Filmmakers Rush to Cash In on Nominations

Now that Academy Award nominations are out, filmmakers are scrambling to cash in on the honor. This year, there’ll be a clamber for tickets to the Oscar show as well.

Before today’s announcement of the nominations for the 62nd Academy Awards, filmmakers waged their high-priced advertisement campaigns for those who decide the nominations.

But the announcements will be followed by a different kind of ad--urging moviegoers to go see films considered by Hollywood to be among the best.

“Driving Miss Daisy,” “Born on the Fourth of July” and “Glory” are among the films favored to reap nomination benefits this year, along with leading performers Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy for “Daisy” and Tom Cruise in “Fourth of July.”

Television, radio and print ads for this year’s nominees should start running Thursday.

But last year, a newspaper advertisement heralding Oscar nominations for “Rain Man” appeared the day the nominations were announced, meaning the ad was placed the night before nominees were revealed.

The film’s makers, MGM-UA, said the overzealous “Rain Man” spread was a mistake. But from a business perspective, the move made sense. Analysts figure that nominations can boost a film’s gross by $10 million, while a best-picture Oscar can mean $20 million and more in extra revenues.

The awards will be presented March 26 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at the Music Center after two traffic-plagued years at the Shrine Auditorium.

The move poses a big problem for the Academy, however, because the Shrine accommodated 5,800 people while the Music Center holds only 2,850.

“Tickets are at a great premium,” Academy spokesman Bob Werden said. “A lot of feelings are going to be hurt.”

Oscar tickets priced at $50 to $200 are sold to Academy members only on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition, the Academy gives blocks of tickets to preferred parties such as studios; the ABC network, which is broadcasting the show; TV sponsors; media executives and government officials.