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The Vote
Eye on the Oscars: Oscar Wrap
We are the 5%

We are the 5%

It's a simple Oscar truth: 5% or bust.
Every year, the motion picture Academy tweaks its rules for Oscar promotional efforts. It's all to prevent the studio that spends the most on its campaign from automatically taking home the trophies -- and to avoid having publicists target individual voters.

How We Got Here

Whether it's Cannes gold in springtime, critical praise in fall or guild honors in winter, the handwringing for an Oscar contender never stops until the Academy weighs in. With Oscar ballots finally coming due, a look back at the journey taken by the nominees.

How they got here: Best picture
How they got here: Lead actor
How we got here: Supporting actor and actress
How we got here: Director
How they got here: Lead actress
How they got here: Screenplay
Unsung heroes

Celebrating the behind-the-scenes experts who deliver Oscar-caliber work but have no category they can win.

Unsung Heroes: Chris Ubick
Unsung Heroes: Greg Jackson
Unsung Heroes: Omar Von Muller and Mathilde de Cagn