The Oscars – A Low-Tech Tally

Filmmakers are famous for spending?Gangs of New York topped $100 million?and for investing in computers that render amazing images. But when it comes to determining who the Oscars go to, it’s a decidedly low-tech affair.

At PricewaterhouseCoopers, a team of auditors hand counts the ballots from the 5,700 members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, and tallies the winners for each of the 25 categories. No IT to speak of. The ballots are secured the old-fashioned way?in a safe. “The count is confidential, and it remains that way,” says Greg Garrison, a PWC partner. The process has remained virtually unchanged for nearly 70 years. On March 23, look for a tuxedoed Garrison in the always anticipated “Meet the Accountants” segment.