Let us visualize an environment where the glamor of the golden statuette tends to eclipse the seedy undertones of sheer artistry. Directors, writers, and actors give life to their works with the hopes of impressing the world, yet only go to witness the focus bestowed upon their richer competitors. According to Justine, the Hollywood filmmaker and writer who has never hesitated to speak her mind, this is the ugly truth that people don’t want to discuss.
A major revolution unfolded in the entertainment world when Bateman shared her illuminating tweets. According to her, the entertainment industry only serves marketing awards and it’s simply done by paying lobbyists millions of dollars. And her comments were not polite; it was a condemnation of a culture where making money is more important than making art.
“Entertainment awards are largely marketing awards. The awards marketing campaigns cost millions of dollars. Ads in the trades, for your consideration billboards…all cost a great deal of money.” – Justine Bateman
I actually never want an award for my films or books, because I would know that someone had, in essence, paid for it. Entertainment awards are largely marketing awards. The awards marketing campaigns cost millions of dollars. Ads in the trades, “for your consideration”…
— Justine Bateman (@JustineBateman) December 18, 2024
The younger generation of social media users is of the perspective that what Bateman says makes sense especially when they have seen how ugly the entertainment industry is after the false cover that it has. For some audiences who still believe in the beauty of cinema, this was a shocking revelation: are the awards just an extra marketing strategy or are they actually holly grails rewarding talent?
The Cost of Recognition: When Merit Takes a Backseat
Among the other points that Bateman raises is the most money spent in the history of her thoughts to endorse the one her critics sashays. Let’s all be honest. The essence of close-campaign ads and luxurious parties is to capture electorates, and such captures don’t come cheap.
Why is this necessary? Bateman’s following tweet pinpointed the core issue:
Part of the need to spend so much on awards campaigns is the same reason film promotion campaigns are so expensive: The audience is too fractured to capture. Too many other attention-getting sources exist now. Entertainment awards voters are no different. It takes a lot of money…
— Justine Bateman (@JustineBateman) December 18, 2024
In the current era of television series, streaming platforms, social media, and other diverse forms of distraction, filmmakers have to do a lot more work to attract their audience. However, this also means that lesser independent creators and people who don’t have heavy budgets are usually kept out of the competition. The competition goes beyond the uneven distribution of wealth; it becomes impossible to enter for those without money.
This behavior provoked many comments and discussions among people on social networks. For example, @MuseMelodic managed to make a connection between Hollywood and music:
It’s the same in the music industry. Labels pay to have their artists awarded. It’s a big pat ourselves on the back club. I don’t think all awards are bad, but the main industry events are def culprits.
— Courtney Galina (@MuseMelodic) December 18, 2024
Such systems are not just unfair but also manage to kill the acknowledgment of real and pathbreaking work by substituting astronomical dollars with talent.
“Mutual Admiration Society”: Hollywood’s Inner Circle
Bateman’s critique also highlighted how awards have become a closed-loop system. Even some insiders, critics, everybody has said that, at these ceremonies, if they don’t feel like “mutual admiration societies,” the members of one elite form a roundabout and give honors to each other.
User @JuniacahillJune highlights how awards ceremonies have long been perceived as exclusive circles of self-congratulation:
Haha-my dad used to call award ceremonies: ‘Mutual Admiration Society” -and this was back in the 60s & 70s!!
— June Cahill (@JuniacahillJune) December 19, 2024
This standpoint isn’t new but Bateman’s comments on this issue brought the discussion to life once again. Every now and then most award shows, including the Oscars and the Emmys, even the Grammys are under fire for being overly targeting and centrical awarding big companies and celebrities, feeling snuffing other more creative and unapprehended names.
A certain @JC1964JC further conveys this thought:
Haven't watched any entertainment award ceremony since 1986 because I'd figured this same thing out.
— JC (@JC1964JC) December 19, 2024
It's a popularity contest that quite frankly as nothing to do with celebrating the arts but with patting each other on the back.
If they really wanted to celebrate the arts,…
When the same people start year after year, it is worth asking questions about representation, diversity, inclusivity, and indeed what that award stands for.
Artistic Integrity: Collateral Damage in a Commodified Industry
In essence, Bateman’s remark is not merely about the awards, but the tokenization of creativity itself, the danger of winning becoming much more important than creating. This is something many people in the field truly regret.
One user @ARCHANGEL laments how deep, meaningful, and timeless art often goes unacknowledged and underappreciated in today’s world:
Very true and rather unfortunate. In this day and age, deep, meaningful, and timeless art is often unpopular and very rarely acknowledged or celebrated.
— ARCHANGEL (@tweet_kune_do) December 18, 2024
What’s even worse is that there’s been close allegations about several awards voters not even bothering to view the art work that they are meant to be critiquing as @hoffman1953 pointed out:
I hear a lot of the voters don't even watch what they are judging.
— SF hoffman (@hoffman1953) December 18, 2024
If the decisions are made at such levels of ignorance then how can any awards qualify a certain body of work as being the best or outstanding?
Awards as Marketing Tools: Who Benefits?
Bateman’s comments have also elucidated the two ways how awards function, that is, the awards are both accolades and marketing tools. While the awards leave winners in a better state of dignity, they also mark brands in the world.
@DHacker615 believes that the Oscars and Emmys are trade association promotions rather than measures of virtue:
The Oscars (Emmys, et al) are awards given out by a Trade Association to promote its product.
— DHacker615 🇺🇸 (@dhacker615) December 18, 2024
There is nothing wrong with that, but it is weird when people lose sight of their essentially commercial purpose and act like they are a measure of virtue.
When it comes to the Oscars specifically but award shows in general, one thing is clear, this is the most prestigious event in the entertainment world. One cannot imagine doing streams or box office numbers that even come close to the numbers the award shows give you. Now chill! There is nothing unethical about this as the whole idea is marketing, but it does make one wonder, how much importance should one give an award when most of them are purely marketing strategies.
Rethinking Recognition: A Path Forward
If someone goes on and critiques Bateman, they are clearly doing it for attention seeking as her claim is more than just a complaint. What will Dwayne Johnson do to create buzz around him as most of his award wins have become common who’s next in line to do it with the other creative industries?
An eye-catching solution could be improving the burden of proof regarding the award processes. Improving the marketing obsession might be the right path to unlock this messy thing. Capping campaigns could also require voting evidence from the voters.
Which in simpler words makes full sense as put by @RareVicRec:
I’m totally baffled as to why anyone would waste 3 hours of their lives watching “the Oscars”.
— Guided by Choices (@RareVicRec) December 18, 2024
The Real Award Lies In The Art
Justin Bateman has been one of the very few who has critiqued the award culture all across the globe. She comments that society in general should change the way awards are viewed along with Hollywood.
An Academy Award may or may not be the best form of recognition. There are always countless songs, performances, and meaningful stories.
The central issue is whether we are going to press for an industry change that encourages genuine ability, or whether we will keep hitting our hands together for the existing situation. But it doesn’t require any validation. An actual piece of artwork makes sure to leave a mark on the person. Isn’t that the greatest award there is?
Last Updated on by Saket Kumar
