Designed to create greater awareness about the Academy, its membership and its activities, the collaboration marks the first time the Academy has partnered with an online video community. "The web is an ideal platform for distributing content about who we are and what we do," said Janet Weiss, the Academy's director of marketing. "The YouTube community is filled with movie fans from around the world and we are excited to engage with this audience through our channel."

Showcasing the various crafts that comprise the motion picture industry, the channel will highlight, in a series of short video profiles, the Hollywood luminaries and the behind-the-scenes professionals responsible for bringing to life some of the big screen's most memorable moments. The videos provide viewers around the world with a direct link to some of the most creative minds in the motion picture industry.

Although the channel will initially focus on the upcoming Oscar presentation, content will be continuously updated to highlight the many other activities of the Academy, including the Student Academy Awards and the numerous public screening series in both Los Angeles and New York.