The Oscars honor the entire spectrum of filmmaking, from acting to technical achievement. There are now 17 Academy branches in all [source: Oscars]:
- Actors
- Casting Directors
- Cinematographers
- Costume Designers
- Designers
- Directors
- Documentary
- Executives
- Film Editors
- Makeup Artists and Hairstylists
- Music
- Producers
- Public Relations
- Short Films and Feature Animation
- Sound
- Visual Effects
- Writers
There are now 24 competitive Oscar® categories, and a handful of special-recognition Oscars every year. This year, awards will be given for [source: Tapley]:
- Actor in a Leading Role
- Actor in a Supporting Role
- Actress in a Leading Role
- Actress in a Supporting Role
- Animated Feature Film
- Best Picture
- Cinematography
- Costume Design
- Directing
- Documentary (Short Subject)
- Documentary (Feature)
- Film Editing
- Foreign Language Film
- Makeup and Hairstyling
- Music (Original Score)
- Music (Original Song)
- Production Design
- Short Film (Animated)
- Short Film (Live Action)
- Sound Editing
- Sound Mixing
- Visual Effects
- Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
- Writing (Original Screenplay)
After all the ballots are in, and the votes are counted, it all comes down to the big night itself. The Oscars is a night of honoring big-budget entertainment, and, appropriately, it is big-budget entertainment event, itself. Every year, hundreds of workers, including carpenters, artists, musicians, cameramen and chefs, work days on end preparing for the big show. The result, in a good year, is a vibrant, glamorous celebration of all things Hollywood.
For much more information about the Oscars and their history, check out the links on the next page.
