ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES Definition & Meaning

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

noun

an association whose membership is comprised of thousands of professionals in cinema production, established in 1927 and primarily known for the annual Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars. : AMPAS

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Pronunciation Note

The long official name of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences [uh, -, kad, -, uh, -mee uhv , moh, -sh, uh, n , pik, -cher , ahrts, , uh, n , sahy, -, uh, n-siz] is commonly shortened to simply the Academy [th, ee , uh, -, kad, -, uh, -mee] or to the abbreviation AMPAS. Some speakers pronounce the abbreviation [am, -p, uh, s]. However, this shorter pronunciation appears to be rare.

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences¹

First recorded in 1925–30

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Tony Best is an archivist and contractor with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who conducted an Academy oral history interview with Maple in early 2020 and remained part of her circle.

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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences apologised on Friday after hundreds of its members criticised it for not supporting Oscar-winner Hamdan Ballal, a Palestinian who was recently detained by Israeli settlers.

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The filmmakers behind “No Other Land” say the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences failed this week to publicly step up and support co-director Hamdan Ballal when he “needed them most.”

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After earning rave reviews for his stint hosting the Oscars earlier this month, Conan O’Brien will return to host the 2026 ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC said Monday.

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Disney and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had hyped the streaming debut, part of a concerted effort to revitalize the nearly century-old awards show by bringing in younger viewers.

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More About Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences

What is the��Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences?

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a film industry organization best known for hosting the Academy Awards, an annual award ceremony to honor excellence in film.

The award presented during the ceremony—a statuette in the form of a gold-plated figure—is called an Academy Award and is popularly known as an Oscar. The event itself is most commonly referred to as the ��.��

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is commonly called the Academy for short. Many Academy Award recipients are known for starting their acceptance speeches with “I’d like to thank the Academy.”

It’s sometimes abbreviated AMPAS.

The ��𳾲�’s thousands of members are industry professionals in both creative and technical professions.

Winning an Academy Award is often considered the most prestigious honor in the film industry, and the ceremony is often seen as the premiere awards show event. It is known for being attended by many top celebrities in the film and entertainment industry—many of whom are Academy members.

When was the��Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences established?

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was established in 1927 by prominent film industry members, including Louis B. Mayer and Douglas Fairbanks. The first Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The event was first fully televised in 1953.

The source of the nickname Oscar is thought to be Margaret Herrick, an Academy librarian and later its executive secretary. She is said to have nicknamed the award statuette Oscar in 1931 because it reminded her of her Uncle Oscar. The name started to be used in an official way by the Academy in 1939.

Nominations for Academy Awards in most categories are made by active members of the Academy with a specialty in the field that relates to that category. For example, cinematographers make nominations in the category of cinematography. All voting members of the Academy can nominate for best picture. The nominations are then voted on by the entire voting body, and votes are tallied by a third party that keeps the results secret until the ceremony.

What are some terms that often get used in discussing the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences?

How is the��Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences discussed in real life?

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is most popularly referred to as the Academy. Winners of Academy Awards are known for thanking the Academy in their acceptance speeches.

Director Bong Joon-ho, who won four Oscars last year for “Parasite” (2019), will grace the Academy Awards ceremony again; this time as a presenter, according to a list announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Monday.

— Korea JoongAng Daily (@JoongAngDaily)

Imagine being in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and refusing to buy a $20 piece of plastic that you can plug into your TV to watch brand new movies for free.

— Zach Heltzel (@zachheltzel)

Has anybody ever not thanked The Academy? Just wondering.

— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine)

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True or False?

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded by a man named Oscar.

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