Winners Only by Category:
Scientific and Technical Award
Listed below are the Academy Award winners in the category of Scientific and Technical Award (non-winning nominations have been omitted from this list). Click on the name of a film or person in the list to display more information about that film or person. Or, click on a category in the column on the right to display the winners in that category.
1930-31 (4th)
(Class I)
To Electrical Research Products, Inc., RCA-Photophone, Inc., and RKO Radio Pictures, Inc., for noise reduction recording equipment.(Class II)
To Fox Film Corp. for effective use of synchro-projection composite photography.(Class III)
To Electrical Research Products, Inc., for moving coil microphone transmitters.To RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. for reflex type microphone concentrators.To RCA-Photophone, Inc. for ribbon microphone transmitters.1931-32 (5th)
(Class II)
To Technicolor Motion Picture Corp. for its color cartoon process.(Class III)
To Eastman Kodak Company for its Type II-B Sensitometer.1932-33 (6th)
(Class II)
To Electrical Research Products, Inc. for their wide range recording and reproducing system.To RCA-Victor Company, Inc. for their high-fidelity recording and reproducing system.(Class III)
To Fox Film Corporation, Fred Jackman and Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc., and Sidney Sanders of RKO Studios, Inc. for their development and effective use of the translucent cellulose screen in composite photography.1934 (7th)
(Class II)
To Electrical Research Products, Inc. for their development of the Vertical Cut Disc Method of recording sound for motion pictures (hill and dale recording).(Class III)
To Columbia Pictures Corporation for their application of the Vertical Cut Disc method (hill and dale recording) to actual studio production, with their recording of the sound on the picture, One Night of Love.To Bell and Howell Company for their development of the Bell and Howell Fully Automatic Sound and Picture Printer.1935 (8th)
(Class II)
To Agfa Ansco Corporation for their development of the Agfa infra-red film.To Eastman Kodak Company for their development of the Eastman Pola-Screen.(Class III)
To Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio for the development of anti-directional negative and positive development by means of jet turbulation, and the application of the method to all negative and print processing of the entire product of a major producing company.To William A. Mueller of Warner Bros.-First National Studio Sound Department for his method of dubbing, in which the level of the dialog automatically controls the level of the accompanying music and sound effects.To Mole-Richardson Company for their development of the “Solar-spot” spot lamps.To Douglas Shearer and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Sound Department for their automatic control system for cameras and sound recording machines and auxiliary stage equipment.To Electrical Research Products, Inc. for their study and development of equipment to analyze and measure flutter resulting from the travel of film through the mechanisms used in the recording and reproduction of sound.To Paramount Productions, Inc. for the design and construction of the Paramount transparency air turbine developing machine.To Nathan Levinson, Director of Sound Recording for Warner Bros.-First National Studio, for the method of intercutting variable density and variable area sound tracks to secure an increase in the effective volume range of sound recorded for motion pictures.1936 (9th)
(Class I)
To Douglas Shearer and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Sound Department for the development of a practical two-way horn system and a biased Class A push-pull recording system.(Class II)
To E. C. Wente and Bell Telephone Laboratories for their multi-cellular high-frequency horn and receiver.To RCA Manufacturing Co., Inc., for their rotary stabilizer sound head.(Class III)
To RCA Manufacturing Co., Inc., for their development of a method of recording and printing sound records utilizing a restricted spectrum (known as ultra-violet light recording).To Electrical Research Products, Inc. for the ERPI “Type Q” portable recording channel.To RCA Manufacturing Co., Inc., for furnishing a practical design and specifications for a non-slip printer.To United Artists Studio Corp. for the development of a practical, efficient and quiet wind machine.1937 (10th)
(Class I)
To Agfa Ansco Corporation for Agfa Supreme and Agfa Ultra Speed pan motion picture negatives.(Class II)
To Walt Disney Productions, Ltd., for the design and application to production of the Multi-Plane Camera.To Eastman Kodak Company for two fine-grain duplicating film stocks.To Farciot Edouart and Paramount Pictures, Inc. for the development of the Paramount dual screen transparency camera setup.To Douglas Shearer and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Sound Department for a method of varying the scanning width of variable density sound tracks (squeeze tracks) for the purpose of obtaining an increased amount of noise reduction.(Class III)
To John Arnold and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Camera Department for their improvement of the semi automatic follow focus device and its application to all of the cameras used by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio.To John Livadary, Director of Sound Recording for Columbia Pictures Corporation, for the application of the bi-planar light valve to motion picture sound recording.To Thomas T. Moulton and the United Artists Studio Sound Department for the application to motion picture sound recording of volume indicators which have peak reading response and linear decibel scales.To RCA Manufacturing Co., Inc. for the introduction of the modulated high-frequency method of determining optimum photographic processing conditions for variable width sound tracks.To Joseph E. Robbins and Paramount Pictures, Inc. for an exceptional application of acoustic principles to the sound proofing of gasoline generators and water pumps.To Douglas Shearer and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Sound Department for the design of the film drive mechanism as incorporated in the ERPI 1010 reproducer.1938 (11th)
(Class III)
To John Aalberg and the First National Studio Sound Department for the application of compression to variable area recording in motion picture production.To Byron Haskin and the Special Effects Department of Warner Bros. Studio for pioneering the development and for the first practical application to motion picture production of the triple head background projector.1939 (12th)
(Class III)
To George Anderson of Warner Bros. Studio for an improved positive head for sun arcs.To John Arnold of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio for the M-G-M mobile camera crane.To Thomas T. Moulton, Fred Albin, and the Sound Department of the Samuel Goldwyn Studio for the origination and application of the Delta db test to sound recording in motion pictures.To Farciot Edouart, Joseph E. Robbins, William Rudolph and Paramount Pictures, Inc. for the design and construction of a quiet portable treadmill.To Emery Huse and Ralph B. Atkinson of the Eastman Kodak Company for their specifications for chemical analysis of photographic developers and fixing baths.To Harold Nye of Warner Bros. Studio for a miniature incandescent spot lamp.To A. J. Tondreau of Warner Bros. Studio for the design and manufacture of an improved sound track printer.Multiple Award for important contributions in cooperative development of new improved Process Projection Equipment:F. R. Abbott, Haller Belt, Alan Cook and the Bausch & Lomb Optical Company for faster projection lenses;
The Mitchell Camera Company for a new type process projection head;
Mole-Richardson Company for a new type automatically controlled projection arc lamp;
Charley Handley, David Joy and the National Carbon Company for improved and more stable high-intensity carbons;
Winton Hoch and the Technicolor Motion Picture Corp. for an auxiliary optical system;
Don Musgrave and Selznick International Pictures, Inc. for pioneering in the use of coordinated equipment in the production, Gone with the Wind.
1940 (13th)
(Class I)
20th Century-Fox Film Corp. for the design and construction of the 20th Century Silenced Camera, developed by Daniel Clark, Grover Laube, Charles Miller, and Robert W. Stevens.(Class III)
To Warner Bros. Studio Art Department and Anton Grot for the design and perfection of the Warner Bros. water ripple and wave illusion machine.1941 (14th)
(Class II)
To Electrical Research Products Division of Western Electric Co., Inc., for the development of the precision integrating sphere densitometer.To RCA Manufacturing Company for the design and development of the MI-3043 Uni-directional microphone.(Class III)
To Ray Wilkinson and the Paramount Studio Laboratory for pioneering in the use of and for the first practical application to release printing of fine grain positive stock.To Charles Lootens and the Republic Studio Sound Department for pioneering the use of and for the first practical application to motion picture production of CLASS B push-pull variable area recording.To Wilbur Silvertooth and the Paramount Studio Engineering Department for the design and computation of a relay condenser system applicable to transparency process projection, delivering considerably more usable light.To Paramount Pictures, Inc. and 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. for the development and first practical application to motion picture production of an automatic scene slating device.To Douglas Shearer and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Sound Department, and to Loren Ryder and the Paramount Studio Sound Department for pioneering the development of fine grain emulsions for variable density original sound recording in studio production.1942 (15th)
(Class II)
To Carroll Clark, F. Thomas Thompson, the RKO Radio Studio Art Department and the RKO Radio Studio Miniature Department for the design and construction of a moving cloud and horizon machine.To Daniel B. Clark and the 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. for the development of a lens calibration system and the application of this system to exposure control in cinematography.(Class III)
To Robert Henderson, the Paramount Studio Engineering Department and the Paramount Studio Transparency Department for the design and construction of adjustable light bridges and screen frames for transparency process photography.To Daniel J. Bloomberg and the Republic Studio Sound Department for the design and application to motion picture production of a device for marking action negative for pre-selection purposes.1943 (16th)
(Class II)
To Farciot Edouart, Earle Morgan, Barton Thompson, the Paramount Studio Engineering Department and the Paramount Studio Transparency Department for the development and practical application to motion picture production of a method of duplicating and enlarging natural color photographs, transferring the image emulsions to glass plates and projecting these slides by especially designed stereopticon equipment.To Photo Products Department, E. I. duPont de Nemours and Co., Inc. for the development of fine-grain motion picture films.(Class III)
To Daniel J. Bloomberg and the Republic Studio Sound Department for the design and development of an inexpensive method of converting Moviolas to Class B push-pull reproduction.To Charles Galloway Clarke and the 20th Century-Fox Studio Camera Department for the development and practical application of a device for composing artificial clouds into motion picture scenes during production photography.To Farciot Edouart and the Paramount Studio Transparency Department for an automatic electric transparency cueing timer.To Willard H. Turner and the RKO Radio Studio Sound Department for the design and construction of the phono-cue starter.1944 (17th)
(Class II)
To Stephen Dunn and the RKO Radio Studio Sound Department and Radio Corporation of America for the design and development of the electronic compressor-limiter.(Class III)
To Linwood Dunn, Cecil Love and Acme Tool and Manufacturing Company for the design and construction of the Acme-Dunn Optical Printer.To Grover Laube and the 20th Century-Fox Studio Camera Department for the development of a continuous loop projection device.To Western Electric Company for the design and construction of the 1126A Limiting Amplifier for variable density sound recording.To Russell Brown, Ray Hinsdale and Joseph E. Robbins for the development and production use of the Paramount floating hydraulic boat rocker.To Gordon Jennings for the design and construction of the Paramount nodal point tripod.To Radio Corporation of America and the RKO Radio Studio Sound Department for the design and construction of the RKO reverberation chamber.To Daniel J. Bloomberg and the Republic Studio Sound Department for the design and development of a multi-interlock selector switch.To Bernard B. Brown and John P. Livadary for the design and engineering of a separate soloist and chorus recording room.To Paul Zeff, S. J. Twining and George Seid of the Columbia Studio Laboratory for the formula and application to production of a simplified variable area sound negative developer.To Paul Lerpae for the design and construction of the Paramount traveling matte projection and photographing device.1945 (18th)
(Class III)
To Loren L. Ryder, Charles R. Daily and the Paramount Studio Sound Department for the design, construction and use of the first dial controlled step-by-step sound channel line-up and test circuit.To Michael S. Leshing, Benjamin C. Robinson, Arthur B. Chatelain and Robert C. Stevens of 20th Century-Fox Studio and John G. Capstaff of Eastman Kodak Company for the 20th Century-Fox film processing machine.1946 (19th)
(Class III)
To Harlan L. Baumbach and the Paramount West Coast Laboratory for an improved method for the quantitative determination of hydroquinone and metol photographic development.To Herbert E. Britt for the development and application of formulas and equipment for producing cloud and smoke effects.To Burton F. Miller, the Warner Bros. Studio Sound Department and the Warner Bros. Studio Electrical Department for the design and construction of a motion picture arc lighting generator filter.To Carl Faulkner of the 20th Century-Fox Studio Sound Department for the reversed bias method, including a double bias method for light valve and galvanometer density recording.To the Mole-Richardson Company for the Type 450 super high density carbon arc lamp.To Arthur F. Blinn, Robert O. Cook, C. O. Slyfield and the Walt Disney Studio Sound Department for the design and development of an audio finder and track viewer for checking and locating noise in sound tracks.To Burton F. Miller and the Warner Bros. Studio Sound Department for the design and application of an equalizer to eliminate relative spectral energy distortion in electronic compressors.To Marty Martin and Hal Adkins of the RKO Radio Studio Miniature Department for the design and construction of equipment providing visual bullet effects.To Harold Nye and the Warner Bros. Studio Electrical Department for the development of the electronically controlled fire and gaslight effect.1947 (20th)
(Class II)
To C. C. Davis and Electrical Research Products Division of Western Electric Company for the development and application of an improved film drive filter mechanism.To C. R. Daily, the Paramount Studio Film Laboratory, the Paramount Studio Still Department and the Paramount Studio Engineering Department for the development and first practical application to motion picture and still photography of a method of increasing film speed as first suggested to the industry by E. I. duPont de Nemours & Company.(Class III)
To Nathan Levinson and the Warner Bros. Studio Sound Department for the design and construction of a constant-speed sound editing machine.To Farciot Edouart, C. R. Daily, Hal Corl, H. G. Cartwright, the Paramount Studio Transparency Department and the Paramount Studio Engineering Department for the first application of a special anti-solarizing glass to high-intensity background and spot arc projectors.To Fred Ponedel of Warner Bros. Studio for pioneering the fabrication and practical application to motion picture color photography of large translucent photographic backgrounds.To Kurt Singer and the RCA Victor Division of Radio Corporation of America for the design and development of a continuously variable band-elimination filter.To James Gibbons of Warner Bros. Studio for the development and production of large dyed plastic filters for motion picture photography.1948 (21st)
(Class II)
To Victor Caccialanza, Maurice Ayers, and the Paramount Studio Set Construction Department for the development and application of “Paralite,” a new lightweight plaster process for set construction.To Nick Kalten, Louis J. Witti, and the 20th Century-Fox Studio Mechanical Effects Department for a process of preserving and flame-proofing foliage.(Class III)
To Marty Martin, Jack Lannon, Russell Shearman and the RKO Radio Studio Special Effects Department for the development of a new method of simulating falling snow on motion picture sets.To A. J. Moran and the Warner Bros. Studio Electrical Department for a method of remote control for shutters on motion picture arc lighting equipment.1949 (22nd)
(Class I)
To Eastman Kodak Company for the development and introduction of an improved safety base motion picture film.(Class III)
To Loren L. Ryder, Bruce H. Denney, Robert Carr and the Paramount Studio Sound Department for the development and application of the supersonic playback and public address system.To M. B. Paul for the first successful large-area seamless translucent backgrounds.To Herbert E. Britt for the development and application of formulas and equipment for producing artificial snow and ice for dressing motion picture sets.To Charles R. Daily, Steve Csillag, the Paramount Studio Engineering Department, the Paramount Studio Editorial Department and the Paramount Studio Music Department for a new precision method of computing variable tempo click tracks.To the International Projector Corporation for a simplified and self-adjusting take-up device for projection machines.To Alexander Velcoff for the application to production of the infra-red photographic evaluator.1950 (23rd)
(Class II)
To James B. Gordon and the 20th Century-Fox Studio Camera Department for the design and development of a multiple image film viewer.To John Paul Livadary, Floyd Campbell, L. W. Russell, and the Columbia Studio Sound Department for the development of a multi-track magnetic re-recording system.To Loren L. Ryder and the Paramount Studio Sound Department for the first studio-wide application of magnetic sound recording to motion picture production.1951 (24th)
(Class II)
To Gordon Jennings, S. L. Stancliffe, the Paramount Studio Special Photographic Department and the Paramount Studio Engineering Department for the design, construction and application of a servo-operated recording and repeating device.To Olin L. Dupy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio for the design, construction and application of a motion picture reproducing system.To Radio Corporation of America, Victor Division, for pioneering direct positive recording with anticipatory noise reduction.(Class III)
To Richard M. Haff, Frank P. Herrnfeld, Garland C. Misener and the Ansco Film Division of General Aniline and Film Corporation for the development of the Ansco color scene tester.To Fred Ponedel, Ralph Ayres and George Brown of Warner Bros. Studio for an air-driven water motor to provide flow, wake and white water for marine sequences in motion pictures.To Glen Robinson and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Construction Department for the development of a new music wire and cable cutter.To Jack Gaylord and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Construction Department for the development of balsa falling snow.To Carlos Rivas of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio for the development of an automatic magnetic film splicer.1952 (25th)
(Class I)
To Eastman Kodak Company for the introduction of Eastman color negative and Eastman color print film.To Ansco Film Division of General Aniline and Film Corporation for the introduction of Ansco color negative and Ansco color print film.(Class II)
To Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation for an improved method of color motion picture photography under incandescent light.(Class III)
To the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Projection Department, the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Still Photographic Department and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Development Engineering Department for an improved method of projecting photographic backgrounds.To John G. Frayne and R. R. Scoville and Westrex Corporation for a method of measuring distortion in sound reproduction.To Photo Research Corporation for creating the Spectra color temperature meter.To Gustav Jirouch for the design of the Robot automatic film splicer.To Carlos Rivas of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio for the development of a sound reproducer for magnetic film.1953 (26th)
(Class I)
To Professor Henri Chretien and Earl Sponable, Sol Halprin, Lorin Grignon, Herbert Bragg and Carl Faulkner of 20th Century-Fox Studios for creating, developing and engineering the equipment, processes and techniques known as CinemaScope.To Fred Waller for designing and developing the multiple photographic and projection systems that culminated in Cinerama.(Class II)
To Reeves Soundcraft Corporation for their development of a process of applying stripes of magnetic oxide to motion picture film for sound recording and reproduction.(Class III)
To Westrex Corporation for the design and construction of a new film editing machine.1954 (27th)
(Class I)
To Paramount Pictures, Inc., Loren L. Ryder, John R. Bishop, and all the members of the technical and engineering staff for developing a method of producing and exhibiting motion pictures known as VistaVision.(Class III)
To David S. Horsley and the Universal-International Studio Special Photographic Department for a portable remote control device for process projectors.To Karl Freund and Frank Crandell of Photo Research Corporation for the design and development of a direct reading brightness meter.To Wesley C. Miller, J. W. Stafford, K. M. Frierson and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Sound Department for an electronic sound printing comparison device.To John P. Livadary, Lloyd Russell and the Columbia Studio Sound Department for an improved limiting amplifier as applied to sound level comparison devices.To Roland Miller and Max Goeppinger of Magnascope Corporation for the design and development of a cathode ray magnetic sound track viewer.To Carlos Rivas, G. M. Sprague and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Sound Department for the design of a magnetic sound editing machine.To Fred Wilson of the Samuel Goldwyn Studio Sound Department for the design of a variable multiple-band equalizer.To P. C. Young of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Projection Department for the practical application of a variable focal length attachment to motion picture projector lenses.To Fred Knoth and Orien Ernest of the Universal-International Studio Technical Department for the development of a hand portable, electric, dry oil-fog machine.1955 (28th)
(Class I)
To the National Carbon Co. for the development and production of a high efficiency yellow flame carbon for motion picture photography.(Class II)
To the Eastman Kodak Co. for Eastman Tri-X Panchromatic Negative Film.To Farciot Edouart, Hal Corl and the Paramount Studio Transparency Department for the engineering and development of a double-frame, triple-head background projector.(Class III)
To 20th Century-Fox Studio and the Bausch & Lomb Co. for the new combination lenses for CinemaScope Photography.To Walter Jolley, Maurice Larson, and R. H. Spies of 20th Century-Fox Studio for a spraying process which creates simulated metallic surfaces.To Steve Krilanovich for an improved camera dolly incorporating multi-directional steering.To Dave Anderson of 20th Century-Fox Studio for an improved spotlight capable of maintaining a fixed circle of light at constant intensity over varied distances.To Loren L. Ryder, Charles West, Henry Fracker, and the Paramount Studios for a projection film index to establish proper framing for various aspect ratios.To Farciot Edouart, Hal Corl and the Paramount Studio Transparency Department for an improved dual stereopticon background projector.1956 (29th)
(Class III)
To Richard H. Ranger of Rangertone, Inc., for the development of a synchronous recording and reproducing system for quarter-inch magnetic tape.To Ted Hirsch, Carl Hauge and Edward Reichard of Consolidated Film Industries for an automatic scene counter for laboratory projection rooms.To the Technical Departments of Paramount Pictures Corp. for the engineering and development of the Paramount light-weight horizontal-movement VistVision camera.To Roy C. Stewart and Sons of Stewart-Trans Lux Corp., Dr. C. R. Daily and the Transparency Department of Paramount Pictures Corp. for the engineering and development of the HiTrans and Para-HiTrans rear projection screens.To the Construction Department of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio for a new hand-portable fog machine.To Daniel J. Bloomberg, John Pond, William Wade, the Republic Studio Engineering Department and the Republic Studio Camera Department for the Naturama adaptation to the Mitchell camera.1957 (30th)
(Class I)
To Todd-AO Corp. and Westrex Sound Services, Inc. for developing a method of producing and exhibiting wide-film motion pictures known as the Todd-AO System.To the Motion Picture Research Council for the design and development of a high efficiency projection screen for drive-in theaters.(Class II)
To the Société D’Optique et de Mécanique de Haute Précision for the development of a high speed vari-focal photographic lens.To Harlan L. Baumbach, Lorand Wargo, Howard M. Little, and the Unicorn Engineering Corp. for the development of an automatic printer light selector.(Class III)
To Charles E. Sutter, William B. Smith, Paramount Pictures Corp. and General Cable Corp. for the engineering and application to studio use of aluminum lightweight electrical cable and connectors.1958 (31st)
(Class II)
