The security for the Oscars is in MY hands

[The Queen]

Don't know if I've mentioned this, but I'm working the Oscars tonight -- I'm a scopist (editor) and providing tech support for the team of reporters that take down and transcribe the press interviews with the winners immediately after they win.

Greg thought you all might be amused by the text of a card I was given when they issued me my security badge:

"ATTENTION: - READ IN FULL BEFORE PUTTING ON BADGE:

This credential permits acess to one or more aspects of the 78th annual Academy Awards. It has been issued to you as a key member of the staff for the event. It caries with it significant responsibilities.

This badge in the wrong hands may subject Awards attendees and show persoannel to serious harm. It has he potential to render the enitre Awards security effort useless, and to allow an individual with hostile intent to do immeasurable damage.

Protect your badge from loss or theft. Know where it is at all times. Do not leave it where it is visible and unattended (on a car seat, e.g.) and do not wear it in off-duty situations where it may attract attention.

If your badge disappears under any circumstances, notify the Security Office immediately.

You have been issued a security badge. Your first obligation is to keep the badge itself secure."

[Drunk Monk]

Did you make any more Gwyneths cry?

[The Queen]

No great stories this year; just me editing my poor little fingers to the bone. Barely even got to drool over George Clooney along with the rest of the press.

HK: Steve Box and Nick Park were very sweet. Nick said that he was just very grateful that Pixar hadn't made anything this year or he doubted the results would have been the same.

[Haggis Killer]

Since you asked (you DID ask, didn't you?) I'd love to know the full text of John Canemaker's acceptance speech for Animated Short film.....

[Haggis Killer]

...Nick Park is always extremely nice. Sheesh. He should get a medal. Not to mention, he's 4 for 5 in Oscar nominations. And, the only loss he has is to himself, the year two of his films were nominated in the same Animated Shorts category. He's Oscar gold.

[The Queen]

Since you asked (you DID ask, didn't you?) I'd love to know the full text of John Canemaker's acceptance speech for Animated Short film.....

Unfortunately, that wasn't one of mine and I was busy editing something else when John and Peggy Stern came back, so I don't remember the Q and A. Let me see if I can get a copy of the transcript for you. (They're apparently not posting them on oscar.com or oscars.org anymore, just making them available to the press via an email distribution list.)

[The Queen]

It was unfortunately pretty short; very few questions -- no wonder I missed it! Here you go:


CATEGORY: ANIMATED SHORT
INTERVIEW WITH: JOHN CANEMAKER AND PEGGY STERN
FILM: THE MOON AND THE SON: AN IMAGINED CONVERSATION

Q. Congratulations. You didn't think you would make it in here.
A. We didn't think we would make it period.

Q. Congratulations.
A. Thank you.

Q. You're a noted historian and teacher and filmmaker, yet this film is more of a documentary, as was last year's winner, Ryan. What is your perspective of that as a historian now? Are you starting a trend? Is this something that may be continuing? What impact do you think this has?
A. I think it's pointing towards the future in which independent visions are going to become more and more prominent as technology is more available to a wider selection of artists. You're going to see more personal stories, sort of a niche kind of, you know, type of filmmaking done, and I think it's going to bode well for the future of animation.

Q. Are you going to be speed up the process now on going onto your next film? You said you were going to take a hiatus?
A. I think we would like to do another film. I'm not sure what it would be, but perhaps another personal story. John and I have working using documentary and animation before so it's really wonderful to see a film like this get recognition because I think more and more people want to use animation in different ways.

Q. Congratulations.
A. Thank you.

Q. I'm wondering if you're finding -- with so many cable channels, with Cartoon Network and so many outlets now that are looking for programming, that your film is being seen more than animated shorts were seen in the past?
A. Definitely. I mean, we had -- especially getting the nomination. I mean, the nomination opens up doors even without winning. It's really exciting. Like Magnolia Films, who really are working to get short films, both the dramatic and the animation has been in theaters all over the country for the past two weeks thanks to Magnolia doing distributions. So I think that's just a lot more opportunities. And iTunes is launching the films that way. So it's incredible what we can hope to see more of in the future.

[Haggis Killer]

You rock! Thanks!!

[Drunk Monk]

I just want to see how you'd write that out...

[The Queen]

Sorry, but we didn't do anything that occurred on stage; only back stage. Only the winners come back stage, not the presenters. Nor the host, alas. Would have loved to meet Jon Stewart.

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

Greg wins.

The boss's boss came in, John Myhre, and let us play with his Oscar. No, that's not a Hollywood euphemism. He won for Geisha and thought the crew would like to see his award. Very Heavy. He didn't seem very concerned about the statuette. At one point, he left it on a pile of lumber and walked off.