The present incarnation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has received a ringing endorsement from its members, according to the results of an annual member survey shared by the Academy with its members on Tuesday, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Eighty-seven percent of members have a positive feeling about the Academy and 84 percent of members gave the most recent Oscars telecast a positive rating, levels of approval never before attained in the history of the survey (which was previously conducted in 2020, 2022 and 2023, and which was conducted this year in the immediate aftermath of the Oscars).
To some degree, these results may be reflective of a period of relative calm for the Academy after years of drama — from #OscarsSoWhite to Envelopegate to “The Slap Heard Round the World,” not to mention a global pandemic and an industry-wide strike.
But beyond the general “feelings” questions, the data suggests that members are also satisfied with the specific operations and mission of the Academy.
For instance, members seem aligned with the Academy’s recent push to support the theatrical experience by tying best picture Oscar eligibility to screening in an increased number of locales (89 percent say the theatrical experience is important to them) — while also being pleased that they can watch Oscar contenders in the comfort of their home (94 percent say they utilize the Academy’s members-only streaming service, the Academy Screening Room).
One can also reasonably deduce that members are on-board with the Academy’s requirement that films meet at least two of the four requirements of the organization’s Representation and Inclusion Standards in order to be eligible for the best picture Oscar — a policy that was announced in 2020 but was first enforced last Oscar season — based on the fact that 86 percent of members say it is important for the Academy to lead on representation, inclusion and equity in the industry.
Furthermore, members seem to appreciate the Academy’s efforts at increased member outreach. 79 percent say they like being connected with the organization via its relatively new weekly Academy Member Bulletin. And one of the most frequent “notes” received from members was a desire for “more events outside of Los Angeles — including global events.” (Perhaps it is not a coincidence that Academy CEO Bill Kramer, Academy president Janet Yang and Academy Museum of Motion Pictures director and president Jacqueline Stewart are all headed to Rome and Cannes in a few days to mingle with members.)
While it’s a very strong report card for the organization, it’s not a perfect one. Many members indicated that they would like a better shot at gaining access to tickets to the Oscars and Academy Governors Awards — something that may prove tricky to accommodate given the capacities of the venues at which they take place and the massive demand for tickets to them from people associated with nominees and/or honorees). And many expressed a desire for films to be made available to them on the Academy Screening Room service throughout the year — something that is beyond the control of the Academy, since distributors must pay to have their films on the platform, and generally wish to have them on it in the last quarter of the year so that they will be fresh in the minds of members when they cast their ballots.
But overall, for an organization that has taken plenty of incoming fire in recent years, it’s welcome news.
