Last fall, we asked Oscar-winning members from every branch of our Academy family an important question: What do you wish someone had told you before you started working in movies?
We loved the responses; their handwritten notes are a perfect snapshot of our Academy community. We are now thrilled to share these moments in our first-ever Oscars notebook. Get them for your friends, family and anyone looking for a little inspiration in making their own dreams come true.
Participants
Rick Baker
Rick Baker is a seven-time Academy Award-winning makeup artist, receiving Oscars for “The Wolfman” (2010), “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000), “Men in Black” (1997), “The Nutty Professor” (1996), “Ed Wood” (1994), “Harry and the Hendersons” (1987) and “An American Werewolf in London” (1981). He also has earned four additional Makeup nominations, for “Norbit” (2007), “Life” (1999), “Coming to America” (1988) and “Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes” (1984), as well as a Visual Effects nomination for “Mighty Joe Young” (1998).
Armando Bo
Screenwriter Armando Bo received an Original Screenplay Oscar for his work on the 2014 Best Picture winner “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance).”
Mark Bridges
Mark Bridges earned an Oscar for Costume Design for the 2011 Best Picture winner “The Artist.” He received a second nomination in that category for “Inherent Vice” (2014).
Lois Burwell
Makeup artist Lois Burwell received an Oscar for her work on “Braveheart” in 1995 and a second Makeup nomination for “Saving Private Ryan” in 1998. She currently serves on the Academy Board of Governors, representing the Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch.
Rick Carter
Rick Carter won Oscars for his production designs for “Lincoln” (2012) and “Avatar” (2009), and earned additional nominations for his work on “War Horse” (2011) and “Forrest Gump” (1994). He is currently an Academy governor representing the Designers Branch.
Lonnie Lynn
Lonnie Lynn, better known as Common, is a music artist and actor who won an Oscar for the original song “Glory” from the film “Selma” (2014).
Bill Corso
Makeup artist Bill Corso won an Oscar for his work on “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” (2004). He earned additional Makeup nominations for “Foxcatcher” (2014) and “Click” (2006).
Richard Edlund
Visual effects artist Richard Edlund has won four Oscars, for “Return of the Jedi” (1984), “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981), “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) and “Star Wars” (1977). He has received six additional Visual Effects nominations, for “Alien 3” (1992), “Die Hard” (1988), “Poltergeist II: The Other Side” (1986), “2010” (1984), “Ghostbusters” (1984) and “Poltergeist” (1980). His accolades also include three Scientific and Engineering awards and the John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation. Edlund is currently an Academy governor representing the Visual Effects Branch.
William Goldenberg
William Goldenberg received an Oscar for Film Editing for his work on the 2012 Best Picture winner “Argo.” He has four additional nominations in that category, for “The Imitation Game” (2014), “Zero Dark Thirty” (2012), “Seabiscuit” (2003) and “The Insider” (1999).
Marcus Hu
Marcus Hu is the co-founder and co-president of Strand Releasing. He is a member of the Academy’s Executives Branch.
Cheryl Boone Isaacs
Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs, a member of the Academy’s Marketing and Public Relations Branch, is the head of CBI Enterprises, Inc., a film marketing consultancy. She also teaches at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. Boone Isaacs has previously held executive positions at New Line Cinema and Paramount Pictures.
Mark Johnson
Producer Mark Johnson received a Best Picture Oscar for “Rain Man” (1988) and a second nomination in the category for “Bugsy” (1991). He currently serves on the Academy Board of Governors, representing the Producers Branch.
Lora Kennedy
Lora Kennedy is a casting director whose credits include such features as “Man of Steel” (2013), “Argo” (2012), “The Town” (2010) and “Syriana” (2005). She is currently an Academy governor representing the Casting Directors Branch.
Barbara Kopple
Barbara Kopple is a two-time Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker. She received Oscars for her documentary features “American Dream” (1990) and “Harlan County, U.S.A.” (1976).
