The Academy has revealed 4 new photos of their new museum. The nearly 300,000-square-foot Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will become a significant cultural landmark attracting visitors from across Southern California and around the world.
Among the museum’s offerings:
Interactive family-friendly moviemaking labs, guided discussions and structured seminars on media literacy and industry-wide topics
Screenings of works by established and emerging filmmakers
Multidisciplinary presentations by artists, craftspeople and technologists illustrating the creative collaborations behind the movies
Designed by architects Renzo Piano and Zoltan Pali, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will be an environmentally sensitive, adaptive reuse of the historic 1939 May Company Building anchoring the west end of the city’s Miracle Mile on the campus of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). It will feature six levels of exhibition and programming spaces.
The museum design includes:
More than 30,000 square feet of flexible exhibition galleries
A 15,000-square-foot landscaped public piazza that will serve as a gathering space for visitors and connect the museum with the LACMA campus
Special event spaces for groups of up to 1,000 people and a rooftop terrace with views of the Los Angeles basin and Hollywood hills
Slated to open in 2017, the museum will be located on two major bus lines and across the street from the upcoming Metro Purple Line subway station.
To date, the museum’s capital campaign has raised more than half of its goal of $300 million for building construction and exhibition development. The campaign is chaired by Bob Iger and co-chaired by Annette Bening and Tom Hanks.
For more information and a detailed look at the vision for the future Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, please visit: http://www.oscars.org/academymuseum/
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences kicks off its new exhibition, “KICK ASS! Kung Fu Posters from the Stephen Chin Collection,” with a 40th anniversary screening of “Enter the Dragon” on Wednesday, April 17, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The evening will feature an introduction by Stephen Chin and an onstage discussion with the film’s cast and crew, including actor John Saxon, screenwriter Michael Allin, cinematographer Gil Hubbs and producers Fred Weintraub and Paul Heller. There will be special evening gallery hours immediately following the screening.
In 2011, producer and screenwriter Chin donated his collection of more than 800 kung fu film posters and related materials to the Academy. A six-sheet poster from “Enter the Dragon” is featured prominently in the exhibition, along with such collectibles as early English-language kung fu manuals, skateboards, trading cards and lunchboxes. A viewing station will feature action-packed trailers for many of the films represented in the exhibition.
“The kung fu genre exploded into world cinema in the 1970s, changing forever the way action films are shot and edited. And forever changing American popular culture,” said Chin. “I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to save so much of that history. And I am thrilled that the Academy is now able to share it with a larger audience.”
“KICK ASS! Kung Fu Posters from the Stephen Chin Collection” highlights the unprecedented success of Bruce Lee and a multitude of other kung fu stars that followed in his footsteps, including Jackie Chan, Sonny Chiba, Sammo Hung, Jet Li and Chuck Norris. Women such as Angela Mao in “Deadly China Doll” (1973) and Sue Shiomi in “Sister Street Fighter” (1974) were also a vital part of kung fu’s early popularity. The exhibition also looks at the myriad ways in which kung fu has been blended with other genres in the West, such as blaxploitation, horror, fantasy, comedy and science fiction.
In the 1970s, kung fu captured the imagination of moviegoers worldwide by updating ancient Asian martial arts traditions for a contemporary audience thrilled by extreme action, vengeance-fueled stories and eye-popping feats of physical skill. Filmed almost entirely on location in Hong Kong, “Enter the Dragon” (1973) was the first kung fu film produced by a major Hollywood studio, Warner Bros., and brought the genre into the American mainstream.
Bruce Lee, who choreographed and staged the fights himself, plays a martial arts expert who enters a grueling martial arts tournament to take revenge on the gang that killed his sister. Lee died a month before “Enter the Dragon” was released in the U.S., but the film’s popularity cemented his status as a cinematic legend.
The original 35mm Technicolor dye-transfer print is courtesy of Academy Film Archive and Warner Bros.
Tickets for “Enter the Dragon” on April 17 are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID, and may be purchased starting April 1 online at www.oscars.org, in person at the Academy box office or by mail. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Ticketed seating is unreserved.
