LOS ANGELES — With just days left until Sunday's 96th Academy Awards, the show's producers are feeling good about what they've created.
The nominees include some of the best films in Oscar history, including true blockbusters like “Oppenheimer'' and “Barbie.'' Ryan Gosling sings “I'm Just Ken” during the show. There will be live orchestral music in the theater. And the always reliable Jimmy Kimmel returns as host for his fourth time.
“I'm really looking forward to this year,” said Molly McNerney, who is serving as executive producer on the show for the fourth time. “This is a phenomenal year for movies. And we have great movies that domestic audiences are familiar with, which makes our job easier.”
Producers were hired earlier than usual, which meant they had more time to plan and study past Oscar broadcasts and focus on what worked and what didn't. To do. One thing they learned is that if the room is laughing, the audience at home is usually laughing too.
McNerney, who is married to Kimmel, said they focus more on jokes than big, highly produced comedies. Kimmel begins the show with a 10-minute monologue that she will intersperse throughout the show.
“I think any night that makes people feel good is a win,” McNerney said. “Our job as producers is to maintain that mood quickly because this is a long show and we want people to stay until the end.”
Another thing that works is when the speech is great and people feel invested in the winner. There were a lot of great comebacks and underdog stories last year, from Brendan Fraser to Ke Hui Quang, and that helped. This is not something the producers can control, but they are optimistic about the nominations and are setting up scenarios with presenters having a real connection with each other or with the audience.
“We want everyone to feel like they're a part of our story,” said executive producer and showrunner Raj Kapoor. “We hope that with a different kind of contemporary interpretation that focuses on storytelling and connection, audiences in theaters and at home will feel immersed in the experience throughout the night.”
Kapur noted that live performances of Oscar-nominated original songs, from Osage singers to Gosling, should also be a real highlight of the show. Also, a 42-musician orchestra was in the Dolby Theater and the stage was redesigned so it could be seen by the cameras. And Kapoor teased that the 'In Memoriam' sequence is something they have spent a lot of time and thought through and is ready to strike a chord with the audience.
“There will be entertainment, lots of surprises, and some cameos and things that are yet to be announced. We're really looking forward to everyone coming along to watch,” said Katie Mullan. “The Oscars are one of the last huge pop culture moments that everyone looks forward to and gathers around the television. It's collaborative viewing at its best. , we are at a moment where there is more interest than in recent years.”
Their main concern right now is that viewers around the world will remember that the broadcast will begin at 7pm ET, an hour earlier than usual. It is also the first day of daylight saving time.
“I think people are going to bed earlier and are really excited about it starting at 7 o'clock,” Moulin said. “For those of you looking forward to the announcement of the best entries, it’s not too late.”
The 96th Oscar Awards will be broadcast live on ABC from the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on March 10th, with the pre-show beginning at 6:30pm ET.