Many of you are already familiar with using Youtube to release trailers and clips for your film, but in the last few months Youtube relaunched their site and they made some adjustments to their analytics functionality. If you haven’t been back in a while to check your data, you should because you’ll find some really interesting tools to help in your efforts at reaching an audience.

As I said in a past post, I have started using a tool called Tube Toolbox to find ballet fans on Youtube for the Joffrey Ballet documentary I am working on. We now have over 300 subscribers on the channel in about 3 months of use. It isn’t earth shaking numbers, but remember these are all people interested specifically in the topic of the film who have chosen to subscribe to the channel. Some of them also have their own followings in the dance world so the ripple effect worldwide is greater, more sticky and far cheaper than if I had used advertising to reach thousands of mostly uninterested people.  And it continues to grow every day. But what do I know about these people?

I know the top 5 countries they come from, I know the gender and age range they fall into and how they came to the page. I know what videos they are watching AND for how long AND where in each video viewing I lose them. Wow! If you have ever wondered why a video isn’t working, you can now access the tab called Audience Retention.

You can choose which of your uploaded videos to analyze and then shows you a graph like this

It  is very useful to know how long the average viewer stays with your video. Do they cut out after 5 seconds? Does it start strong and then decline by the middle? At what point do you lose them? Maybe the video is too long or doesn’t stay compelling. You can use these stats to test how your edit performs and make changes. As you can see, there are 2 parts to this. Absolute audience retention shows the views of every moment of the video as a percentage of the number of views of the beginning of the video. Relative audience retention shows your video’s ability to retain viewers relative to all YouTube videos of similar length. Relative is less important to me than absolute.

Other interesting data can be found in the Playback and Traffic Sources tabs. Playback tells you where people are watching your videos. On the Youtube page, the channel page, through an embedded video player on another site? If it is on another site, you can click that link and it will tell you which ones. Also, it will tell you how many views are from a mobile device. Traffic sources tell you how they found your video, through a search engine, direct links such as Facebook or Twitter, or through suggested videos that line Youtube’s right hand sidebar on videos similar to yours. When you seed your video on other sites (or when others do it for you), it is important to know what works and what doesn’t so you can make adjustments.

Youtube has also put all of this information together in a handy download called The Creator Playbook that you can download for free HERE which was updated in November when they implemented these changes. I hope this information helps when you are thinking about your strategy for using Youtube.

Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they have acquired all North American, Latin American and Eastern European rights to Jacques Audiard’s (A PROPHET) RUST & BONE from Hengameh Panahi of Celluloid Dreams.  The film recently wrapped production.

The film was co-written by Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain and adapted from the acclaimed book of short stories by Craig Davidson.  Just as he did with the prison genre in A PROPHET, Jacques Audiard will renew the love story with RUST AND BONE, his stirring new film filled with romance and suspense.

RUST & BONE stars Oscar winner Marion Cotillard (LA VIE EN ROSE, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS) and Matthias Schoenarts (BULLHEAD), and is produced by Pascal Caucheteux, who SPC had previously worked with on the features, OF GODS & MEN and  A PROPHET.

“Jacques Audiard is one of Europe’s finest directors, and the same goes for producer Pascal Caucheteux.  We are thrilled to be working with them, and Hengameh Panahi of Celluloid Dreams, once again,” said Sony Pictures Classics.

Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 27 Academy Awards (23 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 124 Oscar nominations (101 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, and CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

Paladin announced today that it will release OTTER 501, a new film that chronicles the true story of an orphaned baby otter who is rescued on the Northern California coast, per company president Mark Urman. The latest project from the award-winning and acclaimed filmmaking team at Sea Studios Foundation, OTTER 501 will have its world premiere at this week’s Santa Barbara Film Festival (http://sbiff.festivalgenius.com/2012/films/otter501_bobtalbot_sbiff2012).

Paladin plans a spring release for the film.

A unique hybrid of fact and fiction that takes the traditional wildlife documentary into new and exciting storytelling realms, OTTER 501 is about an otter pup who was separated from her mother when she was just a week old and found washed ashore in June, 2010 on a beach on the Big Sur coast.  Quickly rescued by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sea Otter Research and Conservation Program, “501,” as she was called, became part of a groundbreaking surrogate program where she was cared for by humans, and then introduced to an adoptive sea otter mother who, in turn, raised her for months so she could develop the necessary skills to survive back in the wild.

