September 24, 2012 11:30 am US/Pacific

First Chance To Win Tickets to the Oscar® Fan Experience!

Beverly Hills, CA - Movie fans can soon vie for seats at the most glamorous spot on Hollywood Boulevard, Oscar's Red Carpet.

Beginning on Monday, September 24, at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT fans from around the world may enter online for a random drawing for bleacher seats along the 85th Academy Awards red carpet.

There are only 700 seats available on the 500-foot-long walkway that leads into the Dolby™ Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®. Those who are selected will watch and cheer Oscar nominees, presenters and other ceremony guests as they arrive at the 85th Academy Awards on Sunday, February 24, 2013. In addition to seats, winners of the Oscar Fan Experience will be invited to watch the Academy Awards® at a nearby theatre and will receive a fan gift bag.

The entry form will be available at www.oscars.org/Insider. The application process will close on Friday, November 16, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. In previous years, as many as 20,000 fans have entered the drawing for the limited number of red carpet seats.

To be eligible for the drawing, an individual must complete the entry form in its entirety. Entries must be submitted online; they may not be returned via any other method. Duplicate entries will not be accepted.

Those whose names are selected in the random drawing will be notified in November. They will then be required to submit additional information for security purposes prior to final approval. Eligible attendees will receive a confirmation letter in early January with information pertinent to the event. The Academy will not be responsible for securing travel and/or hotel accommodations for winners of the Oscar Fan Experience.

Only those individuals who have been pre-approved by the Academy will have access to the bleachers.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world's preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema.

In addition to the annual Academy Awards - in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners - Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history.

Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

SOURCE The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences