Oscars 2.0: The social media experience

It’s now common to watch a big event on TV with either a cellphone or laptop in hand. There is no getting away from the social media experience of such events — be it among your Twitter following or Facebook friends. The Oscars tapped into the social media frenzy last year. Social media played a major role in generating buzz for the broadcast, according to a report from LA-based social marketing agency Fanscape.

According to Fanscape there were more than 100 000 tweets per hour during the actual awards ceremony. That’s nearly 40% more than the 2010 Super Bowl and 60% more than the Grammies. In 2010 the Academy launched its official Oscar iPhone app, which allowed fans to predict winners. The Academy streamed the nominations and the Nominees Luncheon live, and also created a YouTube channel, which attracted more than three million views and a pre-broadcast Facebook page, which drew more than 90 000 movie fans.

This year, they are kicking things up a notch…

• For movie buffs, an “All Access” pass for Oscar Night has been created and is available on Oscar.com, the official online home of the Academy Awards. The brains behind this are promising that this will give a whole new experience to the online audience that was never available before. From 11:30pm GMT visitors to the site will get to experience the Oscar red carpet through multiple camera positions, even capturing press activity. You’ll also be able to visit the show’s control truck, and like last year, see winners continue their acceptance speeches where the music cut them off at the ‘Thank You cam’.
• If you want more than that, you can register for additional viewing opportunities. Multiple 360 degree views, which is being touted as groundbreaking technology that users control with the click/drag functionality of the computer mouse, will be positioned throughout the red carpet, the Kodak Theatre and the Governors Ball. On the red carpet, you will be able to watch Oscar nominees and presenters mixing and mingling as they enjoy the pre-ceremony champagne reception. Inside the Kodak Theatre, viewers will see the presenters’ hair and makeup area, watch the guests interact during commercial breaks and see the Academy’s official winner portrait area.
• The access continues at the Governors Ball, the dinner after the ceremony, where you will be able see Oscar winners arriving at the party and having their names engraved onto their statues. The feature has been designed as a companion to the Oscar TV broadcast, and over the course of the evening “All Access” there is the opportunity to choose from more than 24 strategically placed cameras throughout the venue.
• If you are an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch user, (with an iTunes account) you can get what’s being billed as “the ultimate insider’s view” with the new Oscar Backstage App. It’s available for download from the App Store for US$0.99, and the app includes the same features as “All Access” only without the “360 cam” technology.
• Movie fans can ask Oscar nominees and presenters questions. The Academy has invited fans from around the world to submit questions via its official Twitter account @TheAcademy and its Facebook Page for possible inclusion in “Oscars Red Carpet Live” the show before the awards ceremony. Questions will be posed to Oscar nominees and other celebrities by “Oscars Red Carpet Live” hosts. Fan questions, answers and photos will also be posted throughout Oscar Night on Oscar.com, the Academy’s Twitter feed and Facebook page.
• Facebook fans can also post questions to the Academy’s fan page Wall. On Twitter, fans are encouraged to submit questions using the celebrity name with hash tags #ask #Oscars. Technology provider Mass Relevance will be working with the Academy to collect and select fan questions.
• The producers have enlisted nine moms and one grandmother (James Franco’s) of the nominees to follow along the TV broadcast on their Twitter accounts. Otherwise knows as the “Mominees”, they’ll be giving their take on the night’s proceedings and no doubt cheering on their children.