No cash price for Oscar winners? AR Rahman - His music for ears for years
________________________________ From: Vithur <vith...@gmail.com> To: arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 5:47:41 PM Subject: [arr] The Oscar statue stands 13.5 inches tall and weighs in at a robust 8.5 pounds If all goes right for A R Rahman and Resul Pokutty, they might end up lifting a 13.5-inch and 8.5 pound knight holding a crusader's sword and standing on a reel of film on Academy night. The Oscar statue stands 13.5 inches tall and weighs in at a robust 8.5 pounds. The film reel features five spokes, signifying the five original branches of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: actors, directors, producers, technicians and writers. Although the statuette remains true to its original design, the size of the base varied until 1945, when the current standard was adopted. Since the initial awards banquet on May 16, 1929, in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel's Blossom Room, 2,701 statuettes have been presented. Every year in January, additional new golden statuettes are cast, moulded, polished and buffed by R S Owens & Company, the Chicago-based awards manufacturer retained by the Academy since 1982. MGM art director Cedric Gibbons designed a statuette of a knight standing on a reel of film gripping a crusader's sword. The Academy tapped Los Angeles sculptor George Stanley to realize the design in three dimensions and the world-renowned statuette was born. Officially named the Academy Award of Merit, the statuette is better known by its nickname, Oscar. According to the Academy, the statuettes presented at the initial ceremonies were gold-plated solid bronze. Within a few years the bronze was abandoned in favour of Britannia metal, a pewter-like alloy which is then plated in copper, nickel silver, and finally, 24-karat gold. Due to a metal shortage during World War II, Oscars were made of painted plaster for three years. Following the war, the Academy invited recipients to redeem the plaster figures for gold-plated metal ones. Achievements in up to 25 regular categories will be honoured on February 22 at the 81st Academy Awards presentation at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood and Highland Center. However, the Academy won't know how many statuettes it will hand out until the envelopes are opened on Oscar Night. Although the number of categories and special awards are known in advance, the possibility of ties and of multiple recipients sharing the prize in some categories makes it impossible to predict the exact number of statuettes to be awarded. As in previous years, any surplus awards will be housed in the Academy's vault until next year's event. (With inputs from Agencies)http://www.timesnow .tv/Newsdtls. aspx?NewsID= 30159 -- regards, Vithur