“KICK ASS! Kung Fu Posters from the Stephen Chin Collection” will be open to the public from April 18 through August 25 in the Academy’s Grand Lobby Gallery in Beverly Hills. Regular viewing hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and weekends, noon to 6 p.m. Admission to the gallery is free. For more information, call (310) 247-3600or visit www.oscars.org.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the ABC Television Network today announced the dates for the 86th and 87th Oscar® presentations. The 86th and 87th Academy Awards® will air live on ABC on Oscar Sunday, March 2, 2014, and February 22, 2015, respectively.
Two major events didn’t leave many Sundays available for the Oscars. Next year’s Super Bowl XLVIII is scheduled for February 2, 2014 while the upcoming XXII Olympic Winter Games (Sochi) 2014 begins on Friday, February 7 and ends on Sunday, February 23.
Key dates for the Awards season are:
Saturday, November 16, 2013:
The Governors Awards
Monday, December 2, 2013:
Official Screen Credits due
Friday, December 27, 2013:
Nominations voting begins
Wednesday, January 8, 2014:
Nominations voting ends 5 p.m. PT
Thursday, January 16, 2014:
Oscar nominations announced
Monday, February 10, 2014:
Nominees Luncheon
Friday, February 14, 2014:
Final voting begins
Saturday, February 15, 2014:
Scientific and Technical Awards
Tuesday, February 25, 2014:
Final voting ends 5 p.m. PT
Oscar Sunday, March 2, 2014:
86th Academy Awards
Oscar Sunday, February 22, 2015:
87th Academy Awards
The 86th and 87th Academy Awards ceremonies will be held at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present a new digital restoration of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” in celebration of the film’s 25th anniversary on Thursday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The evening will feature a post-screening onstage discussion with director Robert Zemeckis and members of the cast and crew, including actress Joanna Cassidy, voice actor Charles Fleischer, supervising animator Andreas Deja, screenwriter Peter S. Seaman and associate producers Don Hahn and Steve Starkey. The panel will be moderated by director Rich Moore, who received an Oscar® nomination for Animated Feature Film for “Wreck-It Ralph” this past year.
A masterful blend of live-action filmmaking and classic animation, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” boldly announced the rebirth of the Disney animation studio. The film endures as an inventive tribute to animation’s golden age that also set a new standard for what the medium could achieve.
“‘Roger Rabbit’ brought together the greatest animators, the most skilled technicians, and the finest talent of the day,” said Zemeckis. “It’s good to have this chance to show our work to both those who remember the film as well as to a new audience.”
“Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (1988) received Oscars® for Film Editing, Sound Effects Editing and Visual Effects, and a Special Achievement Award for Richard Williams’s animation direction. It also was nominated for Art Direction, Cinematography and Sound.
This digital restoration is provided courtesy of the Walt Disney Studios. The Disney restoration team used the original 35mm picture, VistaVision optical work and original sound elements to create this pristine digital version.
Tickets for “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID, and may be purchased online at oscars.org, in person at the Academy box office, or by mail. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. All seating is unreserved. For more information, call (310) 247-3600 or visitoscars.org.
The Academy is bringing Oscar to the “Gateway to the West!”
The first-ever Oscar Roadtrip will kick off on Monday, February 4, in New York City, and over the next three weeks will bring the excitement of the Oscars® to numerous cities across the country. Fans along the way will have a chance to hold an actual Oscar statuette before it arrives on the Hollywood red carpet in time for the 85th Academy Awards® presentation on Sunday, February 24.
Oscar’s journey will be chronicled in videos, photos and blog posts by Oscar Roadtrip reporters Ben Gleib and Angie Greenup on OscarRoadtrip.com, @OscarRoadtrip and Facebook.com/TheAcademy. The pair will hit the nation’s highways for the 21-day journey to some of Oscar’s favorite cities, with a number of stops along the way to be determined by fans via social media. Everyone is invited to follow the progress of the trip, suggest a location for an impromptu Oscar visit and take a picture holding the coveted statuette.