To Don W. Prideaux, Leroy G. Leighton and the Lamp Division of General Electric Co. for the development and production of an improved 10 kilowatt lamp for motion picture set lighting.To Panavision, Inc. for the design and development of the Auto Panatar anamorphic photographic lens for 35mm CinemaScope photography.(Class III)
To Willy Borberg of the General Precision Laboratory, Inc., for the development of a high speed intermittent movement for 35mm motion picture theatre projection equipment.To Fred Ponedel, George Brown and Conrad Boye of the Warner Bros. Special Effects Department for the design and fabrication of a new rapid fire marble gun.1959 (32nd)
(Class II)
To Douglas G. Shearer of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc., and Robert E. Gottschalk and John R. Moore of Panavision, Inc. for the development of a system of producing and exhibiting wide-film motion pictures known as Camera 65.To Wadsworth E. Pohl, William Evans, Werner Hopf, S. E. Howse, Thomas P. Dixon, Stanford Research Institute and Technicolor Corp., for the design and development of the Technicolor Electronic Printing Timer.To Wadsworth E. Pohl, Jack Alford, Henry Imus, Joseph Schmit, Paul Fassnacht, Al Lofquist and Technicolor Corp., for the development and practical application of equipment for wet printing.To Dr. Howard S. Coleman, Dr. A. Francis Turner, Harold H. Schroeder, James R. Benford and Harold E. Rosenberger of the Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. for the design and development of the Balcold Projection Mirror.To Robert P. Gutterman of General Kinetics, Inc. and Lipsner-Smith Corp. for the design and development of the CF-2 Ultra-sonic Film Cleaner.(Class III)
To Ub Iwerks of Walt Disney Prods. for the design of an improved optical printer for special effects and matte shots.To E. L. Stones, Glen Robinson, Winfield Hubbard and Luther Newman of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Construction Department for the design of a multiple cable remote controlled winch.1960 (33rd)
(Class II)
To Ampex Professional Products Co. for the production of a well-engineered multi-purpose sound system combining high standards of quality with convenience of control, dependable operation and simplified emergency provisions.(Class III)
To Arthur Holcomb, Petro Vlahos and Columbia Studio Camera Department for a camera flicker indicating device.To Anthony Paglia and the 20th Century-Fox Studio Mechanical Effects Department for the design and construction of a miniature flak gun and ammunition.To Carl Hauge, Robert Grubel and Edward Reichard of Consolidated Film Industries for the development of an automatic developer replenisher system.1961 (34th)
(Class II)
To Sylvania Electric Products, Inc., for the development of a hand held high-power photographic lighting unit known as the Sun Gun Professional.To James Dale, S. Wilson, H. E. Rice, John Rude, Laurie Atkin, Wadsworth E. Pohl, H. Peasgood and Technicolor Corp. for a process of automatic selective printing.To 20th Century-Fox Research Department, under the direction of E. I. Sponable and Herbert E. Bragg, and Deluxe Laboratories, Inc., with the assistance of F. D. Leslie, R. D. Whitmore, A. A. Alden, Endel Pool and James B. Gordon for a system of decompressing and recomposing CinemaScope pictures for conventional aspect ratios.(Class III)
To Hurletron, Inc., Electric Eye Equipment Division, for an automatic light changing system for motion picture printers.1962 (35th)
(Class II)
To Ralph Chapman for the design and development of an advanced motion picture camera crane.To Albert S. Pratt, James L. Wassell and Hans C. Wohlrab of the Professional Equipment Division of Bell & Howell Co., for the design and development of a new and improved automatic motion picture additive color printer.To North American Philips Co., Inc., for the design and engineering of the Norelco Universal 70/35 motion picture projector.To Charles E. Sutter, William Bryson Smith and Louis C. Kennell of Paramount Pictures Corp. for the engineering and application to motion picture production of a new system of electric power distribution.(Class III)
To Electro-Voice, Inc., for a highly directional dynamic line microphone.To Louis G. MacKenzie for a selective sound effects repeater.1963 (36th)
(Class III)
To Douglas G. Shearer and A. Arnold Gillespie of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios for the engineering of an improved Background Process Projection System.1964 (37th)
(Class I)
To Petro Vlahos, Wadsworth E. Pohl and Ub Iwerks for the conception and perfection of techniques for Color Traveling Matte Composite Cinematography.(Class II)
To Sidney P. Solow, Edward H. Reichard, Carl W. Hauge and Job Sanderson of Consolidated Film Industries for the design and development of a versatile Automatic 35mm Composite Color Printer.To Pierre Angenieux for the development of a ten-to-one Zoom Lens for cinematography.(Class III)
To Milton Forman, Richard B. Glickman and Daniel J. Pearlman of Colortran Industries for advancements in the design and application to motion picture photography of lighting units using quartz iodine lamps.To Stewart Filmscreen Corporation for a seamless translucent Blue Screen for Traveling Matte Color Cinematography.To Anthony Paglia and the 20th Century-Fox Studio Mechanical Effects Department for an improved method of producing Explosion Flash Effects for motion pictures.To Edward H. Reichard and Carl W. Hauge of Consolidated Film Industries for the design of a Proximity Cue Detector and its application to motion picture printers.To Edward H. Reichard, Leonard L. Sokolow and Carl W. Hauge of Consolidated Film Industries for the design and application to motion picture laboratory practice of a Stroboscopic Scene Tester for color and black-and-white film.To Nelson Tyler for the design and construction of an improved Helicopter Camera System.1965 (38th)
(Class II)
To Arthur J. Hatch of the Strong Electric Corporation subsidiary of General Precision Equipment Corporation, for the design and development of an Air Blown Carbon Arc Projection Lamp.To Stefan Kudelski for the design and development of the Nagra portable 1/4" tape recording system for motion picture sound recording.1966 (39th)
(Class II)
To Mitchell Camera Corporation for the design and development of the Mitchell Mark II 35mm Portable Motion Picture Reflex Camera.To Arnold & Richter KG for the design and development of the Arriflex 35mm Portable Motion Picture Reflex Camera.(Class III)
To Panavision, Incorporated for the design of the Panatron Power Inverter and its application to motion picture camera operation.To Carroll Knudson for the production of a Composer’s Manual for Motion Picture Music Synchronization.To Ruby Raksin for the production of a Composer’s Manual for Motion Picture Music Synchronization.1967 (40th)
(Class III)
To the Electro-Optical Division of Kollmorgen Corporation for the design and development of a series of Motion Picture Projection Lenses.To Panavision, Incorporated, for a Variable Speed Motor for Motion Picture Cameras.To Fred R. Wilson of the Samuel Goldwyn Studio Sound Department for an Audio Level Clamper.To Waldon O. Watson and the Universal City Studio Sound Department for new concepts in the design of a Music Scoring Stage.1968 (41st)
(Class I)
To Philip V. Palmquist of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co., to Dr. Herbert Meyer of the Motion Picture and Television Research Center, and to Charles D. Staffell of the Rank Organization for the development of a successful embodiment of the reflex background projection system for composite cinematography.To Eastman Kodak Company for the development and introduction of a color reversal intermediate film for motion pictures.(Class II)
To Donald W. Norwood for the design and development of the Norwood Photographic Exposure Meters.To Eastman Kodak Company and Producers Service Company for the development of a new high-speed step-optical reduction printer.To Edmund M. DiGiulio, Niels G. Petersen and Norman S. Hughes of the Cinema Product Development Company for the design and application of a conversion which makes available the reflex viewing system for motion picture cameras.To Optical Coating Laboratories, Inc. for the development of an improved anti-reflection coating for photographic and projection lens systems.To Eastman Kodak Company for the introduction of a new high speed motion picture color negative film.To Panavision, Incorporated, for the conception, design and introduction of a 65mm hand-held motion picture camera.To Todd-AO and Mitchell Camera Company for the design and engineering of the Todd-AO hand-held motion picture camera.(Class III)
To Carl W. Hauge and Edward H. Reichard of Consolidated Film Industries and E. Michael Meahl and Roy J. Ridenour of Ramtronics for engineering an automatic exposure control for printing-machine lamps.To Eastman Kodak Company for a new direct positive film and to Consolidated Film Industries for the application of this film to the making of post-production work prints.1969 (42nd)
(Class II)
To Hazeltine Corporation for the design and development of the Hazeltine Color Film Analyzer.To Fouad Said for the design and introduction of the Cinemobile series of equipment trucks for location motion picture production.To Juan de la Cierva and Dynasciences Corporation for the design and development of the Dynalens optical image motion compensator.(Class III)
To Otto Popelka of Magna-Tech Electronics Company, Inc., for the development of an Electronically Controlled Looping System.To Fenton Hamilton of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios for the concept and engineering of a mobile battery power unit for location lighting.To Panavision, Incorporated, for the design and development of the Panaspeed Motion Picture Camera Motor.To Robert M. Flynn and Russell Hessey of Universal City Studios, Inc. for a machine-gun modification for motion picture photography.1970 (43rd)
(Class II)
To Leonard Sokolow and Edward H. Reichard of Consolidated Film Industries for the concept and engineering of the Color Proofing Printer for motion pictures.(Class III)
To Sylvania Electric Products, Inc. for the development and introduction of a series of compact tungsten halogen lamps for motion picture production.To B. J. Losmandy for the concept, design and application of micro-miniature solid state amplifier modules used in motion picture recording equipment.To Eastman Kodak Company and Photo Electronics Corporation for the design and engineering of an improved video color analyzer for motion picture laboratories.To Electro Sound Incorporated for the design and introduction of the Series 8000 Sound System for motion picture theatres.1971 (44th)
(Class II)
To John N. Wilkinson of Optical Radiation Corporation for the development and engineering of a system of xenon arc lamphouses for motion picture projection.(Class III)
To Thomas Jefferson Hutchinson, James R. Rochester and Fenton Hamilton for the development and introduction of the Sunbrute system of xenon arc lamps for location lighting in motion picture production.To Photo Research, a Division of Kollmorgen Corporation, for the development and introduction of the film-lens balanced Three Color Meter.To Robert D. Auguste and Cinema Products Company for the development and introduction of a new crystal controlled lightweight motor for the 35mm motion picture Arriflex camera.To Producers Service Corporation and Consolidated Film Industries; and to Cinema Research Corporation and Research Products, Inc. for the engineering and implementation of fully automated blow-up motion picture printing systems.To Cinema Products Company for a control motor to actuate zoom lenses on motion picture cameras.1972 (45th)
(Class II)
To Joseph E. Bluth for research and development in the field of electronic photography and transfer of video tape to motion picture film.To Edward H. Reichard and Howard T. La Zare of Consolidated Film Industries, and Edward Efron of IBM for the engineering of a computerized light valve monitoring system for motion picture printing.To Panavision, Incorporated, for the development and engineering of the Panaflex motion picture camera.(Class III)
To Photo Research, a Division of Kollmorgen Corporation, and PSC Technology, Inc., Acme Products Division, for the Spectra Film Gate Photometer for motion picture printers.To Carter Equipment Company, Inc. and RAMtronics for the RAMtronics light-valve photometer for motion picture printers.To David Degenkolb, Harry Larson, Manfred Michelson and Fred Scobey of DeLuxe General Incorporated for the development of a computerized motion picture printer and process control system.To Jiro Mukai and Ryusho Hirose of Canon, Inc., and Wilton R. Holm of the AMPTP Motion Picture and Television Research Center for development of the Canon Macro Zoom Lens for motion picture photography.To Philip V. Palmquist and Leonard L. Olson of the 3M Company, and Frank P. Clark of the AMPTP Motion Picture and Television Research Center for development of the Nextel simulated blood for motion picture color photography.To E. H. Geissler and G. M. Berggren of Wil-Kin Inc., for engineering of the Ultra-Vision Motion Picture Theater Projection System.1973 (46th)
(Class II)
To Joachim Gerb and Erich Kastner of The Arnold and Richter Company for the development and engineering of the Arriflex 35BL motion picture camera.To Magna-Tech Electronic Co., Inc. for the engineering and development of a high-speed re-recording system for motion picture production.To William W. Valliant of PSC Technology Inc., Howard F. Ott of Eastman Kodak Company, and Gerry Diebold of The Richmark Camera Service Inc. for the development of a liquid-gate system for motion-picture printers.To Harold A. Scheib, Clifford H. Ellis and Roger W. Banks of Research Products Incorporated for the concept and engineering of the Model 2101 optical printer for motion picture optical effects.(Class III)
To Rosco Laboratories, Inc. for the technical advances and the development of a complete system of light-control materials for motion picture photography.To Richard H. Vetter of Todd-AO Corporation for the design of an improved anamorphic focusing system for motion picture photography.1974 (47th)
(Class II)
To Joseph D. Kelly of Glen Glenn Sound for the design of new audio control consoles which have advanced the state of the art of sound recording and rerecording for motion picture production.To The Burbank Studios Sound Department for the design of new audio control consoles engineered and constructed by the Quad-Eight Sound Corporation.To Samuel Goldwyn Studios Sound Department for the design of a new audio control console engineered and constructed by the Quad-Eight Sound Corporation.To Quad-Eight Sound Corporation for the engineering and construction of new audio control consoles designed by The Burbank Studios Sound Department and by the Samuel Goldwyn Studios Sound Department.To Waldon O. Watson, Richard J. Stumpf, Robert J. Leonard and the Universal City Studios Sound Department for the development and engineering of the Sensurround System for motion picture presentation.(Class III)
To The Elemack Company, Rome, Italy, for the design and development of their Spyder camera dolly.To Louis Ami of Universal City Studios for the design and construction of a reciprocating camera platform used when photographing special visual effects for motion pictures.1975 (48th)
(Class II)
To Chadwell O’Connor of the O’Connor Engineering Laboratories for the concept and engineering of a fluid-damped camera-head for motion picture photography.To William F. Miner of Universal City Studios, Inc. and the Westinghouse Electric Corporation for the development and engineering of a solid-state, 500 kilowatt, direct-current static rectifier for motion picture lighting.(Class III)
To Lawrence W. Butler and Roger Banks for the concept of applying low inertia and stepping electric motors to film transport systems and optical printers for motion picture production.To David J. Degenkolb and Fred Scobey of Deluxe General Incorporated and John C. Dolan and Richard Dubois of the Akwaklame Company for the development of a technique for silver recovery from photographic wash-waters by ion exchange.To Joseph Westheimer for the development of a device to obtain shadowed titles on motion picture films.To Carter Equipment Company, Inc. and RAMtronics for the engineering and manufacture of a computerized tape punching system for programming laboratory printing machines.To Hollywood Film Company for the engineering and manufacture of a computerized tape punching system for programming laboratory printing machines.To Bell & Howell for the engineering and manufacture of a computerized tape punching system for programming laboratory printing machines.To Fredrik Schlyter for the engineering and manufacture of a computerized tape punching system for programming laboratory printing machines.1976 (49th)
(Class II)
To Consolidated Film Industries and the Barnebey-Cheney Company for the development of a system for the recovery of film-cleaning solvent vapors in a motion picture laboratory.To William L. Graham, Manfred G. Michelson, Geoffrey F. Norman and Siegfried Seibert of Technicolor for the development and engineering of a Continuous, High-Speed, Color Motion Picture Printing System.(Class III)
To Fred Bartscher of Kollmorgen Corporation and to Glenn Berggren of the Schneider Corporation for the design and development of a single-lens magnifier for motion picture projection lenses.To Panavision Incorporated for the design and development of super-speed lenses for motion picture photography.To Hiroshi Suzukawa of Cannon and Wilton R. Holm of AMPTP Motion Picture and Television Research Center for the design and development of super-speed lenses for motion picture photography.To Carl Zeiss Company for the design and development of super-speed lenses for motion picture photography.To Photo Research Division of the Kollmorgen Corporation for the engineering and manufacture of the spectra TriColor Meter.1977 (50th)
(Class I)
To Garrett Brown and the Cinema Products Corporation Engineering Staff under the supervision of John Jurgens, for the invention and development of Steadicam.(Class II)
To Joseph D. Kelly, Emory M. Cohen, Barry K. Henley, Hammond H. Holt and John Agalsoff of Glen Glenn Sound for the concept and development of a Post-production Audio Processing System for Motion Picture Films.To Panavision, Incorporated, for the concept and engineering of the improvements incorporated in the Panaflex Motion Picture camera.To N. Paul Kenworthy, Jr. and William R. Latady for the invention and development of the Kenworthy Snorkel Camera System for motion picture photography.To John C. Dykstra for the development of a facility uniquely oriented toward visual effects photography, and to Alvah J. Miller and Jerry Jeffress for the engineering of the Electronic Motion Control System used in concert for multiple exposure visual effects motion picture photography.To Eastman Kodak Company for the development and introduction of a new duplicating film for motion pictures.To Stefan Kudelski of Nagra Magnetic Recorders, Incorporated, for the engineering of the improvements incorporated in the Nagra 4.2L sound recorder for motion picture production.(Class III)
To Ernst Nettmann of the Astrovision Division of Continental Camera Systems, Incorporated, for the engineering of its Periscope Aerial Camera System.To EECO (Electronic Engineering Company of California) for developing a method for interlocking non-sprocketed film and tape media used in motion picture production.To Dr. Bernhard Kühl and Werner Block of OSRAM, GmbH, for the development of the HMI high-efficiency discharge lamp for motion picture lighting.To Panavision, Incorporated, for the design of Panalite, a camera-mounted controllable light for motion picture photography.To Panavision, Incorporated, for the engineering of the Panahead gearhead for motion picture cameras.To Piclear, Incorporated, for originating and developing an attachment to motion picture projectors to improve screen image quality.1978 (51st)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Eastman Kodak Company for the research and development of a Duplicating Color film for Motion Pictures.To Stefan Kudelski of Nagra Magnetic Recorders, Incorporated, for the continuing research, design and development of the Nagra Production Sound Recorder for Motion Pictures.To Panavision, Incorporated, and its engineering staff under the direction of Robert E. Gottschalk, for the concept, design and continuous development of the Panaflex Motion Picture Camera System.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Ray M. Dolby, Ioan R. Allen, David P. Robinson, Stephen M. Katz and Philip S. J. Boole of Dolby Laboratories, Incorporated, for the development and implementation of an improved Sound Recording and Reproducing System for Motion Picture Production and Exhibition.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Karl Macher and Glenn M. Berggren of Isco Optische Werke for the development and introduction of the Cinelux-ULTRA Lens for 35mm Motion Picture Projection.To David J. Degenkolb, Arthur L. Ford and Fred J. Scobey of DeLuxe General, Incorporated, for the development of a Method to Recycle Motion Picture Laboratory Photographic Wash Waters by Ion Exchange.To Kiichi Sekiguchi of CINE-FI International for the development of the CINE-FI Auto Radio Sound System for Drive-In Theaters.To Leonard Chapman of Leonard Equipment Company, for the design and manufacture of a small, mobile, motion picture camera platform known as the Chapman Hustler Dolly.To James L. Fisher of J. L. Fisher, Incorporated, for the design and manufacture of a small, mobile, motion picture camera platform known as the Fisher Model Ten Dolly.To Robert Stindt of Production Grip Equipment Company, for the design and manufacture of a small, mobile, motion picture camera platform known as the Stindt Dolly.1979 (52nd)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Mark Serrurier for the progressive development of the Moviola from the 1924 invention of his father, Iwan Serrurier, to the present Series 20 sophisticated film editing equipment.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Neiman-Tillar Associates for the creative development and to Mini-Micro Systems, Incorporated, for the design and engineering of an Automated Computer-Controlled Editing Sound System (ACCESS) for motion picture post-production.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Michael V. Chewey, Walter G. Eggers and Allen Hecht of M-G-M Laboratories for the development of a Computer-controlled Paper Tape Programmer System and its applications in the motion picture laboratory.To Irwin Young, Paul Kaufman and Fredrik Schlyter of Du Art FilmLaboratories, Incorporated, for the development of a Computer-controlled Paper Tape Programmer System and its applications in the motion picture laboratory.To James S. Stanfield and Paul W. Trester for the development and manufacture of a device for the repair or protection of sprocket holes in motion picture film.To Zorin Perisic of Courier Films, Limited, for the Zoptic Special Optical Effects Device for motion picture photography.To A. D. Flowers and Logan R. Frazee for the development of a device to control flight patterns of miniature airplanes during motion picture photography.To Photo Research Division of Kollmorgen Corporation for the development of the Spectra Series II Cine Special Exposure Meter for motion picture photography.To Bruce Lyon and John Lamb for the development of a Video Animation System for testing motion picture animation sequences.To Ross Lowell of Lowel-Light Manufacturing, Incorporated, for the development of compact lighting equipment for motion picture photography.1980 (53rd)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Linwood G. Dunn, Cecil D. Love and Acme Tool and Manufacturing Company for the concept, engineering and development of the Acme-Dunn Optical Printer for motion picture special effects.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Jean-Marie Lavalou, Alain Masseron and David Samuelson of Samuelson Alga Cinema S.A. and Samuelson Film Service, Limited, for the engineering and development of the Louma Camera Crane and remote control system for motion picture production.To Edward B. Krause of Filmline Corporation for the engineering and manufacture of the micro-demand drive for continuous motion picture film processors.To Ross Taylor for the concept and development of a system of air guns for propelling objects used in special effects motion picture production.To Dr. Bernhard Kühl and Dr. Werner Block of OSRAM GmbH, for the progressive engineering and manufacture of the OSRAM HMI light source for motion picture color photography.To David A. Grafton for the optical design and engineering of a telecentric anamorphic lens for motion picture optical effects printers.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Carter Equipment Company for the development of a continuous contact, total immersion, additive color motion picture printer.To Hollywood Film Company for the development of a continuous contact, total immersion, additive color motion picture printer.To André DeBrie S.A. for the development of a continuous contact, total immersion, additive color motion picture printer.To Charles Vaughn and Eugene Nottingham of Cinetron Computer Systems, Incorporated, for the development of a versatile general purpose computer system for animation and optical effects motion picture photography.To John W. Lang, Walter Hrastnik and Charles J. Watson of Bell and Howell Company for the development and manufacture of a modular continuous contact motion picture film printer.To Worth Baird of LaVezzi Machine Works, Incorporated, for the advanced design and manufacture of a film sprocket for motion picture projectors.To Peter A. Regla and Dan Slater of Elicon for the development of a follow-focus system for motion picture optical effects printers and animation stands.1981 (54th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To the Fuji Photo Film Company, Ltd. for the research, development and introduction of a new Ultra-high-speed color negative film for motion pictures.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Nelson Tyler for the progressive development and improvement of the Tyler Helicopter motion picture camera platform.To Leonard Sokolow for the concept and design and to Howard T. LaZare for the development of the Consolidated Film Industries’ Stroboscan motion picture film viewer.To Richard Edlund and Industrial Light and Magic, Incorporated for the concept and engineering of a beam-splitter optical composite motion picture printer.To Richard Edlund and Industrial Light and Magic, Incorporated for the engineering of the Empire Motion Picture Camera System.To Edward J. Blasko and Dr. Roderick T. Ryan of the Eastman Kodak Company for the application of the Prostar Microfilm Processor for motion picture title and special optical effects production.