The Technical Achievement Award is one of three Scientific and Technical Awards given from time to time by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. (The other two awards are the Scientific and Engineering Award and the Academy Award of Merit.)[1] The Technical Achievement Award is an honorary award that is given annually to those whose particular technical accomplishments have contributed to the progress of the motion picture industry.[2] The award is a certificate, which describes the achievement and lists the names of those being honored for the particular contribution.[2][3] These awards are usually given at a dinner ceremony held weeks prior to the Academy Awards broadcast and a brief excerpt is shown in the Oscars telecast.
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
Douglas Shearer and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Sound Department for their automatic control system for cameras and sound recording machines and auxiliary stage equipment
Stage Operations
Electrical Research Products, Inc., for their study and development of equipment to analyze and measure flutter resulting from the travel of the film through the mechanisms used in the recording and reproduction of sound
Sound
Paramount Productions, Inc., for the design and construction of the Paramount transparency air turbine developing machine
Laboratory
Nathan Levinson, Director of Sound Recording for Warner Bros.-First National Studio, for the method of intercutting variable density and variable area soundtracks to secure an increase in the effective volume range of sound recorded for motion pictures.
RCA Manufacturing Co., Inc., for their development of a method of recording and printing sound records utilizing a restricted spectrum (known as an ultra-violet light recording)
RCA Manufacturing Co., Inc., for the introduction of the modulated high-frequency method of determining optimum photographic processing conditions for variable width soundtracks
Laboratory
Joseph E. Robbins and Paramount Pictures, Inc., for an exceptional application of acoustic principles to the soundproofing of gasoline generators and water pumps
Thomas T. Moulton, Fred Albin, and the Sound Department of the Samuel Goldwyn Studio for the origination and application of the Delta DB test for sound recording in motion pictures
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
Film
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
Sound
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
Robert Henderson and the Paramount Studio Engineering and Transparency Departments for the design and construction of adjustable light bridges and screen frames for transparency process photography
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
Fred Ponedel of Warner Bros. Studio for pioneering the fabrication and practical application to motion picture color photography of large translucent photographic backgrounds
Marty Martin, Jack Lannan, 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
The Projection, Still Photographic, and Development Engineering Departments of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio for an improved method of projecting photographic backgrounds
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
Projection
Fred Knoth and Orien Ernst of the Universal-International Studio Technical Department for the development of a hand portable, electric, dry oil-fog machine
Walter Jolley, Maurice Larson, R.H. Spies of 20th Century Fox Studio for a spraying process that creates simulated metallic surfaces
Props
Steve Krilanovich for an improved camera dolly incorporating multi-directional steering
Camera Cranes
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
The Technical Departments of Paramount Pictures Corp., for the engineering and development of the Paramount light-weight horizontal-movement VistaVision camera
Willy Borberg of the General Precision Laboratory, Inc., for the development of a high-speed intermittent movement for 35mm motion picture theatre projection equipment
Projection
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
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
Lighting
Stewart Filmscreen Corporation for a seamless translucent Blue Screen for Traveling Matte Color Cinematography
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
Laboratory
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
Laboratory
Nelson Tyler for the design and construction of an improved Helicopter Camera System
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
Sylvania Electric Products, Inc., for the development and introduction of a series of compact tungsten halogen lamps for motion picture production
Lighting
B.J. Losmandy for the concept, design, and application of micro-miniature solid state amplifier modules used in motion picture recording equipment
Sound
Eastman Kodak Company and Photo Electronics Corporation for the design and engineering of an improved video color analyzer for motion picture laboratories
Laboratory
Electro Sound Incorporated for the design and introduction of the Series 8000 Sound System for motion picture theatres
Sound
1971–1990
Technical Achievement Award recipients, by year of nomination (1971–1990)
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
Camera
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
Laboratory
Cinema Products Company for a control motor to actuate zoom lenses on motion picture cameras
Rosco Laboratories, Inc., for the technical advances and the development of a complete system of light-control materials for motion picture photography
The Elemack Company, Rome, Italy, for the design and development of their Spyder camera dolly
Camera Cranes
