Who Really Produced This Movie

At LAT, The Envelope's Nicole Sperling writes up Ryan Kavanaugh's failed appeal to be listed as one of the producers of 'The Fighter'. No small thing as the movie is up for awards.

Kavanaugh (pictured) had 16 letters of support sent on his behalf to the academy including those from director David O. Russell and the movie's star, Mark Wahlberg (who worked for years to get the movie made). Makes me wonder what the real story is here. What aren't we being told.

Did Kavanaugh really produce the picture or was he just along for the ride? Were the letters sent to correct an injustice or to cover a pal?

Then there's this:

Veteran producer Mike Medavoy and producer-financier Brian Oliver also won credit on "Black Swan" after appealing to the guild, which initially listed only Scott Franklin as the producer of record. Medavoy, 70, first developed the film 12 years ago and stuck with the project through its various incarnations, yet was left off the submitted list of producers.

So, if the guy who developed a property for 12 years has to appeal after being excluded as a producer of record, what does that say about the academy, and its rules?