The Scientific and Technical Awards are three different Honorary Awards that are given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) during the annual Academy Awards season.[1][2] The Awards have been presented since the 4th Academy Awards in November 1931, to recognize original developments resulting in significant improvements in motion picture production and exhibition.[2] The Awards are presented at a formal dinner ceremony a couple weeks before the principal Academy Awards ceremony.[2] The 2025 awards will take place April 29, two months after the 97th Academy Awards.
These awards recognize significant milestones in the development of technology for motion pictures and are conferred by vote of the Academy Board of Governors. Potential nominations for awards are investigated by a special committee within the Academy, "The Scientific and Technical Awards Committee", which presents a written report and recommendation to the Board of Governors.[3]
Additionally, the John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation, given for "outstanding service and dedication in upholding the high standards of the Academy", and the Gordon E. Sawyer Award, both also considered Honorary Awards, are usually also chosen by the Scientific and Technical Awards Committee and conferred at this annual presentation dinner ceremony.[4][5]
Three kinds of Scientific and Technical Awards
Innovations in motion pictures technology are recognized with the following awards:
From the 4th Academy Awards in 1931 through the 50th Academy Awards in 1978 the award was originally called the "Class I Scientific and Technical Award." The award is non-competitive. Winners receive an Oscar statuette.[1] As of 2018[update], 50 achievements have been recognized with an Award of Merit.
To Douglas Shearer and the MGM Studio Sound Department "for the development of a practical two-way horn system and a biased Class A push-pull recording system"
To 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. Stephens
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 which culminated in Cinerama"
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"
To Philip V. Palmquist of Minnesota Mining and Manufacture Co., to 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 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"
To Linwood G. Dunn, Cecil D. Love, and AcmeTool and Manufacturing Company "for the concept, engineering, and development of the Acme-Dunn Optical Printer for motion picture special effects"
To Bernard Kuhl, and Werner Block, and to the Osram GmbH Research and Development Department "for the invention and continuing improvement of the Osram HMI light source for motion picture photography"
To Ray Dolby and Ioan Allen of Dolby Laboratories Incorporated "for their continuous contributions to motion picture sound through the research and development programs of Dolby Laboratories"
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"
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 transport speeds in excess of 600 feet per minute"
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"
To Alias/Wavefront "for the development of a 3D animation, dynamics, modeling, and rendering production tool known as Maya"
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"
To Bill Tondreau of Kuper Controls "for his significant advancements in the field of motion picture control technology for motion picture visual effects"
To Horst Burbulla "for the invention and continuing development of the Technocrane telescoping camera crane"
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"
To the Eastman Kodak Company "for the development of photographic emulsion technologies incorporated into the Kodak Vision2 family of color negative films"
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."
To Mark Elendt and SideFX Software for the creation and development of the Houdini visual effects and animation system
Scientific and Engineering Award
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2022)
The Scientific and Engineering Award is given for scientific achievements that produce a definite influence on the advancement of the motion picture industry. Achievements need not have been developed and introduced during the award year.
To Anatoliy Kokush for the concept and development of the Cascade series of motion picture cranes.
To Anatoliy Kokush, Oleksiy Zolotarov for the concept and development of the Russian Arm gyro-stabilized camera crane and the Flight Head.
To David Baraff, Michael Kass, Andy Witkin for their pioneering work in physically based computer-generated techniques used to simulate realistic cloth in motion pictures.
To Garrett Brown for the original concept of the Skycam flying camera system - the first use of 3D volumetric cable technology for motion picture cinematography.
To Laurie Frost, Peter Hannan for the development of the remote camera head known as the Hot-Head.
To David Grober, for the concept and mechanical design of the Perfect Horizon camera stabilization head.
To Scott Lewallen, for the electronic and software design of the Perfect Horizon camera stabilization head.
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.
To Steve Read and Barry Silverstein for their contributions to the design and development of the IMAX Prismless Laser Projector.
To Peter Janssens, Goran Stojmenovik and Wouter D’Oosterlinck for the design and development of the Barco RGB Laser Projector.
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.
To Ken Museth, Peter Cucka and Mihai Aldén for the creation of OpenVDB and its ongoing impact within the motion picture industry.
To Jaden Oh for the concept and development of the Marvelous Designer clothing creation system.
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).
To Steve Wagner for the initial concept and software, to Garrett Brown for the design, and to Jerry Holway and Robert Orf for the engineering of the Steadicam Volt stabilization system. system[12][13]
^Scientific and Engineering Award (archived from the original on 2008-07-05). Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences official website (archived). Retrieved 2017-02-27. "If an achievement has had a definite influence on the advancement of the industry, it may qualify for a Scientific and Engineering Award (a bronze tablet with the name of the award in raised lettering, and a representation of the Oscar statuette in bas relief to one side of the plaque). Affixed to the base is a plate engraved with a description of the achievement and the names of the contributors."
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