The Oscar Industry examines the history of the Oscars by asking two overarching research questions. First, how did the Oscars become a cultural and industrial phenomenon? It explores the origins of the event that still defines our understanding of the festivities. The second research question considers: how have the Academy Awards influenced film history? To answer these questions, the book analyzes the Oscars as an intersection between issues of institutional policy (the actions taken by the Academy), industrial practice (the way the event was used internally in Hollywood), and media discourse (the way that the public engages with the event). Emerging from the wider goals of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), the Awards reflected two of the biggest original priorities of the organization. Launched in 1927, AMPAS began as a workers’ institution handling labor disputes before many sectors had unions, while also presenting a united image of the American film industry to the public in the midst of a wave of scandals and growing calls for censorship. The Awards, as an extension, singled out the feats of studio employees at an annual night of pageantry that quickly gained national interest. The Oscar Industry tracks the growth and expansion of this position in labor practices and public relations. At the same time, it also critiques the Oscars as an institution. This research considers how the achievements have exacerbated systemic inequality and discriminatory practices. Focusing on issues of gender, race, and class, it argues that the Oscars have long helped to exclude and limit opportunity in American filmmaking. Together, this book identifies the root of these roles in industrial PR ventures and career advancement, while further articulating the barriers built by this system of prestige.