Hofstra U takes 2011 mtvU Oscars Correspondent win

In a media-packed presentation that start-to-finish lasted less than 20 minutes, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and mtvU, MTV’s this morning announced that Luz Pena and Philip Robibero from Hofstra University are the 2011 Oscars Correspondent Contest Grand Prize winners and as such have locked backstage accommodations, a spot on the tomorrow’s red carpet for the 83rd Academy Awards ceremony and tickets to the coveted Governors Ball.

Academy president Tom Sherak said, “Luz and Philip made a strong impression with the Academy selection panel and the online voters. I know they will represent the college community well. They are in for an unforgettable experience – the red carpet at the Oscars is like no place else on earth.”

Coverage from Luz and Philip will be up on mtvU.com and MTVNews.com next week.

The three competing finalists were flown to Los Angeles and have covered a flurry of events including Animated Feature Symposium, Foreign Language Film Award Nominees Photo Op, the Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Symposium, and the Governors Ball preview.

Today’s winners were selected from a second mtvU online poll and further evaluated by a rock solid team of entertainment journalists -- Brooke Anderson, co-host of HLN’s “Showbiz Tonight”; Sandy Cohen from the Associated Press; and Adam Weissler from “Extra.”

Runners-up Blake Mitchell and David Torcivia from the University of Georgia and Sarah Erickson and Joel Kutz from the University of Southern California will also have red carpet access –- but from the bleachers at the El Capitan Theatre.

Academy Awards Red Carpet On A Rainy Day (2011 Oscars)

http://www.zennie62.com - Academy Awards Red Carpet On A Rainy Day (2011 Oscars).

This is a glance at the new Red Carpet for the 2011 83rd Academy Awards - in the rain. Yep. It's raining again, just as it rained last year, but the forecast is for these conditions to rule the weekend. But that's not stopping the show by any means. In fact, The Red Carpet has a new design. It's more black this year and the font lettering for the signage is larger than before.

The basic Oscars Red Carpet colors are black and gold - Steelers colors. Plus, the layout seems smoother and cleaner than before.

Now if only the rain would let up...

Academy Awards: The Red Carpet - Covered By Rain Again

rain-redcarpet, originally uploaded by zennie62.

As I write this, I'm at The Grill Restaurant at Highland and Hollywood, waiting for my blogging colleagues Marla Schulman, Milena Merrill, and Jen Friel and listening to two people obviously well-connected with the Oscar production talk about how there are a lot of new people working on it, and it's "not as much fun" as before. Sad.

I don't know what's going on that produced such an environment, but I could not help but think of how it must be hell to dream of working at The Academy Awards, only to get bogged down by the sameness of it once you keep doing it for several years.

And then I thought about the rain.

If you read this space a lot, you may (or may not) remember my falling and hitting my head outside the Red Carpet last year. If not, here's the video:



This year, believe it or not, it's much wetter outside - sheets of rain were coming down, although it looks like it's stopped now. But from what the folks are telling me, there's supposed to be storms through Sunday.

I hope not. I hate the rain, but I gotta deal with it.

And tomorrow will be that day, and bring the MTV-U Press Conference to announce the winner of the 2011 Oscar Competition. What's fun is not just to see how the students react to all this "Oscar stuff" but to determine what they're going to do on Oscar Sunday, when their talents are put to the test.

Beyond that, there are a lot of parties going on around town, mostly at private residents and a number very hush-hush. That's another way of saying if I get into one, you may not know it.

Oscars Less Dramatic

This time the Oscars are a lot less dramatic than 2010. The 10 Best Pictures are into their second year. There's no rogue producer using email to diss his Academy competitors for Best Picture. And it really seem the possibility for an upset is almost non-existent.

Still, as a friend said, anything could happen.

Like. Maybe. The rain going away?

Back note: be sure to check out the additional blog work on The Oscars with a click here to visit Zennie62.com


Stay tuned.

2011 Academy Awards: Meet Ama Jo Budge and Suniil Sadarangani



Ama Jo Budge covering the 13th Costume Designers Guild awards

Ama is a creative fiction and non-fiction writer from the UK currently based in Los Angeles. She has studied the arts for her entire life, specializing in alternative performance art and the study film.  Finding London decidedly too cold, Ama has come to bask in the sun and glory of our city of Angels and will be assisting Milena with her reports on the 2011 Academy Awards this year. She will be on-site twittering you instant updates from the 2011 Costume Designers Guild Awards tonight.

Suniil Sadarangani is covering Best of Laugh-in at the Paley Center tonight

Suniil Sadarangani started his career in production with Sunil Lull,  former CEO at MTV Networks, India. Since then he has become one of India's respected producers for his work in coordinating production between South Asia and the West having over 7 years experience as a Line Producer/Producer.  He joins Milena in covering tonight's presentation of The Best of Laugh-In at the Paley Center in Beverly Hills.  Suniil is an actor, producer and filmmaker.

Both Ama and Suniil will be based at the Roosevelt Hotel throughout the week, blogging, vlogging, snapping photos and lending eyes and ears to this blog's coverage.

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Watch Part 2: 13th Costume Designers Guild Awards

Too bad none of these dresses are a double digit -- like a 10 -- otherwise I'd really be foaming at the mouth.  For me, it is LBD on Sunday.  Join Angelina Jolie and a ballroom full of stars for the 13th Costume Designers Guild Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel  on February 22, 2011.


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ABC gets to hang on to Oscarcast until 2020

The stunning Dame Helen Mirren

Oh happy day for ABC. 

For a ballpark payout of $50 million per year, the network will hang onto its annual Oscarcast, Daily Variety reports, through 2020, with the latest licensing agreement to have expired in 2014.




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Watch 13th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards

For a peek into Hollywood's hottest closests, check out the amazing couiture on the backs of the likes of Diane Lane, Claire Danes, Ginnefer Goodwin, Kathy Griffin, Kellan Lutz, Issiah Mustafa and Kristin Davis at the 13th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards video transcript held February 22, 2011 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, covered by one of this blog's writers, London-based Ama Jo Buldge.

Video is courtesy of the Lippen Group.

A quick rundown of 2011 Costume Designers Guild Award winners looks like this:

^{EXCELLENCE IN CONTEMPORARY FILM Black Swan – Amy Westcott
EXCELLENCE IN PERIOD FILM The King’s Speech – Jenny Beavan
EXCELLENCE IN FANTASY FILM Alice in Wonderland – Colleen Atwood
OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY TELEVSION SERIES Glee – Lou Eyrich
OUTSTANDING PERIOD/FANTASY TELEVSION SERIES Boardwalk Empire – John Dunn & Lisa Padovani
OUTSTANDING MADE FOR TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINI SERIES Temple Grandin – Cindy Evans
EXCELLENCE IN COMMERCIAL COSTUME DESIGN Chanel – Bleu de Chanel – Aude Bronson‐Howard}

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