STAGE TUBE: Oscar's Little-Known 'Best Original Musical' Category

In a piece in the Huffington Post, director and screenwriter Dan Mirvish gives an enlightening glimpse about a particularly obscure Academy Award category: Best Original Musical. While many may not have heard of this category, Mirvish explains that this isn't surprising as the Academy has never formally activated it. The Academy's rules for 'Best Musical' are fairly strict, thus disqualifying many submissions: the material cannot be based on a stage play or pre-existing music. Furthermore, nine films within the span of one year must fit within the eligibility requirements. (The rules for eligiblity can be found below.) 

In a two-part documentary seen below, Mirvish explains how a few years ago he, along with a group of filmmakers, attemped to get the Academy to activate the category. 

Rule Sixteen: Music Awards

Original Musical:

An original musical consists of not fewer than five original songs (as defined in Paragraph I.B above) by the same writer or team of writers either used as voiceovers or visually performed. Each of these songs must be substantively rendered, clearly audible, intelligible, and must further the storyline of the motion picture. An arbitrary group of songs unessential to the storyline will not be considered eligible.

ELIGIBILITY
1. The work must be created specifically for the eligible feature-length motion picture.
2. The work must be the result of a creative interaction between the filmmaker(s) and the composer(s) and/or songwriter(s) who have been engaged to work directly on the motion picture.
3. The work's eligibility shall be evaluated on its effectiveness, craftsmanship, creative substance and relevance to the dramatic whole.
4. The work must be recorded for use in the motion picture prior to any other usage, including public performance or exploitation through any media whatsoever.
5. Only the principal composer(s) or songwriter(s) responsible for the conception and execution of the work as a whole shall be eligible for an award. Expressly excluded from eligibility are all of the following:
1. supervisors
2. partial contributors (i.e., any writer not responsible for the overall design of the work)
3. contributors working on speculation??In addition, scores diluted by the use of tracked themes or other preexisting music, diminished in impact by the predominant use of songs, or assembled from the music of more than one composer shall not be eligible.
6. No more than one statuette will normally be given in the Original Score category. A second statuette may be awarded when two composers function as equal collaborators in producing the score, each contributing a substantial amount of original music for the film.
7. No more than two statuettes will normally be given in the Original Song category. A third statuette may be awarded when there are three essentially equal contributors to a song.
8. In the case of an original musical, the composer or adapter of the instrumental score may qualify for an award if his or her contribution is deemed relevant and substantial.
9. The Music Branch Executive Committee shall resolve all rules interpretations and all questions of eligibility.
10. It is within the sole and confidential discretion of the Board of Governors to determine what awards, if any, shall be given.