Behind the Academy Awards - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures. The Academy's corporate management and general policies are overseen by a Board of Governors, which includes representatives from each of the craft branches.

The Academy is composed of over 6,000 motion picture professionals. The great majority of its members are based in the United States, membership is open to qualified filmmakers around the world.

The Academy is known around the world for its annual Academy Awards, informally known as the "Oscars". In addition, the Academy gives Student Academy Awards annually to filmmakers at the undergraduate and graduate level.

There are awards, up to five Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting annually.  It operates the Margaret Herrick Library (at the Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study) in Beverly Hills, California and the Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.

The current president of the Academy is Tom Sherak.

The Academy’s numerous and diverse operations are housed in three facilities in the Los Angeles area. The headquarters building in Beverly Hills, constructed specifically for the Academy, and two centers for Motion Picture Study, one in Beverly Hills, the other in Hollywood.  These structures were restored and transformed to contain the Academy’s Library, Film Archive and other departments and programs.

Membership in the Academy is by invitation only and eligibility may be achieved by earning a competitive Oscar nomination or an existing member may submit a name based on other significant contribution to the field of motion pictures. Invitation comes from the Board of Governors.

Academy membership is divided into 15 branches that represent different disciplines in motion pictures. Members may not belong to more than one branch, and those who do not fall within one of the branches may belong to a group known as "Members At Large."

Members at Large have all the privileges of branch membership except for representation on the Board. Associate members are those closely allied to the industry but not actively engaged in motion picture production. They are not represented on the Board and do not vote on Academy Awards.

Academy Branches

* Actors
* Art Directors
* Cinematographers
* Directors
* Documentary
* Executives
* Film Editors
* Makeup Artists & Hairstylists
* Music
* Producers
* Public Relations
* Short Films and Feature Animation
* Sound
* Visual Effects
* Writers