Hollywood is facing a new controversy as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body behind the Oscars, has announced a series of layoffs. Sixteen of the Academy's roughly 800 employees, or 2%, were dismissed on October 30 as part of an 18-month restructuring process, affecting the Academy's collection and preservation departments, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Notable names among those let go include Mike Pogorzelski, director of the Academy Film Archive, and Anne Coco, associate director of the Margaret Herrick Library's Graphic Arts Collection, both respected pillars in their fields for years of dedicated work.
Despite these changes, collection and preservation efforts are set to continue without disruption. The Academy also announced new acquisitions, including Studio Ghibli's animation collection with Hayao Miyazaki's drawings, Quentin Tarantino's original handwritten Pulp Fiction script, items from Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, costumes worn by Jamie Lee Curtis and Meryl Streep, and personal collections from Curtis Hanson and Oliver Stone.
Additionally, the Academy is reportedly looking to optimize resources as it approaches the Oscars' 100th anniversary in 2028, when its broadcast contract with ABC expires. Given declining awards show ratings, this will likely result in a smaller agreement.
The Academy has yet to comment publicly on the layoffs, though reports suggest some archive and library roles were considered redundant.
The Hollywood Reporter obtained an email from Academy CEO Bill Kramer to staff, explaining the layoffs and offering support to affected employees.
"Dear Academy Team,
As you know, we have been focused over the last two years on strategic structural changes at the Academy. We are working hard to bring teams together that share roles and responsibilities — and with this we have some colleagues who have left the organization while others have moved into new roles. While these moments can be challenging, they are designed to align our operations by combining functions with shared purposes and priorities.
As part of our efforts to bring all of our collecting and preservation departments together — the archive, the library, and the collecting unit of the museum — we have spent the last several months assessing the structure of these teams. As part of this work in building the new Academy Collection and Preservation Department, some team members will be leaving the Academy this week.
All impacted employees have been alerted to these changes — and while this effects less than 2% of our overall workforce, we know that having to say goodbye to colleagues is incredibly hard. We are deeply committed to providing support for those leaving and are finalizing a new reporting structure that we will share soon.
The Academy is part of two worlds that are rapidly evolving — the film industry and the non-profit arts community. We are working hard to stay focused on our mission while addressing this pivotal moment. And while we know how difficult these moments can be, we are confident in our steps to shape a sustainable organization that is well-suited to meet our goals now and in the future."
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