The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) says it is investigating 12 different areas of scientific and technical achievement for Oscar consideration.

AMPAS makes this process public every year so that anyone who has completed groundbreaking or innovative work in the areas under scrutiny can step forward and make sure their contributions are considered. Claims can be submitted online through August 30, so get a move on if you think you or your colleagues deserve some recognition in these 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

In addition, the committee is continuing to look at rig-based solvers for tracking and animating deforming objects from image sequences, a holdover from last year.

The AMPAS Scientific and Technical Awards Committee will meet in early December to vote on awards recommendations. The Board of Governers will make the final decisions in time for the 2016 Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation, which is scheduled for February 11, 2017.

AMPAS: www.oscars.org