How much do you hate the music that the Oscars orchestra plays when a winner’s acceptance speech runs on too long?
Now the producers of Sunday’s telecast may have found a way around those awkward play-offs.
David Hill and Reginald Hudlin, the first-time producers of the ABC telecast live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, say they are going to try a new feature that will scroll the winners’ thank-yous across the bottom of the screen while they are speaking. The idea is to give each speaker more time to blab about something other than how their agent always believed in their dream.
OSCARS 2016: Full coverage | List of nominees | Ballot
“There’s going to be a lot of experimentation,†Hudlin explained in a Friday segment on ABC’s “Good Morning America.†“Some of it may work; some of it [may not] work.â€
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Nominated for: lead actor Oscar in “The Pursuit of Happyness,†2007 | lead actor Oscar for “Ali,†2002 (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
2/16
Nominated for: supporting actress for “Junebug,†2006 | supporting actress for “Doubt,†2009 | supporting actress for “The Fighter,†2011 | supporting actress for “The Master,†2013 | lead actress for “American Hustle,†2014 (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
3/16
Nominated for: lead actor Oscar for “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,†2008 | lead actor Oscar for “Finding Neverland,†2005 | lead actor Oscar for “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,†2004 (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
4/16
Nominated for: lead actress Oscar for “Gorillas in the Mist,†1989 | supporting actress Oscar for “Working Girl,†1989 | lead actress Oscar for “Aliens,†1987 (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)
5/16
Nominated for: Supporting actor Oscar for “Magnolia,†2000 | lead actor Oscar for “Jerry Maguire,†1997 | lead actor Oscar for “Born on the Fourth of July,†1990 (Shown center with “Valkyrie†director Bryan Singer and writer Chris McQuarrie.) (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
6/16
Nominated for: supporting actor Oscar for “Tropic Thunder,†2009 | lead actor Oscar for “Chaplin,†1993. (Shown here at left with “Iron Man 3†director Shane Black.) (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
7/16
Nominated for: lead actress Oscar for “Love Field,†1993 | lead actress Oscar for “The Fabulous Baker Boys,†1990 | supporting actress Oscar for “Dangerous Liaisons,†1989 (Jennifer S. Altman / For The Times)
8/16
Nominated for: supporting actor Oscar for “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,†2002 | lead actor Oscar for “Gods and Monsters,†1999 (Jennifer S. Altman / For The Times)
9/16
Nominated for: best picture Oscar for “The Fighter,†2011 (shared with David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman) | supporting actor Oscar for “The Departed,†2007 (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
10/16
Nominated for: lead actress Oscar for “Albert Nobbs,†2011 | lead actress Oscar for “Dangerous Liaisons,†1989 | lead actress Oscar for “Fatal Attraction,†1988 | supporting actress Oscar for “The Natural,†1985 | supporting actress Oscar for “The Big Chill,†1984 | supporting actress Oscar for “The World According to Garp,†1983 (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
11/16
Nominated for: lead actor Oscar for “Witness,†1986 (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
12/16
Nominated for: supporting actor Oscar for “Pulp Fiction,†1995 (Jennifer S. Altman / For The Times)
13/16
Nominated for: lead actor Oscar for “Pulp Fiction,†1995 | lead actor Oscar for “Saturday Night Fever,†1978 (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
14/16
Nominated for: supporting actress for “The Wings of the Dove,†1998 | lead actress Oscar for “The King’s Speech,†2011 (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
15/16
Nominated for: Lead actress Oscar for “The Help,†2012 (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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Nominated for: lead actor for “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,†2012 (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
We are going to go out on a limb and guess that not many viewers will be eager to read an endless scroll with such thrilling lines as, “And thanks to Mom and Dad for paying for my acting lessons!†But maybe Hill and Hudlin will figure out how to pepper some show-biz razzle-dazzle in there.
Meanwhile, the producers are planning to mess with the order in which the prizes are handed out. Such details are a tightly kept secret. Unlike the Grammys -- which feature almost wall-to-wall performances -- the Oscars are really a parade of winners to the podium, so the prize order tends to get fussed over.
#OscarsSoWhite: Full coverage of the boycott and Hollywood’s reaction
“We’re gonna mix it up,†Hudlin said. “I want people to watch and be surprised.â€
Hudlin insisted that the #OscarsSoWhite controversy -- centered on the fact that zero people of color were nominated in the acting categories -- had little impact on their planning.
