“And the Oscar goes to…”

Like millions of people around the world, Film and Media Arts Assistant Professor Mark Rosenthal will be awaiting to hear the end of that sentence Feb. 26 during the Academy Awards broadcast. But unlike a majority of the viewers, he’ll know which nominees have received at least one vote in each category.

He voted for them.

Rosenthal, the only member of the Academy at the School of Communications and Theater, is a screenwriter, with films such as Mona Lisa Smile, Superman IV, Star Trek VI and Planet of the Apes (2001) on his resume.

One of 5,783 voters this year, Rosenthal filled out his ballot during a Super Bowl party this year, fielding commentary from this friends and family before making his decisions. His son hounded him to select Tree of Life as Best Picture, “and then somebody said ‘you’re going to waste your vote.’” Instead, Rosenthal voted for Hugo and will be surprised if neither the Martin Scorsese film nor the silent film The Artist take the top prize.

Oscar voting happens in two phases. In the first round, Academy voters are asked to pick nominees from the list of every film that was released theatrically (there were 265 feature films in 2011). Voters are only able to select nominees for Best Picture and for their area of expertise, meaning Rosenthal also voted for Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay nominees. The second round occurs after the nominations are announced and all voters select their winners in every category.

Assistant Professor Mark Rosenthal, FMA

In both rounds, voters don’t just pick their favorites – they are asked to rank their selections, “so it’s not a winner take all,” he says.

The Academy’s rules for eligibility are quite specific. According to a news release, “Under Academy rules, a feature-length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes and must have been exhibited theatrically on 35mm or 70mm film, or in a qualifying digital format. Feature films that receive their first public exhibition or distribution in any manner other than as a theatrical motion picture release are not eligible for Academy Awards in any category.”

However, Rosenthal believes that the theatrical release requirement’s end is nearing, as younger viewers consume films outside of the movie theater more and more.

“SCT majors today are probably the last generation with any connection to a movie theater as a sacred place,” he says.

The young movie lovers are more likely to stream films on their laptops or iPads, he says. But a majority of Academy voters watch the nominees at home, too. Studios send out what they call “screeners,” to voters to ensure their nominees are seen by as many voters as possible. “Some of these films only play for a couple of weeks in one theater. Given my schedule, I probably wouldn’t have gone to see them.”

When selecting the screenwriting awards, Rosenthal says he votes for movies he thinks are harder to write. For example, he says he’ll be floored in Bridesmaids wins anything. While he appreciated the humor, “that ain’t writing; it’s sketch comedy.”