Gain membership into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by getting two academy members to sponsor you for membership. Two current members of a specific academy branch of motion picture arts and sciences, like acting, must sponsor you, and you must also work in this branch. You must then get the branch's executive academy committee to endorse you before the Board of Governors votes on whether you get in the academy.
Become involved in motion picture arts and sciences in a career for which there is no defined branch. This way, the Academy Board of Governors itself can invite you to be a member-at-large. Members-at-large have the same voting rights as regular members of the academy.
Get nominated for an Academy Award. Anyone nominated for an Academy Award can become a member of the academy.
Vote on the nomination ballot that the academy mails to you and all of its active members in late December. Mail back the ballot to the accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers in January.
Vote only within your specific branch. For example, only cinematographers can nominate other cinematographers in that category. However, you and all active academy members can help choose Best Picture nominees.
Watch the academy's televised special news conference the third week in January to find out the results of the nomination ballot. The nomination process is now complete.
Vote on the final ballot of nominees mailed to you in late January. You must mail back the completed ballot to PricewaterhouseCoopers no later than the Tuesday prior to Oscar Sunday.
Vote in all branches in the final selection process. Unlike the nomination process, this is allowed. For example, actors can vote for film editors, and costumers can vote for directors.
Watch the televised Academy Awards presentation on Oscar Sunday to find out who wins the Oscars.