For movie fans like myself, the Oscars can be a trying experience. Most people believe the Oscars has a pedigree of determining the best movies and acting for the year. This reputation has slowly seeped into the show itself to the point that the Oscars itself is a bloated self-important awards show that loses more touch with movie fans every year. There have been many suggestions as to how to fix the show, and I thought I would throw my hat into the ring for some suggestions which can be broken down into simple categories:
Nominations can be used to more actively involve moviegoers. For the Best Picture category, you have a set of locked nominees and then use fan voting for 5 films that fans can vote on. On Oscar Nomination Day, you can say that all of them are nominees, and fan voting will determine the last spot for the 5. Thus you keep control of the films in the hands of the Academy voters, and you let movie fans feel more invested in the Awards themselves. Plus, more quality movies get exposure. I’d be hesitant to do this with acting awards, but screenplays could use a similar process.
Split the telecast in two. The first half could be broadcast on cable and feature all the effects/songs/costume awards. Most of these awards are uncared for by most of the public, and moving them to cable keeps the major awards moving at a quicker pace. Keep a half an hour intermission between the two parts of the show for overrun in the first half. For showcasing the non-acting nominees (because audiences like to see actors/actresses/directors they know), pre-taped short films that can be directed by up and coming directors will prevent presenters (nice move from the Oscars this year, making the award holders up and coming directors through contests) from having to force a comedy bit on live tv.
Tweak awards speeches to make the actors/actresses more prepared. Limit the thank you’s by the winners to 5 maximum and then play them off/cut the mike. This could lead to some memorable moments where speeches only last 10 seconds, plus as a play in from commercials you could have a thank you cam that shows the best bits after winning the award by the actor/actress.