USA: The stage is set and the red carpet ready for the 79th Annual Academy Awards

Final preparations are underway at the Kodak Theatre and on the red carpet for the 79th Annual Academy Awards. Workers have been busy throughout the morning putting the finishing touches on the arrival line where the likes of stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Helen Mirren and Martin Scorsese will be strolling later this evening. Among the details, truckloads of fresh flower arrangements featuring red gerber daises, tulips and roses were placed strategically on and around the red carpet to frame the event site. Meanwhile, the fans lucky enough to land a spot in the bleachers are gearing up for what promises to be a long but exciting day ahead. "Will Smith, I want Will's autograph but he's my favorite I'd have to say," said Kathy Ledwell who travelled from North Carolina. "But a lot of them, Leonardo, I want to see him. I've never seen Eddie Murphy. I've been coming for 14 years. Never seen Eddie Murphy. Forest Whitaker who've never seen, so I'm looking forward to that." Ingmar Engmir flew in from Frankfurt, Germany with his wife to join in the festivities and to get the chance to see his favorite stars up close and personal. "We have our friends here from the Oscar chatter and we are very happy every year to see them since ten years. My wife is doing this for 10 years and is my first time, and this is a wonderful experience, and we are very happy to come to the United States and Los Angeles, and it is a nice adventure." While it is a day of entertainment, this also a day of work for the Academy Award staff and members of the media. Production staff are putting the final touches on the what is essentially a huge television set. And members of the media are busy capturing images of celebrity glamour to be broadcast around the world. "It is definitely a long day," said reporter Samantha Harris of E! Entertainment Television. "We're up at 4:30 in the morning getting into hair and make-up, getting into position, getting our earpieces in and everything. Mic check and camera check and then of course the whole day into the night for the post show parties. So, it's a lot. The stress isn't so much. It's a lot of energy. And it takes a lot of energy throughout the day." Like the Oscars, media coverage of the event has become truly global in scope. British television correspondent Ruth Liptrot has watched growth over the years. "Well it's a massive day as I say, I remember watching this 20 years ago and I think since then it's gotten even bigger And I don't know a crew from the U.K. that isn't here and isn't covering it in some way. In fact, the BBC have like 20 crews covering it out here as well, you know, so. It's just a big a day as any here in as it is in America I reckon." And from another continent, Anna M.M. Vetticde of TV Today out of New Delhi agreed that from far and wide, all eyes are on the Oscars. "The Academy Awards are huge in India. I mean everybody watches the live telecast over there. There are a lot of Leonardo DiCaprio, and Kate Winslet and Mark Wahlberg fans. In fact, a lot of the films have already been released in India. 'Babel" has been released. And these films have gotten a lot of critical acclaim. So we have a huge English-speaking audience over there. So of course the Oscars are big in India." The 79th Annual Academy Awards will be broadcast from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood Sunday (February 25) night.

ITN Source | February 26, 2007

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