From Variety on Wednesday, April 29, 2020:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has tweaked its Oscar eligibility rules in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
During a meeting on Tuesday, the board of governors approved a temporary hold on the requirement that a film needs a seven-day theatrical run in a commercial theater in Los Angeles County to qualify for the Oscars.
Instead, films will be allowed to be released digitally without playing in theaters. However, that doesn’t mean any movie premiering on a streaming service is eligible for Oscar gold. To be considered, the streamed film must have already had a planned theatrical release. The film must also be made available on the Academy Screening Room member-only streaming site within 60 days of the film’s streaming or VOD release.
You can read more about the changes in this article from Variety.
Another significant rule change was announced in this article: the combining of the two Sound awards into one. No longer will there be separate Oscars for Best Sound Mixing and Best Sound Editing. A single statuette for Best Sound (or probably “Best Sound Design”) will be awarded. This revision was proposed by the Sound Branch of the Academy themselves, and I think it’s a good idea, since many people (even the voters) were confused by the distinction.
Overall, the larger eligibility change is understandable. With most of our country (and world) still on lockdown due to COVID-19, many films have had their release dates pushed out or cancelled. It’s important to note this does not make all new films offered by streaming services, networks, or cable channels eligible for Oscars. The caveat is that in order for the digital-release rule to apply, only films with planned theatrical releases that have been altered will be allowed to bypass the long-standing rule of eligibility. The Academy has also relaxed the “Los Angeles only” rule to include other major cities if theatres open back up before the year’s end. This would prevent a lengthy if not impossible queue by production companies and studios trying to book available Los Angeles theatres in order to qualify for consideration before December 31, 2020.
These are unprecedented times … enough to alter the rules. Whether this is temporary or the beginning of a new era remains to be seen.
I still believe there should be a delineation and separation between “television movie” and “theatrical movie.” They are created artistically and technically in different ways and intended to be experienced by different audiences. While the lines have blurred a bit these past few decades … they should still be drawn.