Parallel to this remarkable tale of how 501 got a second chance at life is the story of young Katie, an aspiring biologist who volunteers at the aquarium and who participates in 501’s rescue and support.  Structured as a series of Facebook video posts by Katie, 501’s amazing – and true –story is told from Katie’s point of view, as she herself comes of age emotionally, intellectually, and professionally, courtesy of this baby otter.

Blending documentary and dramatic narrative techniques, OTTER 501 combines stunning original natural history footage with extensive authentic material of 501 (who was filmed over months by the Sea Studios team from the moment she was rescued), and the most modern forms of social media. Both inspiring and illuminating, the film sheds light on important issues facing us all about our ever-changing environment and the ways in which we affect – and are affected by – other species.

About the film Urman says, “501 is one of the more adorable creatures we will see on screen this year.   We are thrilled to be working with Sea Studios Foundation on this wonderful project, and their extensive relationships within the marine wildlife, conservation, and aquarium communities will allow us to build upon many of the innovative grass-roots marketing techniques we employed so successfully last year with Tom Shadyac’s ‘I Am,’ and the highly acclaimed – and similarly themed – documentary, ‘The Whale.’”

Mark Shelley, Executive Director of the Foundation, who conceived the story for OTTER 501, and served as Executive Producer and Director of Photography on the film says, “OTTER 501 is our first foray into the world of theatrical film, and I could not be more pleased than to be in the able hands of Mark Urman and Paladin.  Mark has been a leader in bringing high-quality films to theaters for a long time, and I look forward to working closely with him and his team.”

With Shelley at the helm, Sea Studios Foundation has produced a number of compelling visual narratives about pressing issues, including the award-winning National Geographic prime-time series, “Shape Of Life,” and “Strange Days on Planet Earth,” hosted by Edward Norton and recipient of fourteen international awards.  Joining Shelley behind the camera is director Bob Talbot, a world renowned marine photographer and long-standing Cousteau Society associate, who numbers among his credits The Academy Award-nominated IMAX film, “Dolphins-The Ride,” which he directed and photographed, “Oceanmen—Extreme Dive,” as well as the wildlife sequences for Universal’s “Flipper,” and the Warner Brothers’ “Free Willy” features.  Producer/Writer Josh Rosen, a specialist in long-form non-fiction science and nature programming, has created a number of hour-long documentaries for The Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, National Geographic Channel, The Science Channel, and The History Channel, and most recently worked on the PBS series, “Fabric of the Cosmos.”  He also collaborated with legendary director Werner Herzog on “Little Dieter Learns to Fly” and “My Best Fiend.”

OTTER 501 will premiere on the west coast, with its initial engagements taking place in areas where sea otters reside, including the Bay Area, (where it was filmed, and where Sea Studios makes it headquarters), Seattle, Portland, and Santa Barbara.  National expansion will take place in June and will extend throughout the summer. For more information about the film, please visit http://www.Otter501.com or http://www.seastudios.org.

Price Waterhouse Coopers celebrates its 78thyear leading the Oscars® balloting process on behalf of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the Academy).  PwC balloting leaders Brad Oltmanns and Rick Rosas will again oversee the tabulation and will be the only two people in the world who will know the identity of the Oscar® winners before the 84th Academy Awards live telecast on ABC at 4 p.m. PT (7 p.m. ET) on Sunday, February 26, 2012.

In the 78 years that PwC has managed the balloting process, there has never been a single security breach.  Oltmanns and Rosas lead a tight-lipped team to conduct the same ‘tried and true’ method that they have used for decades. PwC’s long-established balloting system involves the precise tallying of every single ballot at a concealed location to maintain the utmost level of accuracy, objectivity and confidentiality.

“Our long-standing, 78-year relationship with PwC is built on the utmost trust and integrity,” said Tom Sherak, Academy president. “We look forward to continuing the tradition with PwC as our balloting partner for many years to come.”

Once the votes have been submitted and tabulated, PwC prepares two briefcases with a complete set of envelopes bearing the Oscar winners’ names. As a precautionary measure, both briefcases are then transported to the ceremony via separate, secret routes with each of the PwC balloting leaders. As a second preventive measure, the PwC balloting leaders also memorize every winner. During the live telecast, Oltmanns and Rosas remain backstage and hand each envelope to award presenters before they walk onstage.

