Academy of Motion Picture to double female members by 2020

The announcement came after a backlash over the absence of actors or filmmakers of color in this year’s Oscars nominations, prompting actor Will Smith, director Spike Lee and a handful of others to say they plan to shun the Oscars ceremony February 28.

On Friday, Boone Isaacs announced sweeping reforms to the organization that include doubling the number of female and minority members by 2020 and adding new governors to its leadership board. The Academy’s Board of Governors unanimously approved the changes, which seem to have three goals: First, to prevent Academy membership from stagnating.

Lee also said that he’s glad that Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs is “trying to do the right thing”, adding that the Academy’s new plan is “a start”.

Beginning later this year, each new academy member’s voting status will last 10 years, and will be renewed if that new member has been active in movies during that decade.

Meanwhile, lifetime voting rights will only be extended to Academy members who have qualified for renewal for three consecutive terms. “So until the product that’s being spit out is created at a point where there is more diversity, I don’t know that these changes will substantively affect much”. “Please explain to me how denying me my right to vote makes the Academy membership and the Oscar nominees more diverse?” He said that it was time that the Academy did something about the diversification issue.

The vast majority – in fact 93 percent of the Academy voters – are white and again, there are no nominations for any people of color in any of the four acting categories.

Edwards also expressed excitement about the new steps.

“Women are smart and strong, they are not sex toys or damsels in distress”, said Rhimes.

Hollywood couple Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett have chose to boycott the ceremony this year after the actor and his film “Concussion” failed to get a nomination.

Every new member’s voting status will lapse after 10 years unless the person has been active in motion picture during that period. This will increase diversity on the board “where key decisions about membership and governance are made”, according to the release.

The Los Angeles Times newspaper published a report in 2012, which suggested those given the privilege to vote for Academy Awards nominees were 94 per cent Caucasian and 77 per cent male.

The film-maker said the new measures represented “one good step in a long, complicated journey for people of colour [and] women artists”. “And all of a sudden, you feel like we’re moving in the wrong direction”, the Hollywood veteran said.

Nelson Mandela’s daughter Maki, meanwhile, has called the protests about the lack of black actors in this year’s nominees “very significant”.