10 · 10 · 08

Jon Bloom and Linda Olszewski present shorts.

Clara Sánchez/Translated by Caroline MacKinnon

[imagen]Jon Bloom, director of the Executive Committee of the Academy, gave a speech yesterday at the close of the Short Films Program, in which he spoke of the opportunity for winners in the categories of fiction and animation to earn consideration for an Oscar.

“There are two ways for a short film to be selected to compete for an Oscar: by screening for three days in Los Angeles, or by winning a prize at one of the 61 festivals recognized by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and Morelia is one, up there in importance with the Sundance and the Cannes.”

Bloom explained the process of selection: “Eighty (short films) qualify, and from there go on to a second round in which ten are chosen, after which five earn nomination to be the potential final winner.”

Linda Olszewski of Shorts International said: “Three years ago we began our work with the Academy to give more exposure to short films, making them available in theaters, on DVD and on the Internet, through iTunes. We want to give the public opportunity to view Oscar-nominated shorts before the prizes are awarded.”

Olszewski added that Shorts International has launched two channels of Short TV in the United Kingdom and in the U.S. – the second of which will air Mexican shorts.

Bloom told the public: “Everyone is enthused about youtube and myspace but to participate in the Oscars, a film can’t have been shown on the Internet or on television. There have been various cases of shorts that were disqualified for being available online.”

In answer to multiple questions from the audience about Oscar guidelines, Bloom and Olszewski recommended visiting the site www.oscar.org.

Bloom was also asked about the characteristics a film needs to stand out. He answered that a great film must be “unique, special and original. The vision might be grand, or on a smaller scale; what matters, as Shakespeare said, is that the work be well told and well made.

Among those who have won Oscars (R) for a short film and gone on to cinematic fame are Mark Osborne, director of Kung Fu Panda and whose short film More was screened yesterday; Eric Armstrong, whose The Chubb Chubbs was also screened, and who did the visual effects for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone; and the famous actor Ray McKinnon, writer, director and actor in the film The Accountant, which also screened yesterday here in Morelia.