By Hadas Gicelter, Media & content Producer at The Hive Studio
Just a year ago, we were the ones walking the red carpet, with producer Amit Russell Gicelter and director Tal Kantor, hoping our film Letter to a Pig would win the Best Animated Short Film Academy Award (spoiler: it didn’t).
Amit Gicelter, Tal Kantor at the Oscars’ Red Carpet
It was a larger-than-life experience, a magical night we’ll never forget. But as part of the studio’s marketing team, I want to talk about what happens in the months leading up to the ceremony – the campaign behind the competition.
You see, the ceremony is just the cherry on top of a months-long campaign to promote the film among thousands of Academy members (which might explain the exhaustion you see on nominees’ faces by the time the big night arrives).
It all starts when your film wins a qualifying award – usually the Grand Prix at a major festival or another key competition. This puts your film on the unofficial “long list” of around 100 competing films.
Next, you push to make the *shortlist* of 15 films, announced in December. This is when things start getting crazy serious. But the real milestone? Making it into the final 5 nominees, revealed in January, less than two months before the ceremony.
The moment we found out Letter to a Pig was nominated (Screenshot)
If you’re lucky enough to be nominated, you pack your bags and gowns and fly to L.A., where you spend the next month or two in a whirlwind of events, screenings, Q&As, handshakes, receptions, and panels – doing everything you can to make sure as many Academy members as possible watch your film (and hopefully love it).
Tal Kantor, Amit Gicelter at a Q&A in L.A. during the campaign
Needless to say, this entire process requires a PR strategist to guide you through the details (and dozens of regulations). Fortunately, we teamed up with Benoit Berthe Siward of The Animation Showcase, along with his amazing assistant Céline Ufenast. Did you know you can’t even walk the red carpet without a PR person escorting you?
Additionally, we had the support of Miyu Productions, our co-producer, and Miyu Distribution, led by Luce Grosjean.
At The Hive Studio, my teammate Yael Nudelman and I manage marketing, which includes running award campaigns. This means we were the ones behind the scenes, doing much of the legwork: posting on social media, writing newsletters, organizing screenings, sending countless emails, supporting the nominees and helping them get ready for the big day, and more.
The work starts in September, once the “long list” is announced, and intensifies the longer you’re in the race. It’s hard work, but it’s also adrenaline-fueled and incredibly exciting.
And then it’s suddenly over, in a matter of moments (unless you win, I guess).
What’s next for us? Our film Butterfly Kiss (directed by Zohar Dvir, co-produced with Fabian&Fred) has already won a qualifying festival, so I guess I’ll wear my campaign hat again in September? ✨
