TVC E. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has decided to retain the services of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) despite a backstage envelope mix-up that led to the wrong film being announced as the winner of the best picture at the Oscars last month, on February the 26th to be precise.
In this new arangment, starting from next year, a third accountant will be added to the PwC staff on the Oscars night. An Oscars show control room, will be part of the new arraingment, the third accountant will be able to immediately to notify the director should a mistake be made.
No more backstage tweeting, photos and posting to other social media will be banned. All accountants will have to hand over their phones and other electronic devices before going backstage as part of this new measure.
Finally,closer checks of the winner envelopes on stage and rehearsals with the accountants will be done ahead of the Oscar ceremony.
Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs informed journalists on Wednesday that Academy members “after a thorough review, including an extensive presentation of revised protocols and ambitious controls, the Board has decided to continue working with PwC.”
Isaacs added that the Academy had been “unsparing in our assessment that the mistake made by representatives of the firm was unacceptable.”
The unprecedented mishap led to musical “La La Land” being declared the winner and its producers and cast celebrated and started acceptance speeches on the stage before “Moonlight” was named the real winner of the night’s top prize.
Isaacs called it “the most extraordinary and memorable Oscars ceremony in decades.” PwC, which has overseen Oscar balloting for 83 years, took full responsibility for the gaffe, which stunned the A-list audience in Hollywood and millions watching on television.
PwC quickly removed the two accountants responsible from further involvement in the Academy Awards and carried out a review of its procedures.
