Michael Keaton's acclaimed drama Birdman looks set to win gold at the Oscars after sweeping the board at the Independent Spirit Awards on the eve of Hollywood's biggest night.

The movie scooped three prizes at the show just a day before the Academy Awards, winning Best Feature, Best Male Lead for Keaton and a cinematography honour.

Other big winners at the ceremony in Santa Barbara, California on Saturday night (21Feb15) included other Oscars favourites Boyhood, Nightcrawler and Whiplash, which all landed two awards each.

Richard Linklater won Best Director for Boyhood, while his movie's star Patricia Arquette won the Best Supporting Actress honour.

Julianne Moore was named Best Female Lead for her role in Still Alice and J.K. Simmons won in the supporting actor race for Whiplash, which also won an editing prize. Nightcrawler landed trophies for Best Screenplay and Best First Feature.

Birdman, Boyhood and Whiplash will go head-to-head for the Best Picture prize at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday night (22Feb15) along with The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Selma and American Sniper.