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
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
Special Photographic
David 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
Laboratory
Joseph Westheimer for the development of a device to obtain shadowed titles on motion picture films
Special Photographic
Carter Equipment Company, Inc. and Ramtronics for the engineering and manufacture of a computerized tape punching system for programming laboratory printing machines
Laboratory
Hollywood Film Company for the engineering and manufacture of a computerized tape punching system for programming laboratory printing machines
Laboratory
Bell & Howell for the engineering and manufacture of a computerized tape punching system for programming laboratory printing machines
Laboratory
Fredrik Schlyter for the engineering and manufacture of a computerized tape punching system for programming laboratory printing machines
Ernst F. Nettman of the Astrovision Division of Continental Camera Systems, Incorporated, for the engineering of its Periscope Aerial Camera System
Camera
EECO (Electronic Engineering Company of California) for developing a method for interlocking non-sprocketed film and tape media used in motion picture production
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
Kiichi Sekiguchi of CINE-FI International for the development of the CINE-FI Auto Radio Sound System for Drive-In Theaters
Systems
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
Camera Cranes
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
Camera Cranes
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
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
Projection
Zoran Perisic of Courier Films, Ltd., for the Zoptic Special Optical Effects Device for motion picture photography
Special Photographic
A. D. Flowers and Logan R. Frazee for the development of a device to control flight patterns of miniature airplanes during motion picture photography
Carter Equipment Company for the development of a continuous contact, total immersion, additive color motion picture printer
Laboratory
Hollywood Film Company for the development of a continuous-contact, total immersion, additive color motion picture printer
Laboratory
fr: André Debrie for the development of a continuous contact, total immersion, additive color motion picture printer
Laboratory
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
Bran Ferren of Associates and Ferren for the design and development of a computerized lightning effect system for motion picture photography
Stage Operations
Christie Electric Corp. and LaVezzi Machine Works, Inc., for the design and manufacture of the Ultramittent film transport for Christie motion picture projectors
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
Jack Cashin of Ultra-Stereo Labs, Incorporated, for the engineering and development of a 4-channel, stereophonic, decoding system for optical motion picture soundtrack reproduction
Sound
David J. Degenkolb for the design and development of an automated device used in the silver recovery process in motion picture laboratories
Don Trumbull, Jonathan Erland, Stephen Fog, and Paul Burk of Apogee, Inc., for the design and development of the "Blue Max" high-power, blue-flux projector for traveling matte composite photography
Special Photographic
Jonathan Erland and Robert Bealmear of Apogee, Incorporated, for an innovative design for front projection screens and an improved method for their construction
Special Photographic
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
Lee Electric (Lightning) Ltd., for the design and development of an electronic, flicker-free, discharge lamp control system
Lighting
Peter Parks of Oxford Scientific Films' Image Quest Division for the development of a live aero-compositor for special effects photography
Special Photographic
Matt Sweeney and Lucinda Strub for the development of an automatic capsule gun for simulating bullet hits for motion picture special effects
Stage Operations
Carl E. 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
Lighting
Bran Ferren of Associates and Ferren for the development of a laser synchro-cue system for applications in the motion picture industry
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
Photography
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
Ioan Allen of Dolby Laboratories, Inc., for the Cat. 43 playback-only noise reduction unit and its practical application to motion picture sound recordings
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
Camera
Michael V. Chewey III for the development of the motion picture industry's first paper tape reader incorporating microprocessor technology
Laboratory
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
Laboratory
Hollywood Film Company for the development of a high-speed reader incorporating microprocessor technology for motion picture laboratories
Laboratory
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
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
Photography
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
Editorial
Gary Zeller of Zeller International Limited for the development of Zel-Jel fire protection barrier for motion picture stunt work
Stage Operations
Emanual Trilling of Trilling Resources Limited for the development of Stunt-Gel fire protection barrier for motion picture stunt work
Stage Operations
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 videotape
William L. Blowers of Belco Associates, Incorporated and Thomas F. Denove for developing and manufacturing the Belco/Denove Cinemeter. This digital/analog exposure meter was specifically and uniquely designed for the cinematographer.
