Oscars 2021: 'In-person telecast' to happen as Academy denies Zoom premiere

Next year looking at the scenario of the ongoing pandemic, the Academy has decided to conduct the Oscar awards in person rather than virtual. A representative from the academy and ABC told Variety that next year the Oscar in-person telecast will happen in Los Angeles.

No Virtual Oscars 2021

This year, the Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences moved their annual telecast back two months to April 25, 2021, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sources inside the Oscars revealed that by pushing the awards ceremony back, the Academy hoped that theaters would be open again in the spring, thus allowing for more movies to compete in the annual celebration of the year’s best films.

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According to the International media, even if the movie theaters remain closed, by holding the Oscars later in spring, organizers are still focusing to make sure that the event continues as it always has live. There might be some who are thinking about the possibility of infusing a large crowd inside the 3,400-seating arrangement inside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where the ceremony traditionally takes place.

It’s not clear what safety protocols will be introduced for the ceremony. A representative from the Dolby Theatre declined to comment. Since the March lockdowns, the COVID-19 pandemic has crippled the film industry, with movie theaters closed and production halted. In response, the Academy extended the eligibility timeline from Dec. 31 to Feb. 28, 2021, in addition to having films that premiere on streaming platforms qualify for submission. The Emmys ceremony in September was a hybrid event that had some in-person elements with host Jimmy Kimmel and most nominees watching the show from home over Zoom. 

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