“We wanted a show that looked like America,†Hudlin said. But “most of our booking was done before the nominees were announced.â€
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Writer-actor Sylvester Stallone, star of the Oscar-winning film “Rocky,†congratulates Peter Finch’s widow, Eletha, center, after Finch was posthumously awarded the lead actor award at the 1977 Academy Awards. Faye Dunaway, right, won for lead actress. (Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times)
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Jack Palance uses molar power to pull Oscar onstage at the 65th Academy Awards, as Billy Crystal enjoys the ride. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
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Oscar winners Tom Hanks and Jessica Lange at the Governors Ball in 1995. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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David Letterman with Oscar dog in 1995. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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Susan Sarandon accepts her lead actress Oscar for “Dead Man Walking†in 1996. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Björk on the red carpet at the 73rd Academy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 7/44
Julia Roberts wins lead actress for “Erin Brockovich,†at the 73rd Academy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
8/44
Adrien Brody surprises presenter Halle Berry with a kiss after he wins lead actor for “The Pianist†at the 75th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 9/44
Charlize Theron wins lead actress for “Monster,†at the 76th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
10/44
Jamie Foxx hugs Halle Berry as daughter Corinne looks on, after winning lead actor for “Ray,†during the 77th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
11/44
Presenter Julia Roberts wipes her lipstick kiss off Clint Eastwood’s face as he accepts his Oscar for director for “Million Dollar Baby,†during the 77th Academy Awards.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 12/44
Jamie Foxx, who won lead actor for “Ray,†is congratulated by Charlize Theron onstage at the 77th Academy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
13/44
Ben Stiller reads the winner of the visual effects award during the 78th Academy Awards show at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
14/44
Actors Will Ferrell, left and Steve Carell present the Oscar for makeup during the 78th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 15/44
Reese Witherspoon kisses her then-husband, Ryan Phillippe, after hearing her name announced as the lead actress winner for “Walk the Line,†during the 78th Academy Awards.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 16/44
Steven Spielberg snaps a photo of Ellen DeGeneres and Clint Eastwood while Beyoncé looks on during the 79th Academy Awards.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 17/44
Leonardo DiCaprio congratulates Helen Mirren at the 79th Academy Awards. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
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Javier Bardem is embraced by his mother, Pilar, after winning supporting actor at the 80th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Presenter Helen Mirren and Daniel Day-Lewis onstage after he won lead actor at the 80th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Forest Whitaker escorts Marion Cotillard off the stage after presenting her the Oscar for lead actress at the 80th Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 21/44
Hugh Jackman opens the show at the 81st Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Ben Stiller and Natalie Portman present at the 81st Academy Awards. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
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Phillipe Petit balances the Oscar after winning for documentary feature for “Man on Wire†as James Marsh looks on at the 81st Academy Awards. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
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Seal, left, and Mickey Rourke during the 81st Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Ben Stiller, as an Avatar blue man, backstage before an award presentation at the 82nd Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Kathryn Bigelow backstage at the 82nd Academy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Mauro Flore is congratualated for winning for cinematography for “Avatar†at the 82nd Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Jeremy Renner, from left, Brian Geraghty and Anthony Mackie of “The Hurt Locker†rejoice after the film in which they co-starred won best picture at the 82nd Academy Awards. Screenwriter Mark Boal is at lower right. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Natalie Portman after winning lead actress for “Black Swan†at the 83rd Academy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Colin Firth and his wife, Livia Giuggioli, react after Tom Hooper wins best director for “The King’s Speech,†at the 83rd Academy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Jean Dujardin, after winning lead actor for “The Artist,†walks off the stage with Uggie the dog at the 84th Academy Awards. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Muppet characters Kermit and Miss Piggy at the 84th Academy Awards. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Presenters Rose Byrne, left, and Melissa McCarthy at the 84th Academy Awards. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Sandra Bullock at the 84th Academy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Sacha Baron Cohen and entourage on the red carpet at the 84th Academy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Jennifer Lawrence slips on the stairs when going up to the stage to receive her lead actress Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Channing Tatum dances with actress Charlize Theron as host Seth MacFarlane looks on during the 85th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Anne Hathaway watches as her Oscar for supporting actress is engraved at the 85th Academy Awards the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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The cast and crew of best picture “Argo†at the 85th Academy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Legendary actor Sidney Poitier and actress Angelina Jolie chat backstage. Jolie was the recipient of the 2014 Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 41/44
Actors Liam Neeson and J.K. Simmons, right, chat backstage at the 87th Academy Awards after Simmons won a supporting actor prize for “Whiplash†in 2015.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 42/44
With “Star Wars†reintroduced to a new generation by “The Force Awakens†film, it seemed only fitting to have droids R2D2 and C3PO grace the Academy Awards stage once again.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 43/44
Brie Larson is ecstatic as she walks off the stage with the lead actress Oscar for her role in “Room.â€
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 44/44
In a “Titanic†meetup, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet kiss backstage at the Oscars. DiCaprio won the lead actor Oscar for his role in “The Revenant.â€
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) But that doesn’t mean that host Chris Rock won’t have a field day with the diversity controversy.
“He’s got so much material,†Hudlin told ABC. “We have no idea what he’s going to do.â€
You can see the interview here.
Twitter: @scottcollinsLAT
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