Oscars: Behind the scenes as Hollywood prepares for the biggest night in film
Written by News on 21/02/2019
The biggest night in the entertainment calendar is nearly upon us.
Despite a series of high-profile setbacks, including a disappearing host, a short-lived new “most popular” category and a quickly retracted suggestion that some awards would be handed out during the ad breaks, the 91st Academy Awards will soon be on our screens.
On Sunday night, the great and good of the acting world will roll up at the Dolby Theatre in LA.
In preparation, a host of workmen have spent days fitting the expanse of red carpet which covers Hollywood Boulevard.
It stretches to more than 900 feet.
The road itself is already covered with stars making up the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and neighboured by celebrity waxworks spilling out of Madame Tussauds.
Technicians spend the week before the event fitting lighting, painting scenery and setting up crowd control and staging to hold the fans and world’s media.
The theatre itself, which has a capacity of more than 3,000, is also a hive of activity.
Perhaps in homage to last year’s best picture winner, The Shape of Water, the green room has an ocean theme.
The underwater world, coloured blue and embellished with waves, starfish and shells, will play host to the lucky winners, who will pass through on their way to appear on stage in front of millions of viewers around the world.
Around 40 presenters – including Daniel Craig and Jennifer Lopez – will also get the chance to lounge in the calming space before handing out the statuettes.
With the natural theme extending on to the stage, production designer David Kornins is planning an array of more than 40,000 real roses to add colour and warmth to the set.
He also says the stage will extend out into the audience, allowing the viewers to feel that they are almost part of the show.
But despite the glitz and the glamour surrounding the night, it’s all really about one thing – the winners.
This year’s leading films are Roma and The Favourite, each with 10 nominations, closely followed by A Star is Born and Vice, both with eight nods.
Eight films will vie for the most prestigious award of the evening – best picture – with The Favourite and Roma favourites to take home the prize.
British hopefuls this year include Olivia Colman, Richard E Grant and Christian Bale.
:: Want to watch the Oscars? We’ll be live blogging all night, so you can follow all the red carpet arrivals and the announcements here. You can also watch the entire ceremony on Sky Cinema Oscars from 10pm on Sunday 24 February, starting with red carpet arrivals.
:: Get Sky Cinema to watch the Oscars live ceremony and more than 1,000 movies on demand. Find out more here
(c) Sky News 2019: Oscars: Behind the scenes as Hollywood prepares for the biggest night in film