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Hal Landaker for the concept and to Alan D. Landaker for the engineering of the Burbank Studios’ Production Sound Department 24-frame color video system.To Bill Hogan of Ruxton, Ltd. and Richard J. Stumpf and Daniel R. Brewer of Universal City Studios’ Production Sound Department for the engineering of a 24-frame color video system.To John DeMuth for the engineering of a 24-frame color video system.To ERNST F. NUTTMANN of Continental Camera Systems, Inc. for the development of a pitching lens for motion picture photography.To Bill Taylor of Universal City Studios for the concept and specifications for a Two Format, Rotating Head, Aerial Image Optical Printer.To Peter D. Parks of Oxford Scientific Films for the development of the OSF microcosmic zoom device for microscopic photography.To Dr. Louis Stankiewicz and H. L. Blachford for the development of Baryfol sound barrier materials.To Dennis Muren and Stuart Ziff of Industrial Light and Magic, Incorporated for the development of a Motion Picture Figure Mover for animation photography.1982 (55th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To August Arnold and Erich Kastner of Arnold & Richter, GmbH, for the concept and engineering of the first operational 35mm, hand-held, spinning mirror reflex, motion picture camera.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Colin F. Mossman and the Research and Development Group of Rank Film Laboratories, London, for the engineering and implementation of a 4,000 meter printing system for motion picture laboratories.To Sante Zelli and Salvatore Zelli of Elemack Italia S.r.l., Rome, Italy, for the continuing engineering, design and development that has resulted in the Elemack Camera Dolly System for motion picture production.To Leonard Chapman for the engineering design, development and manufacture of the PeeWee Camera Dolly for motion picture production.To Dr. Mohammad S. Nozari of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company for the research and development of the 3M Photogard protective coating for motion picture film.To Brianne Murphy and Donald Schisler of Mitchell Insert Systems, Incorporated, for the concept, design and manufacture of the MISI Camera Insert Car and Process Trailer.To Jacobus L. Dimmers for the engineering and manufacture of the Teccon Enterprises’ magnetic transducer for motion picture sound recording and playback.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Richard W. Deats for the design and manufacture of the “Little Big Crane” for motion picture production.To Constant Tresfon and Adriaan De Rooy of Egripment, and to Ed Phillips and Carlos De Mattos of Matthews Studio Equipment, Incorporated, for the design and manufacture of the “Tulip Crane” for motion picture production.To Bran Ferren of Associates and Ferren for the design and development of a computerized lighting effect system for motion picture photography.To Christie Electric Corporation and LaVezzi Machine Works, Incorporated, for the design and manufacture of the Ultramittent film transport for Christie motion picture projectors.1983 (56th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Dr. Kurt Larche of OSRAM GmbH for the research and development of xenon short-arc discharge lamps for motion picture projection.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Jonathan Erland and Roger Dorney of Apogee, Incorporated, for the engineering and development of a reverse bluescreen traveling matte process for special effects photography.To Gerald L. Turpin of Lightflex International Limited for the design, engineering and development of an on-camera device providing contrast control, sourceless fill light and special effects for motion picture photography.To Gunnar P. Michelson for the engineering and development of an improved, electronic, high-speed, precision light valve for use in motion picture printing machines.(Technical Achievement Award)
To William G. Krokaugger of Mole-Richardson Company for the design and engineering of a portable, 12,000 watt, lighting-control dimmer for use in motion picture production.To Charles J. Watson, Larry L. Langrehr and John H. Steiner for the development of the BHP (electro-mechanical) fader for use on continuous motion picture contact printers.To Elizabeth D. De La Mare of De La Mare Engineering, Incorporated, for the progressive development and continuous research of special effects pyrotechnics originally designed by Glenn W. De La Mare for motion picture production.To Douglas Fries, John Lacey and Michael Sigrist for the design and engineering of a 35mm reflex conversion camera system for special effects photography.To Jack Cashin of Ultra-Stereo Labs, Incorporated, for the engineering and development of a 4-channel, stereophonic, decoding system for optical motion picture sound track reproduction.To David J. Degenkolb for the design and development of an automated device used in the silver recovery process in motion picture laboratories.1984 (57th)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Donald A. Anderson and Diana Reiners of 3M Company for the development of “Cinetrak” Magnetic Film #350/351 for motion picture sound recording.To Barry M. Stultz, Ruben Avila and Wes Kennedy of Film Processing Corporation for the development of FPC 200 PB Fullcoat Magnetic Film for motion picture sound recording.To Barry M. Stultz, Ruben Avila and Wes Kennedy of Film Processing Corporation for the formulation and application of an improved sound track stripe to 70mm motion picture film, and to John Mosely for the engineering research involved therein.To Kenneth Richter of Richter Cine Equipment for the design and engineering of the R-2 Auto-Collimator for examining image quality at the focal plane of motion picture camera lenses.To Gunther Schaidt and Rosco Laboratories, Incorporated, for the development of an improved, non-toxic fluid for creating fog and smoke for motion picture production.To John Whitney, Jr. and Gary Demos of Digital Productions, Incorporated, for the practical simulation of motion picture photography by means of computer-generated images.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Nat Tiffen of Tiffen Manufacturing Corporation for the production of high-quality, durable, laminated color filters for motion picture photography.To Donald Trumbull, Jonathan Erland, Stephen Fog and Paul Burk of Apogee, Incorporated, for the design and development of the “Blue Max” high-power, blue-flux projector for traveling matte composite photography.To Jonathan Erland and Robert Bealmear of Apogee, Incorporated, for an innovative design for front projection screens and an improved method for their construction.To Howard J. Preston of Preston Cinema Systems for the design and development of a variable speed control device with automatic exposure compensation for motion picture cameras.1985 (58th)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Imax Systems Corporation for a method of filming and exhibiting high-fidelity, large-format, wide angle motion pictures.To Ernst Nettmann of E. F. Nettmann & Associates for the invention, and to Edward Phillips and Carlos DeMattos of Matthews Studio Equipment, Inc. for the development of the Cam-Remote for motion picture photography.To Myron Gordin, Joe P. Crookham, Jim Drost and David Crookham of Musco Mobile Lighting, Ltd., for the invention of a method of transporting adjustable, high-intensity luminaries and their application to the motion picture industry.(Technical Achievement Award)
To David W. Spencer for the development of an Animation Photo Transfer (APT) process.To Harrison & Harrison, Optical Engineers, for the invention and development of Harrison Diffusion filters for motion picture photography.To Larry Barton of Cinematography Electronics, Inc., for a Precision Speed Crystal-Controlled Device for motion picture photography.To Alan Landaker of The Burbank Studios for the Mark III Camera Drive for motion picture photography.1986 (59th)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Bran Ferren, Charles Harrison and Kenneth Wisner of Associates and Ferren for the concept and design of an advanced optical printer.To Richard Benjamin Grant and Ron Grant of Auricle Control Systems for their invention of the Film Composer’s Time Processor.To Anthony D. Bruno and John L. Baptista of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Laboratories Incorporated and to Manfred G. Michelson and Bruce W. Keller of Technical Film Systems, Incorporated, for the design and engineering of a Continuous-Feed Printer.To Robert Greenberg, Joel Hynek and Eugene Mamut OF R/Greenberg Associates, Incorporated, and to Dr. Alfred Thumim, Elan Lipschitz and Darryl A. Armour of the Oxberry Division of Richmark Camera Service, Incorporated, for the design and development of the RGA/Oxberry Compu-Quad Special Effects Optical Printer.To Professor Fritz Sennheiser of Sennheiser Electronic Corporation for the invention of an interference tube directional microphone.To Richard Edlund, Gene Whiteman, David Grafton, Mark West, Jerry Jeffress and Bob Wilcox of Boss Film Corporation for the design and development of a Zoom Aerial (ZAP) 65mm Optical Printer.To William L. Fredrick and Hal Needham for the design and development of the Shotmaker Elite camera car and crane.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Lee Electric (Lighting) Limited for the design and development of an electronic, flicker-free, discharge lamp control system.To Peter D. Parks of Oxford Scientific Films’ Image Quest Division for the development of a live aero-compositor for special effects photography.To Matt Sweeney and Lucinda Strub for the development of an automatic capsule gun for simulating bullet hits for motion picture special effects.To Carl Holmes of Carl E. Holmes Company and to Alexander Bryce of The Burbank Studios for the development of a mobile DC power supply unit for motion picture production photography.To Bran Ferren of Associates and Ferren for the development of a laser synchro-cue system for applications in the motion picture industry.To John L. Baptista of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Laboratories, Inc. for the development and installation of a computerized silver recovery operation.To David W. Samuelson for the development of programs incorporated into a pocket computer for motion picture cinematographers, and to William B. Pollard for contributing new algorithms on which the programs are based.To Hal Landaker and Alan Landaker of The Burbank Studios for the development of the Beat System low-frequency cue track for motion picture production sound recording.1987 (60th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Bernard Kühl and Werner Block and to the OSRAM GmbH Research and Development Department for the invention and the continuing improvement of the OSRAM HMI light source for motion picture photography.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Willi Burth and Kinotome Corporation for the invention and development of the Non-rewind Platter System for motion picture presentations.To Montage Group, Ltd. for the development, and to Ronald C. Barker and Chester L. Schuler for the invention, of the Montage Picture Processor electronic film editing system.To Colin F. Mossman and Rank Film Laboratories’ Development Group for creating a fully-automated, film handling system for improving productivity of high speed film processing.To Eastman Kodak Company for the development of Eastman Color High Speed Daylight Negative Film 5297/7297.To Eastman Kodak Company for the development of Eastman Color High Speed SA Negative Film 5295 for blue-screen traveling matte photography.To Fritz Gabriel Bauer for the invention and development of the improved features of the Moviecam Camera System.To Zoran Perisic of Courier Films Ltd. for the Zoptic dual-zoom front projection system for visual effects photography.To THE Carl Zeiss Company for the design and development of a series of super-speed lenses for motion picture photography.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Ioan Allen of Dolby Laboratories, Inc., for the Cat. 43 playback-only noise reduction unit and its practical application to motion picture sound recordings.To John Eppolito, Wally Gentleman, William Mesa, Les Paul Robley and Geoffrey H. Williamson for refinements to a dual screen, front projection, image-compositing system.To Jan Jacobsen for the application of a dual screen, front projection system to motion picture special effects photography.To Thaine Morris and David Pier for the development of DSC Spark Devices for motion picture special effects.To Tadeuz Krzanowski of Industrial Light and Magic, Inc., for the development of a Wire Rig Model Support Mechanism used to control the movements of miniatures in special effects.To Dan C. Norris and Tim Cook of Norris Film Products for the development of a single-frame exposure system for motion picture photography.1988 (61st)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Ray Dolby and Ioan Allen of Dolby Laboratories Incorporated for their contributions to motion picture sound through the research and development programs of Dolby Laboratories.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Roy W. Edwards and the Engineering Staff of Photo-Sonics, Incorporated for the design and development of the Photo-Sonics 35mm-4ER High Speed Motion Picture Camera with Reflex Viewing and Video Assist.To the Arnold & Richter Engineering Staff, Otto Blaschek and Arriflex Corporation for the concept and engineering of the Arriflex 35-3 Motion Picture Camera.To Bill Tondreau of Tondreau Systems / to Alvah Miller and Paul Johnson of Lynx Robotics / to Peter A. Regla of ELICON / to Dan Slater / to Bud Elam, Joe Parker and Bill Bryan of Interactive Motion Control / and to Jerry Jeffress, Ray Feeney, Bill Holland and Kris Brown for their individual contributions and the collective advancements they have brought to the motion picture industry in the field of motion control technology.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Grant Loucks of Alan Gordon Enterprises Incorporated for the design concept, and to Geoffrey H. Williamson of Wilcam for the mechanical and electrical engineering, of the Image 300 35mm High-Speed Motion Picture Camera.To Michael V. Chewey III for the development of the motion picture industry’s first paper tape reader incorporating microprocessor technology.To BHP, Inc., successor to the Bell & Howell Professional Equipment Division, for the development of a high-speed reader incorporating microprocessor technology for motion picture laboratories.To Hollywood Film Company for the development of a high-speed reader incorporating microprocessor technology for motion picture laboratories.To Bruce W. Keller and Manfred G. Michelson of Technical Film Systems for the design and development of a high-speed light valve controller and constant current power supply for motion picture laboratories.To Dr. Antal Lisziewicz and Glenn M. Berggren of ISCO-OPTIC GmbH for the design and development of the Ultra-Star series of motion picture lenses.To James K. Branch of Spectra Cine, Incorporated, and to William L. Blowers and Nasir J. Zaidi for the design and development of the Spectra CineSpot one-degree spotmeter for measuring the brightness of motion picture screens.To Bob Badami, Dick Bernstein and Bill Bernstein of Offbeat Systems for the design and development of the Streamline Scoring System, Mark IV, for motion picture music editing.To Gary Zeller of Zeller International Limited for the development of Zel-Jel fire protection barrier for motion picture stunt work.To Emanuel Trilling of Trilling Resources Limited for the development of Stunt-Gel fire protection barrier for motion picture stunt work.To Paul A. Roos for the invention of a method known as Video Assist, whereby a scene being photographed on motion picture film can be viewed on a monitor and/or recorded on video tape.1989 (62nd)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To James Ketcham of JSK Engineering, for the excellence in engineering and the broad adaptability of the SDA521B Advance/Retard system for magnetic film sound dubbing.To J. Noxon Leavitt, for the invention of, and Istec, Incorporated, for the continuing development of the Wescam Stabilized Camera System.To Geoffrey H. Williamson of Wilcam Photo Research, Incorporated, for the design and development, and to Robert D. Auguste for the electronic design and development of the Wilcam W-7 200 frames-per-second VistaVision Rotating Mirror Reflex Camera.To J. L. Fisher of J. L. Fisher, Incorporated, for the design and manufacture of a small, mobile motion picture camera platform known as the Fisher Model Ten Dolly.To Klaus Resch for the design, Erich Fitz and FGV Schmidle & Fitz for the development of the Super Panther MS-180 Camera Dolly.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Dr. Leo Catozzo for the design and development of the CIR-Catozzo Self-Perforating Adhesive Tape Film Splicer.To Magna-Tech Electronic Company for the introduction of the first remotely controlled Advance/Retard function for magnetic film sound dubbing.1990 (63rd)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Eastman Kodak Company for the development of T-Grain technology and the introduction of EXR color negative films which utilize this technology.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
TO Bruce Wilton and Carlos Icinkoff of Mechanical Concepts, Incorporated, for the development of the Mechanical Concepts Optical Printer Platform.To THE Engineering Department of Arnold & Richter for the continued design improvements of the Arriflex BL Camera System, culminating in the 35BL-4S model.To THE Fuji Photo Film Company, Limited, for the development and introduction of the F-Series of color negative films covering the range of film speeds from EI 64 to EI 500.To Manfred G. Michelson of Technical Film Systems, Incorporated, for the design and development of the first sprocket-driven film transport system for color print film processors which permits transport speeds in excess of 600 feet per minute.To John W. Lang, Walter Hrastnik and Charles J. Watson of Bell and Howell Company for the development and manufacture of a modular continuous contact motion picture film printer.(Technical Achievement Award)
To William L. Blowers of Belco Associates, Incorporated and Thomas F. Denove for the development and manufacture of the Belco/Denove Cinemeter. This digital/analog exposure meter was specifically and uniquely designed for the cinematographer.To Iain Neil for optical design; Takuo Miyagishima for the mechanical design; and Panavision, Incorporated, for the concept and development of the Primo Series of spherical prime lenses for 35mm cinematography.To Christopher S. Gilman and Harvey Hubert, Jr. of the Diligent Dwarves Effects Lab for the development of the Actor Climate System, consisting of heat-transferring undergarments.To Jim Graves of J&G Enterprises for the development of the Cool Suit System, consisting of heat-transferring undergarments.To Bengt O. Orhall, Kenneth Lund, Bjorn Selin and Kjell Hogberg of AB Film-Teknik for the development and manufacture of the Mark IV film subtitling processor, which has increased the speed, simplified the operation and improved the quality of subtitling.To Richard Mula and Pete Romano of HydroImage, Incorporated, for the development of the SeaPar 1200 watt HMI Underwater Lamp.To Dedo Weigert of Dedo Weigert Film GmbH for the development of the Dedolight, a miniature low-voltage tungsten-halogen lighting fixture.To Peter Baldwin for the design; Dr. Paul Kiankhooy and THE Lightmaker Company for the development of the Lightmaker AC/DC HMI Ballast.To the All-Union Cinema and Photo Research Institute (NIKFI) for continuously improving and providing 3-D presentations to Soviet motion picture audiences for the last 25 years.1991 (64th)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Iain Neil for the optical design; Albert Saiki for the mechanical design; and Panavision, Incorporated, for the concept and development of the Primo Zoom Lens for 35mm cinematography.To Georg Thoma for the design; Heinz Feierlein and the Engineering Department of Sachtler AG for the development of a range of fluid tripod heads.To Harry J. Baker for the design and development of the first full fluidaction tripod head with adjustable degrees of viscous drag.To Guido Cartoni for his pioneering work in developing the technology to achieve selectable and repeatable viscous drag modules in fluid tripod heads.To Ray Feeney, Richard Keeney and Richard J. Lundell for the software development and adaptation of the Solitaire Film Recorder that provides a flexible, cost-effective film recording system.To Faz Fazakas, Brian Henson, Dave Housman, Peter Miller and John Stephenson for the development of the Henson Performance Control System.To Mario Celso for his pioneering work in the design, development and manufacture of equipment for carbon arc and xenon power supplies and igniters used in motion picture projection.To Randy Cartwright, David B. Coons, Lem Davis, Thomas Hahn, James Houston, Mark Kimball, Dylan W. Kohler, Peter Nye, Michael Shantzis, David F. Wolf and THE Walt Disney Feature Animation Department for the design and development of the ‘CAPS’ production system for feature film animation.To George Worrall for the design, development and manufacture of the Worrall geared camera head for motion picture production.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Robert W. Stoker, Jr., for the design and development of a cobweb gun, for applying non-toxic cobweb effects on motion picture sets with both safety and ease of operation.To James Doyle for the design and development of the Dry Fogger, which uses liquid nitrogen to produce a safe, dense, low-hanging fog effects.To Dick Cavdek, Steve Hamerski and Otto Nemenz International, Incorporated, for the opto-mechanical design and development of the Canon/Nemenz Zoom Lens.To Ken Robings and Clairmont Camera for the opto-mechanical design and development of the Canon/Clairmont Camera Zoom Lens.To Century Precision Optics for the opto-mechanical design and development of the Canon/Century Precision Optics Zoom Lens.1992 (65th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Chadwell O’Connor of the O’Connor Engineering Laboratories for the concept and engineering of the fluid-damped camera head for motion picture photography.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Loren Carpenter, Rob Cook, Ed Catmull, Tom Porter, Pat Hanrahan, Tony Apodaca and Darwyn Peachey for the development of “RenderMan” software which produces images used in motion pictures from 3D computer descriptions of shape and appearance.To Claus Wiedemann and Robert Orban for the design and Dolby Laboratories for the development of the Dolby Labs “Container”.To Ken Bates for the design and development of the Bates Decelerator System for accurately and safely arresting the descent of stunt persons in high freefalls.To Al Mayer for the camera design; Iain Neil and George Kraemer for the optical design; Hans Spirawski and Bill Eslick for the opto-mechanical design and Don Earl for technical support in developing the Panavision System 65 Studio Sync Sound Reflex Camera for 65mm motion picture photography.To Douglas Trumbull for the concept; Geoffrey H. Williamson for the movement design; Robert D. Auguste for the electronic design and Edmund M. DiGiulio for the camera system design of the CP-65 Showscan Camera System for 65mm motion picture photography.To Arnold and Richter, Otto Blaschek and the Engineering Department of Arri, Austria for the design and development of the Arriflex 765 Camera System for 65mm motion picture photography.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Ira Tiffen of the Tiffen Manufacturing Corporation for the production of the Ultra Contrast Filter Series for motion picture photography.To Robert R. Burton of Audio Rents, Incorporated, for the development of the Model S-27 4-Band Splitter/Combiner.To Iain Neil for the optical design and Kaz Fudano for the mechanical design of the Panavision Slant Focus Lens for motion picture photography.To Tom Brigham for the original concept and pioneering work; and Douglas Smythe and the Computer Graphics Department of Industrial Light & Magic for development and the first implementation in feature motion pictures of the “MORF” system for digital metamorphosis of high resolution images.1993 (66th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Panavision for the Auto Panatar anamorphic photographic lens.To Manfred G. Michelson of Technical Film Systems, Incorporated, for the design and development of the first sprocket-driven film transport system for color print film processors which permits speeds in excess of 600 feet per minute.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Mark Leather, Les Dittert, Douglas Smythe and George Joblove for the concept and development of the Digital Motion Picture Retouching System for removing visible rigging and dirt/damage artifacts from original motion picture imagery.To Fritz Gabriel Bauer for the design, development and manufacture of the Moviecam Compact Modular 35mm motion picture camera system.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Wally Mills for the concept; and Gary Stadler and Gustave Parada for the design of the Cinemills Lamp Protection System.To Gary Nuzzi, David Johnsrud and William Blethen for the design and development of the Unilux H3000 Strobe Lighting System.To Harry J. Baker for the design and development of the Ronford-Baker Metal Tripods for motion picture photography.To Michael Dorrough for the design and development of the compound meter known as the Dorrough Audio Level Meter.To David Degenkolb for the development of a Silver Recovery Ion Exchange System to eliminate hazardous waste (silver ion) in wash water and allow recycling of this water.1994 (67th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Petro Vlahos and Paul Vlahos for the conception and development of the Ultimatte Electronic Blue Screen Compositing Process for motion pictures.To the Eastman Kodak Company for the development of the Eastman EXR Color Intermediate Film 5244.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Gary Demos and Dan Cameron of Information International, David DiFrancesco and Gary Starkweather of Pixar, and Scott Squires of Industrial Light & Magic for their pioneering work in the field of film input scanning.To Ray Feeney, Will McCown and Bill Bishop of RFX, Inc., and Les Dittert of Pacific Data Images for their development work with area array CCD (Charge Coupled Device) film input scanning systems.To Lincoln Hu and Michael MacKenzie of Industrial Light & Magic and Glenn Kennel and Mike Davis of Eastman Kodak for their joint development work on a linear array CCD (Charge Coupled Device) film input scanning system.To Iain Neil for the optical design, Al Saiki for the mechanical design and Panavision International L.P. for the development of the Panavision 11:1 Primo Zoom Lens for motion picture photography.To James Ketcham of JSK Engineering for the concept and design of the MC211 micro processor based motion controller for synchronizing sprocketed film with time-code based machines.To William J. Warner and Eric C. Peters for the concept, Michael E. Phillips and Tom A. Ohanian for the system design, and Patrick D. O’Connor and Joe H. Rice for the engineering of the Avid Film Composer for motion picture editing.To Paul Bamborough for the concept, Nick Pollack and Arthur Wright for the hardware development, and Neil Harris and Duncan MacLean for the software development of The Lightworks Editor for motion picture editing.To George Sauve, Bill Bishop, Arpag Dadourian, Ray Feeney and Richard Patterson for the Cinefusion software, implementation of the Ultimatte Blue Screen Compositing Technology.(Technical Achievement Award)
