As every year this year's Oscars might have left some fuming and others disappointed. A new study sheds some light on how to influence friends and win some accolades. According to the research, winning Hollywood awards depends on the social connections of actors.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania explain that there are two categories of the awards; one given by the critics panel and others given by 'peers' who are actively involved in movie making.
Now, the authors say, the awards are mostly presented to the artists who are embedded in the 'core' of the social network, which are given by these 'peers.' The core members have good social ties with the people actively involved in the movie industry. But, the critics show no bias toward a particular actor and judge them solely on the performance.
For the study, the researchers examined the data from the Internet Movie Database (IMdb) and Alan Goble Film Index. They concentrated on the data from 1992 to 2004 that included various awards and nominations of the actors, directors, screenwriters and others.
Does this mean it is time for Leonardo DiCaprio to change his friends' circle? "Sociological theory suggests that the process of 'making it' in any field depends not only on individual merit, but also on the kind of audience that makes the judgments," said co-author Paul D. Allison, a sociology professor at the University of Pennsylvania in a press release.
"Specifically, our study found that peers are more likely to favor award candidates who are highly embedded in the field, whereas critics will not show such favouritism," he added.
The researchers believe that apart from the Hollywood movie industry, the findings could also be helpful in other fields as well.
"From a policy perspective the study offers insights that could inspire a reorientation of the criteria used to allocate symbolic (e.g., awards) and/or material (e.g., grants) resources," the researchers said.
"This could be accomplished by, for instance, making sure that the composition of government agencies (e.g., National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, etc.) responsible for promoting science or art through research programs and education projects reflects the views of multiple (both academic and non-academic) audiences so as to reduce the risk that the work of peripheral actors might be ignored."
Fans of the talent powerhouse Leonardo DiCaprio were left disappointed after the 5-time Oscar nominee failed to get the Academy award again this year. His performance in last year's hit 'The Wolf of Wall Street' was much appreciated by the critics as well as fans.
The study titled 'Insiders, Outsiders, and the Struggle for Consecration in Cultural Fields: A Core-Periphery Perspective' will be published in the American Sociological Review.
Following are the top 10 actors who have not got the most coveted award - The Oscars:
1. Leonardo DiCaprio
2. Glenn Close
3. Harrison Ford
4. Julianne Moore
5. John Travolta
6. Robert Downey Jr
7. Liam Neeson
8. Will Smith
9. Johnny Depp
10. Tom Cruise
