12 distinct scientific and technical investigations have been launched for the 2016 Oscars®

12 SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL AREAS UNDER INVESTIGATION
FOR 2016 OSCARS^®

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that 12 distinct scientific and technical investigations have been launched for the 2016 Oscars^®.

These investigations are made public so individuals and companies with devices or claims of innovation within these areas will have the opportunity to submit achievements for review.

The deadline to submit additional entries is Tuesday, August 30, at 5 p.m. PT.  The Academy’s Scientific and Technical Awards Committee has started investigations into the following areas:

• High-resolution digital motion picture cameras with sensors sized Super 35 or larger
• Recent advancements in motion control software
• Recent advancements in wireless microphone technology
• Computer-printed, seamless scenic backdrops
• Camera flange depth measurement devices
• Shading programming languages for production rendering
• Ray-tracing production renderers supporting physically-based shading and light transport
• Real-time, vector-based drawing tools for sketching and markup in film production
• Fast-reset bullet hit kits for live-action production
• On-set, real-time, principal camera tracking technology
• Electrodeless plasma arc lamps for motion picture lighting
• Reconfigurable, rideable, life-size animatronic horses

The committee also will continue its investigation of rig-based solvers for tracking and animating deforming objects from image sequences, which it tabled in 2015.

Claims of prior art or similar technology must be submitted online at www.oscars.org/awards/scitech/apply.html.  For further information, contact the Awards Office at (310) 247-3000, ext. 1129, or via e-mail at scitech@oscars.org.

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 2016 Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2017.

The 89th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre^® at Hollywood & Highland Center^® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.  The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.