Producer in sin bin over e-mails before Oscar race
March 1, 2010, Monday
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THE Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering action against a producer of "The Hurt Locker" who sent multiple e-mails urging academy members to vote for his movie in the Oscar best-picture race and "not a US$500 million film" - an obvious reference to close-competitor "Avatar."
The e-mails by Nicolas Chartier, one of four nominated producers for "The Hurt Locker," broke the academy's rule against sending mail that "attempts to promote any film or achievement by casting a negative light on a competing film or achievement," according to academy spokeswoman Leslie Unger. Chartier financed the front-running film.
The initial e-mail was sent on February 19 and obtained by The Associated Press. Later e-mails, posted by the Los Angeles Times, showed Chartier asking Oscar voters to rank "The Hurt Locker" at No. 1 and "Avatar" at No. 10 on this year's preferential ballot for the newly expanded best-picture category.
"Hurt Locker" distributor Summit Pictures said it was "completely unaware of any e-mails until we were alerted by the academy earlier this week."
Chartier, after being confronted by Summit executives, worked with the studio and the academy to craft an apology for his actions, said Summit spokesman Paul Pflug.
"My naivete, ignorance of the rules and plain stupidity as a first-time nominee is not an excuse for this behavior and I strongly regret it," Chartier wrote in an e-mail obtained by The Associated Press. "Being nominated for an Academy Award is the ultimate honor and I should have taken the time to read the rules."
Punishment delay
"Avatar's" distributor, 20th Century Fox, declined comment on the e-mails, as did director James Cameron or anyone connected with the 3-D science-fiction sensation - Hollywood's biggest modern blockbuster but second to "The Hurt Locker" in the Oscar race.
The motion picture academy itself will delay saying how it plans to discipline Chartier until Oscar voting closes at 5pm local time on Tuesday.
Possible measures include public censure, taking away Chartier's Oscar tickets, and the unlikely option of removing "The Hurt Locker" - about a bomb-disposal unit in Iraq - from best-picture consideration, according to several anonymous academy members.
The e-mails by Nicolas Chartier, one of four nominated producers for "The Hurt Locker," broke the academy's rule against sending mail that "attempts to promote any film or achievement by casting a negative light on a competing film or achievement," according to academy spokeswoman Leslie Unger. Chartier financed the front-running film.
The initial e-mail was sent on February 19 and obtained by The Associated Press. Later e-mails, posted by the Los Angeles Times, showed Chartier asking Oscar voters to rank "The Hurt Locker" at No. 1 and "Avatar" at No. 10 on this year's preferential ballot for the newly expanded best-picture category.
"Hurt Locker" distributor Summit Pictures said it was "completely unaware of any e-mails until we were alerted by the academy earlier this week."
Chartier, after being confronted by Summit executives, worked with the studio and the academy to craft an apology for his actions, said Summit spokesman Paul Pflug.
"My naivete, ignorance of the rules and plain stupidity as a first-time nominee is not an excuse for this behavior and I strongly regret it," Chartier wrote in an e-mail obtained by The Associated Press. "Being nominated for an Academy Award is the ultimate honor and I should have taken the time to read the rules."
Punishment delay
"Avatar's" distributor, 20th Century Fox, declined comment on the e-mails, as did director James Cameron or anyone connected with the 3-D science-fiction sensation - Hollywood's biggest modern blockbuster but second to "The Hurt Locker" in the Oscar race.
The motion picture academy itself will delay saying how it plans to discipline Chartier until Oscar voting closes at 5pm local time on Tuesday.
Possible measures include public censure, taking away Chartier's Oscar tickets, and the unlikely option of removing "The Hurt Locker" - about a bomb-disposal unit in Iraq - from best-picture consideration, according to several anonymous academy members.
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