Arisa Cox chats up the big guy ahead of the Feb. 27, 2011 ceremony. (Ilana Banks/CBC)

The Academy Award is still considered the crown jewel in any Hollywood player's life... and movie studios are used to doing anything they can to snag a nomination and a win, often stopping just short of all-out payola.

But the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) is trying to stay one step ahead of the current 'greased palm' state of Oscar campaigning. Variety is reporting that AMPAS has unveiled some new rules that crack down on lavish catered receptions after nominations and negative campaigning (even on Facebook).

The Academy is also trying to get more voters off the couch and into a theatrical setting -- the way movies are meant to be watched. In the past, screenings for voters could not be attended by filmmakers or cast members of the movie. Now directors and actors will be permitted to promote screenings and show up to yap about their projects in person, just as long as there's no food and drink involved.

But here's the truth. Reading through the byzantine Oscar campaign rules is enough to give you a major headache -- and so who knows if these little tweaks will make much of a difference. Though it does seem like good news for smaller films that may not have a massive budget to court Academy votes -- and bad news for catering companies in L.A.

And other kinds of creative maneuvers are still allowed. Last year actor Melissa Leo ruffled some feathers when she -- not the studio behind The Fighter -- took out full page ads in the trade magazines suggesting herself for Oscar consideration. Many people decried her self-publicity as tacky, but in the end, she won the Golden Globe, the Screen Actors Guild AND the Oscar for best supporting actress. Was that based on the strength of her performance, the ads -- or the buzz that arose from her bold moves? We'll never know.

So even without the fancy stuffed crepes, satay skewers and open bars, Hollywood is still a popularity contest wrapped in a mystery. The games and strategies behind Tinseltown's biggest night may change, but they will always be there.