AMPAS® says....

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, responsible for handing out the annual Oscar ® awards, made several announcements over the last few days.

First was the announcement that three hundred seven feature films are eligible (so far) for the Academy Award® for Best Picture of 2006.In order to be eligible for 79th Academy Awards® consideration, feature films have until midnight, December 31, to open in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County and begin a minimum run of seven consecutive days.Under Academy rules, a feature-length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes and must have been exhibited theatrically on 35mm or 70mm film, or in a qualifying digital format. Films that receive their first public exhibition or distribution in any manner other than as a theatrical motion picture release are not eligible for Academy Awards in any category.Secondly, came two announcements by Awards show producer Laura Ziskin. Ziskin appointed Pamela Oas Williams producer of the Awards pre-show This will be Pam Williams’s second outing in charge of the Oscar pre-show, having served as co-producer for the 74th Academy Awards pre-show. “Pam is a fantastic producer and the perfect person to collaborate with me on the pre-show,” said Ziskin.
Williams is Ziskin’s producing partner at Laura Ziskin Productions. As senior vice president of film and television, she oversees the company’s development slate, including the upcoming ‘Me & My Monster’ for Columbia Pictures and “The Katharine Graham Story” for HBO. Prior to working with Ziskin, Williams ran George Clooney’s television company, Maysville Pictures, where she executive produced, with Clooney and Ziskin, the live television film “Fail Safe.”Ziskin also announced that J. Michael Riva has been appointed production designer of the 79th Academy Awards® presentation. This will be his second time creating the Oscar set.Riva received an Academy Award nomination in 1985 for his work on ‘The Color Purple.’ He began his career working with designer Toby Rafelson on ‘I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.’Riva has since been the production designer on numerous films, including ‘Brubaker,’ ‘Ordinary People,’ ‘Lethal Weapon,’ ‘A Few Good Men,’ ‘Dave,’ and ‘Charlie’s Angels.’ He recently completed work on ‘Spider-Man 3’ and ‘The Pursuit of Happyness.’