STEVEN SPIELBERG

BEST DIRECTOR

STEVEN SPIELBERG (above right, with star Gabriel LaBelle) is considered the runaway favorite to score his 20th and 21st Oscar nominations (these as director and producer of “The Fabelmans”), with a possible 22nd in the offing if he scores as his film’s co-writer. He is not credited with original score, costume design or catering. James Cameron is widely expected to pick up his seventh, for innovatively executing his new “Avatar” vision (and possibly his eighth, for producing it). Beyond those two Hollywood juggernauts, the auteurs of three small features are tied: Daniels (Kwan and Scheinert), Martin McDonagh and Sarah Polley. Only four other filmmakers received votes in a directors’ field firmly taking shape. You can find all our picks in 10 Oscar categories at latimes.com/buzzmeter, where you can also vote for your own slate in our weekly polls.