The annual show adds new categories, a voting academy of industry professionals and indie pop band fun. as one of three musical acts.
A portion of this story originally appeared in the May 4 issue of The Hollywood Reporter.
“We want to make sure some of the unexpected, smaller, quirkier films have a chance,” says MTV president Stephen Friedman, who adds that the Movie Awards is still a hit with its core viewers (last year’s show pulled in 4.5 million viewers, registering its largest teen audience since 2004). “But it wasn’t growing the way we want it to,” he notes.
While the now-iconic “best kiss” and “best fight” awards aren’t going anywhere, new categories this year are designed to deepen the movie-music connection. For instance, the “best music” award will go to the song that is most effectively used in a scene. It’s meant to honor all of those unsung music supervisors. Others will celebrate acting, not merely popularity, such as “best on-screen transformation,” which will be handed out to the actor who disappears into a role (think Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady orMichelle Williams in My Week with Marilyn). Of course, others – “best on-screen dirt-bag” – are just meant to be fun.
Jesse Ignjatovic, veteran producer of last year’s VMA’s (which notched a franchise best with more than 12 million viewers), will helm this year’s Movie Awards for the first time, taking over from Mark Burnett. MTV also will up the musical performances with headliner fun. performing their hit “We Are Young” over a video montage of party films from Animal House to Old School to this year’s Project X.
“It’s not just about bringing more music to the show,” says Ignjatovic. “It’s about integrating music and movies.”
“My twin passions are movies and music,” he adds. “To me, going to a movie is much like going to a rock concert; it’s a communal, shared experience. And I thought I could bring what I do in the music space to the movie space.”
That includes big production numbers and a 58-by-32-foot video screen ringed by lasers to create an amphitheater effect. “It focuses the whole proceedings of the night around film,” he says.
But the revamped Movie Awards will not sacrifice the satirical bent and mischievous pranks it has become known for (remember Sacha Baron Cohen lowering his naked rear onto Eminem in 2009?). “Full frontal male nudity was big this year,” Ignjatovic says, citing multiple 2011 films includingHangover Part II and Michael Fassbender’s Shame. “I think we need to embrace it as a moment.”
New Categories for 2012
Best Music
Best On-Screen Transformation
Best Gut-Wrenching Performance
Best Cast
Best On-Screen Dirt Bag
Retired Categories from 2011
Best Villain
Best Scared-as-Shit Performance
Best Jaw Dropping Moment
Biggest Badass Star
Best Line from a Movie
