How the Academy Votes

Start here before you look at the model: branch nominations, the preferential ballot, and every confirmed date for the 99th Oscars. The Academy Awards

Start here
The Process
How the Academy Votes
Branch nominations, the preferential ballot, why Best Picture is counted differently from every other category, and every confirmed date for the 99th Oscars.
Read the guide 99th Oscars
This Cycle
This Year's Contenders
The films and performances shaping the race to the 99th Oscars, from the Cannes results through the fall festival slate.
Read the guide Current Season
More guides
The Model
How the Oscars Forecast Model Works
Why the guild awards dominate the model, how the three-stage pipeline adds signal through the season, and how the accuracy numbers are tested on years the model never saw.
Read the guide 79% · Core 6, 1997+

See every guide for The Academy Awards

Once you know how it works, see how closely the model tracks it