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In this week's Academy Original go into the home of screenwriter Stephen Schiff  (Lolita, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps) and learn about his creative process and find out where his ideas come from. "Creating is important to me because I kind of have to do it," Schiff said. "Because I feel driven to do it - because I feel unhappy if I don't do it."To compare Schiff’s approach to that of another successful screenwriter who also has unique views on creativity, check out this episode featuring School of Rock writer Mike White.

In this week's Academy Original, experts and filmmakers discuss the rapidly changing way that people watch and consume movies. Whereas in the early 20th century the average American would spend a few hours a week in a movie palace, nowadays most people visit the cinema just a few times a year. However we watch movies in a variety of other locations nowadays and through a multitude of devices. Meanwhile, we are talking about films far more often than we used to. "Sharing in digital is the same as word-of-mouth in film or the watercooler conversation in television," producer Michael Shamberg…

Everything we do on social media is designed to entertain, educate, inspire and fuel the world’s love of movies. Most importantly, our posts are designed to provide value to our followers and connect them with our amazing members who make the films they love.Today we're launching a brand new editorial slate:IFYOULOVEMOVIES.WATCHThe name says it all - if you love movies, just type this URL into your web browser and you’ll find something we think you’ll enjoy. An always-on streaming video site designed to be the ultimate lean–back viewing experience. We’ve created this to showcase some of the…

Veteran casting director Lora Kennedy ("Man of Steel", "Argo", "Soapdish") answered Ask Me Anything questions on Reddit this morning.  Here are some highlights from her wide-ranging, hour-long interview: Q. How did you get into casting?A. I was helping a friend on the old MGM lot. One day I went to lunch with his secretary. She had a friend in casting. They started talking and I noticed a huge stack of mail - which I later found out was submissions. I asked her friend if she wanted me to open the mail while they talked.And she said "Great! Do you want to be an intern." I said, "That would…

Currently on display in the Academy's Linwood Dunn Theater is an exhibition of behind-the-scenes movie photography that charts the history of motion pictures and lifts the studio curtain to reveal the collaborative work that breathes life into the silver screen. From silent cinema to the advent of sound, early independent productions to the rise and fall of the studio system, black-and-white to color, widescreen, 3-D, computer generated imagery and beyond, it’s all here.The talented still photographers who created these images were not limited just to taking glamour shots of star favorites,…

Born on this day in 1899, American animator Walter Lantz is perhaps best known as the creator of cartoon character Woody Woodpecker. In fact, in 1979 when Robin Williams presented Lantz with an Honorary Award at the 51st Academy Awards for his contributions to the art of animation, an animated Woody Woodpecker appeared onstage alongside Lantz to accept the award.In 1948, eight years after Woody’s first theatrical appearance, Lantz was approached by the Coca-Cola Company to produce animated theatrical advertisements to promote their product. Lantz agreed and eventually produced 20 shorts…

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will explore the past, present and especially the future of moviegoing, as the availability of a wide variety of platforms for viewing films alters the habits of today’s audiences. “The New Audience: Moviegoing in a Connected World,” a live panel presentation on May 12, complements “This Is Widescreen,” an eight-week screening series beginning May 1 that illustrates one of the ways filmmakers more than a half-century ago responded to the competition of that era, television.THE NEW AUDIENCE: MOVIEGOING IN A CONNECTED WORLDTUESDAY, MAY 12│7:30 P.M…