Photography
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
Lenses and Filters
Christopher Gilman, Harvey Hubert Jr. of the Diligent Dwarves Effects Lab for the development of the Actor Climate System, consisting of heat-transferring undergarments
Stage Operations
Jim Graves of J&G Enterprises for the development of the Cool Suit System, consisting of heat-transferring undergarments
Stage Operations
Bengt O. Orhall, Kenneth Lund, Bjorn Selin, and Kjell Högberg of AB Film-Teknik for developing and manufacturing the Mark IV film subtitling processor, which has increased the speed, simplified the operation, and improved the quality of subtitling
Laboratory
Richard Mula and Pete Romano of HydroImage, Incorporated, for the development of the SeaPar 1200 watt HMI Underwater Lamp
Lighting
Dedo Weigert of Dedo Weigert Film GmbH for the development of the Dedolight, a miniature low-voltage tungsten-halogen lighting fixture
Peter Baldwin for the design; Dr. Paul Kiankhooy and the Lightmaker Company for the development of the Lightmaker AC/DC HMI Ballast
Lighting
The All-Union Cinema and Photo Research Institute (NIKFI) for continuously improving and providing 3D presentations to Soviet motion picture audiences for the last 25 years
Systems
1991–1999
Technical Achievement Award recipients, by year of nomination (1991–1999)
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
Stage Operations
James Doyle for the design and development of the Dry Fogger, which uses liquid nitrogen to produce safe, dense, low-hanging fog effects
Stage Operations
Dick Cavdek, Steve Hamerski, and Otto Nemenz International, Incorporated for the optomechanical design and development of the Canon/Nemenz Zoom Lens
Lenses and Filters
Ken Robings and Clairmont Camera for the optomechanical design and development of the Canon/Clairmont Camera Zoom Lens
Lenses and Filters
Century Precision Optics for the optomechanical design and development of the Canon/Century Precision Optics Zoom Lens
Harry J. Baker for the design and development of the Ronford-Baker Metal Tripods for motion picture photography
Stage Operations
Michael Dorrough for the design and development of the compound meter known as the Dorrough Audio Level Meter
Sound
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
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 comprises the non-gun safety blank firing system
Emmanuel Previnaire of Flying-Cam for his pioneering concept and for the development of mounting a motion picture camera on a remotely-controlled miniature helicopter
Photography
Jacques Sax of Sonosax for the design and development of the Sonosax SX-S portable audio mixer
Stephen W. Potter, John Asman, Charles Pell, and Richard Larson of LarTec Systems for the advancement and refinement of the computer-controlled list management style ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement) system via the LarTec ADR System that has established itself as a standard of the industry
Sound
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"
Sound
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"
Sound
Dieter Sturm of Sturm's Special Effects Int'l for the creation and development of the Bio-Snow 2 Flake
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
Sound
Clay Davis and John Carter of Todd-AO Corporation for their pioneering efforts in creating an Automated Patchbay System for motion picture sound transfer and dubbing operations
Peter Denz of Präzisions-Entwicklung Denz for developing a flicker-free Color Video-Assist Camera
Camera
David Pringle and Yan Zhong Fang for the design and development of "Lightning Strikes," a flexible, high-performance electronic lightning effect system
Stage Operations
BHP, Incorporated., for their pioneering efforts in developing Digital Sound Printing Heads for motion pictures
Sound
Joe Finnegan (a.k.a. Joe Yrigoyen) for his pioneering work in developing the Air Ram for motion picture stunt effects
The Computer Film Company for their pioneering efforts in the creation of the CFC Digital Film Compositing System
Special Photographic
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
Perry Kivolowitz for the primary design, and Dr. Garth Dickie for the development of the algorithms, for the shape-driven warping and morphing subsystem of the Elastic Reality Special Effects System
Special Photographic
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
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
Garrett Brown and Jerry Holway, for the creation of the Skyman flying platform for Steadicam operators. This cable-driven, manned camera platform allows the operator to spin 360 degrees for unimpeded pans while controlling the downhill speed via brakes. As a device for achieving otherwise impossible shots, Skyman has had a definite influence on later cable-suspended camera systems.
Camera Cranes
Jim Rodnunsky, Jim Webber, and Bob Webber of Cablecam Systems, and Trou Bayliss, for the design and engineering of Cablecam. This radio-controlled, cable-driven camera platform with its ultra-smooth synthetic cables and powerful hydraulic motors, enables runs in excess of 3000 feet with a quick return to start. Operating unmanned, it can function at speeds and through perils that would be unsafe for onboard operators.
Camera Cranes
David DiFrancesco, N. Balasubramanian, and Tom Noggle, for their pioneering efforts in the development of laser film recording technology. This pioneering laser film recorder, designed and used for motion pictures, demonstrated the potential of this technology for recording digital data onto intermediate film stock.
Special Photographic
Mike MacKenzie, Mike Bolles, Udo Pampel, Joseph Fulmer of Industrial Light & Magic for their pioneering work in motion-controlled, silent camera dollies. This silent, high-speed motion control modification of a Panther dolly makes it possible to film moving camera composite shots of actors while recording live dialogue.
Camera Cranes
Barry Walton, Bill Schultz, Chris Barker, and David Cornelius of Sony Pictures Imageworks, for the creation of an advanced motion-controlled, silent camera dolly. This extensive modification to the Panther dolly allows high-speed moves to be silent, smooth, and stable.
Camera Cranes
Bruce Wilton and Carlos Icinkoff of Mechanical Concepts, for their modular system of motion-control rotators and movers for use in motion-control. These components have become the de facto industry standard for use in precision motion control equipment.
Camera Cranes
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. The design and execution of the Spectra Professional IV-A meter have resulted in a practical and successful tool for the film production community.
Photography
Ivan Kruglak for his commitment to the development of a wireless transmission system for video-assisted images for the motion picture industry. Through years of persistent effort, Mr. Kruglak has commercialized and popularized a technique of great utility for motion picture camera operations. By introducing diversity antennas and a time code insertion accessory, he has optimized camera wireless video-assist components.
