Of all the categories that could be put on the commercial-break back burner, you would think the Academy would have the decency to air the winner of the Cinematography award, an important part of the visual creative process, maybe only second to the director, and a technical aspect of film which has become more popular in recent years due to the emergence into the mainstream of such stalwarts as Emmanuel Lubezski and Roger Deakins. Blasphemy.
I tackled the idiocy of this decision yesterday. And, of course, backlash occurred over the Academy’s dim-witted decision.
If I may: I would not presume to suggest what categories to cut during the Oscars show but – Cinematography and Editing are at the very heart of our craft. They are not inherited from a theatrical tradition or a literary tradition: they are cinema itself. - Guillermo del Toro
Award-winning director and cinematographer Reed Morano posted on Instagram, saying “WHEN RATINGS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE THING YOU’RE CELEBRATING. OF COURSE THE REVENUE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE ART! (THAT MAKES THE REVENUE) SO THE EASIEST THING TO DO IS JUST FOLD INTO LINE INSTEAD OF STANDING UP FOR THE ART YOU YOURSELF CREATE. JUST ANOTHER DAY IN HOLLYWOOD, FOLKS. ????????????????????????” This is the one time all caps might be merited.
Filmmaker Scott Derrickson quote tweeted The Hollywood Reporter’s announcement of the news with, “Now I have four more reasons to never watch the Oscars.”