Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

noun

1. an association whose membership is comprised of thousands of professionals in cinema production, established in 1927 and primarily known for the annual Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars. : AMPAS

Pronunciation Note

The long official name of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences [uh, -, kad, -, uh, -mee uhv , moh, -sh, uh, n , pik, -cher , ahrts, , uh, n , sahy, -, uh, n-siz] is commonly shortened to simply the Academy [th, ee , uh, -, kad, -, uh, -mee] or to the abbreviation AMPAS. Some speakers pronounce the abbreviation [am, -p, uh, s]. However, this shorter pronunciation appears to be rare.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

He was, however, expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2018.

From Los Angeles Times

Freed served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

From Los Angeles Times

He was a lifelong member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

From Los Angeles Times

Days later, Smith issued a contrite statement and resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

From New York Times

The #OscarsSoWhite campaign is one of many instances when Black Twitter missives led to concrete change, prompting the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to diversify its membership.

From Los Angeles Times

More About Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences

What is the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences?

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a film industry organization best known for hosting the Academy Awards, an annual award ceremony to honor excellence in film.

The award presented during the ceremony—a statuette in the form of a gold-plated figure—is called an Academy Award and is popularly known as an Oscar. The event itself is most commonly referred to as the Oscars. 

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is commonly called the Academy for short. Many Academy Award recipients are known for starting their acceptance speeches with “I’d like to thank the Academy.”

It’s sometimes abbreviated AMPAS.

The Academy’s thousands of members are industry professionals in both creative and technical professions.

Winning an Academy Award is often considered the most prestigious honor in the film industry, and the ceremony is often seen as the premiere awards show event. It is known for being attended by many top celebrities in the film and entertainment industry—many of whom are Academy members.

When was the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences established?

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was established in 1927 by prominent film industry members, including Louis B. Mayer and Douglas Fairbanks. The first Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The event was first fully televised in 1953.

The source of the nickname Oscar is thought to be Margaret Herrick, an Academy librarian and later its executive secretary. She is said to have nicknamed the award statuette Oscar in 1931 because it reminded her of her Uncle Oscar. The name started to be used in an official way by the Academy in 1939.

Nominations for Academy Awards in most categories are made by active members of the Academy with a specialty in the field that relates to that category. For example, cinematographers make nominations in the category of cinematography. All voting members of the Academy can nominate for best picture. The nominations are then voted on by the entire voting body, and votes are tallied by a third party that keeps the results secret until the ceremony.

What are some terms that often get used in discussing the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences?

• AMPAS
• Academy Awards
• Academy Award
• Oscar
• film
• movie

How is the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences discussed in real life?

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is most popularly referred to as the Academy. Winners of Academy Awards are known for thanking the Academy in their acceptance speeches.

Director Bong Joon-ho, who won four Oscars last year for “Parasite” (2019), will grace the Academy Awards ceremony again; this time as a presenter, according to a list announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Monday. #Parasitehttps://t.co/8YDGMsb6pf

— Korea JoongAng Daily (@JoongAngDaily) April 13, 2021

Imagine being in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and refusing to buy a $20 piece of plastic that you can plug into your TV to watch brand new movies for free. https://t.co/4E5eXt7ugq

— Zach Heltzel (@zachheltzel) April 14, 2021

Has anybody ever not thanked The Academy? Just wondering.

— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) February 23, 2015

 

 

Try using Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences!

True or False?

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded by a man named Oscar.