Camera
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. The TRACK system is an integrated software tool that uses computer-vision techniques to extract critical 2D and the camera used to film it.
Special Photographic
Thaddeus Beier for the design and implementation of ras_track, a system for 2D tracking, stabilization, and 3D camera and object tracking. Ras_track allows the user to determine the position and location of the camera and objects in a scene by tracking points in a scanned sequence.
Special Photographic
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. The K-TEK series microphone boom pole provides production recording personnel with a self-lubricated, light-weight, sturdy pole with multiple accessories.
Sound
Nick Foster for his software development in the field of water simulation systems. This software technique provides an efficient and flexible method for the creation of flowing streams, oceans, tidal waves, and turbulence for motion picture visual effects.
Special Photographic
Cary Phillips for the design and development of the "Caricature" Animation System at Industrial Light & Magic. By integrating existing tools into a powerful interactive system, and adding an expressive multi-target shape interpolation-based freeform animation system, the "Caricature" system provides a degree of subtlety and refinement not possible with other systems.
Special Photographic
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. Designed to correspond to the spectral sensitivity of color negative film stocks, these filters provide for improved color control in motion picture lighting.
Lenses and Filters
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. The use of zeolite crystals as molecular sieves to absorb moisture, acetic acid, methylene chloride, and a variety of solvents created an effective deterrent to the effects of vinegar syndrome in stored film stock.
Laboratory
Takuo Miyagishima and Albert K. Saiki of Panavision, Incorporated, for the design and development of the Eyepiece Leveler. This leveler keeps the camera eyepiece at the same level, regardless of whether the camera position is tilted up or down, enabling the camera operator to concentrate on the composition of the image.
Camera
Edmund Di Giulio and James Bartell of Cinema Products, for the design of the KeyKode Sync Reader. The KeyKode Sync Reader provides a fast, accurate, and user-friendly means of utilizing the KeyKode information on film, thereby expediting the editorial and post-production processes.
Laboratory
To Ivan Kruglak, for his pioneering concept and the development of the Coherent Time Code Slate. Time code slates have had a significant impact on the filmmaking process by simplifying post-production. This development makes the synchronization process faster and more precise, particularly when multiple cameras are used.
Editorial and Pre-production
Mike Denecke, for refining and further developing electronic time code slates. Due to their features and simplified operational procedures, the Denecke slates have had a significant impact on the motion picture industry and have become the standard for electronic time code slates.
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.
Sound
Leslie Drever, for the design and development of the LightWave microphone windscreens and isolation mounts from LightWave Systems. Designed to eliminate physical acoustical rumble and to cover a microphone's high sensitivity to wind and other unwanted noises, the LightWave Systems line of shock mounts and windscreens accomplish these tasks without altering or impairing the original frequency response of the microphone.
Sound
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.
Lenses and Filters
Hoyt 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.
Laboratory
2000–2009
Technical Achievement Award recipients, by year of nomination (2000–2009)
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".
Lighting
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.
Stage Operations
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.
Stage Operations
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.
Lenses and Filters
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.
Lenses and Filters
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.
Systems
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.
Special Photographic
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.
Special Photographic
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 the efficient and uniform control of color and exposure in camera negatives, interpositives and duplicate negatives.
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.
Photography
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 has had significant influence in the field of underwater photography.
Photography
To Bernard 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 cinema loudspeakers was both innovative and dedicated specifically to cinema applications.
Sound
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.
Sound
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.
Camera
To Thomas Major Barron for the overall concept and design; Charles 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.
Camera Cranes
To John 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.
Digital Imaging Technology
To Dr. Steve Sullivan and Eric 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.
Digital Imaging Technology
To Carl Ludwig and John 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.
Special Photographic
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.
Digital Imaging Technology
To Lance 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."
Digital Imaging Technology
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.
Digital Imaging Technology
To 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 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.
Digital Imaging Technology
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. 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.
Digital Imaging Technology
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.
Digital Imaging Technology
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.
Systems
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.
Lighting
To Rawdon Hayne and Robert W. Jeffs of Leelium Tubelite for their contributions to the development of internally lit balloons for motion picture lighting.
Lighting
References
^"About". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
^Skip the first hyperlink ("Technical Achievement Award"), which no longer functions, and instead go to the second hyperlink ("Archived"). "Technical Achievement Award". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 2008-06-22. Retrieved 2008-08-01. Technical Achievement Awards may be made for those accomplishments that contribute to the progress of the industry. A certificate is printed describing the achievement and listing the names of all of the individuals who contributed to its development.
^"The Official Academy Awards Database"(Under "Award Category" select " Scientific and Technical (Technical Achievement Award), and check the "Winners Only" box, then click on "search".). Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 2023-04-03.