“PwC’s ongoing relationship with the Academy exemplifies the highest level of precision and trust,” said Brad Oltmanns, a PwC partner and Oscars balloting leader since 2004. “This is an event we look forward to every year and our precise work with the Academy through the years is a tribute to PwC’s renowned heritage and reputation.”

“Being involved each year in maintaining the highest level of secrecy is one of the most rewarding assignments of my career” said Rick Rosas, a PwC partner and Oscars balloting leader since 2001. “Our work with the Academy not only highlights our long-term and trusted relationship with Hollywood and the entertainment industry, but also serves as an incredible source of honor and pride for PwC.”

Oscars nomination ballots were mailed to 5,783 voting members of the Academy on Tuesday, December 27, 2011, and nominees were announced on Tuesday, January 24, 2012.  Final ballots will be mailed today (February 1, 2012), and completed ballots are due back to PwC on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 (by 5 p.m.).

PwC Fun Facts from 78 Years of Oscars Balloting

As Hollywood prepares for the 84th Academy Awards,  PwC has tallied some other numbers to illustrate what has gone into keeping Hollywood’s biggest secret under wraps and getting the world’s most famous statuettes into the hands of the winners:

• 450,000+: The approximate number of ballots counted by PwC in 78 years on the job.

• 2,600+:  The number of winners’ envelopes stuffed since the envelope system was introduced in 1941.

• 1,700: The approximate number of “person-hours” it takes the PwC team every year to count and verify the ballots.

• 78:  The number of years PwC has conducted the Oscar® balloting.

• 24: The number of awards categories to be tabulated for the 84th Academy Awards at a secret location known only to the members of the small PwC ballot team.

• 7: The number of days it takes to count the ballots for nominations.

• 3: The number of days it takes to count the final ballots.

Beverly Hills, CA – Final ballots for the 84th Academy Awards® were mailed today (February 1) to the 5,783 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Completed ballots must be returned to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) by 5 p.m. Tuesday, February 21.  Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted.

Listed on the ballots are nominees in 19 Awards categories.  Separate ballots for five categories (Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Foreign Language Film, Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film) will be distributed after verification of mandatory member attendance at screenings.

Following the tabulation of the votes, the winners’ names will be placed in sealed envelopes to be opened on Oscar Sunday, February 26.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Sundance Institute announced thirteen films supported by the Institute that are for the first time available to rent, download and stream. Look for the films on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu, SundanceNOW and YouTube. Films will be available on Netflix on March 1.

Films available today include Semper Fi: Always Faithful (currently on the Academy Award shortlist for Best Documentary), Obselidia (Independent Spirit Award Winner), Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade (2007 Sundance Film Festival documentary on the arcade gamer competitions in the ‘80s), New York Times Critic’s Pick Lord Byron and 1994 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Award Winner What Happened Was … by Tom Noonan – making its digital premiere 18 years after first screening in Park City, Utah. Special bonus video content from Sundance Institute’s archives will be available for select titles.

These projects are the first to take advantage of the Institute’s Artist Services access to distribution program, announced this summer. Artist Services provides Institute artists with exclusive opportunities for creative self-distribution, marketing and financing solutions for their work.

“We are truly excited for these films to reach the leading digital platforms and storefronts for movies. We created Artist Services so films that have shown at the Sundance Film Festival or been part of our Sundance Institute Labs will have a chance to find their audiences and fan bases. Audiences now have a chance to connect with exciting independent work using the devices and services they already love,” said Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute.

New Video® is the exclusive aggregation partner for distribution across all portals participating in the Artist Services program. The Artist Services initiative is made possible by The Bertha Foundation. O’Melveny & Myers generously provided pro bono legal services for the program.