To B. Russell Hessey of Special Effects Spectacular, Inc., and Vincent T. Kelton for the hardware design and George Jackman of De La Mare Engineering, Inc. for the pyrotechnic development which together comprise the non-gun safety blank firing system.To Frieder Hochheim, Gary Swink, Dr. Joe Zhou and Don Northrop for the development of the Kino Flo Portable, Flicker-Free, High-Output Florescent Lighting System for motion picture set illumination.To Emanuel Previnaire of Flying-Cam for his pioneering concept and for the development of mounting a motion picture camera on a remotely-controlled miniature helicopter.To Jacques Sax of Sonosax for the design and development of the Sonosax SX-S portable audio mixer.To Clay Davis and John Carter of Todd-AO for the pioneering effort of computer controlled list management style ADR (Automated Dialogue Recording).To Stephen W. Potter, John B. Asman, Charles Pell and Richard Larson of LarTec Systems for the advancement and refinement of the computer controlled list management style ADR (Automated Dialogue Recording) system via the LarTec ADR System that has established itself as a standard of the industry.To Audio Tracks, Inc. for the design and development of the ADE (Advanced Data Encoding) System which creates an encoded timecode track and database during the initial transfer of the production sound “dailies”.To Colin Broad of CB Electronics for the design and development of the EDL (Edit Decision List) lister which creates an encoded timecode track and database during the initial transfer of the production sound “dailies”.To Dieter Sturm of Sturm’s Special Effects Int’l, for the creation and development of the Bio-Snow 2 Flake.To Mark R. Schneider, Herbert R. Jones, Christopher D. Conover and John R. B. Brown for the development of the Polhemus 3 Space Digitizing System.To Jack Smith, Michael Crichton and Emil Safier for pioneering computerized motion picture budgeting and scheduling.To Stephen Greenfield and Chris Huntley of Screenplay Systems for development of the “Scriptor” software.To Art Fritzen of the California Fritzen Propeller Company as the designer and sole manufacturer of the Eight-Bladed Ritter Fan Propellers.To Dr. Mike Boudry of the Computer Film Company for his pioneering work in the field of film input scanning.1995 (68th)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Arnold and Richter Cine Technik for the development of the Arriflex 535 Series of cameras for motion picture cinematography.To Digital Theater Systems for the design and development of the DTS Digital Sound System for motion picture exhibition.To Dolby Laboratories for the design and development of the SR-D Digital Sound System for motion picture exhibition.To Sony Corporation for the design and development of the SDDS Digital Sound System for motion picture exhibition.To Howard Flemming and Ronald Uhlig for their pioneering work leading to motion picture digital sound.To Ronald C. Goodman, Attila Szalay, Steven Sass and SpaceCam Systems, Inc. for the design of the SpaceCam gyroscopically stabilized Camera System.To Colin Mossman, Joe Wary, Hans Leisinger, Gerald Painter and Deluxe Laboratories for the design and development of the Deluxe Quad Format Digital Sound Printing Head.To David Gilmartin, Johannes Borggrebe, Jean-Pierre Gagnon, Frank Ricotta and Technicolor, Inc. for the design and development of the Technicolor Contact Printer Sound Head.To Iain Neil for the optical design; Rick Gelbard for the mechanical design; Eric Dubberke for the engineering and Panavision International, L.P. for the development of the Primo 3:1 Zoom Lens.To Martin S. Mueller for the design and development of the MSM 9801 IMAX 65mm/15 perf production motion picture camera.To Alvy Ray Smith, Ed Catmull, Thomas Porter and Tom Duff for their pioneering inventions in Digital Image Compositing.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Pascal Chedeville for the design of the L.C. Concept Digital Sound System for motion picture exhibition.To James Deas of the Warner Bros. Studio Facility for the design and subsequent development of an Automated Patchbay and Metering System for motion picture sound transfer and dubbing operations.To Clay Davis and John Carter of Todd AO for their pioneering efforts in creating an Automated Patchbay System for motion picture sound transfer and dubbing operations.To Al Jensen, Chuck Headley, Jean Messner and Hazem Nabulsi of CEI Technology for producing a self-contained, flicker-free Color Video-Assist Camera.To Peter Denz of Präzisions-Entwicklung Denz for developing a flicker-free Color Video-Assist Camera.To David Pringle and Yan Zhong Fang for the design and development of “Lightning Strikes,” a flexible, high-performance electronic lightning effect system.To BHP, Incorporated for their pioneering efforts in developing Digital Sound Printing Heads for motion pictures.To Joe Finnegan (a.k.a. Joe Yrigoyen) for his pioneering work in developing the Air Ram for motion picture stunt effects.To Gary Demos, David Ruhoff, Dan Cameron and Michelle Feraud for their pioneering efforts in the creation of the Digital Productions Digital Film Compositing System.To Douglas Smythe, Lincoln Hu, Douglas S. Kay and Industrial Light and Magic for their pioneering efforts in the creation of the ILM Digital Film Compositing System.To the Computer Film Company for their pioneering efforts in the creation of the CFC Digital Film Compositing System.To Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse for the concept; Kodak Pathe CTP Cine for the prototype; and Eclair Laboratories and Martineau Industries for the development and further implementation of the Toulouse Electrolytic Silver Recovery Cell.1996 (69th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To IMAX Corporation for the method of filming and exhibiting high-fidelity, large-format, wide-angle motion pictures.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To John Schlag, Brian Knep, Zoran Kačić-Alesić and Thomas Williams for the development of the Viewpaint 3D Paint System for film production work.To William Reeves for the original concept and the development of particle systems used to create computer generated visual effects in motion pictures.To Jim Hourihan for the primary design and development of the interactive language-based control of particle systems as embodied in the Dynamation software package.To Jonathan Erland and Kay Beving Erland for the development of the Digital Series Traveling Matte Backing System used for composite photography in motion pictures.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Perry Kivolowitz, for the primary design, and Dr. Garth A. Dickie for the development of the algorithms, for the shape-driven warping and morphing subsystem of the Elastic Reality Special Effects System.To Ken Perlin for the development of Perlin Noise, a technique used to produce natural appearing textures on computer generated surfaces for motion picture visual effects.To Nestor Burtnyk and Marceli Wein of the National Research Council of Canada for their pioneering work in the development of software techniques for Computer Assisted Key Framing for Character Animation.To Grant Loucks for the concept and specifications of the Mark V Director’s Viewfinder.To Brian Knep, Craig Hayes, Rick Sayre and Thomas Williams for the creation and development of the Direct Input Device.To James Kajiya and Timothy Kay for their pioneering work in producing computer generated fur and hair in motion pictures.To Jeffrey Yost, Christian Rouet, David Benson and Florian Kainz for the development of a system to create and control computer generated fur and hair in motion pictures.To Richard A. Prey and William N. Masten for the design and development of the Nite Sun II lighting crane and camera platform.1997 (70th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Gunnar P. Michelson for the engineering and development of an improved, electronic, high-speed, precision light valve for use in motion picture printing machines.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To William Kovacs for his creative leadership and Roy Hall for his principal engineering efforts that led to the Wavefront Advanced Visualizer computer graphics system.To John Gibson, Rob Krieger, Milan Novacek, Glen Ozymok and Dave Springer for the development of the geometric modeling component of the Alias PowerAnimator System.To Dominique Boisvert, Réjean Gagné, Daniel Langlois and Richard Laperrière for the development of the “Actor” animation component of the Softimage computer animation system.To Eben Ostby, William Reeves, Samuel J. Leffler and Tom Duff for the development of the Marionette Three-Dimensional Computer Animation System.To Craig W. Reynolds for his pioneering contributions to the development of three-dimensional computer animation for motion picture production.To Richard Shoup, Alvy Ray Smith and Thomas Porter for their pioneering efforts in the development of digital paint systems used in motion picture production.To Kirk Handley, Ray Meluch, Scott Robinson, Wilson H. Allen and John Neary for the design, development and implementation of the Dolby CP500 Digital Cinema Processor.To Joel W. Johnson of the O’Connor Laboratories for the unique design improvement in fluid head counter-balancing techniques as used in their Model 2575.To Al Jensen, Chuck Headley, Jean Messner and Hazem Nabulsi of CEI Technology for the production of a self-contained, flicker-free, Color Video-Assist Camera.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Clark F. Crites for the design and development of the Christie ELF 1-C Endless Loop Film Transport and Storage System.To Dan Leimeter and Robert Weitz for the development and implementation of a Portable Adjustment Tool for T-Style Slit Lens Assemblies.To Philip C. Cory for the design and development of the Special Effects Spark Generator.To James M. Reilly, Douglas W. Nishimura and Monique C. Fischer of the Rochester Institute of Technology for the creation of A-D Strips, a diagnostic tool for the detection of the presence of vinegar syndrome in processed acetate-based motion picture film.To Jim Frazier, for the design concept, and Iain Neil and Rick Gelbard for the further design and development of the Panavision/Frazier Lens System for motion picture photography.To James F. Foley, Charles E. Converse and F. Edward Gardner of UCISCO; and to Robert W. Stoker, Jr. and Matt Sweeney for the development and realization of Liquid Synthetic Air.To Jack Cashin, Roger Hibbard and Larry Jacobson for the design, development and implementation of a projection system analyzer.To Richard Chuang, Glenn Entis and Carl Rosendahl for the concept and architecture of the Pacific Data Images (PDI) Animation System.To Greg Hermanovic, Kim Davidson, Mark Elendt and Paul H. Breslin for the development of the procedural modeling and animation components of the Prisms software package.To James J. Keating, Michael Wahrman and Richard Hollander for their contributions that led to the Wavefront Advanced Visualizer computer graphics system.1998 (71st)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Avid Technology, Inc. for the concept, system design and engineering of the Avid Film Composer for motion picture editing.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Dr. Thomas G. Stockham, Jr. and Robert B. Ingebretsen for their pioneering work in the areas of waveform editing, crossfades and cut-and-paste techniques for digital audio editing.To James A. Moorer for his pioneering work in the design of digital signal processing and its application to audio editing for film.To Stephen J. Kay of K-Tec Corporation for the design and development of the Shock Block.To Gary Tregaskis for the primary design; and to Dominique Boisvert, Philippe Panzini and André LeBlanc for the development and implementation of the Flame and Inferno software.To Robert Predovich, John Scott, Mohamed Ken T. Husain and Cameron Shearer for the design and implementation of the Soundmaster Integrated Operations Nucleus operating environment.To Roy B. Ference, Steven R. Schmidt, Richard J. Federico, Rockwell Yarid and Michael E. McCrackan for the design and development of the Kodak Lightning Laser Recorder.To Colin Mossman, Hans Leisinger and George John Rowland of Deluxe Laboratories for the concept and design of the Deluxe High Speed Spray Film Cleaner.To Arnold & Richter Cine Technik, and Arri USA, Inc. for the concept and engineering of the Arriflex 435 Camera System.To Arnold & Richter Cine Technik and the Carl Zeiss Company for the concept and optical design of the Carl Zeiss/Arriflex Variable Prime Lenses.To Derek C. Lightbody of OpTex for the design and development of Aurasoft Luminaires.To Mark Roberts, Ronan Carroll, Assaff Rawner, Paul Bartlett and Simon Wakley for the creation of the Milo Motion-Control Crane.To Michael Sorensen and Richard Alexander of Sorensen Designs International, and Donald Trumbull for advancing the state-of-the-art of real-time motion-control, as exemplified in the Gazelle and Zebra camera dolly systems.To Ronald E. Uhlig, Thomas F. Powers and Fred M. Fuss of the Eastman Kodak Company for the design and development of KeyKode latent-image barcode key numbers.To Iain Neil for the optical design; Takuo Miyagishima for the mechanical design; and Panavision, Incorporated, for the concept and development of the Primo Series of spherical prime lenses for 35mm cinematography.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Garrett Brown and Jerry Holway for the creation of the Skyman flying platform for Stedicam operators.To James Rodnunsky, James Webber and Bob Webber of Cablecam Systems, and Trou Bayliss for the design and engineering of Cablecam.To David DiFrancesco, Bala S. Manian and Thomas L. Noggle for their pioneering efforts in the development of laser film recording technology.To Michael MacKenzie, Mike Bolles, Udo Pampel and Joseph Fulmer of Industrial Light & Magic for their pioneering work in motion-controlled, silent camera dollies.To Barry Walton, Bill Schultz, Chris Barker and David Cornelius of Sony Pictures Imageworks for the creation of an advanced motion-controlled, silent camera dolly.To Bruce Wilton and Carlos Icinkoff of Mechanical Concepts for their modular system of motion-control rotators and movers for use in motion-control.To Remy Smith for the software and electronic design and development; and James K. Branch and Nasir J. Zaidi for the design and development of the Spectra Professional IV-A digital exposure meter.To Ivan Kruglak for his commitment to the development of a wireless transmission system for video-assisted images for the motion picture industry.To Dr. Douglas R. Roble for his contribution to tracking technology and for the design and implementation of the TRACK system for camera position calculation and scene reconstruction.To Thaddeus Beier for the design and implementation of ras_track, a system for 2D tracking, stabilization, and 3D camera and object tracking.To Manfred N. Klemme and Donald E. Wetzel for the design and development of the K-Tek Microphone Boom Pole and accessories for on-set motion picture sound recording.To Nick Foster for his software development in the field of water simulation systems.To Cary Phillips for the design and development of the “Caricature” Animation System at Industrial Light & Magic.To Dr. Mitchell J. Bogdanowicz of the Eastman Kodak Company, and Jim Meyer and Stan Miller of Rosco Laboratories, Inc. for the design of the CalColor Calibrated Color Effects Filters.To Dr. A. Tulsi Ram, Richard C. Sehlin, Dr. Carl F. Holtz and David F. Kopperl of the Eastman Kodak Company for the research and development of the concept of molecular sieves applied to improve the archival properties of processed photographic film.To Takuo Miyagishima and Albert K. Saiki of Panavision, Inc. for the design and development of the Eyepiece Leveler.To Edmund M. Di Giulio and James Bartell of Cinema Products for the design of the KeyKode Sync Reader.To Ivan Kruglak for his pioneering concept and the development of the Coherent Time Code Slate.To Mike Denecke for refining and further developing electronic time code slates.To Ed Zwaneveld and Frederick Gasoi of the National Film Board of Canada, and Mike Lazaridis and Dale Brubacher-Cressman of Research in Motion for the design and development of the DigiSync Film KeyKode Reader.1999 (72nd)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Nick Phillips for the design and development of the three-axis Libra III remote control camera head. The Libra III head can accept a range of film cameras and their lenses and allows the operator to add stabilization to each axis for medium focal length lenses. Motion capture and playback are also selectable features.To Fritz Gabriel Bauer for the concept, design and engineering of the Moviecam Superlight 35mm Motion Picture Camera. The quiet Moviecam Superlight is an extremely small and light 35mm professional motion picture sound camera which allows the cinematographer to film in ways and situations that were never before possible.To Iain Neil for the optical design, Rick Gelbard for the mechanical design, and Panavision, Inc. for the development of the Millennium Camera System viewfinder. This unique and versatile viewfinder with two independent viewing positions provides a very high-resolution video assist image, greatly enhancing its application for on-set compositing or non-linear editing.To Huw Gwilym, Karl Lynch and Mark V. Crabtree for the design and development of the AMS Neve Logic Digital Film Console for motion picture sound mixing. This console allows the user multi-position mixing capabilities, stem routing predub inputs and other filmcentric attributes. This is the first fully digital audio mixing console specifically designed for post-production film mixing.To James Moultrie for the mechanical design, and to Mike Salter and Mark Craig Gerchman for the optical design of the Cooke S4 Range of Fixed Focal Length Lenses for 35mm motion picture photography. These state-of-the-art fixed focal length 35mm lenses are the result of intense efforts to meet industry requirements in several areas. Providing superior performance in several cinematographic aspects, these lenses include a unique linear focus system.To Marlowe A. Pichel for development of the process for manufacturing Electro-formed Metal Reflectors which, when combined with the DC Short Arc Xenon Lamp, became the worldwide standard for motion picture projection systems. The impact of the Electro-formed Metal Reflector over the decades has completely changed the presentation side of the motion picture industry allowing the replacement of the carbon arc light source and the implementation of automated projection systems.To L. Ron Schmidt for the concept, design and engineering of the Linear Loop Film Projectors. These radically new motion picture film projectors provide superior print handling, image steadiness, screen illumination and enhanced viewer experience by means of an extremely simple air-driven mechanical transport system.To Nat Tiffen of Tiffen Manufacturing Corporation for the production of high-quality, durable, laminated color filters for motion picture photography. Materials of uniform color characteristics are implanted between layers of optical glass and bonded together under extremes of heat and pressure. The outer surfaces are ground and polished to specified close tolerances, free of distortion and resistant to changes in temperature or humidity, then bound with a protective metal ring.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Vivienne Dyer and Chris Woolf for the design and development of the Rycote Microphone Windshield Modular System. Designed to eliminate physical acoustical rumble and to mask a microphone’s high sensitivity to wind and other unwanted noises, the lightweight and rugged Rycote Microphone Windshields accomplish these tasks without altering or impairing the original frequency response of the microphone.To Leslie Drever for the design and development of the Light Wave microphone windscreens and isolation mounts from Light Wave Systems. Designed to eliminate physical acoustical rumble and to cover a microphone’s high sensitivity to wind and other unwanted noises, the Light Wave Systems line of shock mounts and windscreens accomplish these tasks without altering or impairing the original frequency response of the microphone.To Richard C. Sehlin for the concept, and Dr. Mitchell J. Bogdanowicz and Mary L. Schmoeger of the Eastman Kodak Company for the design and development of the Eastman Lamphouse Modification Filters. The ELM Filters enable a laboratory to achieve additive printer contrast and color reproduction using a subtractive lamphouse.To Hoyt H. Yeatman, Jr. of Dream Quest Images and John C. Brewer of the Eastman Kodak Company for the identification and diagnosis leading to the elimination of the “red fringe” artifact in traveling matte composite photography. The elimination of the “red fringe” artifact in traveling matte composite photography obviates expensive additional computerized image processing thus reducing the time involved in producing a seamless and convincing composite shot.2000 (73rd)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Rob Cook, Loren Carpenter and Ed Catmull for their significant advancements to the field of motion picture rendering as exemplified in Pixar’s “Renderman.” Their broad professional influence in the industry continues to inspire and contribute to the advancement of computer-generated imagery for motion pictures.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Al Mayer, Sr. and Al Mayer, Jr., for the mechanical design, Iain Neil for the optical design and Brian Dang for the electronic design of the Panavision Millennium XL Camera System. This camera brings the full uncompromised performance of larger heavy-duty cameras to the lightest weight category with ruggedness and advanced features previously expected only in specialized or effects cameras.To Joe Wary, Gerald Painter and Colin F. Mossman for the design and development of the Deluxe Laboratories Multi Roller Film Transport System. This release print system at Deluxe Laboratories utilizes a revolutionary design allowing for higher print volumes, reduced space requirements for loop racks and elevators, and safer operation.To Alvah J. Miller and Paul Johnson of Lynx Robotics for the electronic and software design of the Lynx C-50 Camera Motor System. This camera motor, operated with programmable microprocessors, achieves an unprecedented range of precisely controlled speeds in stand-alone cameras or when synchronized to motion-control systems.To Akai Digital for the design and development of the DD8plus digital audio dubber specifically designed for the motion picture industry.To Fairlight for the design and development of the DAD digital audio dubber specifically designed for the motion picture industry.To Advanced Digital Systems Group (ADSG) for the design and development of the DADR 5000 digital audio dubber specifically designed for the motion picture industry.To Timeline, Incorporated for the design and development of the MMR 8digital audio dubber specifically designed for the motion picture industry. The above four digital audio dubbers have afforded the post-production community a faster, more cost-effective means of playing back hundreds of digital audio tracks for pre-mixing or final mixing in creating motion picture sound tracks. They also offer individual track slipping in multiple track configurations, random access recall, and both destructive and non-destructive editing capabilities, eliminating the requirements for razor blade conforming.