Oscar-winning sound mixer Tom Fleischman has resigned from Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences over the Academy’s decision to cut eight categories from the live portion of this year’s Oscars broadcast.
Martin Scorsese has been a long-time collaborator with Fleischman. He won the Best Achievement in Sound Mixing Oscar. “Hugo.”Fleischman was also nominated four times for an Oscar. “Silence of the Lambs,” “Reds” Scorsese’s “The Aviator” and “Gangs of New York.”
The affected categories, just for reference, are: Documentary (Short Subject), Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Production Design, Short Film (Animated), Short Film (Live Action), and Fleischman’s category, Sound. They’ll be presented in a more sparsely attended ceremony just before the broadcast, with shortened, edited footage edited into the live broadcast in some way.
“The Academy’s mission is to honor the craft of filmmaking in all its parts. Eliminating certain categories from the live broadcast degrades that mission,”Motion Picture Sound Editors president Mark A. Lanza declared in a statement The Hollywood Reporter, which first reported the news about Fleischman’s resignation.
A massive outrage was expressed by both invested fans and industry professionals over the perceived insult to those in the affected groups.
Many people dinged the Academy for a decision they argued won’t actually bring in new viewers but might alienate the viewers that keep tuning in. Others pointed out that five of those categories — film editing, makeup and hairstyling, music (original score), production design, and sound — are actually the crafts without which film as we understand it wouldn’t exist.
Others argued that certain of the affected categories are actually popular with general audiences, especially original music.
