Oscar voting procedure

The nominations for the Oscars are solicited from the members of the Academy. You nominate within your field - acting, directing, whatever - and also for best picture.

They then send out the shortlisted nominations for voting by the whole academy. You vote on everything including fields like make up which you know nothing about, and sometimes for films you haven't even seen.

The process was explained to my by a posh old ex-pat composer while we waited for our respective wives to get their hair cut.