The films and their availability are:

Advise & Dissent (Director: David Van Taylor) — A riveting, in the trenches look into the politicized Supreme Court confirmation battles. iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, SundanceNOW, YouTube. (2003 Sundance Documentary Film Grant)

Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade (Director: Lincoln Ruchti) — In 1982, Ottumwa, Iowa’s Twin Galaxies arcade served as the shining beacon of pixilated pop culture, attracting the best of the best in the highly competitive world of arcade video gaming. iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu, SundanceNOW, YouTube. (2007 Sundance Film Festival)

Clear Cut: the Story of Philomath, Oregon (Director: Peter Richardson) —Conservative logging barons and liberal urban immigrants collide over how college scholarships are distributed in this skillful documentary. iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, SundanceNOW, YouTube. (2006 Sundance Film Festival)

Jess + Moss (Director: Clay Jeter) — Sarah Hagan (”Freaks and Geeks”) stars in this lush, playful, award-winning coming of age story. iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, SundanceNOW, YouTube. (2011 Sundance Film Festival, Best Feature 2011 Prague Fresh Film Festival)

Lord Byron (Director: Zack Godshall) — This New York Times Critics Pick about a Don Juan from the Bayou charmed audiences and critics at last year’s Sundance Film Festival. iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu, SundanceNOW, YouTube. (2011 Sundance Film Festival, 2011 New York Times Critics Pick)

New Low (Director: Adam Bowers) — Adam Bowers wrote, directed and stars in this winning comedy about a neurotic twenty-something choosing love between the best and worst girls he’s ever known.. iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu, SundanceNOW, YouTube. (2010 Sundance Film Festival, Winner 2011 Amsterdam Film Festival)

Obselidia (Director: Diane Bell) — Winner of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival Alfred P. Sloan Prize and Excellence in Cinematography Award, “Obselidia” is part road movie, part love story, and endlessly fascinating. iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, SundanceNOW, YouTube. (2010 Sundance Film Festival, 2011 Independent Spirit Award Nominee)

The Oregonian (Director: Calvin Lee Reeder) — Lindsay Pulsipher (“True Blood”) stars as a girl on the run in this creepy selection from the Midnight section of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu, SundanceNOW, YouTube. (2011 Sundance Film Festival)

The Redemption of General Butt Naked (Directors: Eric Strauss and Daniele Anastasio) — A brutal warlord who murdered thousands during Liberia’s horrific 14-year civil war renounces his violent past and reinvents himself as an Evangelist, facing those he once terrorized. iTunes, Amazon Instant Video. (2011 Sundance Film Festival Winner, Excellence in Cinematography Award)

Semper Fi: Always Faithful (Director: Rachel Libert) — A retired Marine fights for justice on behalf of U.S. soldiers and their families exposed to toxic drinking water while stationed at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base. iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, SundanceNOW, YouTube. (2010 Sundance Institute Documentary Film Fund Grantee)

Space Tourists (Director: Christian Frei) — Through the story the world’s first female space tourist, this documentary shows us the intersection of human enterprise and commerce in the final frontier. iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, SundanceNOW, YouTube. (2010 Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Directing Award Winner)

What Happened Was… (Director: Tom Noonan) — Tom Noonan’s directorial debut about a skewed vision of a first date. iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, SundanceNOW, YouTube. (1994 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Winner)

The Wife (Director: Tom Noonan) — Therapists and patients confront each other in this delirious, realistic relationship drama. iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, SundanceNOW, YouTube. (1995 Sundance Film Festival)

The Adventures of Tintin
Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures Production (Paramount)
Original Score

Albert Nobbs
Trillium Productions, Mockingbird Pictures and Parallel Films Production (Roadside Attractions)
Glenn Close – Actress in a Leading Role
Janet McTeer – Actress in a Supporting Role
Makeup

Anonymous
Columbia Pictures Production (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Costume Design

The Artist
La Petite Reine/Studio 37/La Classe Américaine/JD Prod/France3 Cinéma/Jouror Productions/uFilm Production (The Weinstein Company)
Jean Dujardin – Actor in a Leading Role
Bérénice Bejo – Actress in a Supporting Role
Art Direction
Cinematography
Costume Design
Directing
Film Editing
Original Score
Best Picture
Original Screenplay

The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement
Purposeful Production
Documentary Short Subject

Beginners
Olympus Pictures in association with Parts & Labor Production (Focus Features)
Christopher Plummer – Actor in a Supporting Role

A Better Life
Summit Entertainment Production (Summit Entertainment)
Demián Bichir – Actor in a Leading Role

Bridesmaids
Universal Pictures Production (Universal)
Melissa McCarthy – Actress in a Supporting Role
Original Screenplay

Bullhead
Savage Film Production
Foreign Language Film (Belgium)