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Leonard Pincus, Ashot Nalbandyan, George Johnson, Thomas Kong and David Pringle for the design and development of the SoftSun low pressure xenon long-arc light sources, their power supplies and fixtures. With the ability to dim these very high powered lights at essentially constant Kelvin temperature and without flicker, these units produce a bright and even light source for general set lighting. The availability of very high wattage units allows production to extend the hours of work past the time when the crew would otherwise have “lost the light.”To Vic Armstrong for the refinement and application to the film industry of the Fan Descender for accurately and safely arresting the descent of stunt persons in high freefalls. Considered a standard of the industry, the Fan Descender provides a means for significantly increasing the safety of very high stunt falls. The system permits falls to be made under controlled deceleration and with a highly predictable stopping point without limitation of camera angles.To Philip Greenstreet of Rosco Laboratories for the concept and development of the Roscolight Day/Night Backdrop. This unique photographic scenic backing allows a smooth transition from day to night views with a single backing. The Roscolight backings provide an important new creative tool to filmmakers, saving time, money and stage space.To Udo Schauss, Hildegard Ebbesmeier and Karl Lenhardt for the optical design, and Ralf Linn and Norbert Brinker for the mechanical design of the Schneider Super Cinelux lenses for motion picture projection. These projection lenses provide a significant improvement in the quality of the cinema viewing experience.To Glenn M. Berggren for the concept, Horst Linge for research and development, and Wolfgang Reinecke for the optical design of the ISCO Ultra-Star Plus lenses for motion picture projection. The unique optical design of the Ultra-Star Plus projection lenses achieves unprecedented edge-to-edge uniformity of illumination, combined with a significant increase in screen brightness, thus providing a substantial improvement in the cinema viewing experience.To Bill Tondreau of Kuper Systems, Alvah J. Miller and Paul Johnson of Lynx Robotics, and David Stump of Visual Effects Rental Services for the conception, design and development of data capture systems that enable superior accuracy, efficiency and economy in the creation of composite imagery. These systems digitally record live action camera and axis data with practically no impact on the live action production process, allowing compositing for visual effects to become faster and more cost-effective.To Venkat Krishnamurthy for the creation of the Paraform Software for 3D Digital Form Development. This system streamlines the creation of 3D computer graphics models by allowing artists to convert the data from automatically scanned physical models into a user-specified configuration of patches well suited for use in computer applications.To George Borshukov, Kim Libreri and Dan Piponi for the development of a system for image-based rendering allowing choreographed camera movements through computer graphic reconstructed sets. This component of the Manex Visual Effects Virtual Cinematography System provides theatrical-quality virtual settings.To John P. Pytlak for the development of the Laboratory Aim Density (LAD) system. The LAD system has become the standard method used by film laboratories and digital film recording facilities for effective and uniform control of color and exposure in camera negatives, interpositives and duplicate negatives.2001 (74th)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To John M. Eargle, D. B. “Don” Keele and Mark E. Engebretson for the concept, design and engineering of the modern constant-directivity, direct radiator style motion picture loudspeaker system. The work of John M. Eargle, D. B. “Don” Keele and Mark E. Engebretson has resulted in the over 20-year dominance of constant-directivity, direct radiator bass style cinema loudspeaker systems.To Iain Neil for the concept and optical design and Al Saiki for the mechanical design of the Panavision Primo Macro Zoom Lens (PMZ). This compact, wide-angle, macro focus lens enhances and expands the picture-capturing ability, both technically and artistically, of the cinematographer. It is the first cine lens that allows macro photography while still being able to zoom.To Franz Kraus, Johannes Steurer and Wolfgang Riedel for the design and development of the ARRILASER Film Recorder. The ARRILASER film recorder demonstrates a high level of engineering resulting in a compact, user-friendly, low-maintenance device while at the same time maintaining outstanding speed, exposure ratings and image quality.To Peter Kuran for the invention, and Sean Coughlin, Joseph A. Olivier and William Conner for the engineering and development of the RCI-Color Film Restoration Process. This photo-chemical process restores color to faded color negatives using off-the-shelf film stocks with a unique approach. The resulting film intermediate can be used to create a new internegative.To Makoto Tsukada, Shoji Kaneko and the Technical Staff of Imagica Corporation, and Daijiro Fujie of Nikon Corporation for the engineering excellence and the impact on the motion picture industry of the Imagica 65/35 Multi-Format Optical Printer. This liquid-gate optical printer offers ease of set-up and change-over to various formats from 35mm to 65mm 15-perf with both additive and subtractive lamp houses.To Steven Gerlach, Gregory Farrell and Christian Lurin for the design, engineering and implementation of the Kodak Panchromatic Sound Recording Film. Allowing all four soundtrack systems to be exposed on a single negative with relative ease, this stock has allowed single inventory prints, facilitating the more economic distribution of motion pictures.To Paul J. Constantine and Peter M. Constantine for the design and development of the CELCO Digital Film Recorder products. CELCO recorder products have had a significant impact on the industry through continual improvements in their technology.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Pete Romano for the design and development of the Remote AquaCam, an underwater camera housing system for use in motion pictures. The Remote AquaCam brings to the industry an underwater camera housing specifically designed for remote and high-speed operation. Its hydro-dynamic shape facilitates ease of operation for surface hand-held filming, and its remote capabilities allow it to film in confined areas or in situations where an operator cannot be near the camera.To Jordan Klein for his pioneering efforts in the development and application of underwater camera housings for motion pictures. With over 50 years of involvement in the design and development of underwater camera housings, Jordan Klein’s work had had significant influence in the field of underwater photography.To Bernard M. Werner and William Gelow for the engineering and design of filtered line arrays and screen spreading compensation as applied to motion picture loudspeaker systems. Employing both tapered line array and filtered line array technologies and unique passive and active filter networks, their work with camera loudspeakers was both innovative and dedicated specifically to cinema applications.To Tomlinson Holman for the research and systems integration resulting in the improvement of motion picture loudspeaker systems. For over 20 years Tomlinson Holman has been involved in the research and integration of the constant-directivity, direct radiator bass type of cinema loudspeaker systems.To Geoff Jackson and Roger Woodburn for their DMS 120S Camera Motor. This well-engineered camera motor features built-in time-lapse programmability and is useful in an unusually wide range of applications, including MOS production filming, high-speed photography, animation and motion control.To Thomas Major Barron for the overall concept and design; Chas Smith for the structural engineering; and Gordon Seitz for the mechanical engineering of the Bulldog Motion Control Camera Crane. This motion control camera crane represents an unprecedented combination of long reach, high-speed, and a novel approach to its transport, which allows a very rapid setup on location.To John R. Anderson, Jim Hourihan, Cary Phillips and Sebastian Marino for the development of the ILM Creature Dynamics System. This system makes hair, clothing, skin, flesh and muscle simulation both directable and integrated within a character animation and rigging environment.To Steve Sullivan and Eric R. L. Schafer for the development of the ILM Motion and Structure Recovery System (MARS). The MARS system provides analysis of camera motion and object motion, and their dimensions. It employs a rich set of user-interface tools and sophisticated algorithms.To Carl Ludwig and John M. Constantine, Jr. for their contributions to CELCO Digital Film Recorder products. CELCO recorder products have had a significant impact on the industry through continual improvements in their technology.To Bill Spitzak, Paul Van Camp, Jonathan Egstad and Price Pethel for their pioneering effort on the NUKE-2D Compositing Software. The NUKE-2D compositing software allows for the creation of complex interactive digital composites using relatively modest computing hardware.To Dr. Lance J. Williams for his pioneering influence in the field of computer generated animation and effects for motion pictures. The ongoing influence of Lance Williams is exemplified in his three seminal papers, “Casting Shadows on Curved Surfaces,” “Pyramidal Parametrics” and “View Interpolation for Image Synthesis.”To Dr. Uwe Sassenberg and Rolf Schneider for the development of “3D Equalizer,” an advanced and robust camera and object match-moving system. This dominant commercial tracking system provides “survey free” tracking, which significantly reduces the need for painstaking, error-prone measurements on sets.To Dr. Garland Stern for the concept and implementation of the Cel Paint Software System. All current cel painting applications in the motion picture industry can be traced back to the original idea and pioneering implementation of Garland Stern.To Mic Rodgers and Matt Sweeney for the concept, design and realization of the “Mic Rig.” This self-contained, low bed picture car carrier and camera platform enables the safe, economic and realistic filming of action sequences that may involve principal actors and dialogue.2002 (75th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Alias/Wavefront for the development of a 3D animation, dynamics, modeling and rendering production tool known as Maya. With its significant and dominant impact on the motion picture industry, the Maya software package offers a robust and widely used commercial visual effects tool with a rich infrastructure for extension and customization.TO Arnold & Richter Cine Technik and Panavision Inc., for their continuing development and innovation in the design and manufacturing of advanced camera systems specifically designed for the motion picture entertainment industry. With a commitment that lies beyond the usual commercial considerations, these two manufacturers continue to lead the industry in developing and introducing products that have defined the state of the art in motion picture camera technology.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Glenn Sanders and Howard Stark of Zaxcom for the concept, design and engineering of the portable Deva Digital Audio Disk Recorder. This innovated design employs advanced hard disk recording technology and digital audio techniques for use in both production and post-production recording applications.To Mark Elendt, Paul H. Breslin, Greg Hermanovic and Kim Davidson for their continued development of the procedural modeling and animation components of their Prisms program, as exemplified in the Houdini software package. Through a procedural building-block process, the Houdini software is used to simulate natural phenomena using particle effects and complex three-dimensional models.To Dr. Leslie Gutierrez, Diane E. Kestner, James Merrill and David Niklewicz for the design and development of the Kodak Vision Premier Color Print Film, 2393. This film stock provides filmmakers with enhanced color saturation, higher contrast and darker blacks, producing a bold, colorful “look” on the theater screen.To Dedo Weigert for the concept, Dr. Depu Jin for the optical calculations, and Franz Petters for the mechanical construction of the Dedolight 400D. This uniquely designed set light provides superior performance, reliability and ease of use. Combined with its excellent array of accessories, the Dedolight 400D is an outstanding engineering achievement.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Dick Walsh for the development of the PDI/DreamWorks Facial Animation System. This effective software simulation system is used to create and control natural, expressive, highly-nuanced facial animation on a wide range of computer-generated characters.To Thomas Driemeyer and to the Team of Mathematicians, Physicists and Software Engineers of Mental Images for their contributions to the Mental Ray rendering software for motion pictures. Mental Ray is a highly programmable computer-graphics renderer incorporating ray tracing and global illumination to realistically simulate the behavior of light in computer-generated imagery.To Eric Daniels, George Katanics, Tasso Lappas and Chris Springfield for the development of the Deep Canvas rendering software. The Deep Canvas software program captures the original brush strokes of the traditional background artist to render elements in three dimensions for animated films.To Jim Songer for his contributions to the technical development of video-assist in the motion picture industry. The work of Jim Songer from 1968 through 1973 led directly to the more widespread acceptance of video-assist in the motion picture industry.To Pierre Chabert of Airstar for the introduction of balloons with internal light sources to provide set lighting for the motion picture industry. These helium-filled balloons with internal arrangements for tungsten halogen and HMI light sources, are usable indoors or out, quick to set up, require essentially no rigging and provide a soft light that can cover a very large area.To Rawdon Hayne and Robert W. Jeffs of Leelium Tubelites for their contributions to the development of internally lit balloons for motion picture lighting. These helium-filled balloons with internal arrangements for tungsten halogen and HMI light sources, are usable indoors or out, quick to set up, require essentially no rigging and provide a soft light that can cover a very large area.2003 (76th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Digidesign for the design, development and implementation of the Pro Tools digital audio workstation. The efficient algorithms, extensible architecture and intuitive interface have enabled Pro Tools to become the worldwide standard for the creation and editing of motion picture soundtracks.To Bill Tondreau of Kuper Controls for his significant advancements in the field of motion control technology for motion picture visual effects. Measuring his valuable contributions to the invention and implementation of robotic camera systems in decades rather than years, his efforts have aided motion control in becoming a core technology that has supported the renaissance of visual effects.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Kinoton GmbH for the engineering and development of the Kinoton FP 30/38 EC II Studio Projector. This high-speed studio projector produces an image quality equal to projectors with Geneva movements. With its unparalleled shuttle speed, reversibility and acceleration, this projector has set a new standard for post-production viewing as well as in traditional screening facilities.To Kenneth L. Tingler, Charles C. Anderson, Diane E. Kestner and Brian A. Schell of the Eastman Kodak Company for the successful development of a process-surviving antistatic layer technology for motion picture film. This technology successfully controls the static buildup on processed intermediate and sound negative films during high speed printing operations.To Christopher Alfred, Andrew J. Cannon, Michael C. Carlos, Mark Crabtree, Chuck Grindstaff and John Melanson for their significant contributions to the evolution of digital audio editing for motion picture post production. Through their respective pioneering efforts with AMS AudioFile, Waveframe and Fairlight, the work of these gentlemen contributed significantly to the development and realization of digital audio workstations with full editing capabilities for motion picture soundtracks.To Stephen Regelous for the design and development of Massive, the autonomous agent animation system used for the battle sequences in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Massive takes a new approach in simulating behaviors of large numbers of computer-generated extras a.k.a. “agents.” Each “agent” contains a primitive software “brain” used to develop behavioral rules simulating a wide range of behaviors. In The Lord of the Rings trilogy, over 200,000 agents were controlled in several scenes.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Kish Sadhvani for the concept and optical design, Paul Duclos for the practical realization and production engineering and Carl Pernicone for the mechanical design and engineering of the portable cine viewfinder system known as the Ultimate Director’s Finder (UDF). This versatile, modular and widely accepted cine viewfinder system is capable of properly displaying images in multiple formats ranging from 35mm anamorphic to super 16.To Henrik Wann Jensen, Stephen R. Marschner and Pat Hanrahan for their pioneering research in simulating subsurface scattering of light in translucent materials as presented in their paper “A Practical Model for Subsurface Light Transport.” This mathematical model contributed substantially to the development and implementation of practical techniques for simulating subsurface scattering of light in translucent materials for computer-generated images in motion pictures.To Christophe Hery, Ken McGaugh and Joe Letteri for their groundbreaking implementations of practical methods for rendering skin and other translucent materials using subsurface scattering techniques. These groundbreaking techniques were used to create realistic-looking skin on digitally created characters.2004 (77th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Horst Burbulla for the invention and continuing development of the Technocrane telescoping camera crane. With its electronically driven leveling head, adjustable moveable weight carriage, and lightweight, extremely precise telescoping beam elements that allow camera movement during shots, the Technocrane has redefined the state-of-the-art in camera crane technology.TO Jean-Marie Lavalou, Alain Masseron and David Samuelson for the engineering and development of the Louma Camera Crane and remote system for motion picture production. The Louma pioneered a remotely-operated camera head combined with a lightweight and portable modular crane. Its design has proved to be the inspiration for numerous subsequent remote camera systems.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Gyula Mester (electronic systems design) and Keith Edwards (mechanical engineering) for their significant contributions to and continuing development of the Technocrane telescoping camera crane. With its electronically driven leveling head, adjustable moveable weight carriage and lightweight, extremely precise telescoping beam elements that allow camera movement during shots, the Technocrane has redefined the state-of-the-art in camera crane technology.To Lindsay Arnold, Guy Griffiths, David Hodson, Charlie Lawrence and David Mann for their development of the Cineon Digital Film Workstation. Cineon pioneered a commercial node-graph compositing system establishing a new visual method for direct manipulation of the compositing process, which influenced and defined modern digital compositing workflows.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Greg Cannom and Wesley Wofford for the development of their special modified silicone material for makeup applications used in motion pictures. This proprietary modified silicone makeup system allows for the creation of either partial or full-face appliances for motion picture makeup effects that move like real flesh, have translucency similar to skin and will accept standard makeup materials.To Jerry Cotts for the original concept and design and Anthony Seaman for the engineering of the Satellight-X HMI Softlight. With its large radiating surface and thin profile, this collapsible, self-contained HMI softlight provides a diffuse light to simulate daylight in location interiors, where space is often limited.To Steven E. Boze for the design and implementation of the DNF 001 multi-band digital audio noise suppressor. Designed in the early 1990s when digital signal processing was in its early stages, the real-time digital approach of the DNF 001 provided accurate filter response with minimal interaction, allowing noise attenuation with fewer artifacts.To Dr. Christopher Hicks and Dave Betts for the design and implementation of the Cedar DNS 1000 multi-band digital noise suppressor. The Cedar DNS 1000 is specifically designed to reduce background noise from recorded motion picture dialog. With its precise filters it allows the frequency ranges to be altered or even cascaded to pinpoint and reduce the offending noise.To Nelson Tyler for the development of the Tyler Gyroplatform boat mount stabilizing device for motion picture photography. As a pioneer in this area of motion picture technology, Tyler’s 2-axis, hydraulically-powered camera mount successfully eliminates the pitch and roll associated with camera shots taken from a boat in the water.To Dr. Julian Morris, Michael Birch, Dr. Paul Smyth and Paul Tate for the development of the Vicon motion capture technology. Vicon Motion Systems developed special-purpose cameras for motion capture with software systems that maximized their impact on the motion picture industry.To Dr. John O. B. Greaves, Ned Phipps, Antonie J. Van Den Bogert and William Hayes for the development of the Motion Analysis motion capture technology. Motion Analysis Corporation developed special-purpose cameras for motion capture with software systems that maximized their impact on the motion picture industry.To Dr. Nels Madsen, Vaughn Cato, Matthew Madden and Bill Lorton for the development of the Giant Studios motion capture technology. The software solution created by Giant Studios applied a unique biometric approach that has influenced the development of motion capture technology for motion pictures.To Alan Kapler for the design and development of ‘Storm,’ a software toolkit for artistic control of volumetric effects. ‘Storm’ employs an efficient method for directly manipulating volumetric data to create effects such as clouds, water and avalanches with familiar operators inspired by image compositing and painting operations.2005 (78th)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To David Grober for the concept and mechanical design and Scott Lewallen for the electronic and software design of the Perfect Horizon camera stabilization head. Perfect Horizon effectively neutralizes the extraneous motion encountered in boats, camera cars, snowmobiles and other vehicles, leaving the pan/tilt head and camera stable and level with the horizon.To Anatoliy Kokush, Yuriy Popovsky and Oleksiy Zolotarov for the concept and development of the Russian Arm gyro-stabilized camera crane and the Flight Head. The Russian Arm and Flight Head opened new possibilities for filmmakers. With the ability to be mounted on the roof of almost any car, this remotely-operated crane and camera head can move smoothly in a 360 degree circle around the car, even while it is being driven at high speeds by actors, creating heretofore impossible perspectives.To Anatoliy Kokush for the concept and development of the Cascade series of motion picture cranes. The lightweight structure of the Cascade and Traveling Cascade Cranes enables the filmmaker to achieve new heights of up to 70 feet, allowing for the placement of the camera in otherwise impossible locations.To Garrett Brown for the original concept of the Skycam flying camera system—the first use of 3-D volumetric cable technology for motion picture cinematography. In creating the first remote-controlled, cable-supported flying camera system, Garrett Brown’s pioneering efforts have influenced all subsequent development in this area of technology.To David Baraff, Michael Kass and Andrew Witkin for their pioneering work in physically-based computer-generated techniques used to simulate realistic cloth in motion pictures. Their 1998 paper titled “Large Steps in Cloth Simulation” was a seminal work, providing the key in demonstrating to the industry that the calculations necessary to simulate realistic, complex cloth could be achieved efficiently and robustly. Their work provided the conceptual foundation for many cloth simulation systems in use today.To Laurie Frost, Peter Hannan and Richard Loncraine for the development of the remote camera head known as the Hot-Head. In use for over a quarter of a century, the Hot-Head has brought the possibility of safe, remotely-operated shots to every filmmaker.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Gary Thieltges for the design and development of the remotely-operated, lightweight camera head known as the Sparrow Head. This well-integrated remote system enables filmmakers to remotely pan and tilt their camera from virtually any moving vehicle, giving the opportunity for unprecedented dynamic camera angles.To Frank Fletcher and Dave Sherwin for the introduction and continuing development of the Power Pod modular camera head system. The Power Pod system enables filmmakers to configure a remote controlled head to meet their own unique requirements.To Alvah Miller, Michael Sorensen and J. Walt Adamczyk for the design and development of the Aerohead motion control camera head and the J-Viz Pre-Visualization system. This remote head not only serves the needs of the live-action filmmaker, but also provides the functionality of a motion-controlled head, allowing for sophisticated tiling and pre-visualization techniques.To Scott Leva for the design and development of the Precision Stunt Airbag for motion picture stunt falls. The Precision Stunt Airbag is designed to envelop the stunt jumper, even on off-center hits. This feature serves to enhance the safety of stunt performers in falls from up to 200 feet.To Lev Yevstratov, George Peters and Vasiliy Orlov for the development of the Ultimate Arm Camera Crane System for specialized vehicle photography. Representing a significant evolutionary improvement in camera car technology, this remotely-controlled, gyro-stabilized and flexible camera crane offers a highly stable platform for high-speed, rough terrain action shots. Its ingenious applications of sophisticated technology solve many of the problems inherent in chase vehicle filming.To James Rodnunsky, Alex MacDonald and Mark Chapman for the development of the Cablecam 3-D volumetric suspended cable camera technologies. The evolution of the Cablecam technology has made it possible to move a camera safely and accurately anywhere through a three-dimensional space.To Tim Drnec, Ben Britten Smith and Matt Davis for the development of the Spydercam 3-D volumetric suspended cable camera technologies. The evolution of Spydercam technology has made it possible to move a camera safely and accurately anywhere through a three-dimensional space.To John Platt and Demetri Terzopoulos for their pioneering work in physically-based computer-generated techniques used to simulate realistic cloth in motion pictures. Their 1987 paper “Elastically Deformable Models” was a milestone in computer graphics, introducing the concept of physically-based techniques to simulate moving, deforming objects.To Ed Catmull for the original concept, and Tony DeRose and Jos Stam for their scientific and practical implementation of subdivision surfaces as a modeling technique in motion picture production. Subdivision surfaces have become a preferred modeling primitive for many types of motion picture computer graphics.To Harold Rattray, Terry Claborn, Steve Garlick, Bill Hogue and Tim Reynolds for the design, engineering and implementation of the Technicolor Real Time Answer Print System. This system provides a method by which filmmakers can preview real-time color corrections using actual film prints, reducing both the turnaround time and the number of reprints required.To Udo Schauss and Hildegard Ebbesmeier for the optical design and Nicole Wemken and Michael Anderer for the mechanical design of the Cinelux Premiere Cinema Projection Lenses. The Cinelux Premiere Lenses incorporate an iris and aspheric elements which provide a more uniform modulation transfer function and better light transmission to the sides and corners of the theater projection screen. This reduces the traditional problems of softness in the corners, hot-spotting and varying brightness between film formats.2006 (79th)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Phillip J. Feiner, Jim Houston, Denis Leconte and Chris Bushman of Pacific Title and Art Studio for the design and development of the Rosetta process for creating digital YCM archival masters for digital film restoration. With elements that may be recombined either digitally or optically, the Rosetta Separations process offers a uniquely great versatility in achieving high-quality results for digital YCM archiving.To Steve Sullivan, Colin Davidson, Max Chen and Francesco Callari for the design and development of the ILM Image-based Modeling System. This highly integrated system facilitates interactive construction and editing of 3D models from digital photographs and addresses the three-dimensional scanning needs of motion pictures in unique and innovative ways.To Dr. Bill Collis, Simon Robinson, Ben Kent and Dr. Anil Kokaram for the design and development of the Furnace integrated suite of software tools that robustly utilizes temporal coherence for enhancing visual effects in motion picture sequences. The Furnace toolset’s modularity, flexibility and robustness has set a high standard of quality for optical flow-based image manipulation.To Howard Preston and Mirko Kovacevic for the design and engineering of the Preston Cinema Systems FI+Z wireless remote system. Pioneering unprecedented reliability and flexibility in wireless lens and camera operation, the FI+Z has continued to be a leader in innovation since its introduction in 1994.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Joshua Pines and Chris Kutcka of Technicolor Digital Intermediates for the design and development of the TDI process for creating archival separations from digital image data. The TDI process is based on the production of digital separation negatives creating archival elements that can be scanned and digitally recombined in the future.To William Feightner and Chris Edwards of E-Film for the design and development of the E-Film process for creating archival separations from digital image data. The E-Film process is based on the production of digital separation negatives creating archival elements that can be scanned and digitally recombined in the future.To Albert Ridilla, Papken Shahbazian, Ronald Belknap and Jay McGarrigle for the design and development of the Hollywood Film Company Brumagic MPST Densitometer. The Brumagic MPST was designed specifically to measure density in the motion picture soundtrack and has become the densitometer of choice for reading soundtrack negative and positive densities worldwide.To Klemens Kehrer, Josef Handler, Thomas Smidek and Marc Shipman Mueller for the design and development of the Arriflex 235 Camera System. Designed for handheld photography, the features of this small, lightweight MOS camera also allow it to be used as a secondary production camera.To Florian Kainz for the design and engineering of OpenEXR, a software package implementing 16-bit, floating point, high dynamic range image files. Widely adopted, OpenEXR is engineered to meet the requirements of the visual effects industry by providing for lossless and lossy compression of tiered and tiled images.To Walter Trauninger and Ernst Tschida for the design and engineering of the Arri WRC wireless remote lens control system. This highly modular system permits accurate and reliable wireless control with multiple hand controls of all lens functions.To Christian Tschida and Martin Waitz of cmotion for the design and engineering of the cmotion Wireless Remote System. The graphical user interface of the cmotion System eases the difficult task of following focus, and the unique lens tag system recalls the calibration for each lens.To Peter Litwinowicz and Pierre Jasmin for the design and development of the RE:Vision Effects family of software tools for optical flow-based image manipulation. A unique user interface and relatively low cost have made these tools ubiquitous in the visual effects community.2007 (80th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To the Eastman Kodak Company for the development of photographic emulsion technologies incorporated into the Kodak Vision2 family of color negative films. These new technologies are breakthroughs in film speed, grain and sharpness that have made a significant impact on the motion picture industry. The Vision2 family allows wider use of high-speed color negative film, lower light levels on set and faster set-ups. Most importantly, Vision2 improves the overall picture quality in theatrical presentation.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Dr. Doug Roble, Nafees Bin Zafar and Ryo Sakaguchi for the development of the fluid simulation system at Digital Domain. This influential and flexible production-proven system incorporates innovative algorithms and refined adaptations of published methods to achieve large-scale water effects.To Nick Rasmussen, Ron Fedkiw and Frank Losasso Petterson for the development of the Industrial Light & Magic fluid simulation system. This production-proven simulation system achieves large-scale water effects within ILM’s Zeno framework. It includes integrating particle level sets, parallel computation, and tools that enable the artistic direction of the result.To Christien Tinsley for the creation of the transfer techniques for creating and applying 2D and 3D makeup known as “Tinsley Transfers.” These techniques allow quick and precisely repeatable application of 2D makeup such as tattoos, bruises and birthmarks, as well as 3D prosthetic appliances ranging in size from small wounds to entire torsos. They utilize self-adhesive material that features an unprecedented combination of tissue-thin edges, resilience, flexibility and water resistance, while requiring no dangerous solvents.To Jörg Pöhler and Rüdiger Kleinke of OTTEC Technology GmbH for the design and development of the battery-operated series of fog machines known as “Tiny Foggers.” The operating characteristics of this compact, well-engineered and remote-controllable package make possible a range of safe special effects that would be totally impractical with larger, more conventional fog units.To Sebastian Cramer for the invention and general design, and Andreas Dasser, head of development at P&S Technik GmbH, for the mechanical design, of the Skater Dolly and its family of products. This small, portable, camera-only dolly allows low lens positions, movement in restricted places and tight offset circular maneuvers with rapid set-up.To Victor Gonzalez, Ignacio Vargas and Angel Tena for the creation of the RealFlow software application. RealFlow was the first widely adopted, commercially available, easy-to-use system for the simulation of realistic liquids in motion picture visual effects.To Jonathan M. Cohen, Dr. Jerry Tessendorf, Dr. Jeroen Molemaker and Michael Kowalski for the development of the system of fluid dynamics tools at Rhythm & Hues. This system allows artists to create realistic animation of liquids and gasses using novel simulation techniques for accuracy and speed, as well as a unique scripting language for working with volumetric data.To Duncan Brinsmead, Jos Stam, Julia Pakalns and Martin Werner for the design and implementation of the Maya Fluid Effects system. This system is used to create simulations of gaseous phenomena integrated into the widely available Maya tool suite, using an unconditionally stable semi-Lagrangian solver.To Stephan Trojansky, Thomas Ganshorn and Oliver Pilarski for the development of the Flowline fluid effects system. Flowline is a flexible system that incorporates highly parallel computation, allowing rapid iteration and resulting in detailed, realistic fluid effects.2008 (81st)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Erwin Melzner for the overall concept including the optical and cooling systems, Volker Schumacher for the optical design, and Timo Müller for the mechanical design, of the Arrimax 18/12 lighting fixture for use in motion picture production. With its choice of vari-focus and specular reflectors, the superior optical and mechanical design of this lighting fixture allows it to operate at 18,000 watts, producing unsurpassed light quality while its innovative cooling system keeps the housing safe to touch.To Jacques Delacoux for the concept and electronic design, and Alexandre Leuchter for the software and electronic design, of the Transvideo video-assist monitors for the motion picture industry. Using color LCD screens, the Transvideo monitors provide flicker-free video assist bright enough for use in sunlight and have become a ubiquitous tool in both spherical and anamorphic cinematography.To Bruno Coumert and Jacques Debize for the optical design, and Dominique Chervin and Christophe Reboulet for the mechanical design, of the compact and lightweight Angenieux 15-40 and 28-76 zoom lenses for handheld motion picture photography. With focus and zoom functions that can be easily controlled by either the operator or focus puller while filming handheld, these lightweight zoom lenses demonstrate a very high degree of engineering, supporting both ease of use and quick interchange.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Steve Hylén for the concept and his continued leadership in the further development of the Hylén Lens System for motion picture effects photography. When attached to a film or digital production camera, this versatile aerial image device can produce a wide variety of optical effects interactively, on set and in real time without post-production image manipulation.2009 (82nd)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Per Christensen, Michael Bunnell and Christophe Hery for the development of point-based rendering for indirect illumination and ambient occlusion. Much faster than previous ray-traced methods, this computer graphics technique has enabled color bleeding effects and realistic shadows for complex scenes in motion pictures.To Dr. Richard Kirk for the overall design and development of the Truelight real-time 3D look-up table hardware device and color management software. Through the use of color management software and hardware, this complete system enables accurate color presentation in the digital intermediate preview process. The Truelight system is widely utilized in digital intermediate production environments around the world.To Volker Massmann, Markus Hasenzahl, Dr. Klaus Anderle and Andreas Loew for the development of the Spirit 4K/2K film scanning system as used in the digital intermediate process for motion pictures. The Spirit 4K/2K has distinguished itself by incorporating a continuous-motion transport mechanism enabling full-range, high-resolution scanning at much higher frame rates than non-continuous transport scanners.To Michael Cieslinski, Dr. Reimar Lenz and Bernd Brauner for the development of the ARRISCAN film scanner, enabling high-resolution, high-dynamic range, pin-registered film scanning for use in the digital intermediate process. The ARRISCAN film scanner utilizes a specially designed CMOS array sensor mounted on a micro-positioning platform and a custom LED light source. Capture of the film’s full dynamic range at various scan resolutions is implemented through sub-pixel offsets of the sensor along with multiple exposures of each frame.To Wolfgang Lempp, Theo Brown, Tony Sedivy and Dr. John Quartel for the development of the Northlight film scanner, which enables high-resolution, pin-registered scanning in the motion picture digital intermediate process. Developed for the digital intermediate and motion picture visual effects markets, the Northlight scanner was designed with a 6K CCD sensor, making it unique in its ability to produce high-resolution scans of 35mm, 8-perf film frames.To Steve Chapman, Martin Tlaskal, Darrin Smart and Dr. James Logie for their contributions to the development of the Baselight color correction system, which enables real-time digital manipulation of motion picture imagery during the digital intermediate process. Baselight was one of the first digital color correction systems to enter the digital intermediate market and has seen wide acceptance in the motion picture industry.To Mark Jaszberenyi, Gyula Priskin and Tamas Perlaki for their contributions to the development of the Lustre color correction system, which enables real-time digital manipulation of motion picture imagery during the digital intermediate process. Lustre is a software solution that enables non-linear, real-time digital color grading across an entire feature film, emulating the photochemical color-timing process.To Brad Walker, D. Scott Dewald, Bill Werner and Greg Pettitt for their contributions furthering the design and refinement of the Texas Instruments DLP Projector technology, achieving a level of performance that enabled color-accurate digital intermediate previews of motion pictures. Working in conjunction with the film industry, Texas Instruments created a high-resolution, color-accurate, high-quality digital intermediate projection system that could closely emulate film-based projection in a theatrical environment.To Fujifilm Corporation, Ryoji Nishimura, Masaaki Miki and Youichi Hosoya for the design and development of Fujicolor ETERNA-RDI digital intermediate film, which was designed exclusively to reproduce motion picture digital masters. The Fujicolor ETERNA-RDI Type 8511/4511 digital intermediate film has thinner emulsion layers with extremely efficient couplers made possible by Super-Nano Cubic Grain Technology. This invention allows improved color sensitivity with the ability to absorb scattered light, providing extremely sharp images. The ETERNA-RDI emulsion technology also achieves less color cross-talk for exacting reproduction. Its expanded latitude and linearity provides superior highlights and shadows in a film stock with exceptional latent image stability.To Paul Debevec, Tim Hawkins, John Monos and Dr. Mark Sagar for the design and engineering of the Light Stage capture devices and the image-based facial rendering system developed for character relighting in motion pictures. The combination of these systems, with their ability to capture high fidelity reflectance data of human subjects, allows for the creation of photorealistic digital faces as they would appear in any lighting condition.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Mark Wolforth and Tony Sedivy for their contributions to the development of the Truelight real-time 3D look-up table hardware system. Through the use of color management software and hardware, this complete system enables accurate color presentation in the digital intermediate preview process. The Truelight system is widely utilized in digital intermediate production environments around the world.To Dr. Klaus Anderle, Christian Baeker and Frank Billasch for their contributions to the LUTher 3D look-up table hardware device and color management software. The LUTher system was one of the first color look-up table processors to be widely adopted by the pioneering digital intermediate facilities in the industry. This innovation enabled accurate color presentation by facilities that had analyzed projected film output and built 3D look-up tables in order to emulate print film.To Steve Sullivan, Kevin Wooley, Brett Allen and Colin Davidson for the development of the Imocap on-set performance capture system. Developed at Industrial Light & Magic and consisting of custom hardware and software, Imocap is an innovative system that successfully addresses the need for on-set, low-impact performance capture.To Hayden Landis, Ken McGaugh and Hilmar Koch for advancing the technique of ambient occlusion rendering. Ambient occlusion has enabled a new level of realism in synthesized imagery and has become a standard tool for computer graphics lighting in motion pictures.To Björn Hedén for the design and mechanical engineering of the silent, two-stage planetary friction drive Hedén Lens Motors. Solving a series of problems with one integrated mechanism, this device had an immediate and significant impact on the motion picture industry.2010 (83rd)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Dr. Mark Sagar for his early and continuing development of influential facial motion retargeting solutions. Dr. Sagar’s work led to a method for transforming facial motion capture data into an expression-based, editable character animation system that has been used in motion pictures with a high volume of digital characters.To Mark Noel for the design, engineering, and development, and to John Frazier for his contributions to the design and safety features, of the NAC Servo Winch System. The NAC System allows full-sized cars, aircraft and other heavy props to be flown on wires with unprecedented freedom of motion and a high degree of safety, on-set and in real time. The intuitive control system responds to the motion of the operator’s hand, permitting the recording and playback of all axes of motion simultaneously, which may be edited and refined for playback in subsequent takes.To James Rodnunsky, Alex MacDonald and Mark Chapman for the development of the Cablecam 3-D volumetric suspended cable camera technologies. The evolution of the Cablecam technology has made it possible to move a camera safely and accurately anywhere through a three-dimensional space.To Tim Drnec, Ben Britten Smith and Matt Davis for the development of the Spydercam 3-D volumetric suspended cable camera technologies. The evolution of the Spydercam technology has made it possible to move a camera safely and accurately anywhere through a three-dimensional space.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Greg Ercolano for the design and engineering of a series of software systems culminating in the Rush render queue management system. Mr. Ercolano’s work has been influential across the industry, and has enabled scalable render farms at numerous studios.To David M. Laur for the development of the Alfred render queue management system. This system was the first robust, scalable, widely adopted commercial solution for queue management in the motion picture industry. Its user interface and support for multi-machine assignment influenced the design of modern day queue management tools.To Chris Allen, Gautham Krishnamurti, Mark A. Brown and Lance Kimes for the development of Queue, a robust, scalable approach to render queue management. Queue was one of the first systems that allowed for statistical analysis and process introspection, providing a framework for the efficient use of render farms.To Florian Kainz for the design and development of the robust, highly scalable distributed architecture of the QbaQ render queue management system. QbaQ has scaled from managing a few hundred processors in 1997 to many thousands today, with minimal changes to the original design.To Eric Tabellion and Arnauld Lamorlette for the creation of a computer graphics bounce lighting methodology that is practical at feature film scale. This important step in the evolution of global illumination techniques, first used on the motion picture “Shrek 2,” was shared with the industry in their technical paper “An Approximate Global Illumination System for Computer Generated Films.”To Tony Clark, Alan Rogers, Neil Wilson and Rory McGregor for the software design and continued development of cineSync, a tool for remote collaboration and review of visual effects. Easy to use, cineSync has become a widely accepted solution for remote production collaboration.2011 (84th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Franz Kraus, Johannes Steurer and Wolfgang Riedel for the design and development of the ARRILASER Film Recorder. The ARRILASER film recorder demonstrates a high level of engineering resulting in a compact, user-friendly, low-maintenance device, while at the same time maintaining outstanding speed, exposure ratings and image quality.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Radu Corlan, Andy Jantzen, Petru Pop and Richard F. Toftness for the design and engineering of the Phantom family of high-speed cameras for motion picture production. The Phantom family of high-speed digital cameras, including the Phantom Flex and HD Gold, provide imagery at speeds and efficacy surpassing photochemical technology, while seamlessly intercutting with conventional film production.To Dr. Jürgen Noffke for the optical design and Uwe Weber for the mechanical design of the ARRI Zeiss Master Prime Lenses for motion picture photography. The Master Primes have achieved a full stop advance in speed over existing lenses, while maintaining state-of-the-art optical quality. This lens family was also the first to eliminate the magnification change that accompanied extreme focus shifts.To Michael Lewis, Greg Marsden, Raigo Alas and Michael Vellekoop for the concept, design and implementation of the Pictorvision Eclipse, an electronically stabilized aerial camera platform. The Pictorvision Eclipse system allows cinematographers to capture aerial footage at faster flying speeds with aggressive platform maneuvering.To E. F. “Bob” Nettmann for the concept and system architecture, Michael Sayovitz for the electronic packaging and integration, Brad Fritzel for the electronic engineering, and Fred Miller for the mechanical engineering of the Stab-C Classic, Super-G and Stab-C Compact stabilizing heads. This versatile family of 5-axis camera and lens stabilizers allows any standard motion picture camera to be fitted into the open architecture of the structure. The system can be quickly balanced and made ready for shooting platforms such as helicopters, boats, camera cars or cranes.To John D. Lowry, Ian Cavén, Ian Godin, Kimball Thurston and Tim Connolly for the development of a unique and efficient system for the reduction of noise and other artifacts, thereby providing high-quality images required by the filmmaking process. The “Lowry Process” uses advanced GPU-accelerated, motion estimation-based image processing tools to enhance image quality.To FUJIFILM Corporation, Hideyuki Shirai, Dr. Katsuhisa Oozeki and Hiroshi Hirano for the design and development of the FUJIFILM black and white recording film ETERNA-RDS 4791 for use in the archival preservation of film and digital images. Specifically designed for laser film recording and widely used in the industry today, the high-resolution FUJIFILM ETERNA-RDS 4791 film stock is an important step in protecting the heritage of the motion picture industry.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Andrew Clinton and Mark Elendt for the invention and integration of micro-voxels in the Mantra software. This work allowed, for the first time, unified and efficient rendering of volumetric effects such as smoke and clouds, together with other computer graphics objects, in a micro-polygon imaging pipeline.2012 (85th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Cooke Optics Limited for their continuing innovation in the design, development and manufacture of advanced camera lenses that have helped define the look of motion pictures over the last century. Since their first series of motion picture lenses, Cooke Optics has continued to create optical innovations decade after decade. Producing what is commonly referred to as the "Cooke Look," these lenses have often been the lens of choice for creative cinematographers worldwide.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Simon Clutterbuck, James Jacobs and Dr. Richard Dorling for the development of the Tissue Physically–Based Character Simulation Framework. This framework faithfully and robustly simulates the effects of anatomical structures underlying a character’s skin. The resulting dynamic and secondary motions provide a new level of realism to computer–generated creatures.To Dr. Philip McLauchlan, Allan Jaenicke, John–Paul Smith and Ross Shain for the creation of the Mocha planar tracking and rotoscoping software at Imagineer Systems Ltd. Mocha provides robust planar–tracking even when there are no clearly defined points in the image. Its effectiveness, ease of use, and ability to exchange rotoscoping data with other image processing tools have resulted in widespread adoption of the software in the visual effects industry.To Joe Murtha, William Frederick and Jim Markland of Anton/Bauer, Inc. for the design and creation of the CINE VCLX Portable Power System. The CINE VCLX provides extended run–times and flexibility, allowing users to power cameras and other supplementary equipment required for production. This high–capacity battery system is also matched to the high–demand, always–on digital cinema cameras.(Technical Achievement Award)
To J. P. Lewis, Matt Cordner and Nickson Fong for the invention and publication of the Pose Space Deformation technique. Pose Space Deformation (PSD) introduced the use of novel sparse data interpolation techniques to the task of shape interpolation. The controllability and ease of achieving artistic intent have led to PSD being a foundational technique in the creation of computer–generated characters.To Lawrence Kesteloot, Drew Olbrich and Daniel Wexler for the creation of the Light system for computer graphics lighting at PDI/DreamWorks. Virtually unchanged from its original incarnation over 15 years ago, Light is still in continuous use due to its emphasis on interactive responsiveness, final–quality interactive render preview, scalable architecture and powerful user–configurable spreadsheet interface.To Steve LaVietes, Brian Hall and Jeremy Selan for the creation of the Katana computer graphics scene management and lighting software at Sony Pictures Imageworks. Katana’s unique design, featuring a deferred evaluation procedural node–graph, provides a highly efficient lighting and rendering workflow. It allows artists to non–destructively edit scenes too complex to fit into computer memory, at scales ranging from a single object up to an entire detailed city.To Theodore Kim, Nils Thuerey, Markus Gross and Doug James for the invention, publication and dissemination of Wavelet Turbulence software. This technique allowed for fast, art–directable creation of highly detailed gas simulation, making it easier for the artist to control the appearance these effects in the final image.To Richard Mall for the design and development of the Matthews Max Menace Arm. Highly sophisticated and well–engineered, the Max Menace Arm is a safe and adjustable device that allows rapid, precise positioning of lighting fixtures, cameras or accessories. On–set or on location, this compact and highly portable structure is often used where access is limited due to restrictions on attaching equipment to existing surfaces.2013 (86th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To all those who built and operated film laboratories, for over a century of service to the motion picture industry. Lab employees have contributed extraordinary efforts to achieve filmmakers’ artistic expectations for special film processing and the production of billions of feet of release prints per year. This work has allowed an expanded motion picture audience and unequaled worldwide cinema experience.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Ofer Alon for the design and implementation of the ZBrush software tool for multi-resolution sculpting of digital models. Zbrush pioneered multi-resolution digital sculpting, transforming how artists conceive and realize their final designs. Zbrush has enabled artists to create models far more quickly and with much greater detail than previous approaches.To Eric Veach for his foundational research on efficient Monte Carlo path tracing for image synthesis. Physically based rendering has transformed computer graphics lighting by more accurately simulating materials and lights, allowing digital artists to focus on cinematography rather than the intricacies of rendering. In his 1997 Ph.D. thesis and related publications, Veach formalized the principles of Monte Carlo path tracing and introduced essential optimization techniques, such as multiple importance sampling, which make physically based rendering computationally feasible.To Andre Gauthier, Benoit Sevigny, Yves Boudreault and Robert Lanciault for the design and implementation of the FiLMBOX software application. FiLMBOX, the foundation of MotionBuilder, enables the real-time processing and control of devices and animation. For over two decades, its innovative architecture has been a basis for the development and evolution of new techniques in filmmaking, such as virtual production.To Emmanuel Prévinaire, Jan Sperling, Etienne Brandt and Tony Postiau for their development of the Flying-Cam SARAH 3.0 system. This battery-powered, radio-controlled, miniature helicopter camera system employs computer-assisted piloting and tele-operation in an airframe that utilizes GPS-assisted flight controls for aerial filming of unparalleled sophistication. Flying-Cam SARAH achieves shots impossible for full-size helicopters, cable systems or other traditional camera support devices.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Olivier Maury, Ian Sachs and Dan Piponi for the creation of the ILM Plume system that simulates and renders fire, smoke and explosions for motion picture visual effects. The unique construction of this system combines fluid solving and final image rendering on the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) hardware without needing an intermediate step involving the CPU. This innovation reduces turnaround time, resulting in significant efficiency gains for the ILM effects department.To Ronald D. Henderson for the development of the FLUX gas simulation system. The use of the Fast Fourier Transform for solving partial differential equations allows FLUX a greater level of algorithmic efficiency when multi-threading on modern hardware. This innovation enables the creation of very high-resolution fluid effects while maintaining fast turnaround times.To Andrew Camenisch, David Cardwell and Tibor Madjar for the concept and design, and to Csaba Kohegyi and Imre Major for the implementation of the Mudbox software. Mudbox provides artists powerful new design capabilities that significantly advance the state of the art in multi-resolution digital sculpting for film production.To Martin Hill, Jon Allitt and Nick McKenzie for the creation of the spherical harmonics-based efficient lighting system at Weta Digital. The spherical harmonics lighting pipeline precomputes and reuses a smooth approximation of time-consuming visibility calculations. This enables artists to quickly see the results of changing lights, materials and set layouts in scenes with extremely complex geometry.To Florian Kainz, Jeffery Yost, Philip Hubbard and Jim Hourihan for the architecture and development of the Zeno application framework. For more than a decade, Zeno’s flexible and robust design has allowed the creation of a broad range of Academy Award-winning visual effects toolsets at ILM.To Peter Huang and Chris Perry for their architectural contributions to, and to Hans Rijpkema and Joe Mancewicz for the core engineering of, the Voodoo application framework. For more than a decade, Voodoo’s unique design concepts have enabled a broad range of character animation toolsets to be developed at Rhythm & Hues.To Matt Pharr, Greg Humphreys and Pat Hanrahan for their formalization and reference implementation of the concepts behind physically based rendering, as shared in their book Physically Based Rendering. Physically based rendering has transformed computer graphics lighting by more accurately simulating materials and lights, allowing digital artists to focus on cinematography rather than the intricacies of rendering. First published in 2004, Physically Based Rendering is both a textbook and a complete source-code implementation that has provided a widely adopted practical roadmap for most physically based shading and lighting systems used in film production.To Dr. Peter Hillman for the long-term development and continued advancement of innovative, robust and complete toolsets for deep compositing. Dr. Hillman’s ongoing contributions to standardized techniques and a common deep image file format have enabled advanced compositing workflows across the digital filmmaking industry.To Colin Doncaster, Johannes Saam, Areito Echevarria, Janne Kontkanen and Chris Cooper for the development, prototyping and promotion of technologies and workflows for deep compositing. Their contributions include early advancements in key deep compositing features such as layer and holdout-order independence, spatial and intra-element color correction, post-render depth of field, and precise blending of complex layer edges.To Thomas Lokovic and Eric Veach for their influential research and publication of the fundamental concepts of deep shadowing technology. Providing a functional and efficient model for the storage of deep opacity information, this technology was widely adopted as the foundation of early deep compositing pipelines.To Gifford Hooper and Philip George of HoverCam for the continuing development of the Helicam miniature helicopter camera system. The current Helicam system is a high-speed, extremely maneuverable, turbine-engine, radio-controlled miniature helicopter that supports professional film and digital cinema cameras. Helicam provides a wide range of stabilized, remotely operated pan, tilt and roll capabilities, achieving shots impossible for full-size helicopters.To John Frazier, Chuck Gaspar and Clay Pinney for the design and development of the Pneumatic Car Flipper. This self-contained high-pressure pneumatic device safely launches a stationary full-sized car on a predetermined trajectory. The precision of operation enhances the safety of performers, and the physical design allows a rapid setup and strike.To Joshua Pines, David Reisner, Lou Levinson, Curtis Clark, ASC, and David Register for the development of the American Society of Cinematographers Color Decision List technology. The ASC CDL unifies color correction principles for use on- and off-set, providing for the faithful reproduction of color values across a variety of color correction devices. This technology provides basic image-processing mathematics that translate the lift, gamma and gain settings to a set of common color values to help preserve the cinematographer’s intent throughout production.To Jeremy Selan for the development of the OpenColorIO color management framework. OpenColorIO, developed at Sony Pictures Imageworks, is an open source framework that enables consistent color visualization of motion picture imagery across multiple facilities and numerous software applications.2014 (87th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Dr. Larry Hornbeck for the invention of digital micromirror technology as used in DLP Cinema projection. The Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) is the core technology that has enabled Texas Instruments’ DLP Cinema projection to become the standard of the motion picture industry.(Academy Award of Commendation)
To Steven Tiffen, Jeff Cohen and Michael Fecik for their pioneering work in developing dye-based filters that reduce IR contamination when neutral density filters are used with digital cameras. The Tiffen Company identified the problem and rapidly engineered a series of absorptive filters that ameliorated infrared artifacts with lenses of all focal lengths. These widely adopted filters allow cinematographers to work as they have done with film-based technology.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Iain Neil for the optical design, and to Andre de Winter for the mechanical design, of the Leica Summilux-C series of lenses. Incorporating novel telecentric multi-element aspherical optics, these camera lenses have delivered unprecedented optical and mechanical performance.To Brad Walker, D. Scott Dewald, Bill Werner, Greg Pettitt and Frank Poradish for their contributions furthering the design and refinement of the Texas Instruments DLP Cinema projection technology, whose high level of performance enabled color-accurate digital intermediate preview and motion picture theatrical presentation. Working in conjunction with the film industry, Texas Instruments created a high-resolution, high-quality digital projection system that has replaced most film-based projection systems in the theatrical environment.To Ichiro Tsutsui, Masahiro Take, Mitsuyasu Tamura and Mitsuru Asano for the development of the Sony BVM-E Series Professional OLED Master Monitor. These precise, wide-gamut monitors allow creative image decisions to be made on set with confidence that the desired images can be accurately reproduced in post-production.To John Frederick, Bob Myers, Karl Rasche and Tom Lianza for the development of the HP DreamColor LP2480zx Professional Display. This cost-effective display offered a stable, wide color gamut, allowing facility-wide adoption in feature animation and visual effects studios.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Peter Braun for the concept and development of the MAT-Towercam Twin Peek, a portable, remote-controlled, telescoping column that smoothly positions a camera up to 24 feet vertically. This small cross-section system from Mad About Technology can operate from above or below the camera, achieving nearly impossible shots with repeatable movements through openings no larger than the camera itself.To Robert Nagle and Allan Padelford for The Biscuit Jr. self-propelled, high-performance, drivable camera and vehicle platform. The Biscuit Jr.’s unique chassis and portable driver pod enables traveling photography from a greater range of camera positions than previously possible, while keeping actors safe and the rig out of frame.To Harold Milligan, Steven Krycho and Reiner Doetzkies for the implementation engineering in the development of the Texas Instruments DLP Cinema digital projection technology. Texas Instruments’ color-accurate, high-resolution, high-quality digital projection system has replaced most film-based projection systems in the theatrical environment.To Cary Phillips, Nico Popravka, Philip Peterson and Colette Mullenhoff for the architecture, development and creation of the artist-driven interface of the ILM Shape Sculpting System. This comprehensive system allows artists to quickly enhance and modify character animation and simulation performances. It has become a crucial part of ILM’s production workflow over the past decade.To Tim Cotter, Roger van der Laan, Ken Pearce and Greg LaSalle for the innovative design and development of the MOVA Facial Performance Capture system. The MOVA system provides a robust way to capture highly detailed, topologically consistent, animated meshes of a deforming object. This technology is fundamental to the facial pipeline at many visual effects companies. It allows artists to create character animation of extremely high quality.To Dan Piponi, Kim Libreri and George Borshukov for their pioneering work in the development of Universal Capture at ESC Entertainment. The Universal Capture system broke new ground in the creation of realistic human facial animation. This technology produced an animated, high-resolution, textured mesh driven by an actor’s performance.To Marco Revelant for the original concepts and artistic vision, and to Alasdair Coull and Shane Cooper for the original architectural and engineering design, of the Barbershop hair grooming system at Weta Digital. Barbershop’s unique architecture allows direct manipulation of full-density hair using an intuitive, interactive and procedural toolset, resulting in greatly enhanced productivity with finer-grained artistic control than is possible with other existing systems.To Michael Sechrest for the modeling design and implementation, Chris King for the real-time interactive engineering, and Greg Croft for the user interface design and implementation of SpeedTree Cinema. This software substantially improves an artist’s ability to create specifically designed trees and vegetation by combining a procedural building process with the flexibility of intuitive, direct manipulation of every detail.To Scott Peterson, Jeff Budsberg and Jonathan Gibbs for the design and implementation of the DreamWorks Animation Foliage System. This toolset has a hierarchical spline system, a core data format and an artist-driven modeling tool, which have been instrumental in creating art-directed vegetation in animated films for nearly two decades.To Erwin Coumans for the development of the Bullet physics library, and to Nafees Bin Zafar and Stephen Marshall for the separate development of two large-scale destruction simulation systems based on Bullet. These pioneering systems demonstrated that large numbers of constrained rigid bodies could be used to animate visually complex, believable destruction effects with minimal simulation time.To Brice Criswell and Ron Fedkiw for the development of the ILM PhysBAM Destruction System. his system incorporates innovative research on many algorithms that provide accurate methods for resolving contact, collision and stacking into a mature, robust and extensible production toolset. The PhysBAM Destruction System was one of the earliest toolsets capable of depicting large-scale destruction with a high degree of design control.To Ben Cole for the design of the Kali Destruction System, to Eric Parker for the development of the Digital Molecular Matter toolkit, and to James O’Brien for his influential research on the finite element methods that served as a foundation for these tools. The combined innovations in Kali and DMM provide artists with an intuitive, art-directable system for the creation of scalable and realistic fracture and deformation simulations. These tools established finite element methods as a new reference point for believable on-screen destruction.To Magnus Wrenninge for leading the design and development of Field3D. Field3D provides a flexible and open framework for storing and accessing voxel data efficiently. This allows interchange between previously incompatible modeling, simulation and rendering software.To Robert Bridson for early conceptualization of sparse-tiled voxel data structures and their application to modeling and simulation. Robert Bridson’s pioneering work on voxel data structures and its subsequent validation in fluid simulation tools have had a significant impact on the design of volumetric tools throughout the visual effects industry.To Ken Museth, Peter Cucka and Mihai Alden for the creation of OpenVDB. OpenVDB is a widely adopted, sparse hierarchical data structure that provides a fast and efficient mechanism for storing and manipulating voxels.2015 (88th)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Brian McLean and Martin Meunier for pioneering the use of rapid prototyping for character animation in stop-motion film production. LAIKA’s inventive use of rapid prototyping has enabled artistic leaps in character expressiveness, facial animation, motion blur and effects animation. Through highly specialized pipelines and techniques, 3D printing capabilities have been harnessed with color uniformity, mechanical repeatability, and the scale required to significantly enhance stop-motion animated feature films.To Jack Greasley, Kiyoyuki Nakagaki, Duncan Hopkins and Carl Rand for the design and engineering of the MARI 3D texture painting system. Combining powerful, multilayer painting tools and a unique texture-management system, MARI simplifies working with large, high-resolution texture sets. It has achieved broad adoption in the visual effects industry, often supplanting long-term in-house systems.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Michael John Keesling for the design and development of Image Shaker, an optical system that convincingly creates the illusion of the camera shaking in a variable and repeatable manner. The Image Shaker was unique and superior to alternatives in use when it was invented two decades ago, and it continues to be used today.To David McIntosh, Steve Marshall Smith, Mike Branham and Mike Kirilenko for the engineering and development of the Aircover Inflatables Airwall. This system of modular inflatable panels can be erected on location, at lengths reaching hundreds of feet, with exceptional speed and safety. When used to support blue or green screens, the Airwall permits composite shots of unprecedented scale.To Trevor Davies, Thomas Wan, Jon Scott Miller, Jared Smith and Matthew Robinson for the development of the Dolby Laboratories PRM Series Reference Color Monitors. The PRM’s pioneering and innovative design allows the stable, accurate representation of images with the entire luminance range and color gamut used in contemporary theatrical feature presentation.To Ronald Mallet and Christoph Bregler for the design and engineering of the Industrial Light & Magic Geometry Tracker, a novel, general-purpose tracker and solver. Geometry Tracker facilitates convincing interaction of digital and live-action elements within a scene. Its precise results and tight integration with other ILM animation technologies solve a wider range of match-animation challenges than was previously possible.To Jim Hourihan, Alan Trombla and Seth Rosenthal for the design and development of the Tweak Software RV system, a highly extensible media player system. RV’s multi-platform toolset for review and playback, with comprehensive APIs, has allowed studios of all sizes to take advantage of a state-of-the-art workflow and has achieved widespread adoption in the motion picture industry.To Richard Chuang and Rahul Thakkar for the groundbreaking design, and to Andrew Pilgrim, Stewart Birnam and Mark Kirk for the review workflows and advanced playback features, of the DreamWorks Animation Media Review System. Over its nearly two decades of development, this pioneering system enabled desktop and digital theater review. It continues to provide artist-driven, integrated, consistent and highly scalable studio-wide playback and interactive reviews.To Keith Goldfarb, Steve Linn, Brian Green and Raymond Chih for the development of the Rhythm & Hues Global DDR System. This consistent, integrated, production database-backed review system enables a recordable workflow and an efficient, collaborative content review process across multiple sites and time zones.To J Robert Ray, Cottalango Leon and Sam Richards for the design, engineering and continuous development of Sony Pictures Imageworks Itview. With an extensive plugin API and comprehensive facility integration including editorial functions, Itview provides an intuitive and flexible creative review environment that can be deployed globally for highly efficient collaboration.(Special Award)
To the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers: For one hundred years, the Society’s members have nurtured technology, provided essential standards, and offered the expertise, support, tools and infrastructure for the creation and post-production of motion pictures.2016 (89th)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To ARRI for the pioneering design and engineering of the Super 35 format Alexa digital camera system. With an intuitive design and appealing image reproduction, achieved through close collaboration with filmmakers, ARRI’s Alexa cameras were among the first digital cameras widely adopted by cinematographers.To RED Digital Cinema for the pioneering design and evolution of the RED Epic digital cinema cameras with upgradeable full-frame image sensors. RED’s revolutionary design and innovative manufacturing process have helped facilitate the wide adoption of digital image capture in the motion picture industry.To Sony for the development of the F65 CineAlta camera with its pioneering high-resolution imaging sensor, excellent dynamic range, and full 4K output. Sony’s unique photosite orientation and true RAW recording deliver exceptional image quality.To Panavision and Sony for the conception and development of the groundbreaking Genesis digital motion picture camera. Using a familiar form factor and accessories, the design features of the Genesis allowed it to become one of the first digital cameras to be adopted by cinematographers.To Marcos Fajardo for the creative vision and original implementation of the Arnold Renderer, and to Chris Kulla, Alan King, Thiago Ize and Clifford Stein for their highly optimized geometry engine and novel ray-tracing algorithms which unify the rendering of curves, surfaces, volumetrics and subsurface scattering as developed at Sony Pictures Imageworks and Solid Angle SL. Arnold’s scalable and memory-efficient single-pass architecture for path tracing, its authors’ publication of the underlying techniques, and its broad industry acceptance were instrumental in leading a widespread adoption of fully ray-traced rendering for motion pictures.To Vladimir Koylazov for the original concept, design and implementation of V-Ray from Chaos Group. V-Ray’s efficient production-ready approach to ray-tracing and global illumination, its support for a wide variety of workflows, and its broad industry acceptance were instrumental in the widespread adoption of fully ray-traced rendering for motion pictures.To Luca Fascione, J. P. Lewis and Iain Matthews for the design, engineering, and development of the FACETS facial performance capture and solving system at Weta Digital. FACETS was one of the first reliable systems to demonstrate accurate facial tracking from an actor-mounted camera, combined with rig-based solving, in large-scale productions. This system enables animators to bring the nuance of the original live performances to a new level of fidelity for animated characters.To Steven Rosenbluth, Joshua Barratt, Robert Nolty and Archie Te for the engineering and development of the Concept Overdrive motion control system. This user-friendly hardware and software system creates and controls complex interactions of real and virtual motion in hard real-time, while safely adapting to the needs of on-set filmmakers.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Thomson Grass Valley for the design and engineering of the pioneering Viper FilmStream digital camera system. The Viper camera enabled frame-based logarithmic encoding, which provided uncompressed camera output suitable for importing into existing digital intermediate workflows.To Larry Gritz for the design, implementation and dissemination of Open Shading Language (OSL). OSL is a highly optimized runtime architecture and language for programmable shading and texturing that has become a de facto industry standard. It enables artists at all levels of technical proficiency to create physically plausible materials for efficient production rendering.To Carl Ludwig, Eugene Troubetzkoy and Maurice van Swaaij for the pioneering development of the CGI Studio renderer at Blue Sky Studios. CGI Studio’s groundbreaking ray-tracing and adaptive sampling techniques, coupled with streamlined artist controls, demonstrated the feasibility of ray-traced rendering for feature film production.To Brian Whited for the design and development of the Meander drawing system at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Meander’s innovative curve-rendering method faithfully captures the artist’s intent, resulting in a significant improvement in creative communication throughout the production pipeline.To Mark Rappaport for the concept, design and development, to Scott Oshita for the motion analysis and CAD design, to Jeff Cruts for the development of the faux-hair finish techniques, and to Todd Minobe for the character articulation and drive-train mechanisms, of the Creature Effects Animatronic Horse Puppet. The Animatronic Horse Puppet provides increased actor safety, close integration with live action, and improved realism for filmmakers.To Glenn Sanders and Howard Stark for the design and engineering of the Zaxcom Digital Wireless Microphone System. The Zaxcom system has advanced the state of wireless microphone technology by creating a fully digital modulation system with a rich feature set, which includes local recording capability within the belt pack and a wireless control scheme providing real-time transmitter control and time-code distribution.To David Thomas, Lawrence E. Fisher and David Bundy for the design, development and engineering of the Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid Wireless Microphone System. The Lectrosonics system has advanced the state of wireless microphone technology by means of an innovative digital predictive algorithm to realize full fidelity audio transmission over a conventional analog FM radio link, by reducing transmitter size, and by increasing power efficiency.To Parag Havaldar for the development of expression-based facial performance-capture technology at Sony Pictures Imageworks. This pioneering system enabled large-scale use of animation rig-based facial performance-capture for motion pictures, combining solutions for tracking, stabilization, solving and animator-controllable curve editing.To Nicholas Apostoloff and Geoff Wedig for the design and development of animation rig-based facial performance-capture systems at ImageMovers Digital and Digital Domain. These systems evolved through independent, then combined, efforts at two different studios, resulting in an artist-controllable, editable, scalable solution for the high-fidelity transfer of facial performances to convincing digital characters.To Kiran Bhat, Michael Koperwas, Brian Cantwell and Paige Warner for the design and development of the ILM facial performance-capture solving system. This system enables high-fidelity facial performance transfer from actors to digital characters in large-scale productions while retaining full artistic control, and integrates stable rig-based solving and the resolution of secondary detail in a controllable pipeline.2017 (90th)
