Like so many things in Hollywood, there’s so much more to awards shows than what meets the eye. Here are a few things you may not have realised are going on while you’re at home on your couch munching popcorn and live tweeting the fun.

1. About those limos…

Before the awards show itself can begin, there’s the red carpet, and the all important “getting out the limo” moment. The funny thing about that is many celebrities literally travel metres in their limousines! Case in point: The Oscars, held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles (where Hollywood Boulevard is transformed a week ahead of the awards show from the tourist-thronged Walk of Fame to one of the most iconic carpets of all time FYI) is right next door to the Loews Hollywood Hotel. Around Oscar time literally every single room is booked out by people associated with the awards, and many celebrities have a suite there on the day where hair, make up and general getting ready actually happens. When it’s time for the show, they get in their car, go around the corner, and then hey presto, they’re at the Oscars!

2.  About those tickets…

Thought you had to be an industry insider to get a ticket to these awards shows? Not neccesarily! Some shows are actually ticketed events, which means anyone with a credit card can buy a seat—for instance The People’s Choice Awards, which kick off the season in January, have tickets starting at $50, and even offer a package that allow you red carpet access for $475.

3. About all that applause…

Before the show begins, the crowd is warmed up by a genial person who ever so nicely encourages them to applaud throughout the show, dance to musical acts if applicable, and remember that they may be featured on camera during crowd shots. And in case that wasn’t clear enough, before the show returns from commercial breaks, a voice intones: “Applause please”.

4. About those commercial breaks…

While you’re watching ads, the awards show audience comes alive! Celebs get up and move around—air kissing, crossing the aisle to say hello etc. They usually don’t go back to their seats until seconds before the show starts again, after many repeated requests from the announcer to please sit down again. 

5. About those people in the front row…

If you’ve ever watched an awards show and seen someone in the front row you don’t recognise, well, they’re probably a seat filler! Whenever a celeb wins an award, they go straight backstage afterward, and generally are so busy there (with interviews etc) that they never make it back to their seats. This leaves a gap in the audience, which is a TV no-no. Cue the seat fillers, who line the aisles during commercial breaks before a producer deploys them into the crowd to fill the empty seat. For the Oscars, these coveted positions are only open to friends and family of Academy Members, while other awards shows recruit from the general public. 

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