The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ board of governors decided on Monday to split the Feature Animation and Short Films branch into two separate branches: the Animation Branch and the Short Films Branch.

The measure effectively separates Live measure Shorts from Animated Features and Animated Shorts, reducing the latter to oversee only live-action and nonfiction shorts. A single governor will now solely represent Live Action and Nonfiction Shorts. All of this is extremely indicative of the fact that animation is still exploding in all of its forms.

Approximately 700 Academy members who work in all facets of the animation industry are represented by the Animation Branch. The branch will manage the prizes for animated feature films and animated short films and have two members from the state on the board of governors.

More than 200 Academy members make to the Short Films Branch, whose creative output includes both fiction and nonfiction short films. As mentioned, the branch will be led by a single governor who will be elected to the board for a term beginning in the 2024–2025 fiscal year and will be responsible for the Live Action Short Film Oscar.

“The Academy is dedicated to advancing and evolving with our growing global membership and with the film industry,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Janet Yang said in a statement. “Creating distinct identities for these unique and vital components of our cinema community is part of this needed progress.”

“As both the Academy’s shorts and animation communities have grown, and to ensure they continue to thrive, the need for two individual branches became increasingly apparent,” said Academy Short Films and Feature Animation Branch governors Bonnie Arnold, Jinko Gotoh and Marlon West. “We’re excited about the future of these two branches and thank our fellow governors for their support.”

Currently, 19 branches of the Academy represent the motion picture industry. The 55 members of the board of governors will not change.

The Short Films Branch replaced the Short Subjects Branch, which had been established in 1941. The branch was renamed the Feature Animation and Short Films Branch in 1995. In 2001, the category for awards for Animated Feature Films was created.