OSCARS GET TECHNICAL TO PRAISE MOVIE INNOVATION.Byline: P.J. Huffstutter Daily News Staff Writer Hollywood's geek-chic crowd was honored earlier this month when the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences presented its annual scientific and technical awards. The ceremony, a black-tie affair held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, honored those whose work in science molds the way movies are made today - particularly in the area of visual effects. Award presenter Helen Hunt Helen Elizabeth Hunt (born June 15, 1963) is an Emmy-, Golden Globe- and Academy Award-winning American actress, perhaps most widely known for her role in the television sitcom Mad About You. noted that without such advances, filmmakers would never have been able to create such movies as ``Twister'' and ``Dragonheart.'' ``Without you, `Twister' would have involved me covered in mud, driving around in a truck and shouting `Cow!' like an idiot,'' Hunt told the audience. ``I don't think even my family would pay $7 to see that.'' For some honorees, the event rewarded them for work they did more than a decade ago. This was the case for Ken Perlin Ken Perlin is a professor in the Department of Computer Science at New York University. His research interests include graphics, animation, and multimedia. He has developed or been involved with developing techniques such as Perlin noise, Hypertexture, Real-Time Interactive , who received an achievement award for creating a visual-effects technique used to produce natural-looking textures on computer-generated surfaces. ``The first part of the technology was developed back in 1983, and I wrote a paper on it that was published in 1985,'' said Perlin, a computer-science professor at New York University New York University, mainly in New York City; coeducational; chartered 1831, opened 1832 as the Univ. of the City of New York, renamed 1896. It comprises 13 schools and colleges, maintaining 4 main centers (including the Medical Center) in the city, as well as the . ``I guess it shows that it takes quite a while for technology to move out of the laboratory and into Hollywood's day-to-day work life.'' In addition to Perlin, the academy also gave technical achievement awards to James Kajiya and Timothy Kay for their work with computer-generated fur and hair; Perry Kivolowitz Perry Kivolowitz is an American computer scientist and business person. In 1985, he co-founded Advanced Systems Design Group which built hardware for the Commodore Amiga. In 1996 he received an Academy Award for Scientific and Technical Achievement for the invention of shape driven and Dr. Garth A. Dickie for the design and development of a shape-driven warping and morphing system; Nestor Burtnyk and Marceli Wein of the National Research Council of Canada The National Research Council Canada (NRC) is Canada's leading organization for scientific research and development. History NRC was established in 1916, mainly to advise the government. Then, in the early 1930s, laboratories were built in Ottawa. for their work in developing software tools for computer-assited key framing for character animation Character animation is a specialized process of the animation process, concerning the animation of one or more characters featured in an animated work. It is usually as one aspect of a larger production, and often to complement voice acting. ; and Brian Knep, Craig Hayes, Rick Sayre and Thomas Williams Thomas Williams may refer to:
Additional awards were given to Jeffrey Youst, Christian Rouet, David Benson and Florian Kainz for developing a computer system for creating digital fur and hair; Grant Loucks for the concept and specifications of the Mark V Director's Viewfinder The preview window on a camera that is used to frame, focus and take the picture. On analog cameras, the viewfinder is an eye-sized window that must be pressed against the face. Point-and-shoot digital cameras use small LCD screens that are viewed several inches from the eyes. ; and Richard A. Prey and William N. Masten for the design and development of the Nite Sun II lighting crane and camera platform. Scientific and engineering awards were presented to Jonathan Erland and Kay Beving Erland for their Digital Series Traveling Matte Backing System for composite photography; William Reeves for conceptualizing particle systems that can be used in computer-generated visual effects; Jim Hourihan for designing an interactive, language-based control of such particle systems; and John Schlag, Brian Knep, Zoran Kacic-Alesic and Thomas Williams for their ViewPaint 3-D paint system, which is used for film production work. IMAX IMAX Noun a film projection process that produces an image ten times larger than standard Corp. won the Academy Award of Merit for its method of filming and exhibiting high-fidelity, large-format, wide-angle motion pictures. John Lombardi, a pyrotechnics pyrotechnics (pī'rōtĕk`nĭks, pī'rə–), technology of making and using fireworks. Gunpowder was used in fireworks by the Chinese as early as the 9th cent. guru who has worked in the field for 50 years, received an award of commendation. He was honored both for technical advances he made in his field and for his continual push for safety on the set. And the John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation was given to Volker W. Bahnemann, president of camera manufacturer Arriflex, and to Burton Stone, former chief executive of DeLuxe Film Labs. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: IMAX Corp. co-chairmen Richard Gelfond, left, and Bradley Wechsler accept the Academy Award of Merit from Helen Hunt earlier this month in recognition of the company's unique film technology. |
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