JAMES BATES: BEHIND THE SCREENS

Crowd control

Why the producers guild wants to curb best picture credits — even if it angers some members.

James Bates

Behind the Screens

January 9, 2006

It's hard enough figuring out exactly what a producer does these days, when just about everyone outside of the kid who bags your groceries claims to be one.

So it's no wonder people have trouble understanding what the Producers Guild of America does, let alone its place in the Milky Way-sized galaxy that is Hollywood's awards season.

This year, the answer gets a lot more interesting.

Last Wednesday, the trade group representing 2,700 producers announced its five nominees for best theatrical motion picture ("Brokeback Mountain," "Crash," "Capote," "Walk the Line" and "Good Night, and Good Luck").

Along with these nominations was a list of people the organization deemed most worthy among those claiming to have made the films.

In doing so, the PGA revealed not only the people in the running for its own awards but, more important, who will make the cut come Oscar time should any of those films be nominated — as most undoubtedly will.

That's because the guild this year has become something of a subcontractor to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, taking charge of the often-acrimonious debate over who gets credit for overseeing production of the nominated pictures.

Making the grade is important because it's the only way the phrase "Oscar-winning producer" will end up in your obituary should your film triumph.

It also means only the producers who pass through the PGA's filters get to rush onstage and read an endless list of names of lawyers, agents and studio executives. (Sorry, executive producers, associate producers, co-producers and myriad hybrids.)

Think of it like a bank officer giving you a pre-approved loan for your car purchase. In both cases, the idea is to be fair, but not irresponsibly generous.

For the academy, the arrangement is a convenient way to play good cop and rid itself of a headache that has turned especially nasty in recent years.

One flashpoint came with complaints that former Miramax chief Harvey Weinstein muscled his way into the producer ranks of "Shakespeare in Love," so he could have his onstage moment when it won the 1999 Oscar for best picture.

Then came last year's controversy with "The Aviator," when producer Charles Evans Jr. insisted he was unfairly aced out of the plaudits.

When the film was announced as an Oscar finalist on the morning TV shows, it was followed by an awkward mention that the credits were still being determined.

"The Aviator" failed to win the big one, but did take home best drama at the Golden Globes. That led to an odd moment in which Evans slipped past a security guard so he could be in the winning photo op, making the other producers livid.

For the PGA, it means playing bad cop, which seems appropriate given that's what producers are often forced to do when making a film.

Producers effectively function like a chief executive on a film, overseeing financing, troubleshooting when problems arise and helping seeing it through the studio marketing and distribution.

The producers organization is taking control of the Oscar credits as part of a larger crusade to rein in the proliferation of unearned producer titles on movies, which studios have given away in recent years like freebies just to stroke egos.

"We want to protect the value of the job," said "Erin Brockovich" producer Stacey Sher.

So since October a group of some volunteer producers, working two and three at a time, have quietly taken turns evaluating 30 or so likely awards contenders to decide who did the heaviest lifting in getting each film made.

A three-page eligibility form divides 46 tasks into four categories (development, pre-production, physical production and post-production). Among the jobs in those categories: selecting the director, securing initial financing, approving the weekly cost report and showing up on the set.

If that isn't complicated enough, development along with post-production work is weighted at 30% each, with pre-production and actual production weighted at 20%.

The panel then circles "M" if it decides that producer had minimal responsibility, "S" for substantial responsibility and "F" for final responsibility, In the end, a producer has to prove responsibility for more than 50% of the work.

As seemingly methodical as that is, it's already causing hard feelings. "Crash" has six producers, but only two in the eyes of the PGA. That isn't going over well with those who backed the film, with wealthy entrepreneur-turned-producer Bob Yari said to be especially irked that he's left out (a call to his office went unreturned.)

The end result: If "Crash" scores a best picture Oscar nomination, the Academy can lay the blame on the PGA if the film's other producers complain.

PGA executive director Vance Van Petten hopes the procedure won't be seen as diminishing anyone's contribution.

"We aren't saying that only two people on 'Crash' contributed to the film, nor that the others didn't make important contributions." Van Petten said.

Of course, defining exactly what a producer is and isn't will always be open to debate. But give the PGA credit for trying to bring sanity to the discussion.



One main goal of the Producers Guild is to honor those whose Herculean efforts led to really good films and TV shows.

The second goal is to not be like other awards shows, which drag endlessly into the night. Although not televised, the show, scheduled for Jan. 22, keeps things moving.

The PGA sets a goal of starting around 8 p.m., and having everyone in their cars by 10:30 p.m., and even promises as much in its invitations.

"We're not afraid of putting it in writing," said "American Beauty" producer Bruce Cohen.



The Screen Actors Guild Award nominations of Ziyi Zhang for best actress in "Memoirs of a Geisha" and Amy Adams for supporting actress in "Junebug" marks the first time actresses with the initials "AA" and "ZZ" have been nominated.

(Can you think of any stupid awards trivia? E-mail it and full credit will be given.)