Award campaigns really are just that, campaigns. When studios choose their candidates for the various big name awards, a full scale attack on voting conscience is launched. In previous years, campaigning hasn't been as vigorous (or as expensive) as it once was, but the Oscars are still the big dogs. Studios arrange a bevy of screenings and opportunities for Academy members to take in the films that are being pushed as the award winners. Seemingly endless amount of DVDs are sent out, in case members just can't make it out to actual screenings.

And the two big trade publications of Hollywood, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, are positively covered with "For your consideration" ads. And, as other awards start being given out, you better believe those winners' trailers get re-jiggered and plastered with big, blinking WINNER! signs, to remind viewers just how good the film/actor/actress is. Is it political? Yes. Is it unfair to smaller films that can't launch such a campaign? Yes. But it's how the process has always been run.

But that can change. Obviously, the immediacy of the internet allows fans to ban together and speak out in one voice in ways we haven't seen before. Think about other internet campaigns, like when a beloved TV show is canceled and fans ban together to get it saved ("Jericho" fans launched a campaign a couple of years back, for instance). And, with the prevalence of celebrities now on Twitter and other social networking sites, new style campaigns can even include the filmmakers and actors they support.

Which leads me to the true point of all of this - MOON director Duncan Jones called for help in getting MOON star Sam Rockwell nominated for an Oscar earlier this week, via his Twitter account (@ManMadeMoon). And the fans of responded.

Now there's a petition to sign for just that - to get Rockwell nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for this year's awards. The online petition, started by Ryan Boulding, is available for signing HERE. Boulding writes on the petition site:

"MOON, released this summer, is an absolutely stunning independent Sci-Fi film from first-time British Director Duncan Jones. The film managed to pay homage to a litany of Science Fiction classics while firmly cementing itself in the genre as well...Those who saw the film know that the keystone in this stunning project was actor Sam Rockwell. Anybody familiar with the works of Sam Rockwell will know that the man delivers absolutely stunning performances. Often overlooked for work as the principal lead, Sam manages to steal nearly every scene he is in...In MOON, Rockwell is a one man show. Playing a breathtaking range of emotion from young to old, content to angry, happy to sad...What is lacking here is the budget for a marketing campaign to spread word of this top notch performance in a superbly constructed film. What is needed from here is a call to arms!"

MOON, Rockwell, and Jones are all GATW-approved (quite heartily). Check out our MOON red carpet interviews from last year's SXSW HERE, and be sure to read my MOON review HERE. You better believe we're signing that petition. Are you?

And, if just signing the petition isn't enough for you, get your MOON Oscar tee shirts HERE.

You can also start by adding the hash tag #SamRockwellOscar to any tweet on your Twitter account. Let's get Sam Rockwell nominated!