars went from mild to fanatic. I began to read The Hollywood Reporter with whatever spare time I could find. As I read film updates for multiple years in a row, I saw when a movie got greenlit (approved for production), when the cast got attached, when filming started, and finally when the film premiered. I began to see the entire film cycle, and began to realize the number of years and all the work that went into each film. Upon this realization, Oscars night became far more interesting and exciting. I also began to learn how a film gets nominated and eventually wins an Oscar. Before I knew it, I had studied for months in advance of the Oscars and started to create Oscar winner prediction lists.
The Oscars is probably something most Americans find unimportant. It does seem odd that someone would be given a gold statue for performing well at their job. I mean, no one is handing out awards to me for doing my job. But to me, the Oscars represent artistry, creativity, and recognition.
Let’s say you’re a grocery store clerk. Imagine that once a year there is a ceremony for all grocery store employees in the United States. And imagine that to win clerk of the year, the other grocery store employees throughout the country had to vote for you to win. Now imagine that somehow you were nominated to win because you treat every person with kindness. But there are 9 other clerks who have performed so well throughout the year. You’re honestly moved by the way you’ve seen them care for their customers and for other clerks in their store. You can’t believe that you were nominated alongside these other clerks. The way they performed this year is the most incredible you’ve ever seen. But now imagine that you hear your name called, you’ve won clerk of the year. You’re stunned. You walk up to receive your award, and as you turn around, you see the entire audience (all the best grocery store employees in the country) standing on their feet applauding your work. This win means the world to you. It’s a confirmation that what you’ve been doing every single day is outstanding! It also means that you can have any grocery store clerk job in the country and you’re likely to get paid more than you’ve ever been paid before.
Winning an Oscar isn’t just a gold statue. It’s the best filmmakers recognizing you, your craft, and your contribution as the best of all movies for the entire year! It means being able to work with other talented filmmakers in the future. It means getting paid more, and it means all the hard work you’ve put in over the years was enough.
There is such beauty in watching someone (famous actor, or never seen before documentarian) win this kind of award. I find so much joy in their joy! I’m moved by their stunned expressions and their emotional speeches. I don’t view them as idols. I don’t try to become like them. I simply celebrate with them.
In the same way that someone who plays a sport can appreciate the finesse that a professional athlete has, I can appreciate the incredible work of filmmakers big and small, and Oscars night gives those filmmakers an opportunity to be celebrated by their peers.\