Oscar voters loosen rules on producer credit

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-06-14 08:14

LOS ANGELES - The group that presents the Academy Awards unveiled on Wednesday a small revision in the rules for voting on best picture that could bring big changes in giving credit to producers involved in a movie.

The rule change allows for more than the standard three producers to qualify for Oscar recognition and is significant because in recent years the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science's restriction on producer credits has sparked lawsuits.

The Academy's rule still limits the credits of best film nominees on most occasions to "three or fewer producers" but makes room to add more names in "a rare and extraordinary circumstance" to be decided by the committee that governs Oscar rule-making.

Academy voters "believe strongly that it's very important to have a limit on the number of producers who can be nominated and potentially receive an Oscar," Academy President Sid Ganis said in a statement. "But we also recognize that a truly unique situation could arise, and we want to have just enough flexibility to allow for that rare occurrence."

In recent years as film financing has become more difficult and complicated, numerous producers are being given credit for making a single film despite the fact some may not have had any role other than raising money.

The Academy limited the number of credited producers to three to help clarify just exactly who was responsible for the nuts-and-bolts process that brings a movie together.

But controversy has arisen because producers want the prestige that comes with winning the world's highest film honors. Most recently, the producers of 2005 Oscar winner "Crash" have battled over the credits on their film.

Other changes unveiled on Wednesday included a narrowed definition for films qualifying as animated features, requiring them to be at least 70 minutes long and use animation in no less than 75 percent of the running time.

Another rule change expanded the number of people who could be nominated in the art direction category.