New Best Original Score Oscar eligibility rules!

[TheUlyssesian 2,478]

And I quote - 

 

Quote

In the Music (Original Score) category, for a score to be eligible, it must comprise a minimum of 60% original music.  Additionally, for sequels and franchise films, a score must have a minimum of 80% new music.

 

Is this a veiled ding towards Williams? Because I don't know what other sequel scores have gotten nominations off late.

 

Does this mean all 3 - Force Awakens, Last Jedi and Skywalker would have been disqualified under this new eligibility rule?

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Even assuming that the sequel trilogy films wouldn't have passed this rule (which I'm not sure about), I don't know if it's a dig at Williams.  In fact it might be a sign of their respect for him.  Maybe they purposefully waited until TROS was released to put the rule in place.

[Jay 37,369]

According to that spreadsheet for TROS, it still would have qualified under these new rules anyway 

 

On 1/15/2020 at 1:42 PM, Jay said:

Total Music in Film 2:03:56                

Total Thematic Material from Eps. 4, 5, 6     10:31

Total Thematic Material from Ep. 7     6:00            

Total Cues from Previous Episodes       6:08          

Total Source       1:20          

Total Original Music (80.55%)   1:39:50      

 

Granted that wasn't the final cut, but it seems like they might have been trying to stay above 80% anyway 

[TheUlyssesian 2,478]

That's pretty borderline right? I think it is within human error of calculation and measurement and the academy intern or the Disney intern that does the measurement could definitely arrive at a number less than 80%.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

He was borderline for a while. Then he crossed the border.

[Arpy 4,145]

Well, no nomination for Indy V!

[Fabulin 3,514]

.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

If an item does not appear on our records... it does not exist!

[crumbs 14,317]

4 hours ago, Jay said:

Granted that wasn't the final cut, but it seems like they might have been trying to stay above 80% anyway 

 

They definitely used some creative accounting to reach the 80% threshold. No existing music was listed during this 13:37 stretch of music in reel 7:

 

 

Unless most of those cues weren't recorded until after the Nov 11 cut (it does appear 7M38 was recorded on the final day of the sessions). But there's fragments of the Rey/Emperor/Luke/Force/Resistance themes all over these cues (I guess the transformed Ben Solo theme isn't counted as existing music).

 

On the rule change though, I thought the existing threshold was 80% anyway. Is the noteworthy change here making the threshold 60% for original scores? Why is there a different threshold for films outside a franchise? Are they trying to help composers adapting existing music into their scores and passing it off as original score, for non-franchise films? 40% seems like an absurdly generous amount of existing music to allow a composer to have and still be eligible.

 

I'm REALLY struggling to understand the logic here.

[TSMefford 1,509]

40 minutes ago, crumbs said:

On the rule change though, I thought the existing threshold was 80% anyway. Is the noteworthy change here making the threshold 60% for original scores? Why is there a different threshold for films outside a franchise? Who are they trying to help here, composers who are reusing cues from other scores and passing them off as original score in a new franchise? "Original" scores can get nominated in spite of lifting 40% of music from existing works, so long as they aren't part of an existing franchise?

 

I'm REALLY struggling to understand the logic here.

 

Good point. Maybe it refers to the overall music for the film? Including the soundtrack? For example a film that is mostly pre-existing music with only a couple of original score cues wouldn't be eligible? 

 

Otherwise, I am also at a loss.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,547]

It's always puzzled me that THE GODFATHER was ineligible for an Oscar, but that THE GODFATHER PT. II was not.

[TheUlyssesian 2,478]

Godfather had 3 main themes, one of which was self-plagiarized - note for note.

 

Godfather 2 also has 3 new themes and mainly depends upon them during the score. The new main theme has just an enormous impact in the film that it essentially carries the score.

[Thor 7,513]

So is this stricter or looser than what it was before?

[1977 1,743]

19 hours ago, TheUlyssesian said:

And I quote - 

 

In the Music (Original Score) category, for a score to be eligible, it must comprise a minimum of 60% original music.  Additionally, for sequels and franchise films, a score must have a minimum of 80% new music.

