Lincolnshire filmmakers predict big Oscar wins for Gravity and DiCaprio

With Oscars 2014 heading our way this weekend we asked Lincolnshire filmmakers Tin Hat Productions to give us their take on the nominees...
Andy (left) and Callum BurnAndy (left) and Callum Burn
Andy (left) and Callum Burn

Father-and-son filmmaking team Andy and Callum Burn, who form one half of the Sleaford-based production company, say that despite Lincolnshire’s rural communities being thousands of miles away from Hollywood, its residents have more to do with the Academy Awards than they may realise.

This, they say, comes down to a love of film, a love that these communities - like all those across the UK - may not fully be aware of ...

The cinemas of Britain have never been busier.

When it’s cold and wet outside what do many of us do? We put the kettle on and settle down to watch a DVD.

Most homes today have home cinema systems that wouldn’t have been out of place in a sci-fi movie 20 years ago.

So there you have it. We rely on the film industry far more than we realise. It keeps us entertained, informed and to some extent, sane.

Right, so who is going to walk away with the little gold fella this year?

Best Film is an interesting one. For the first time in many years, a film has come along which is jaw-droppingly original. It has taken 3D technology and used it with a skill and subtlety that we never thought possible.

The film is Gravity and is, in our opinion, the most deserving of the Academy Award for Best Picture this year.

In the Best Actor category, there are two standout contenders: Leonardo DiCaprio for The Wolf of Wall Street and Chiwetel Ejiofor for 12 Years a Slave.

Both of their performances are equally deserving of the Oscar, but in our opinion DiCaprio edges it. He has consistently been at the top of his game for many years now. This is his year.

Similarly, in the Best Actress category, there are two at the top of our list: Sandra Bullock for Gravity and Judi Dench for Philomena.

Dame Judi’s performance is simply incredible, a joy, but I’m afraid that the sheer ambition of Gravity propels Ms Bullock to the top spot. To act at that level, while being hung upside down and spun around in front of a green screen is nothing short of miraculous.

The top prize for Best Director is going to keep us guessing right up to the last minute.

For achieving the impossible, the Oscar should probably go to Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity. However, 12 Years a Slave is the sort of film that will appeal massively to the Academy. Its director, Steve McQueen, is a Hollywood dream come true. We think that his name might be the one in the gold envelope this year.

If Gravity was in the top five for Best Original Screenplay, then it would probably be on for a hat-trick in our league of Oscar golden goals.

However, it’s not in the mix and so our money is on Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell for American Hustle. Best Adapted Screenplay will almost certainly go to John Ridley for 12 Years a Salve, although it would be fantastic to see Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope up there for Philomena. The BAFTA’s proved that Coogan does a good acceptance speech.