Independent films battle blockbusters at the Oscars

The Oscars boast more independent films nominations this year compared to 2010.

Where will you be on February 26th?

The annual Academy Awards are coming up, and a new nomination system that has independent films taking over the spots aiming for the Oscar in best picture.

Thenumbers.com shows that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two was the number one ranked movie at the box office. However, the mega-hit was snubbed for the Oscar. The film will perhaps garner the special effects award.

Alan O'Hashi, executive director of Boulder Community Media and Indie Film Director, says the elements of a great film are as follows:

“Does the character development work, does the style work, is there a story arc, is there a change, are you moved by it. Did you like it, did you make it all the way through the movie when you screened it? So, there are a lot of subjective and objective criteria which go into film judging."

Films such as the Tree of Life, The Iron Lady, and The Artist are all nominated this year. This recognition proves that the push of independent films into the mainstream category has been successful.

Most audiences flock to big blockbuster films packed with shocking and exciting special effects; it seems as though the mainstream audience would rather see a great special effect than a great storyline.

However, the Academy Awards are used to provide an artistic value to the films that are nominated, while blockbuster films’ values are often quantified by the success it has at the box office.

Usually, it is the independent films that have the most artistic and creative storyline, which ultimately propel them to win the best picture award.