 

What about all the hundreds of RC crap scores that sound exactly the same - how is that original??

[Jay 37,369]

Those don't get nominated for Academy Awards anyway

[1977 1,743]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

Those don't get nominated for Academy Awards anyway

 

But if they did... *cough* Dunkirk *cough*

 

My point is their "rules" are arbitrary and stupid.

 

A non-sequel can be only 60% original but a sequel has to be at least 80%? Shouldn't an original be 100% original?? 

 

They should make scores shorter than 30 minutes, as well as scores that mimic sound design, ineligible.

[TheUlyssesian 2,478]

13 hours ago, Thor said:

So is this stricter or looser than what it was before?

 

It is more specific. I think the earlier standard was substantially original.

 

Like for example I think - Babel might not have had 60% original music if I am not mistaken. Even Philips Glass Hours - I think he re-used existing pieces. I dunno if he created 60% new material.

[artguy360 1,843]

Didn't JW get a special exception for TROS nomination? I seem to recall some report about that.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

Do the pre existing songs count In the 60% computation?

[TheUlyssesian 2,478]

1 hour ago, Luke Skywalker said:

Do the pre existing songs count In the 60% computation?

 

That's a separate rule. 

 

Quote

 

E. A score shall not be eligible if:

1. it has been diluted by the use of pre-existing music, or

2. it has been diminished in impact by the predominant use of songs or any music not composed specifically for the film by the submitting composer, or

3. it has been assembled from the music of more than one composer

 

 

So if a movie has a lot of songs, it will be disqualified. Say like The Irishman.

[Fabulin 3,514]

Are there any statistics how many people voted for certain scores in various years?

[1977 1,743]

51 minutes ago, TheUlyssesian said:

E. A score shall not be eligible if:

1. it has been diluted by the use of pre-existing music, or

2. it has been diminished in impact by the predominant use of songs or any music not composed specifically for the film by the submitting composer, or

 

That's very subjective and vague, why no percentages given here? So songs are okay as long as they are not predominant or dilute the score. What?? What is the dilution ratio? 1:3? 1:5? 1:9?

 

Quote

3. it has been assembled from the music of more than one composer

 

So multi-composer scores are not permitted? But where are the percentages? Did Hans write all of Dunkirk by himself?

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

The Joker had a lot of songs...specially in pivotal scenes...

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

6 minutes ago, Luke Skywalker said:

The Joker had a lot of songs...specially in pivotal scenes...

 

Partyman

[TheUlyssesian 2,478]

9 hours ago, JTWfan77 said:

 

That's very subjective and vague, why no percentages given here? So songs are okay as long as they are not predominant or dilute the score. What?? What is the dilution ratio? 1:3? 1:5? 1:9?

 

 

So multi-composer scores are not permitted? But where are the percentages? Did Hans write all of Dunkirk by himself?

 

I think that's why Hans get sole credits on his movies even though he co-composes all of his music. Because otherwise all awards bodies would disqualify him.

[1977 1,743]

That's cheating!

[Edmilson 7,466]

9 hours ago, JTWfan77 said:

Did Hans write all of Dunkirk by himself?

 

He had a little help from an up and coming young composer called Edward Elgar.

[TheUlyssesian 2,478]

He's always been a cheater! Even in his domestic life.

[Thor 7,513]

1 hour ago, Edmilson said:

 

He had a little help from an up and coming young composer called Edward Elgar.

 

That bit was actually arranged by Benjamin Wallfisch, and it's a glorious one -- proving that Elgar is really just Vangelis in disguise!

[Jurassic Shark 12,080]

Elgar's original is of course great, the Dunkirk stuff is outright embarrassing.

[Thor 7,513]

Nah, it's genius! In the film, at least. I have no interest of owning it on album.

[King Mark 3,631]

60% only? Seems like a high probably it could get nominated because of other people's tracked music

[Bespin 8,484]

How do you calculate that? IT'S RIDICULOUS.