A Cat in Paris
Folimage Production (GKIDS)
Animated Feature Film

Chico & Rita
Chico & Rita Distribution Limited Production (GKIDS)
Animated Feature Film

The Descendants
Ad Hominem Enterprises Production (Fox Searchlight)
George Clooney – Actor in a Leading Role
Directing
Film Editing
Best Picture
Adapted Screenplay

Dimanche/Sunday
National Film Board of Canada Production (National Film Board of Canada)
Animated Short Film

Drive
Bold Films, OddLot Entertainment and Marc Platt Production (FilmDistrict)
Sound Editing

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Warner Bros. Pictures Production (Warner Bros.)
Max von Sydow – Actor in a Supporting Role
Best Picture

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Moonbot Studios LA Production
Animated Short Film

Footnote
Footnote Limited Partnership Production (Sony Pictures Classics)
Foreign Language Film (Israel)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Columbia Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Production (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Rooney Mara – Actress in a Leading Role
Cinematography
Film Editing
Sound Editing
Sound Mixing

God Is the Bigger Elvis
Documentress Films Production
Documentary Short Subject

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Warner Bros. Services UK Ltd. Production (Warner Bros.)
Art Direction
Makeup
Visual Effects

Hell and Back Again
Roast Beef Limited Production (Docurama Films)
Documentary Feature

The Help
DreamWorks Pictures Production (Touchstone)
Viola Davis – Actress in a Leading Role
Jessica Chastain – Actress in a Supporting Role
Octavia Specter – Actress in a Supporting Role
Best Picture

Hugo
Paramount Pictures and GK Films Production (Paramount)
Art Direction
Cinematography
Costume Design
Directing
Film Editing
Original Score
Best Picture
Sound Editing
Sound Mixing
Visual Effects
Adapted Screenplay

The Ides of March
Columbia Pictures and Cross Creek Pictures in association with Exclusive Media Group and Crystal City Entertainment Production (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Adapted Screenplay

If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Marshall Curry Production (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Documentary Feature

In Darkness
Studio Filmowe Zebra Production (Sony Pictures Classics)
Foreign Language Film (Poland)

Incident in New Baghdad
Morninglight Films Production
Documentary Short Subject

The Iron Lady
Weinstein Company/Yuk Films/Pathé/UK Film Council/Canal+/Cine+/ Goldcrest Production (The Weinstein Company)
Meryl Streep – Actress in a Leading Role
Makeup

Jane Eyre
Ruby Films Production (Focus Features)
Costume Design

Kung Fu Panda 2
DreamWorks Animation LLC Production (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount)
Animated Feature Film

La Luna
Pixar Animation Studios Production (Walt Disney)
Animated Short Film

Margin Call
Benaroya Pictures and Before The Door Pictures Production (Roadside Attractions)
Original Screenplay

Midnight in Paris
Pontchartrain Production (Sony Pictures Classics)
Art Direction
Directing
Best Picture
Original Screenplay

Moneyball
Columbia Pictures Production (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Brad Pitt – Actor in a Leading Role
Jonah Hill – Actor in a Supporting Role
Film Editing
Best Picture
Sound Mixing
Adapted Screenplay

Monsieur Lazhar
micro_scope Production (Music Box Films)
Foreign Language Film (Canada)

A Morning Stroll
Studio AKA Production
Animated Short Film

The Muppets
Walt Disney Pictures Production (Walt Disney)
Original Song – “Man or Muppet”

My Week with Marilyn
Weinstein Company Production (The Weinstein Company)
Kenneth Branagh – Actor in a Supporting Role
Michelle Williams – Actress in a Leading Role

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
@radical.media Production
Documentary Feature

Pentecost
EMU Production (Network Ireland Television)
Live Action Short Film

Pina
Neue Road Movies Production (Sundance Selects)
Documentary Feature

Puss in Boots
DreamWorks Animation LLC Production (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount)
Animated Feature Film

Raju
Hamburg Media School/Filmwerkstatt Production
Live Action Short Film

Rango
Paramount Pictures Production (Paramount)
Animated Feature Film

Real Steel
DreamWorks Pictures Production (Touchstone)
Visual Effects

Rio
Blue Sky Studios Production (20th Century Fox)
Original Song – “Real in Rio”

Rise of the Planet of the Apes
20th Century Fox Production (20th Century Fox)
Visual Effects

