Summary:
[[Image:AcademyAward.jpg|630px|thumb|left|Make your party shine as brightly as the acclaimed statuette. Photo by Davidlohr Bueso/[http://www.flickr.com/photos/daverugby83/3893586483/ flickr]/CC]]
Forget the red carpet and musical numbers. For geeks, the Oscars are about celebrating the fleeting overlap of technology and filmmaking. Here?s how to stage an Oscar bash for your inner geek.
''This how-to was written by [http://www.wired.com/epicenter/author/terrence-russell/ Terrence Russell], a regular contributor to Wired Magazine and the How-To Wiki.''
==Gear Up==
Converting your living room into party mode is the first priority. On top of the obvious stuff like scooting furniture, you?ll also want to revisit your A/V setup. Since you?ve committed to sharing your living room with a small crowd, it can?t hurt to double check that you?ve properly [[Set Up Your HDTV|set up your HDTV]], [[Set Up Your Speakers|positioned your speakers]] for maximum impact, and [[Optimize Your Surround Sound System|dialed in your surround sound]].
Replacing remote batteries and doing a general dry run after everything is in place is also a good idea. No one likes technical difficulties in the middle of a show.
'''PRO TIP:''' Volume is key. Make sure your gear is capable of keeping the audio just above the din of normal conversation without drowning it out.
==Do Your Homework==
Your goal as a geek-centric party host isn?t too different from Billy Crystal?s: Keep guests entertained through the dry sections. The Academy?s list of [http://oscar.go.com/nominees award categories and nominees] should be your first stop for research.
Take note of high geek interest categories (Best Visual Effects: ''Transformers'', ''Harry Potter'', ''Real Steel'', etc.) and the not-so-geeky ones (Best Original Song: ''Rio'' and ''The Muppets''). There?s usually a Scientific & Technical Awards segment thrown in too, so you?ll have to keep on your toes during the broadcast.
For the most part, the order of events goes as follows: geeky/technical awards are peppered through the first third of the show, writing/foreign/documentaries fill the middle, and the big awards finish the night. Plan accordingly.
==Make Oscar-Worthy Snacks==
Geeking out with your snacks is a good way to stay on-message. Pretty much any food item shaped like an Oscar statuette will work in a pinch, but we prefer a much more playful approach ? themed snacks.
Recipes with a [http://www.marthastewart.com/339804/eclairs Parisian] (Best Picture: ''Midnight In Paris''), [http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/b-is-for-baseball-cupcake-685465/ baseball] (Best Picture: ''Moneyball''), or [http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/clock-cookies-972634/ clock] (Best Picture: ''Hugo'') theme aren?t hard to come by. Ultimately, the goal is to find a selection of goodies that are recognizably topical and delicious.
'''PRO TIP:''' For maximum impact, try to serve themed treats right before their corresponding awards. Brad Pitt?s Best Actor win/loss for ''Moneyball'' is arguably the best time for baseball cupcakes.
==Stream Red Carpet Coverage==
Even those who don't have access to cable can join in the Oscars festivities, thanks to Ustream's conglomeration of streaming red carpet coverage. The site features an [http://www.ustream.tv/oscars2012 Oscars 2012 Superchannel] for a mixed bag of footage, and separate channels for each participating streaming news source, including the [http://www.ustream.tv/aplive Associated Press], [http://www.ustream.tv/popsugar PopSugar], and [http://www.ustream.tv/mtv MTV News]. If you use Google TV, Boxee, or a similar alternative television gadget, lock in the channels you want and watch your streams come true.
==Plan For The Dull Spots==
With sound and munchies squared away, it?s time to address tedium. At over three hours with commercials, your guests are bound to get a little antsy during the slower portions.
Our advice? Use the vast resources of the web and/or your gadgets to find time-killing distractions during the broadcast. For example:
* 2-3 Minutes (i.e., a commercial break) ? Online movie trivia ? the [http://www.funtrivia.com/quizzes/movies/ ''geeky'' kind]
* 3-5 Minutes (Award Presentation & Speech) ? Web-assisted [http://www.thekevinbacongame.com/ Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon]
* 5-15 Minutes (Musical Numbers/Long Breaks) ? [http://www.screenlifegames.com/scene-it/scene-it-console/scene-it-xbox.htm ''Scene It: Movie Night''] (Xbox 360 & PS3)
* Continous ? [http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/partykit/index.html Oscar Bingo]
<br clear="all" />
In the end, you want to walk a fine line. When the show becomes interesting, you?ll want your activities to fade into the background, and when the on-screen action dies down, you?ll want to have options ready. Try to keep things movie-focused if you can.
==Get Everyone Home Safe==
After all the glitz, geekery, and champagne, you owe your guests a safe ride home. Nationwide taxi apps like [http://taximagic.com/ Taxi Magic] and regional options like [https://www.uber.com/ Uber] are a convenient way to get partygoers home safe with door-to-door service.