(Academy Award of Merit)
To Mark Elendt and Side Effects Software for the creation and development of the Houdini visual effects and animation system. With more than twenty years of continual innovation, Houdini has delivered the power of procedural methods to visual effects artists, making it the industry standard for bringing natural phenomena, destruction and other digital effects to the screen.(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To John Coyle, Brad Hurndell, Vikas Sathaye and Shane Buckham for the concept, design, engineering and implementation of the Shotover K1 Camera System. This innovative six-axis stabilized aerial camera mount, with its enhanced ability to frame shots while looking straight down, enables greater creative freedom while allowing pilots to fly more effectively and safely.To Jeff Lait, Mark Tucker, Cristin Barghiel and John Lynch for their contributions to the design and architecture of the Houdini visual effects and animation system. Houdini’s dynamics framework and workflow management tools have helped it become the industry standard for bringing natural phenomena, destruction and other digital effects to the screen.To Bill Spitzak and Jonathan Egstad for the visionary design, development and stewardship of the Nuke compositing system. Built for production at Digital Domain, Nuke has become a ubiquitous and flexible tool used across the motion picture industry, enabling novel and sophisticated workflows at an unprecedented scale.To Abigail Brady, Jon Wadelton and Jerry Huxtable for their significant contributions to the architecture and extensibility of the Nuke compositing system. Expanded as a commercial product at The Foundry, Nuke is a comprehensive, versatile and stable system that has established itself as the backbone of compositing and image processing pipelines across the motion picture industry.To Leonard Chapman for the overall concept, design and development, to Stanislav Gorbatov for the electronic system design, and to David Gasparian and Souhail Issa for the mechanical design and integration of the Hydrascope telescoping camera crane systems. With its fully waterproof construction, the Hydrascope has greatly advanced crane technology and versatility by enabling precise long-travel multi-axis camera movement in, out of and through fresh or salt water.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Jason Smith and Jeff White for the original design, and to Rachel Rose and Mike Jutan for the architecture and engineering, of the BlockParty procedural rigging system at Industrial Light & Magic. BlockParty streamlines the rigging process through a comprehensive connection framework, a novel graphical user interface, and volumetric rig transfer, which has enabled ILM to build richly detailed and unique creatures while greatly improving artist productivity.To Joe Mancewicz, Matt Derksen and Hans Rijpkema for the design, architecture and implementation of the Rhythm & Hues Construction Kit rigging system. This toolset provides a novel approach to character rigging that features topological independence, continuously editable rigs and deformation workflows with shape-preserving surface relaxation, enabling fifteen years of improvements to production efficiency and animation quality.To Alex Powell for the design and engineering, to Jason Reisig for the interaction design, and to Martin Watt and Alex Wells for the high-performance execution engine of the Premo character animation system at DreamWorks Animation. Premo’s speed and simplicity enable animators to pose full-resolution characters in representative shot context, significantly increasing their productivity.To Rob Jensen for the foundational design and continued development, to Thomas Hahn for the animation toolset, and to George ElKoura, Adam Woodbury and Dirk Van Gelder for the high-performance execution engine of the Presto Animation System at Pixar Animation Studios. Presto allows artists to work interactively in scene context with full-resolution geometric models and sophisticated rig controls, and has significantly increased the productivity of character animators at Pixar.2018 (91st)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To David Simons, Daniel Wilk, James Acquavella, Michael Natkin and David Cotter for the design and development of the Adobe After Effects software for motion graphics. After Effects’ pioneering use of consumer hardware to host an application that is extensible, efficient and artist-focused has made it the preeminent motion graphics tool in film production, allowing motion designers to create complex animated elements for title design, screen graphics and fictional user interfaces.To Thomas Knoll and John Knoll for the original architecture, design and development, and to Mark Hamburg for his continued development and engineering of Adobe Photoshop. Photoshop’s efficient, extensible architecture, innovative virtual-memory design and powerful layering system introduced a new level of user interactivity, which led to its adoption as the preferred artistic tool for digital painting and image manipulation across the motion picture industry.To Ed Catmull for the original concept, and to Tony DeRose and Jos Stam for their pioneering advancement of the underlying science of subdivision surfaces as 3D geometric modeling primitives. Their creation of essential geometric operations and sustained research on the fundamental mathematics of subdivision surfaces helped transform the way digital artists represent 3D geometry throughout the motion picture industry.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Eric Dachs, Erik Bielefeldt, Craig Wood and Paul McReynolds for the design and development of the PIX System’s novel security mechanism for distributing media. PIX System’s robust approach to secure media access has enabled wide adoption of their remotely collaborative dailies-review system by the motion picture industry.To Per-Anders Edwards for the initial design and development of the MoGraph toolset in Cinema 4D for motion graphics. MoGraph provides a fast, non-destructive and intuitive workflow for motion designers to create animated 3D graphics, as used for title design and fictional user interfaces in motion pictures.To Paul Miller for the software design, principal engineering and continued innovation, and to Marco Paolini for the efficient, artist-friendly workflow design of the Silhouette rotoscope and paint system. Silhouette provides a comprehensive solution for painting, rotoscoping and image manipulation of high-resolution image sequences. Its fast, scalable and extensible architecture has resulted in wide adoption in motion picture post-production.To Paul Debevec, Tim Hawkins and Wan-Chun Ma for the invention of the Polarized Spherical Gradient Illumination facial appearance capture method, and to Xueming Yu for the design and engineering of the Light Stage X capture system. Polarized Spherical Gradient Illumination was a breakthrough in facial capture technology allowing shape and reflectance capture of an actor’s face with sub-millimeter detail, enabling the faithful recreation of hero character faces. The Light Stage X structure was the foundation for all subsequent innovation and has been the keystone of the method’s evolution into a production system.To Thabo Beeler, Derek Bradley, Bernd Bickel and Markus Gross for the conception, design and engineering of the Medusa Performance Capture System. Medusa captures exceptionally dense animated meshes without markers or makeup, pushing the boundaries of visual fidelity and productivity for character facial performances in motion pictures.To Charles Loop for his influential research on the fundamental scientific properties of subdivision surfaces as 3D geometric modeling primitives. Loop’s 1987 master’s thesis, “Smooth Subdivision Surfaces Based on Triangles,” together with his subsequent research and publications, extended the theory of subdivision surfaces and inspired further development of methods that transformed the way digital artists represent 3D geometry throughout the motion picture industry.2020 (93rd)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Dr. Zvi Reznic, Professor Meir Feder, Guy Dorman and Ron Yogev for the development of the Amimon wireless chipset, which enables untethered, high-quality on-set, encrypted digital video monitoring with sub-frame latency. By using novel extensions of digital data transmission and compression algorithms, and data prioritization based on error rate, the Amimon chipset supports the creation of systems with virtually unrestricted camera motion, expanding creative freedom during filming.To Nicolaas Verheem, Greg Smokler and Ilya Issenin for the development of the ruggedized Teradek Bolt wireless video transmission system for on-set remote monitoring. The Teradek Bolt system features a frame-synchronized back channel for real-time camera control, an error-resilient timecode channel and integrated production metadata, which have led to its widespread adoption in motion picture production.To Alexey Lukin and the Team of Mathematicians, Software Engineers, Sound Designers and Product Specialists of iZotope, Inc. for the development of the RX audio processing system. Featuring spectral processing algorithms enhanced with machine learning, the iZotope RX system is widely favored by motion picture sound professionals for audio repair and enhancement.To Jeff Bloom, Guy McNally and Nick Rose for the original concept and engineering of the Wordfit System for automatic ADR synchronization, and to John Ellwood and Jonathan Newland for the engineering and development of VocALign and Revoice Pro. Wordfit revolutionized the process of post sync ADR by eliminating the need for manual editing to perfect lip sync. VocALign and Revoice Pro are software tools that together give sound editors unprecedented control over the final performance in replaced dialog. In use for many years, these technologies continue their predominance in the creation and seamless integration of replacement dialog tracks in motion pictures.To Sanken Microphone Company Limited for the original innovation and continuous refinement of the Sanken COS-11 series of miniature lavalier microphones. Sanken’s early engineering work in microphone orientation and miniaturization has inspired the current generation of lavalier microphones. The exceptional sound quality and durability of the COS-11 series have made them the predominant lavalier microphones used in motion picture production sound recording.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Masato Nakashima, Koichi Ueno, Junji Sakuda and Junro Yonemitsu for the development of the EIZO auto-calibrating SDR monitors that incorporate a built-in sensor, digital uniformity equalizer and accompanying SDK. EIZO auto-calibrating SDR monitors increase artists’ confidence in facility-wide image reproduction accuracy and reduce disruptions to the creative process and production workflows. They have become indispensable for many major motion picture animation and effects facilities.To Alejandro Arango, Gary Martinez, Robert Derry and Glenn Derry for the system design, ergonomics, engineering and workflow integration of the widely adopted Technoprops head-mounted camera system.
The Technoprops head-mounted camera system, with its modular and production-proven construction, supports consistent face alignment with improved actor comfort, while at the same time permitting quick reconfiguration and minimizing downtime. This system enables repeatable, accurate and unobstructed capture of an actor’s facial movements.To Babak Beheshti and Scott Robitille for the development of the compact, stand-alone, phase-accurate genlock synchronization and recording module, and to Ian Kelly and Dejan Momcilovic for the technical direction and workflow integration, of the Standard Deviation head-mounted camera system. The Standard Deviation head-mounted camera system provides a robust method of accurate camera synchronization to the house clock. Combined with practical innovations for usability, it enables multiple head-mounted camera systems to be used in large capture volumes, resulting in adoption by numerous motion picture productions.To Sven Woop and Carsten Benthin for core development, Attila T. Áfra for motion picture feature development, and Manfred Ernst and Ingo Wald for early research and technical direction, of the Intel® Embree Ray Tracing Library. For the past decade, the Intel Embree Ray Tracing Library has provided a high-performance, industry-leading, CPU-based ray-geometry intersection framework through well-engineered open source code, supported by a comprehensive set of research publications. It has become an indispensable resource for motion picture production rendering.To Hayley Iben, Mark Meyer, John Anderson and Andrew Witkin for the Taz Hair Simulation System. Taz is a robust, predictable and efficient mass-spring hair simulation system with novel formulations of hair shape, bending springs and hair-to-hair collisions. It has enabled Pixar artists to bring to life animated digital characters with a wide variety of stylized hair, from straight to wavy to curly.To Stephen Bowline for the ILM HairCraft Dynamics System. The ILM HairCraft Dynamics System has a physically robust hair-dynamics model that simulates hair by embedding curves in tetrahedral mesh volumes. Its unique spring-based control system has helped ILM artists create a wide range of photorealistic digital characters and digital stunt doubles.To Kelly Ward Hammel, Aleka McAdams, Toby Jones, Maryann Simmons and Andy Milne for the Walt Disney Animation Studios Hair Simulation System. The WDAS Hair Simulation System is a robust, predictable, fast and highly art-directable system built on the mathematics of discrete elastic rods. This has provided Disney artists the flexibility to manipulate hair in hyper-realistic ways to create the strong silhouettes required for character animation and has enabled a wide range of complex hairstyles in animated feature films.To Niall Ryan, Christoph Sprenger and Gilles Daviet for the Synapse Hair Simulation System. The Synapse Hair Simulation System is a robust, predictable and highly scalable position-based dynamics system with a novel inverse parameter solver. It has helped Weta Digital artists create a wide range of photorealistic digital characters and digital stunt doubles.To Jens-Jørn Stokholm and Ole Moesmann for their innovative development of miniature high-performance DPA lavalier microphones. The DPA 4061 and 4071 lavalier microphones exemplify creative design, precise manufacture and meticulous quality control, resulting in consistent performance and exceptional on-set motion picture audio recording.To Chris Countryman and Omer T. Inan for their engineering of the subminiature high-performance Countryman Associates lavalier microphones. Originated by company founder Carl Countryman (1946–2006), these meticulously crafted subminiature microphones are easily concealed. Their spectral response-shaping filters, cable mounting and capsule design contribute to their wide adoption by motion picture production sound mixers.To Fredrik Limsäter, Björn Rydahl and Mattias Lagergren for the design, architecture and engineering of ftrack Studio. An extensible, efficient and intuitive post-production tracking software system, ftrack Studio has enabled small and large studios alike to efficiently schedule and manage complex digital motion picture animation and visual effects.2022 (95th)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Larry Barton for the pioneering design, development and engineering, and to Ben Wilcox for the electronic engineering and software development, of the Cinematography Electronics CineTape. The CineTape distance measurement system provides focus-pullers with continuous, accurate, real-time distance information to the subject, either at the camera or remotely. This high resolution distance data has enabled the reliable execution of shots that previously were impossible to judge accurately or had required multiple takes to achieve.To Howard Preston for the concept, design and engineering, and to Bernie Butler-Smith for the design and implementation of electronic circuitry and software, of the Preston Cinema Systems Light Ranger 2. The Light Ranger 2 provides precise real-time focus distance information by continuously tracking subjects in sixteen discrete zones. The distance and depth of field indicators are superimposed on the camera image, enabling the focus-puller to intuitively judge focus, even in formerly impossible and extremely challenging situations.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Howard Jensen and Danny Cangemi for the concept and creation, and to John Frazier for the development of the 60- and 100-foot Rain Bars. The Rain Bars provide a portable system for the creation of realistic, large-scale, adjustable, practical rain for motion pictures. Their rapid setup and relocation capabilities enable the efficient production of effects ranging from misting drizzles to torrential downpours.To Mark Hills and Jim Vanns for the design and engineering of the FQ render farm management system. FQ’s highly efficient scheduler and sophisticated prioritization algorithms reflect a deep understanding of render farm management. With an architecture that has remained largely unchanged for more than a decade, FQ continues to support substantial growth in computational complexity at Framestore.To Matt Chambers for his contributions to modern render farm management system design as exemplified in the scheduling architectures of Cue3 and Plow. These design contributions have resulted in robust, versatile, extensible and highly scalable render farm management systems that have supported substantial growth in computational complexity at Sony Pictures Imageworks and Weta Digital.To Sébastien Deguy and Christophe Soum for the concept and original implementation of Substance Engine, and to Sylvain Paris and Nicolas Wirrmann for the design and engineering of Substance Designer. Adobe Substance 3D Designer provides artists with a flexible and efficient procedural workflow for designing complex textures. Its sophisticated and art-directable pattern generators, intuitive design, and renderer-agnostic architecture have led to widespread adoption in motion picture visual effects and animation.To David Eberle, Theodore Kim, Fernando de Goes and Audrey Wong for the design and development of the Fizt2 elastic simulation system. Fizt2 provides a high-performance solver with novel and stable implicit physics and robust collision detection. The design of this system enables artist workflows to easily apply soft-body dynamics to a broad range of interacting animated characters and objects.2023 (96th)
(Scientific and Engineering Award)
To Charles Q. Robinson, Nicolas Tsingos, Christophe Chabanne, Mark Vinton and the team of software, hardware and implementation engineers of the Cinema Audio Group at Dolby Laboratories for the creation of the Dolby Atmos Cinema Sound System. Dolby Atmos has become an industry standard for object-based cinema audio content creation and presents a premier immersive audio experience for theatrical audiences.To Steve Read and Barry Silverstein for their contributions to the design and development of the IMAX Prismless Laser Projector. Utilizing a novel optical mirror system, the IMAX Prismless Laser Projector removes prisms from the laser light path to create the high brightness and contrast required for IMAX theatrical presentation.To Peter Janssens, Goran Stojmenovik and Wouter D’Oosterlinck for the design and development of the Barco RGB Laser Projector. The Barco RGB Laser Projector’s novel and modular design with an internally integrated laser light source produces flicker-free uniform image fields with improved contrast and brightness, enabling a widely adopted upgrade path from xenon to laser presentation without the need for alteration to screen or projection booth layout of existing theaters.To Michael Perkins, Gerwin Damberg, Trevor Davies and Martin J. Richards for the design and development of the Christie E3LH Dolby Vision Cinema Projection System, implemented in collaboration between Dolby Cinema and Christie Digital engineering teams. The Christie E3LH Dolby Vision Cinema Projection System utilizes a novel dual modulation technique that employs cascaded DLP chips along with an improved laser optical path, enabling high dynamic range theatrical presentation.To Ken Museth, Peter Cucka and Mihai Aldén for the creation of OpenVDB and its ongoing impact within the motion picture industry. For over a decade, OpenVDB’s core voxel data structures, programming interface, file format and rich tools for data manipulation continue to be the standard for efficiently representing complex volumetric effects, such as water, fire and smoke.To Jaden Oh for the concept and development of the Marvelous Designer clothing creation system. Marvelous Designer introduced a pattern-based approach to digital costume construction, unifying design and visualization and providing a virtual analogy to physical tailoring. Under Jaden Oh’s guidance, the team of engineers, UX designers and 3D designers at CLO Virtual Fashion has helped to raise the quality of appearance and motion in digital wardrobe creations.To F. Sebastian Grassia, Alex Mohr, Sunya Boonyatera, Brett Levin and Jeremy Cowles for the design and engineering of Pixar’s Universal Scene Description (USD). USD is the first open-source scene description framework capable of accommodating the full scope of the production workflow across a variety of studio pipelines. Its robust engineering and mature design are exemplified by its versatile layering system and the highly performant crate file format. USD’s wide adoption has made it a de facto interchange format of 3D scenes, enabling alignment and collaboration across the motion picture industry.(Technical Achievement Award)
To Bill Beck for his pioneering utilization of semiconductor lasers for theatrical laser projection systems. Bill Beck’s advocacy and education to the cinema industry while at Laser Light Engines contributed to the transition to laser projection in theatrical exhibition.To Gregory T. Niven for his pioneering work in using laser diodes for theatrical laser projection systems. At Novalux and Necsel, Gregory T. Niven demonstrated and refined specifications for laser light sources for theatrical exhibition, leading the industry’s transition to laser cinema projection technology.To Yoshitaka Nakatsu, Yoji Nagao, Tsuyoshi Hirao, Tomonori Morizumi and Kazuma Kozuru for their development of laser diodes for theatrical laser projection systems. Yoshitaka Nakatsu, Yoji Nagao, Tsuyoshi Hirao, Tomonori Morizumi and Kazuma Kozuru collaborated closely with cinema professionals and manufacturers while at Nichia Corporation Laser Diode Division, leading to the development and industry-wide adoption of blue and green laser modules producing wavelengths and power levels matching the specific needs of the cinema market.To Arnold Peterson and Elia P. Popov for their ongoing design and engineering, and to John Frazier for the initial concept of the Blind Driver Roof Pod. The roof pod improves the safety, speed and range of stunt driving, extending the options for camera placement while acquiring picture car footage with talent in the vehicle, leading to rapid adoption across the industry.To Jon G. Belyeu for the design and engineering of Movie Works Cable Cutter devices. The unique and resilient design of this suite of pyrotechnic cable cutters has made them the preferred method for safe, precise and reliable release of suspension cables for over three decades in motion picture production.To James Eggleton and Delwyn Holroyd for the design, implementation and integration of the High-Density Encoding (HDE) lossless compression algorithm within the Codex recording toolset. The HDE codec allows productions to leverage familiar and proven camera raw workflows more efficiently by reducing the storage and bandwidth needed for the increased amounts of data from high-photosite-count cameras.To Jeff Lait, Dan Bailey and Nick Avramoussis for the continued evolution and expansion of the feature set of OpenVDB. Core engineering developments contributed by OpenVDB’s open-source community have led to its ongoing success as an enabling platform for representing and manipulating volumetric data for natural phenomena. These additions have helped solidify OpenVDB as an industry standard that drives continued innovation in visual effects.To Oliver Castle and Marcus Schoo for the design and engineering of Atlas, and to Keith Lackey for the prototype creation and early development of Atlas. Atlas’s scene description and evaluation framework enables the integration of multiple digital content creation tools into a coherent production pipeline. Its plug-in architecture and efficient evaluation engine provide a consistent representation from virtual production through to lighting.To Lucas Miller, Christopher Jon Horvath, Steve LaVietes and Joe Ardent for the creation of the Alembic Caching and Interchange system. Alembic’s algorithms for storing and retrieving baked, time-sampled data enable high-efficiency caching across the digital production pipeline and sharing of scenes between facilities. As an open-source interchange library, Alembic has seen widespread adoption by major software vendors and production studios.