Features







2007-08 Oscar Calendar



[Monday, December 3, 2007]

Official Screen Credits
Forms Due.


[Wednesday, December 26, 2007]

Nominations ballots mailed.


[Saturday, January 12, 2008]

Nominations polls close
5 p.m. PST.


[Tuesday, January 22, 2008]

Nominations announced
5:30 a.m. PST
Samuel Goldwyn Theater


[Wednesday, January 30, 2008]

Final ballots mailed.


[Monday, February 4, 2008]

Nominees Luncheon


[Saturday, February 9, 2008]

Scientific and Technical
Awards Dinner


[Tuesday, February 19, 2008]

Final polls close 5 p.m. PST.


[Sunday, February 24, 2008]

79th Annual
Academy Awards Presentation
Kodak Theatre

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Greg P. Russell Responds to Michael Minkler's Comments

UPDATED (3/1): Tom O'Neil has O'Connell's response to all this at The Envelope:


As you may or may not know, my mother Skippy passed away on Sunday night right after the Oscars. I was holding her in my arms when she died. I was not made aware of Mr. Minkler's comments until Monday morning. I have not seen them personally and at this point I have no intention of looking at them or reading about them. I'll get back to you when I get that far down of my list of what is important to me. Take care, Kevin.


Let's hope all this mess is behind us soon, and above all, that Mr. Minkler can drum up the stones to at least apologize for his unnecessary public comments.


EARLIER: By now many of you may be aware of the comments sound mixer Michael Minkler made about his peer, Kevin O'Connell's status as the most nominated craftsman in the industry yet to win. While I have heard murmurs from certain quarters that some mixers were becoming irritated with the amount of publicity around O'Connell and partner Greg P. Russell, I think it goes without saying Minkler's press room comments were uncalled for, petty, and above all, unprofessional.


I emailed Russell this evening to get a response out of him, even to find out of Minkler was indeed sincere in his comments or if it was some dry joke. Mr. Russell replied with an impassioned, lengthy tirade full of expletives, and I offered some space for him to provide an official statement if he liked, perhaps one more toned down. Like the straight-shooter he is, Greg released the quote for me to print in full, and so I shall...

He was absolutely sincere with that BULLSHIT. That man has lost whatever respect he had from a ton of people. Kevin mind you left the ceremonies right after our award and went to the hospital where his mother passed away in his arms at 11:32 pm. As if Kevin didn't have enough to deal with. He wakes up to this bullshit.


It's been a really weird couple of days. I've been fielding all the calls because Kev has been out. The head of our studio came in to say he blasted Minkler for his assault. I even kicked myself for being congratulatory that night. Minkler said to me when I congratulated him that I was always a classy guy and he appreciated that alot. Integrity is something that means everything to me and this man has absolutely NONE. He stood backstage representing the entire Sound Community in front of the world, only to disgrace us all.


What makes the whole scenario worse is Minkler's notion that O'Connell is an "okay" mixer, when two of Minkler's three Oscars have come for the easiest genre to mix there is: the film musical. When the songs come to you pretty crisp and sounding good to go, and there is little if any layering and creation in the way of aural environments (and indeed, the Academy at large remains ignorant to this process), sure...you're gonna keep winning Oscars.


In any case, it really puts things in perspective when you consider that, with all the publicity...hey, maybe O'Connell just really wanted his mother to see him win an Oscar before she passed away. Still want to tell him he should just "go away and be happy" with his 19 nominations, Mr. Minkler?

Comments

Wow, such a sad sad story. Michael Minkler must be kicking himself now, and he deserves it. Kevin O'Connell deserved that award Sunday night, overdue or not. He put in the best work of the nominees.

It seems that Mike Minkler is just upset that he has not gotten as much recognition as Kevin O'Connell and Greg Russell. Minklers body of work does not measure up to Kevin and Gregs. At this point I don't think he measures up to thier level as a human being either. If winning an Oscar puts you in Mikes Minklers company...

