On March 27, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored the best performances of the film industry released between March 1 and December 31, 2021. If you finished processing the plucking editorials and memes regarding ‘The Slap’, you might want to check out the other takeaways of the night arranged in Dolby Theatre. CODA made history by achieving the accolade of highest honor – The Best Picture. But the cheer comes in double layers as it is the first picture produced by a streaming platform to receive the highest in the entertainment industry. Apple reportedly paid $25 million to buy the rights of CODA and spent about $10 million for an extended promotional campaign. The expenditure was worth it as it made it possible for Apple to beat the streaming giant Netflix, which had 27 nods this year.
Not long ago, film connoisseurs and veteran directors took a contemptuous dig at SVOD creations. Take Steven Spielberg as an example. His stance seemed distinct on supporting theatrical releases over streaming originals when in 2019, he took a subtle dig at Roma. The movie got nominated for Best Picture and Best Screenplay, along with 8 other prizes. According to Spielberg, films with streaming-only releases should not be allowed to enter Academy Award nominations. He is not the only one who is a firm advocate of immersive theatrical experiences. Earlier in 2021, shaking hands with the movie distributors, Warner Bros. initiated a hybrid model to run all 2021 slates movies to HBO Max and in theatres simultaneously. Dune director Dennis Villeneuve criticized this decision and expressed his concerns about his film’s financial loss, poor performance, and the ruin of theatre exclusivity. Christopher Nolan, and Patty Jenkins are among others who also have been anti-streamers and vocal about how it is devaluating the art of cinema.
So, if creative gurus like Spielberg and Nolan are stiff-necked, what does it say about the grand Academy win of CODA? Does it mean that the essence of cinema is dying or is Academy finally accepting the gifted reality of streaming platforms? Believers tend to be inert whenever a reformation is on the push. They like the familiarity, the conventional pipeline, and the token benefits of the old-fashioned business. But in the end, it all boils down to the viewers. Nowadays, people prefer video-on-demand mode because of its accessibility. Pandemic made sure that people learn to get comfortable in a recliner and watch their favorites rather than strutting at the theatres. Moreover, streaming platforms formulate to keep the subscribers engaged with a surplus of content. The impact is so moving that producers are leaning toward streaming distributors for greater profit.
Everyone was curious to see who gets to hold the shining statuette of Oscar, given the brimming rivalry between Netflix’s Power of the Dog and Apple’s CODA. In the end, Apple TV+ became the first streamer to win the final award of the night. The film industry never explored the deaf culture as authentically as CODA did. Creating stereo-deaf characters and casting tangible deaf actors made CODA stand out when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2021. CODA won all 3 categories it was nominated for, which is a big blow for other streamers as Apple rose as the underdog conqueror of the Oscar race.
It’s been 2 and a half years since Apple TV+ launched. Despite a lukewarm head start, the newbie streamer found its footing. Over the span of 2 years, it created some must-watch gems and acquired lucrative amounts of subscribers. While Apple TV+ is newer compared to streaming buffs like Amazon and Hulu, it might have just brought a new wave of streaming revolution.
For the longest period, Academy Awards resisted streaming-original movies.
Some blame the Covid pandemic for Oscar-worthy content deficit. But Netflix’s Roma received an Oscar nomination for best picture before the lockdown, though it was in the face of controversy for getting limited theatre releases. A movie had to be released in theatres and run for at least a week at a venue in LA county to meet the eligibility of Academy nomination. But since 2021, the Academy relaxed its rules so that people can access and appreciate the making of films while sitting at home. During this time, Marriage Story, The Irishman, and many other streaming-centric films garnered Oscar nominations. Now regardless of the Covid-19 exception, CODA’s victory has certainly turned over a new leaf.
Once again, it is proved that streaming is the present and its influence will only multiply in the future.
As everything is returning to normal, Academy Awards will certainly restore its rules. Will they then pay attention to the ‘small screen’ movies? Or will they retrieve the white flag of peace and keep on punishing the SVOD networks for allegedly destroying cinemas? Everyone is speculating whether the Academy will finally let go of its anti-streaming bias or not. The swell of streaming-centric nominations and CODA’s win will certainly influence the debate for a while. It is high time Hollywood elites stop looking down at the likes of Netflix as a fleeting TV business. The historical victory is just the first of many, and will surely inspire the streaming giants to continue producing high-profile content.