How Are Hollywood Walk Of Fame Stars Chosen
The process to get your foot in the door for a career in entertainment is not easy, nor does it happen overnight. It takes hard work and dedication that can break you down before they bring you the next level.
There are many ways to make an impression on people within the media industry, but none compare to being selected as a member or honorary artist at the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
This article will talk about some things you should know about this prestigious honor, what it means to be awarded as a “Trusted Artist”, and why it is so important to the success of your artistic career.
I hope you enjoy reading my review! Stay tuned until we meet again here at Blogtober 2017 - New Year, new ideas. 🙂
1. Why Is Being Inducted Into The Hollywood Walk Of Fame Important?
First off, let us discuss why having your name placed into the Hollywood Walk Of Fame is such an integral part of getting closer to your dream job. This article has been written and re-written multiple times so I will keep it short and sweet.
The importance of receiving your star key is twofold. One, it reflects upon your talent and creativity as a person who creates engaging art, and two, it signals to others out there that you have paid your dues by working very hard to succeed in your field.
The process of the public voting on stars
As we know, the famous faces of the walk are not chosen by an organization or committee, they’re picked online through a popular vote. People can go to the website www.hollywoodwalkofmemus.com and vote for their favorite star, movie, or TV show.
The site uses the votes to determine which ones get inducted into the museum-like monument that is the Los Angeles sidewalk. It is important to note that only people who live in L.A. are allowed to vote on this site, as it is geographically targeted.
There have been many theories about why some people may feel inclined to cast a ballot for someone. Some say it is because they loved the person’t work so much that they want to see them honored with a plaque. Others claim it is due to personal bias towards the individual, or even jealousy (the voter feels like they were never truly appreciated before).
Movie stars are nominated by the public
As mentioned earlier, anyone can nominate their favorite movie star for consideration into the walk. People create online petitions to ask that your favorite actor or actress be honored with a plaque on the sidewalk in front of the organization they work for or represent.
These organizations then get involved and make the case as to why their member deserves this honor. This is very important because it shows how popular the person is within the community!
The eligibility committee reviews all submitted materials to determine if the individual meets the qualifications for a bronze, silver, or gold statue. These categories depend on the amount of contributions the artist has made to the field they represented.
A third party verifies that employment verification documents exist for at least two years under the nominee’s name, and that there aren’t any major legal issues involving them. After these checks have been completed, the winner is announced.
Movie stars are nominated by the studios
As mentioned earlier, sponsors pay to have their movie logo or name placed onto the sidewalk monument as a walk-up feature for your business or product. The more popular the film, the higher chance it has of getting approved!
The process for choosing which star gets put up is very secretive. Only people with close ties to the film industry get access to this information.
General public members of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce do not know who chooses these stars. This is because only those in top positions at major motion picture companies can nominate candidates and there’s never an open call like there is for a job opening.
It is common knowledge that some famous actors and actresses choose themselves for the honor of having their face used as a promotional tool, but very few people outside of their inner circle ever find out what actually determines if they receive the nomination.
The stars are voted on by the public
As mentioned earlier, the voting process for your favorite movie or TV show star is done exclusively through our website at www.hollywoodwalkoffame.com. You can vote to add a new star, reclassify an existing one, or even vote to take off a name!
Once you’re in the voter registration form, you have the option to opt out at any time. No personal information will be collected unless you check the appropriate box that says “I agree to receive communication from The Hollywood Historic Foundation and its affiliates.”
This statement means they may send you info about events, fundraisers, and opportunities related to the foundation and the surrounding area. It does not include contact lists or other forms of marketing.
The stars are voted on by the studios
As mentioned earlier, the official process for adding a new member to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce’s roster of famous people starts with nominations. Studios can nominate anyone they want, and it is not limited to just your average movie superstar! This could be someone like Meryl Streep who has won several Academy Awards or Morgan Freeman who has over 100 film credits under his belt.
The more popular the nominee is, the higher their chance of being nominated. There is an ever growing list of factors that play into this, such as number of films released, total box-office revenue, etc.
After these names get a nomination, then members of the public have the opportunity to vote online or at one of the chamber offices where ballots are counted. The winner needs a majority of votes in order to win, so even if only five people vote for your favorite star, he or she will still receive a ballot.
The stars are voted on by the government
Currently, the organization that oversees the placement of new stars is the City of Los Angeles’ Board of Commissioners for the Historic Districts. These commissioners are elected officials who serve no more than three consecutive years before they can be re-elected.
The voters choose either an individual or a group to represent various areas of town. For example, if someone wanted to have their star recognized for being a famous musician, then their music album would need to prove it. If someone wanted to be known as a great athlete, then having pictures or videos of them doing something would work.
If people want to be remembered for making significant contributions in their field, like going down in history as one of the greatest scientists ever, then those achievements must be verified.
These things take time so most people get special status as “Historic Person.” This means their entry is sponsored by the city with a plaque instead of a memorial stone or statue.
The stars are voted on by the historical significance of the actors and actresses
A lot of people may not know, but the way our nation’s film history is memorialized in Los Angeles is through something called the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was created back in 1927 under the name “Motion Picture Exhibition Service.” Then it became known as the Famous Players Film Exchange Company before being rebranded in 1935 to its current form.
These days, it’s run by the non-profit organization that takes care of it, the production company Town Square Productions. They work with a committee made up of around twenty members at all times. These individuals choose which new faces should be added to the star list and they do so based on whether or not they feel these artists will have an enduring legacy in the field.
The historical importance factor comes from things like if someone has won multiple Oscars or if their careers include notable achievements suchas directingor producing. If anyone has been involved in several billion dollar movie franchises then there’s a good chance they’ll get considered for a place in the garden!
Movie fans can easily visit the site and look up who we've already honored, making it easy to see how popular the system is.
There are controversies about the stars
The process for choosing which celebrities get to have their names etched onto a surface is not always straightforward, to say the least. Some people feel that there should be more diversity in who gets a star, or that at least your average person can recognize their work before getting a walk-up glory. Others believe that just because someone has a large fan base does not mean they deserve a star!
The way it works now is each year around June, when the city announces its planned celebrations, fans start campaigning hard to ensure theirs get a star. Sometimes this means lobbying politicians, writing letters to officials and even taking to social media to draw attention.
Some will go as far as creating petitions to try and convince voters of the importance of the chosen artist’s work. It is very common to find online discussions where people talk about the artists and what makes them famous.
By August, when the voting takes place, there are often many debates over who deserves a star and why. A few may even create a controversy by saying something rude about the candidates, but overall it is pretty peaceful and smooth.