The films nominated were all worthy of the award- All of the Mixers who were a part of those nominations are the top people in the field. Minkler's comments were as Mr. Russell stated, a disgrace to the community. This is of course outside the immense loss Kevin and his talented family underwent that evening with the passing of thier mother.
However, to imply that Minkler's resume is pedestrian by any measure is absurd- he has mixed some truly influential films from the last three decades. This however is no excuse for such undignified comments.

For those who read realitycheck's comment from earlier, he/she has asked that it be deleted. We're not about censoring here, this was done at the request of the poster.

It really is not that easy to mix a musical, let's not start taking potshots at Minkler. Remember that is is possible to be a talented mixer AND an asshole.

Mike Minkler is on my bad-boys list for worse mixing bad-mouth-boy for Dreamgirls I’d soon eat broken glass than buy the DVD. I have Transformers and that is buy far the best and most complex Dolby film of 2007 don’t know about The Bourne Ultimatum I think it should have only taken sound effects editing, leaving Transformers to garb best sound. Oh, well that’s cricket best of luck for this years what ever film you’re working on Kevin and as for Minkler that fat sodden git isn’t getting mentioned in any DVD review post anymore fat little cheeky git.

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2008 Year in Advance Predictions


UPDATED: 2/25/2008





Main Charts | Tech Charts



[Motion Picture]

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Doubt”

“Frost/Nixon”

“Revolutionary Road”

“The Soloist”



[Directing]

David Fincher
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Ron Howard
“Frost/Nixon”

Gus Van Sant
“Milk”

Sam Mendes
“Revolutionary Road”

Joe Wright
“The Soloist”



[Actor in a Leading Role]

Benicio Del Toro
“The Argentine”

Jamie Foxx
“The Soloist”

Frank Langella
“Frost/Nixon”

Sean Penn
“Milk”

Brad Pitt
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”



[Actress in a Leading Role]

Vera Farmiga
“Nothing But the Truth”

Angelina Jolie
“Changeling”

Julianne Moore
“Blindness”

Meryl Streep
“Doubt”

Kate Winslet
“Revolutionary Road”



[Actor in a Supporting Role]

Josh Brolin
“Milk”

Russell Crowe
“Body of Lies”

Robert Downey, Jr.
“The Soloist”

Heath Ledger
“The Dark Knight”

Michael Sheen
“Frost/Nixon”



[Actress in a Supporting Role]

Amy Adams
“Doubt”

Kathy Bates
“Revolutionary Road”

Cate Blanchett
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Catherine Keener
“The Soloist”

Carice van Houten
“Body of Lies”



[Writing, Adapted Screenplay]

“Body of Lies”

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Doubt”

“Frost/Nixon”

“Revolutionary Road”



[Writing, Original Screenplay]

“Changeling”

“Hamlet 2”

“Milk”

“The Soloist”

“WALL·E”



[Art Direction]

“Australia”

“Defiance”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”

“Red Cliff”

“Revolutionary Road”



[Cinematography]

“Australia”

“The Dark Knight”

“Defiance”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”

“Revolutionary Road”



[Costume Design]

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Doubt”

“The Other Boleyn Girl”

“Red Cliff”

“Revolutionary Road”



[Film Editing]

“Body of Lies”

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Defiance”

“Frost/Nixon”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”



[Makeup]

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“The Dark Knight”

“Red Cliff”



[Music, Original Score]

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”

“The Soloist”

“Revolutionary Road”

“WALL·E”



[Music, Original Song]

coming soon



[Sound Editing]

“Defiance”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”

“Iron Man”

“Speed Racer”

“WALL·E”



[Sound Mixing]

“Defiance”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”

“Cloverfield”

“The Chronicles of Narnia:
Prince Caspian”

“WALL·E”



[Visual Effects]

“The Chronicles of Narnia:
Prince Caspian”

“The Incredible Hulk”

“Iron Man”



[Animated Feature Film]

“9”

“Kung Fu Panda”

“WALL·E”



[Foreign Language Film]

coming soon



[Documentary, Features]

coming soon



[Documentary, Short Subjects]

coming soon



[Short Film, Animated]

coming soon



[Short Film, Live Action]

coming soon