Oscar campaigning rules get stricter

You can’t win an Oscar by spamming George Clooney or boozing up the voters.

That’s the gist of one of the new rules the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced regarding Oscar campaigning, part of its ongoing effort to rein in studios and filmmakers aggressively touting their films during awards season.

The academy updated its regulations Wednesday, stipulating that film companies may send a maximum of one piece of mail and one piece of email a week to academy members during the height of Oscar season, the period after the announcement of nominations on Jan. 15, 2013, and before the final polls close on Feb. 19, 2013.

Other changes concern screenings during that time frame --academy members may be invited to up to four screenings of a nominated film that are preceded or followed by filmmaker Q&As;, and a fifth event in the United Kingdom is permitted. All participants in the Q&As; must be nominated or have been eligible for nomination and no screening event may include a reception or otherwise offer complimentary food or beverages.

The regulations also stipulate that members may receive screeners of a film both on DVD and as a digital download.

“These rules help us maintain a level playing field for all of the nominees and protect the integrity of the awards process,” academy President Tom Sherak said in a statement.

The 85th Academy Awards will take place Feb. 24, 2013.

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