On Friday, Jan. 25, Ben Affleck was honored with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival's "Modern Master" award.


On Saturday, Jan. 26, Affleck and "Argo" co-producer Grant Heslov accepted the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures from the Producers Guild. (Fellow co-producer George Clooney was unable to attend the ceremony.)


On Sunday, Jan. 27, Affleck and his "Argo" cast mates won Outstanding Ensemble in a Motion Picture at the Screen Actors Guild awards, the SAG equivalent of Best Picture.


"I'm so grateful when I feel like there's a room full of people that have seen the movie," Affleck told ET.com at the National Board of Review Awards on Jan. 8, where the director was honored with the "Special Achievement in Filmmaking" trophy.


Affleck has been in a lot of rooms like that over the last month. On Jan. 10, he won the Critics' Choice Award for Best Director, while "Argo" won Best Picture. On Jan. 13, he won those same awards at the Golden Globes. This is to say nothing of his recent whirlwind weekend, nor the upcoming Directors Guild Awards (Feb. 2), BAFTA awards (Feb. 10) and Academy Awards (Feb. 24), all ceremonies where "Argo" or Affleck are nominated.


How many awards does one movie need? Apparently, a lot.


"Award shows are so popular because they are the gladiatorial sport of our day," GoldDerby.com editor Tom O'Neil told The Huffington Post. "Instead of big ugly lugs duelling to the death in the arena, we cast our gorgeous pop culture icons, dressed in formal finery, and let them hack away at each other for our amusement."


Beyond that, as O'Neil noted, television networks and critics' groups love awards shows "because they get gads of star power for free." Indeed: It's hard to imagine any other scenario where big names like Affleck, Anne Hathaway and Daniel Day-Lewis would mingle with members of the Broadcast Film Critics Association or spend three hours showing their faces on NBC.


There's another reason awards shows are so popular: the audience. This year's Golden Globes ceremony on NBC was the highest-rated broadcast since 2007. The 2012 Academy Awards ceremony was watched by 39.3 million viewers, this despite the fact that only one film, "The Help," grossed over $100 million at the North American box office. (Possible good news for ABC, the network that airs the Oscars: Of the nine films nominated for Best Picture in 2012, five are already over $100 million in ticket sales, with "Silver Linings Playbook" and "Zero Dark Thirty" closing in on that number.) Even the SAG awards, which aired simultaneously on TNT and TBS, saw a ratings bump last year. It's not just relegated to movie awards, either: The 2012 telecasts of the Grammys and Emmys also saw audience totals increase from the year prior.


That viewer interest has translated to bottom-line success as well. "We were virtually sold out by Christmas, which speaks to the appeal of the Oscars," Debbie Richman, senior VP-prime-time ad sales at ABC, told Advertising Age earlier this year. "We haven't been this well sold, this early, in over a decade." ABC was selling 30-seconds ads for as much as $1.8 million, an increase of over $100,000 from the 2012 Academy Awards broadcast.


It's no wonder that events like the SAG Awards, which didn't even exist before 1995, get primetime placement in today's landscape; the ceremony is another spoke in the Oscar-season wheel. The demand, facilitated by audiences, networks, advertisers, critics' groups and guilds, has turned awards shows into a year-round boon for Hollywood.


Need more proof? Look no further than Park City, Utah, where the indie film "Fruitvale" won both the audience award and grand jury prize at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.


"This will not be the last time you guys walk to a podium," Sundance juror Tom Rothman said when announcing that "Fruitvale" won the grand jury prize. As Affleck can probably attest, he's not kidding.



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  • Ben Affleck


    Ben Affleck, center, and the cast of argo accept the award for outstanding cast in a motion picture for “Argo” at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Modern Family


    The cast of "Modern Family" poses backstage with the award for ensemble in a comedy series at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Amy Poehler, Neil Patrick Harris


    Amy Poehler, right, and Neil Patrick Harris present the award for outstanding male actor in a drama series at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Jared Harris, Daniel Day-Lewis


    Jared Harris, left, and Daniel Day-Lewis pose in the audience at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Julianne Moore


    Julianne Moore smiles backstage with the award for outstanding female actor in a TV movie or miniseries for “Game Change” at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)




  • Bryan Cranston


    Bryan Cranston accepts the award for outstanding male actor in a drama series for “Breaking Bad” at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Dick Van Dyke


    Dick Van Dyke poses backstage with the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)




  • Jessica Chastain


    Jessica Chastain speaks onstage at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Anne Hathaway


    Actress Anne Hathaway poses backstage with the award for best female actor in a supporting role for “Les Miserables” at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Lea Michele, Cory Monteith