Saving Face
Milkhaus/Jungefilm Production
Documentary Short Subject

A Separation
Dreamlab Films Production (Sony Pictures Classics)
Foreign Language Film (Iran)
Original Screenplay

The Shore
All Ashore Production
Live Action Short Film

Time Freak
Team Road Production
Live Action Short Film

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Thin Man Films Production (Sony Pictures Classics)
Gary Oldman – Actor in a Leading Role
Original Score
Adapted Screenplay

Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Paramount Pictures Production (Paramount)
Sound Editing
Sound Mixing
Visual Effects

The Tree of Life
River Road Entertainment Production (Fox Searchlight)
Cinematography
Directing
Best Picture

The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom
Supply & Demand Integrated Production
Documentary Short Subject

Tuba Atlantic
Norwegian Film School/Den Norske Filmskolen Production (Norsk Filminstitutt)
Live Action Short Film

Undefeated
Spitfire Pictures Production (The Weinstein Company)
Documentary Feature

W.E.
Semtex Films/The Weinstein Company/IM Global Production (The Weinstein Company)
Costume Design

War Horse
DreamWorks Pictures Production (Touchstone)
Art Direction
Cinematography
Original Score
Best Picture
Sound Editing
Sound Mixing

Warrior
Solaris Entertainment and Filmtribe/Lionsgate/Mimran Schur Pictures Production (Lionsgate)
Nick Nolte – Actor in a Supporting Role

Wild Life
National Film Board of Canada Production
Animated Short Film

Best Picture

“The Artist” Thomas Langmann, Producer
“The Descendants” Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” Scott Rudin, Producer
“The Help” Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
“Hugo” Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
“Midnight in Paris” Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
“Moneyball” Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
“The Tree of Life” Nominees to be determined
“War Horse” Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

Directing

“The Artist” Michel Hazanavicius
“The Descendants” Alexander Payne
“Hugo” Martin Scorsese
“Midnight in Paris” Woody Allen
“The Tree of Life” Terrence Malick

Actor in a Leading Role

Demián Bichir in “A Better Life”
George Clooney in “The Descendants”
Jean Dujardin in “The Artist”
Gary Oldman in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”
Brad Pitt in “Moneyball”

Actor in a Supporting Role

Kenneth Branagh in “My Week with Marilyn”
Jonah Hill in “Moneyball”
Nick Nolte in “Warrior”
Christopher Plummer in “Beginners”
Max von Sydow in “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”

Actress in a Leading Role

Glenn Close in “Albert Nobbs”
Viola Davis in “The Help”
Rooney Mara in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
Meryl Streep in “The Iron Lady”
Michelle Williams in “My Week with Marilyn”

Actress in a Supporting Role

Bérénice Bejo in “The Artist”
Jessica Chastain in “The Help”
Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids”
Janet McTeer in “Albert Nobbs”
Octavia Spencer in “The Help”

Documentary (Feature)

“Hell and Back Again”
Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
“If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front”
Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
“Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory”
Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
“Pina”
Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel
“Undefeated”
TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

Foreign Language Film

“Bullhead” Belgium
“Footnote” Israel
“In Darkness” Poland
“Monsieur Lazhar” Canada
“A Separation” Iran

Animated Feature Film

“A Cat in Paris” Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
“Chico & Rita” Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
“Kung Fu Panda 2″ Jennifer Yuh Nelson
“Puss in Boots” Chris Miller
“Rango” Gore Verbinski

Art Direction

“The Artist”
Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″
Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
“Hugo”
Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
“Midnight in Paris”
Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil
“War Horse”
Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Cinematography

“The Artist” Guillaume Schiffman
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Jeff Cronenweth
“Hugo” Robert Richardson
“The Tree of Life” Emmanuel Lubezki
“War Horse” Janusz Kaminski

Costume Design

“Anonymous” Lisy Christl
“The Artist” Mark Bridges
“Hugo” Sandy Powell
“Jane Eyre” Michael O’Connor
“W.E.” Arianne Phillips

Documentary (Short Subject)

“The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement”
Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin
“God Is the Bigger Elvis”
Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson
“Incident in New Baghdad”
James Spione
“Saving Face”
Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
“The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom”
Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen

Film Editing

“The Artist” Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
“The Descendants” Kevin Tent
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
“Hugo” Thelma Schoonmaker
“Moneyball” Christopher Tellefsen