Jennifer Lee
Jennifer Lee received an Oscar as a co-writer and co-director of the 2013 Animated Feature Film winner “Frozen.”
Catherine Martin
Catherine Martin is a four-time Academy Award-winning designer. She received Oscars for both Costume Design and Production Design for “The Great Gatsby” (2013), repeating a feat that she accomplished in 2001 with “Moulin Rouge.” Martin also has received nominations for Costume Design for “Australia” (2008) and for Art Direction for “William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet” (1996).
Steve McQueen
Filmmaker Steve McQueen earned a Best Picture Oscar as a producer on “12 Years a Slave” (2013). He received a second nomination as the film’s director.
Scott Millan
Sound mixer Scott Millan has won four Oscars, for his work on “The Bourne Ultimatum” (2007), “Ray” (2004), “Gladiator” (2000) and “Apollo 13” (1995). He also has received nominations for “Skyfall” (2012), “Salt” (2010), “Road to Perdition” (2002), “Braveheart” (1995) and “Schindler’s List” (1993). Millan is currently an Academy governor representing the Sound Branch.
Errol Morris
Documentary filmmaker Errol Morris received an Oscar for the documentary feature “The Fog of War” (2003), which he directed and produced.
Guillermo Navarro
Director of photography Guillermo Navarro received an Oscar for Cinematography for “Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006).
Lupita Nyong’o
Lupita Nyong’o received an Oscar for Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in the 2013 Best Picture winner “12 Years a Slave.”
Anna Pinnock
Set decorator Anna Pinnock won a Production Design Oscar for “The Grand Budapest Hotel” in 2014. She also has received nominations for her work on “Into the Woods” (2014), “Life of Pi” (2012), “The Golden Compass” (2007) and “Gosford Park” (2001).
Atticus Ross
Composer and music producer Atticus Ross received an Oscar for Original Score for his work on “The Social Network” (2010).
Richard M. Sherman
Richard M. Sherman is a nine-time Academy Award-nominated composer and two-time winner. He received an Oscar for the original score of “Mary Poppins” (1964) and the original song “Chim Chim Cher-ee” from the same film. He has earned additional nominations for songs from “The Magic of Lassie” (1978), “The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella” (1977), “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” (1971) and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (1968), as well as the scores for “The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella,” “Tom Sawyer” (1973) and “Bedknobs and Broomsticks.”
Aaron Sorkin
Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin won an Oscar for Adapted Screenplay for “The Social Network” (2010). He received a second nomination in the category for “Moneyball” (2011).
Steven Spielberg
Three-time Academy Award winner Steven Spielberg earned Directing Oscars for “Saving Private Ryan” (1998) and “Schindler’s List” (1993), and a Best Picture Oscar as a producer on “Schindler’s List.” Spielberg has received additional nominations in the Directing category for “Lincoln” (2012), “Munich” (2005), “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” (1982), “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977), and in the Best Picture category for “Lincoln,” “War Horse” (2011), “Letters from Iwo Jima” (2006), “Munich,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “The Color Purple” (1985) and “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.” In 1986 the Academy honored Spielberg with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.
Roger Ross Williams
Documentary filmmaker Roger Ross Williams received an Oscar for Documentary Short Subject for “Music by Prudence” (2009), which he directed and produced.
Kate Winslet
Kate Winslet won an Oscar for Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in “The Reader” (2008). She has earned three additional nominations in that category, for “Little Children” (2006), “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004) and “Titanic” (1997). She also has received nominations for her supporting performances in “Iris” (2001) and “Sense and Sensibility” (1995).
A.R. Rahman
Composer A.R. Rahman earned two Oscars for his work on the 2008 Best Picture winner “Slumdog Millionaire” – one for his original score and another for the original song “Jai Ho.” He also has received nominations for the original song “O Saya” from “Slumdog Millionaire,” for the original song “If I Rise” from “127 Hours” (2010), and for the original score for “127 Hours.”