    Lea Michele, left, and Cory Monteith arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Justin Timberlake, James Marsden


    Justin Timberlake, left, and James Marsden arrive at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)




  • Sacha Baron Cohen, left, and Daniel Day


    Sacha Baron Cohen, left, and Daniel Day Lewis appear in the audience at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • John Krasinski


    John Krasinski arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)




  • Sacha Baron Cohen, Hugh Jackman


    Sacha Baron Cohen, right, and Hugh Jackman pose for a photo in the audience at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Damian Lewis, Aaron Paul


    Damian Lewis, left, and Aaron Paul talk together in the audience at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Jennifer Lawrence


    Jennifer Lawrence reacts as she is announced the winner of the award for outstanding female actor in a leading role for “Silver Linings Playbook” at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro


    Jennifer Lawrence, left, and Robert De Niro kiss as she accepts the award for outstanding female actor in a leading role for “Silver Linings Playbook” at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro


    Robert De Niro watches as Jennifer Lawrence accepts the award for outstanding female actor in a leading role for “Silver Linings Playbook” at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Daniel Day-Lewis


    Daniel Day-Lewis accepts the awards for outstanding male actor in a leading role for “Lincoln” at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Jessica Chastain, Jesse Tyler Ferguson


    Jessica Chastain, left, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson pose in the audience at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Jon Hamm; Jennifer Westfeldt


    Actors Jon Hamm, left, and Jennifer Westfeldt arrive at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)




  • Modern Family


    The cast of "Modern Family" poses backstage with the award for ensemble in a comedy series at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Alec Baldwin


    Alec Baldwin poses backstage with the award for outstanding male actor in a comedy series for “30 Rock” at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)




  • Naomi Watts, Harvey Weinstein


    Naomi Watts, left, and Harvey Weinstein pose in the audience at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Isla Fisher, Russell Crowe


    Isla Fisher, left, and Russell Crowe pose in the audience at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Tina Fey, James Marsden


    Tina Fey, left, and James Marsden pose in the audience at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Amanda Seyfried, Isla Fisher


    Amanda Seyfried, left, and Isla Fisher pose in the audience at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Ben Affleck


    Ben Affleck accepts the award for outstanding cast in a motion picture for “Argo” at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Anne Hathaway, Adam Shulman


    Anne Hathaway, center, and Adam Shulman, right, stand in the audience at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)




  • Daniel Day-Lewis


    Actor Daniel Day-Lewis poses backstage with the award for best male actor in a leading role at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Phyllis Logan; Michelle Dockery; Allen Leech: Amy Nuttall; Sophie McShera


    Actors, from left, Phyllis Logan, Michelle Dockery, Allen Leech, Amy Nuttall and Sophie McShera pose backstage with the award for best ensemble in a drama series for “Downton Abbey” at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Claire Danes


    Actress Claire Danes poses backstage with the award for best female actor in a drama series at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Argo


    The cast of "Argo" poses backstage with the award for best cast in a motion picture at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Daniel Day-Lewis


    Actor Daniel Day-Lewis poses backstage with the award for best male actor in a leading role at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Ben Affleck


    Actor Ben Affleck poses backstage with the award for best cast in a motion picture for "Argo" at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • US-SCREEN ACTORS GUILD-TROPHY


    Actress Anne Hathaway, winner of Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for 'Les Miserables,' poses in the press room during the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held at The Shrine Auditorium on January 27, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. AFP PHOTO / Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)




  • US-SCREEN ACTORS GUILD-TROPHY


    Actress Anne Hathaway, winner of Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for 'Les Miserables,' poses in the press room during the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held at The Shrine Auditorium on January 27, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. AFP PHOTO / Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)




  • Jennifer Lawrence


    Jennifer Lawrence arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)




  • Julia Stiles


    Julia Stiles arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)




  • Melanie Lynskey


    Actress Melanie Lynskey arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)




  • Naya Rivera


    Naya Rivera arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Amy Poehler


    Amy Poehler arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)




  • Naya Rivera


    Naya Rivera arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Amanda Seyfried


    Amanda Seyfried arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)




  • Neil Patrick Harris


    Neil Patrick Harris arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)




  • Elisabeth Moss


    Actress Elisabeth Moss arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Neil Patrick Harris


    Neil Patrick Harris arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)




  • Jennifer Lawrence


    Actress Jennifer Lawrence arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)




  • Amy Poehler


    Amy Poehler arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Matthew Morrison


    Actor Matthew Morrison, right, and guest arrive at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)




  • Daniel Day Lewis


    Daniel Day Lewis arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)