Oscar campaigning gets downsized

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Forget lavish junkets and expensive gifts this awards season.

Now, there are more-specialized gatherings for more select groups -- intimate parties at a restaurant or the home of a producer, studio chief or star. The sell is subtle. Elegantly catered, often with entertainment, these soirees celebrate the director or the stars, and many double as holiday functions.

Leonardo DiCaprio hosted a party for pal Tobey Maguire, underwritten by film financier Relativity Media, just before Maguire snagged a surprise best actor Golden Globe nomination for "Brothers." Fox co-chairman Jim Gianopulos threw a 60th birthday party for "Crazy Heart" star Jeff Bridges, who soon after became a Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Broadcast Critics nominee.

In New York, Gloria Steinem hosted a ladies-only party for "Amelia" director Mira Nair. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson hosted a screening of "The Messenger," starring Woody Harrelson, for fellow actors including Sean Penn, who later hosted a screening in San Francisco.

Sometimes events target specific subgroups like guild members, many of whom also are Oscar voters. SAG''s nominating committee this year got early looks at films ranging from "Invictus" to "The Lovely Bones," followed by Q&As with the actors involved.

Some events showcase the crafts, especially music. Peter Bogdanovich and Callie Khouri hosted a screening of "Crazy Heart," and then Willie Nelson performed music from the picture.

Other times it''s a tribute at a film festival, where the timing is right and where potential voters just happen to live. Santa Barbara and Palm Springs in recent years have seen propitious visits from Penn ("Milk") and Daniel Day-Lewis ("There Will Be Blood"). This year''s Palm Springs tribute lineup includes potential Oscar nominees Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren and Jason Reitman.

Over the years, invitational events have been hosted by Universal''s Ron Meyer, Warner Bros.'' Alan Horn, Sony''s Amy Pascal and others. But the masters of the game are Harvey and Bob Weinstein, whose struggling company leads the Globes field with a dozen nominations for the likes of "Inglourious Basterds" and "Nine."

How have the Weinsteins done it?

"We are absolutely being more targeted," Weinstein Co. international distribution president David Glasser said. "It''s kind of nice because we are being more personal at the events. We''re just not doing blanket spending."

Glasser, though, noted that the effort can involve significant logistical challenges. "You can imagine what it''s like to move everybody from Brad Pitt to Nicole Kidman to Daniel Day-Lewis to Colin Firth to Viggo Mortensen around," he said.