Academy shakes up Best Picture nomination process

Putting an emphasis on quality rather than quantity, the Academy Awards is shaking up its best picture category again.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has approved a change in the nomination process that will allow between five and 10 best picture nominees, based on member voting.

A film will need a minimum of 5 percent first-place votes to be nominated for best picture.

A study by accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers found that if this system had been in place from 2001 to 2008, there would have been years that yielded five, six, seven, eight and nine nominees.

In 2009, the Oscars expanded the best picture field from five nominees to 10.