The Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Adelphi University, Sam L Grogg, Ph.D., delivered “Oscars Exposed; A Look Behind the Scenes.” The event, sponsored by the Community Club of Garden City and Hempstead, took place at Garden City Casino on February 5, 2013.
Grogg, a member of the Motion Picture Academy for more than 20 years, revealed the inner workings of the Academy and how the Oscars are determined. He noted that the Academy is comprised of: 77% male, 94% white, 64% have never won an Oscar, 19% have been nominated, 14% have won an award, and 98% are over 40 years old. Each of the members belongs to a certain branch within the Academy and that branch is responsible for nominating the movies in that category. For example, the writing branch nominates screenplays. Dean Grogg, a member of the executive branch, also explained that in order to become a member of the Academy, two current members must nominate, and then the members vote whether or not to grant membership.
Dr. Grogg also explained that the film industry is a risky business. “The goal is to make a film that brings back more money than is spent filming, but that isn’t simple,” says Grogg. “A lot of the time, it’s all about the timing.” His first big independent film investment, Kiss of the Spider Woman, was released in July 1985. Generally, July was reserved for big studio releases, so Kiss of the Spider Woman garnered critics’ interest who were not writing about scandalous blockbusters. It went on to win Best Actor, Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay in the Academy Awards.
Dr. Grogg, the former dean of the school of Communication of the University of Miami, became dean of Adelphi’s College of Arts and Sciences in June 2011. He is a noted film producer whose financing and producing credits include Kiss of The Spider Woman and The Trip to Bountiful, both of which gained numerous Oscar nominations and wins. He has executive produced or produced numerous theatrical and television films, including DA, Patti Rocks and Spike of Bensonhurst. In 1989, he and Oscar-winning visual effects artist John Dykstra founded Magic Pictures, where Dean Grogg was involved in numerous visual effects productions, television commercials, large format presentations for theme parks and other productions. He has been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences since 1986 and was the founding dean of the School of Filmmaking at the North Carolina School of the Arts.
Over the course of his career, Dean Grogg has won several prestigious awards, which includes being honored by the Directors of the Online News Association for his work to advance multimedia journalism in 2010; American Film Institute Board of Trustees in 2004 as the fourth “Master” teacher and filmmaker to lead the Conservatory since its founding in 1967; William R. Butler Award for Support of Student Government in 2006; and the Ray and Pat Browne Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the study of popular culture from the National Popular Culture Association in 2005.
For more information about the College of Arts and Sciences, please visit academics.adelphi.edu/artsci/. To learn more about the Community Club of Garden City and Hempstead, its programs, trips, fine art classes and how to become a member, call (516) 746-0488 (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, between 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.).
About Adelphi University: Adelphi is a world-class, modern university with excellent and highly relevant programs where students prepare for lives of active citizenship and professional careers. Through its schools and programs—The College of Arts and Sciences, Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Honors College, Robert B. Willumstad School of Business, Ruth S. Ammon School of Education, University College, and the Schools of Nursing and Social Work—the coeducational university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as professional and educational programs for adults. Adelphi University currently enrolls nearly 8,000 students from 43 states and 45 foreign countries. With its main campus in Garden City and its centers in Manhattan, Hauppauge, and Poughkeepsie, the University, chartered in 1896, maintains a commitment to liberal studies, in tandem with rigorous professional preparation and active citizenship.
