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The Academy to Consider 21 Achievements for Sci-Tech Awards

The Scientific and Technical Awards Committee announces 21 scientific and technical achievements selected for further awards consideration. 

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — The Scientific and Technical Awards Committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that 21 scientific and technical achievements, 16 distinct investigations, have been selected for further awards consideration.

The list is made public to allow individuals and companies with similar devices or claims of prior art the opportunity to submit achievements for review.

The deadline to submit additional entries is Tuesday, August 26, at 11:59 p.m. PT.

The committee has selected the following technologies for further consideration:

  • Portable, remote-controlled telescoping camera columns

Prompted by MAT-TOWERCAM TWIN PEEK (MAT - Mad About Technology)

  • Drivable, high-speed vehicle platforms

Prompted by THE BISCUIT JR. (Allan Padelford Camera Cars)

  • Neutral density filters that remove infrared contamination

Prompted by INFRARED NEUTRAL DENSITY FILTER TECHNOLOGY (Tiffen Company)

  • Lightweight, prime lens sets for high-resolution cameras

Prompted by LEICA SUMMILUX-C PRIME LENS SERIES (CW Sonderoptic)

  • Optical audio transfer processes

Prompted by CHACE OPTICAL SOUND PROCESSOR (Deluxe)

  • Enabling technology of digital cinema projectors

Prompted by TEXAS INSTRUMENTS DLP CINEMA TECHNOLOGY (Texas Instruments)

  • Interactive blend shape modeling and manufacturing

Prompted by LAIKA RAPID PROTOTYPING AND FACIAL ANIMATION TECHNOLOGY (LAIKA, Inc.) and ILM SHAPE SCULPTING SYSTEM (ILM)

  • Measurement toolsets for quality control of cinematic experience

Prompted by LSS-100P (Ultra-Stereo Labs)

  • Displays providing suitable visual reference for feature film review

Prompted by SONY TRIMASTER EL ORGANIC LIGHT EMITTING DIODE PICTURE MONITORS (Sony Pictures Imageworks)

  • Collaborative, enhanceable image playback and review systems

Prompted by RV MEDIA PLAYER (Tweak Software)

  • High-resolution motion capture techniques for deforming objects

Prompted by MOVA (MOVA) and GEOMETRY TRACKER (ILM)

  • Systems for interactive grooming and direct-manipulation of digital hair

Prompted by BARBERSHOP (Weta Digital)

  • Systems for placing, grooming and resolving collisions of digital feathers

Prompted by DREAMWORKS FEATHER SYSTEM (DreamWorks Animation)

  • Systems for modeling, animation and rendering of digital vegetation

Prompted by SPEEDTREE (IDV)

  • Digital technologies for high-density physical destruction simulation

Prompted by DROP DESTRUCTION TOOLKIT (Digital Domain) and FINITE ELEMENT DESTRUCTION MODELING (UC Berkeley) and ODIN - UNIFIED HPC MULTI-PHYSICS SIMULATION PLATFORM (Weta Digital)

  • Efficient volumetric data formats

Prompted by FIELD 3D (Sony Pictures Imageworks) and VDB: HIGH-RESOLUTION SPARSE VOLUMES WITH DYNAMIC TOPOLOGY (DreamWorks Animation)

After thorough investigations are conducted in each of the technology categories, the committee will meet in early December to vote on recommendations to the Academy’s Board of Governors, which will make the final awards decisions.

The 2014 Scientific and Technical Awards will be presented on Saturday, February 7, 2015.

Claims of prior art or similar technology must be submitted on the Academy’s website at www.oscars.org/awards/scitech/apply.html.

The Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscars presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Source: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Jennifer Wolfe's picture

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.