"BEHIND THE BALLOT" VIDEO SERIES NOW LIVE ON OSCAR.COM AND THE OFFICIAL OSCARS(R) APP

Academy Members Break Down Oscar(R) Categories: Production Design, Cinematography, Makeup and Hairstyling, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Costume Design

Entertainment Weekly's Geoff Boucher, Anthony Breznican and Adam Vary to Host

For Oscar fans who just can't seem to win their Oscar ballot pool because of that one craft category, Oscar.com today launched "Behind The Ballot," a six-part video series exploring how Academy members view and ultimately determine who'll win Oscars for Production Design, Cinematography, Makeup & Hairstyling, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Costume Design.

Hosted by Entertainment Weekly's Geoff Boucher, Anthony Breznican and Adam Vary, each episode, shot in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Margaret Herrick Library, features a panel of experts discussing what it takes to be a strong contender in each category. A new video will debut each week for the next five weeks on www.oscar.com, as well as on the official Oscars app for iPhone, iPad, Android and Kindle Fire devices. Link to embeddable video file: http://oscar.go.com/video/PL55161146/_m_VD55266156

EXPERT PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE:

Production Design:
Scott Chambliss, "Cowboys & Aliens," "Star Trek," "Mission: Impossible III"
Alex McDowell, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Minority Report," "Fight Club"
Jeannine Oppewall, "Catch Me If You Can," "Pleasantville," "L.A. Confidential"
Bo Welch, "Men in Black," "Batman Returns," "Edward Scissorhands"

Makeup and Hairstyling:
Cydney Cornell, "The Artist," "The Aviator," "American Beauty"
Mike Elizalde, "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," "Fantastic Four," "Men in Black"
Beth Miller, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "The Nutty Professor," "Dances with Wolves,"
Christien Tinsley, "No Country for Old Men," "The Passion of the Christ," "Ocean's Eleven"

Film Editing:
Mark Goldblatt, "X-Men The Last Stand," "Armageddon," "The Terminator"
Virginia Katz, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1," "Dreamgirls," "Kinsey"
Lynzee Klingman, "Man on the Moon," "City of Angels," "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest"
Pamela Martin, "Hitchcock," "The Fighter," "Little Miss Sunshine"

Cinematography:
Daryn Okada, "American Reunion," "Baby Mama," "Mean Girls"
Theo van de Sande, "Cruel Intentions," "Blade," "Wayne's World"
Mandy Walker, "Red Riding Hood," "Australia," "Shattered Glass"

Costume Design:
Jeffrey Kurland, "Inception," "Ocean's Eleven," "Erin Brockovich"
Isis Mussenden, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," "Shrek 2," "American Psycho"
Arianne Phillips, "W.E.," "3:10 to Yuma," "Walk the Line"
Mary Zophres, "True Grit," "No Country for Old Men," "The Big Lebowski"

Sound Editing and Sound Mixing:
Willie D. Burton, "Dreamgirls," "Panic Room," "The Shawshank Redemption"
Steve Cantamessa, "Tropic Thunder," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "Ray"
Aaron Glascock, "The Town," "Good Night, and Good Luck.," "Ocean's Eleven"
Mark Mangini, "Warrior," "The Fifth Element," "Die Hard with a Vengeance"
Dean Zupancic, "Tangled," "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," "Pulp Fiction"

Developed by The Academy and Disney/ABC Television Group's Digital Media Team, Oscar.com and the official Oscars app provide unparalleled access to the Oscars before, during and after the show. Fans can go behind the scenes with show host Seth MacFarlane and the producers as they prepare for the show, as well as find out more about the nominees, access rare exclusive images from The Academy's archives, and start filling out their My Picks interactive ballot. Friends can view and share the ballot on Facebook, which will update in real time on Oscar Night(R), ensuring that the most competitive Oscars handicappers are instantly aware of their ranking among friends.

On Oscar Sunday, February 24, Oscar.com and the official Oscars app will launch Backstage Pass, giving fans unprecedented access to the show. Sponsored by Samsung, Backstage Pass is designed to be the ultimate complement to the live telecast, giving fans premier access to the most memorable moments of the night through over a dozen exclusive live cameras strategically placed on the Red Carpet and throughout the Dolby Theatre(TM). Special cameras include the Thank You Cam - offering winners an extended opportunity to thank their supporters; Backstage Cam - capturing sound bites, backstage action, short interviews and behind-the-scenes footage; Control Room Cam - allowing users to watch the show's director in action; and Press Room Cam - featuring moments of winners interacting with the world's media moments after leaving the stage. It will also feature real-time highlights from the show itself, which promises many surprises on Hollywood's biggest night.