Makeup

“Albert Nobbs”
Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″
Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng
“The Iron Lady”
Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

Music (Original Score)

“The Adventures of Tintin” John Williams
“The Artist” Ludovic Bource
“Hugo” Howard Shore
“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” Alberto Iglesias
“War Horse” John Williams

Music (Original Song)

“Man or Muppet” from “The Muppets” Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
“Real in Rio” from “Rio” Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Short Film (Animated)

“Dimanche/Sunday” Patrick Doyon
“The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
“La Luna” Enrico Casarosa
“A Morning Stroll” Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
“Wild Life” Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

Short Film (Live Action)

“Pentecost” Peter McDonald and Eimear O’Kane
“Raju” Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
“The Shore” Terry George and Oorlagh George
“Time Freak” Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
“Tuba Atlantic” Hallvar Witzø

Sound Editing

“Drive” Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Ren Klyce
“Hugo” Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon” Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
“War Horse” Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

Sound Mixing

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
“Hugo”
Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
“Moneyball”
Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”
Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
“War Horse”
Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

Visual Effects

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″
Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
“Hugo”
Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
“Real Steel”
Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”
Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”
Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

“The Descendants” Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
“Hugo” Screenplay by John Logan
“The Ides of March” Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
“Moneyball” Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin Story by Stan Chervin
“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” Screenplay by Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan

Writing (Original Screenplay)

“The Artist” Written by Michel Hazanavicius
“Bridesmaids” Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
“Margin Call” Written by J.C. Chandor
“Midnight in Paris” Written by Woody Allen
“A Separation” Written by Asghar Farhadi

 The Sundance Institute Issues the following statement:

Sundance Institute has learned that Bingham Ray, beloved friend of independent film, and Executive Director of the San Francisco Film Society, has been hospitalized while in Utah for the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. We have reached out to Bingham and his family and San Francisco Film Society to offer our support and are pleased to hear that he is being well cared for. On behalf of the community of independent film fans in Park City and elsewhere, we send Bingham our best wishes for a speedy recovery.

I think those 2 words are starting to lose their meaning when talking about using social media to reach audiences. I am not offering another word because at the end of the day a word should only describe an idea of what you are truly doing and maybe THAT is the thing that is becoming lost in all of this talk. What are we truly saying when we use those words?

Engagement isn’t a measurement from your Facebook or Youtube Insights, it isn’t how many retweets you receive on Twitter. Connections aren’t simply a number of followers and likes. In thinking about the traditional use of this word, your “connection” was someone who was willing to help you, someone who knew you, trusted you and vice versa.

Audiences are now delighted by communicating not with a “brand,” but with a “face” or a person. This mindset shift in corporate America is very hard to make when they really never thought about the audiences actually being people…with faces beyond eyeballs. If they did think this way, would they really keep hitting that face with ads over and over again? Would the conversation be constantly one sided, “buy my stuff” ” buy my stuff” “click here, and buy my stuff.” That is the extent of the brand relationship with customers that the typical movie studio or distributor has now.

When I talk to you about creating a relationship with your audience that is long term, not just for one project, I really want you to think about what this means. The investment of time and creativity and energy this is going to take, not to boost “likes” on Facebook and follower numbers on Twitter, but to really draw people to what you are doing and hold them there willingly. Using these great new tools is just a newer way of communicating, but the communication itself isn’t new. We as humans have always communicated with each other and naturally gravitated to those with similar interests and it is the same now.

That is also an important distinction. Audiences may not only want to communicate with you, but also with like minded people AROUND you and your work. In this way, brands can benefit from heavily using social tools. They don’t have to be the sole source of communication, they can provide a place and content that enables “fans” to speak to each other about the brand. Be careful when you are using these tools only to speak about yourself, but also don’t  become so enamored of people “buzzing” about you and your work that you never step into the conversation. I see this a lot with brands that happily RT positive tweets but almost never get into conversations.

Main thing to takeaway here is not the fact that you are trying to pump up “scores” or numbers on your channels. You are trying to touch people using electronic means and this will take time, effort, energy and a lot of patience. There’s no quick fix, no magic solutions, no one  ”engagement tool” that is going to make these relationships last. For those who don’t have these attributes (time, energy etc), this isn’t going to work and you will have an increasingly difficult time gaining an audience in the future.