Academy to Create Production and Technology Branch

The Hollywood Reporter has announced that the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences has moved from 17 to 18 branches after the board of governors voted for an expansion on Friday afternoon.

The new branch will be called the “Production and Technology branch” and will reunite “approximately 400 individuals previously classified as Members-at-Large,” comprised of “members working in key technical and production positions in all phases of filmmaking, from pre- to post-production… including stunt coordinators, script supervisors, choreographers, music supervisors, colorists, line producers, and associate producers.”

One governor will represent the new branch, but it’s unclear if this will lead to future categories being introduced at the Academy Awards. It’s been a long time since filmmakers and below-the-line artisans campaigned for the Academy to recognize stuntwork and introduce a Best Stunts category at the Oscars. More information will surely arrive soon, as the new branch begins to take shape.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter