Michael Benedict

Awards Management

• Manage the awards process for categories (General Entry, Animated Feature, Documentary Feature, Short Films).
• Ensure that all submissions comply with Academy rules and eligibility requirements.
• Supervise and assist in the construction of the awards submission site and the streaming platform (Academy Screening Room)
• Communicate directly with filmmakers, studios, distributors, and publicists regarding category-specific rules and deadlines.
• Serve as the lead liaison between the AMPAS administration and the various branches: Animation, Documentary, Short Films, and Makeup and Hairstyling.
• Organize and attend committee meetings, record decisions, and ensure implementation of policy or procedural rule changes.
• Manage the Academy's Qualifying Festival List and application process.
• Participate in global film festival panels and presentations to clarify the awards submission process and rules.

Membership Management

• Oversee new member review process for the relevant branches.
• Manage new membership requirements and maintain accurate membership records.
• Support initiatives to promote diversity, inclusion, and international member representation.

Report Processing

• Receive incoming compliance documents: deal memos, post-production addenda, weekly work lists, gross earnings reports, etc.
• Parse, review, log and process those documents: check that forms are completed, fields filled correctly, signatures present, correct form version used.
• Identify missing reports or missing data, follow up with employers/signatories or production companies to obtain required documentation.
• Review reports for accuracy and completeness; catch data entry errors or missing fields.
• Assist in resolving issues raised by members regarding their work lists, their deal memos, or missing credits or employment reporting

• Operate digital cinema projectors (DCP) and 35mm prints to ensure correct playback of films, trailers, and advertisements.
• Manage the ingest, key delivery (KDM) and scheduling of digital content.
• Confirm all films are properly formatted and framed for brightness, focus, and aspect ratio.
• Supervise a team of projectionists
• Conduct regular maintenance and troubleshooting of projectors, servers, and audio processors.
• Work with vendors or technical support to resolve hardware/software issues.