[[Category:Home Audio and Video]]
[[Category:Lifestyle]]
[[Category:Video]]
Forget the red carpet and musical numbers. For geeks, the Oscars are about celebrating the fleeting overlap of technology and filmmaking. Here?s how to stage an Oscar bash for your inner geek.
''This how-to was written by [http://www.wired.com/epicenter/author/terrence-russell/ Terrence Russell], a regular contributor to Wired Magazine and the How-To Wiki.''
==Gear Up==
Converting your living room into party mode is the first priority. On top of the obvious stuff like scooting furniture, you?ll also want to revisit your A/V setup. Since you?ve committed to sharing your living room with a small crowd, it can?t hurt to double check that you?ve properly [[Set Up Your HDTV|set up your HDTV]], [[Set Up Your Speakers|positioned your speakers]] for maximum impact, and [[Optimize Your Surround Sound System|dialed in your surround sound]].
Replacing remote batteries and doing a general dry run after everything is in place is also a good idea. No one likes technical difficulties in the middle of a show.
'''PRO TIP:''' Volume is key. Make sure your gear is capable of keeping the audio just above the din of normal conversation without drowning it out.
==Do Your Homework==
Your goal as a geek-centric party host isn?t too different from Billy Crystal?s: Keep guests entertained through the dry sections. The Academy?s list of [http://oscar.go.com/nominees award categories and nominees] should be your first stop for research.
Take note of high geek interest categories (Best Visual Effects: ''Transformers'', ''Harry Potter'', ''Real Steel'', etc.) and the not-so-geeky ones (Best Original Song: ''Rio'' and ''The Muppets''). There?s usually a Scientific & Technical Awards segment thrown in too, so you?ll have to keep on your toes during the broadcast.
For the most part, the order of events goes as follows: geeky/technical awards are peppered through the first third of the show, writing/foreign/documentaries fill the middle, and the big awards finish the night. Plan accordingly.
==Make Oscar-Worthy Snacks==
Geeking out with your snacks is a good way to stay on-message. Pretty much any food item shaped like an Oscar statuette will work in a pinch, but we prefer a much more playful approach ? themed snacks.
Recipes with a [http://www.marthastewart.com/339804/eclairs Parisian] (Best Picture: ''Midnight In Paris''), [http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/b-is-for-baseball-cupcake-685465/ baseball] (Best Picture: ''Moneyball''), or [http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/clock-cookies-972634/ clock] (Best Picture: ''Hugo'') theme aren?t hard to come by. Ultimately, the goal is to find a selection of goodies that are recognizably topical and delicious.
'''PRO TIP:''' For maximum impact, try to serve themed treats right before their corresponding awards. Brad Pitt?s Best Actor win/loss for ''Moneyball'' is arguably the best time for baseball cupcakes.
==Stream Red Carpet Coverage==
Even those who don't have access to cable can join in the Oscars festivities, thanks to Ustream's conglomeration of streaming red carpet coverage. The site features an [http://www.ustream.tv/oscars2012 Oscars 2012 Superchannel] for a mixed bag of footage, and separate channels for each participating streaming news source, including the [http://www.ustream.tv/aplive Associated Press], [http://www.ustream.tv/popsugar PopSugar], and [http://www.ustream.tv/mtv MTV News]. If you use Google TV, Boxee, or a similar alternative television gadget, lock in the channels you want and watch your streams come true.
==Plan For The Dull Spots==
With sound and munchies squared away, it?s time to address tedium. At over three hours with commercials, your guests are bound to get a little antsy during the slower portions.
Our advice? Use the vast resources of the web and/or your gadgets to find time-killing distractions during the broadcast. For example:
* 2-3 Minutes (i.e., a commercial break) ? Online movie trivia ? the [http://www.funtrivia.com/quizzes/movies/ ''geeky'' kind]
* 3-5 Minutes (Award Presentation & Speech) ? Web-assisted [http://www.thekevinbacongame.com/ Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon]
* 5-15 Minutes (Musical Numbers/Long Breaks) ? [http://www.screenlifegames.com/scene-it/scene-it-console/scene-it-xbox.htm ''Scene It: Movie Night''] (Xbox 360 & PS3)
* Continous ? [http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/partykit/index.html Oscar Bingo]
<br clear="all" />
In the end, you want to walk a fine line. When the show becomes interesting, you?ll want your activities to fade into the background, and when the on-screen action dies down, you?ll want to have options ready. Try to keep things movie-focused if you can.
==Get Everyone Home Safe==
After all the glitz, geekery, and champagne, you owe your guests a safe ride home. Nationwide taxi apps like [http://taximagic.com/ Taxi Magic] and regional options like [https://www.uber.com/ Uber] are a convenient way to get partygoers home safe with door-to-door service.
[[Category:Home Audio and Video]]
[[Category:Lifestyle]]
[[Category:Video]]
Source: http://feeds.wired.com/~r/howtowiki/~3/dPNfM-vgWLI/Throw_a_Geek_Oscars_Party
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