14 SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENTS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR 2013 ACADEMY AWARDS®

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Scientific and Technical Awards Committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that 14 scientific and technical achievements 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 27, at 11:59 p.m. PT.

The committee has selected the following technologies for further consideration:

Neutral density filters that remove infrared contamination.
•Prompted by the submission of the Infrared Neutral Density (IR ND) Filter Technology (Tiffen Co.)

Untethered HD video assist devices.
•Prompted by the submission of Meridian (Boxx TV Ltd.)

Software tools for accelerated simulation and rendering of smoke, fire and explosions.
•Prompted by the submission of Plume (ILM) and Flux (DreamWorks Animation)

Physically based shading and lighting techniques for digital rendering.
•Prompted by the submission Efficient Physically Inspired Shading (Pixar Animation Studios)

Software tools for integrated sculpting and painting of digital models.
•Prompted by the submission of Mudbox (Autodesk) and ZBrush (Pixologic)

Pre-computation techniques for visibility and lighting in rendering applications.
•Prompted by the submission of Weta’s Spherical Harmonics Lighting (Weta Digital)

Compositing systems using per-pixel “deep” depth information.
•Prompted by the submission of Deep Compositing (Weta Digital)

Software frameworks for integrated and extensible VFX and animation applications.
•Prompted by the submission of Zeno (ILM)

Integrated software tools for performance capture, visualization and manipulation.
•Prompted by the submission of MotionBuilder (Autodesk)

Non-explosive car flipping devices.
•Prompted by the submission of the Pneumatic Car Flipper (Fxperts, Inc.)

Helicopter-based camera motion-control platforms.
•Prompted by the submission of Flying-Cam 3.0 SARAH (Flying-Cam)

Digital workflow specifications for managing color.
•Prompted by the submission of ASC CDL (D-Cinema Consulting)

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 2013 Scientific and Technical Awards will be presented on Saturday, February 15, 2014.

Claims of prior art or similar technology must be submitted on the Academy’s website at www.oscars.org/awards/scitech/apply.html.  For further information, contact the Awards Administration Office at (310) 247-3000, ext. 1131, or via e-mail at scitech@oscars.org.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar® Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live on the ABC Television Network.  The presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

ACADEMY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL SELECTS STUDENTS FOR 2013 INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Positions at the Tech Council, Dolby Laboratories, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Science and Technology Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has selected five students to participate in its 2013 summer internship program, with placements at the Tech Council, Dolby Laboratories, Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Animation Studios. The only one of its kind, the Academy-sponsored program is designed to nurture the next generation of motion picture technologists by providing real-world experience to students interested in careers in motion picture technology and scientific research.

The 2013 Science and Technology Council summer interns and their internship hosts are:

• Victor Mateevitsi, University of Illinois at Chicago – Pixar Animation Studios
• Ritvik Menon, University of Pennsylvania – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Jaclyn Pytlarz, Rochester Institute of Technology – Science and Technology Council
• Wei Wang, Texas A&M University – Pixar Animation Studios
• Xi Xu, University of Illinois at Chicago – Dolby Laboratories

These five students were selected from among applicants who underwent a rigorous vetting process by a distinguished panel of Tech Council members. The applicants submitted demo reels of their work, which were reviewed and evaluated for technical aptitude, innovation, creativity and originality.

Now in its seventh year, the summer internship program provides a 10- to 12-week hands-on experience that helps students gain a deeper understanding of advanced motion picture technologies. During the internships, the students will also attend several Academy-related events in Southern California and the Bay Area, including meet-and-greets with industry experts.

"Our hope is that these extraordinary young innovators will lead in the development and deployment of next-generation motion picture technology. This group of highly skilled interns from diverse backgrounds will spur advancements in creativity and fuel new toolsets for artists. Their work will spark the imagination of audiences worldwide," said Elizabeth Cohen, Ph.D., the Tech Council's internship program chair.

Established in 2003 by the Academy's Board of Governors, the Science and Technology Council provides a forum for the exchange of information, promotes cooperation among diverse technological interests within the industry, sponsors publications, fosters educational activities, and preserves the history of the science and technology of motion pictures.