“We created the Oscar Roadtrip to bring the magic and fun of the Oscar ceremony to movie fans across the country,” said Josh Spector, managing director of digital media and marketing for the Academy. “The Oscar Roadtrip makes it possible to share the once-in-a-lifetime thrill that only comes from holding an Oscar statuette.”
JCPenney, a proud sponsor of the 85th Academy Awards, will ensure the Roadtrip reporters look stylish throughout the tour. The pair will wear looks from jcp partners including Joe Fresh, William Rast and jcp’s eponymous line, offering a sneak peek at the stylish and affordable fashion that will be available in jcp stores and onjcp.com this spring.
The Oscar Roadtrip is scheduled to visit the following cities on the following dates:
February 4
New York
February 6
Philadelphia
February 7
Washington, D.C.
February 8
Baltimore
February 11
Chicago
February 13
St. Louis
February 14
Kansas City
February 17
Houston
February 18
Dallas
February 21
Phoenix
February 24
Hollywood
Oscars® for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar® Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center® and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane. The Oscar presentation will be televised live on the ABC Television Network and in more than 225 countries worldwide.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) will present “Oscar’s Docs, 1955–2002: American Stories” from February 2 through February 14 at MoMA in New York City. This annual collaboration highlights Oscar®–winning and nominated short and feature-length documentary films that explore the history, culture and politics of the United States. All prints are from the Academy Film Archive’s collection. The filmmakers will be present at several screenings (visit MoMA.org for details).
The schedule is as follows:
Sat., Feb. 2, 2 p.m. American Dream (1990)
Barbara Kopple. This stirring film depicts the effects of a mid-1980s strike by the workers of a Hormel meatpacking plant in Austin, Minnesota. 98 min.
Sat., Feb. 2, 8 p.m. Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision (1994)
Freida Lee Mock. A profile of Maya Lin, the young artist who created the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington and other politically motivated artistic creations. 105 min.
Sun., Feb. 3, 2:30 p.m. Princeton: A Search for Answers (1973)
Julian Krainin and DeWitt Sage. At one of the world’s premiere universities, where great thinkers dare to ask simple questions, men and women are involved in the intense, exciting process of discovery-from music composition to Shakespeare to the nature of the cosmos. 28 min.
The Stone Carvers (1984)
Marjorie Hunt and Paul Wagner. A tight-knit group of Italian Americans has been working for years on the Washington Cathedral, and their dedication and spirit is evident in the way they bring inanimate stone to brilliant life. Stone carving is delicate and satisfying work, and these artists point with pride to the product of their efforts. 30 min.
The Personals: Improvisations on Romance in the Golden Years (1998)
Keiko Ibi. At a community theater in Manhattan, a group of senior citizens rehearse and perform an original play about their romantic lives. 37 min.
Sun., Feb. 3, 5:30 p.m. Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt (1989)
Robert Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. Common Threads brings the AIDS epidemic into sharp personal focus through the stories of five people memorialized on the NAMES Project’s Memorial Quilt. 79 min.
Mon., Feb. 4, 7 p.m. Marjoe (1972)
Howard Smith and Sarah Kernochan. Marjoe is an extraordinarily charismatic young man making a living on the Christian revivalist circuit. His fiery antics in the name of the Lord are as much performance art as fire and brimstone preaching, and he’s adept at getting the faithful to part with their money. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive. 88 min.
Sat., Feb. 9, 2 p.m. Women – for America, for the World (1986)
Vivienne Verdon-Roe. A portrait of 22 prominent American women and their commonsensical, compassionate call for an end to the nuclear arms race and a reassessment of national priorities. 30 min.
Days of Waiting (1990)
Steven Okazaki. Estelle Ishigo, one of the few Caucasians to be interned with 110,000 Japanese Americans in 1942, recorded the deprivations of the camp in her sketches and watercolors. 28 min.
Twin Towers (2002)
An elite NYPD emergency response unit, on call for a variety of extreme situations, took a heavy blow on 9/11, including the loss of Joseph Vigiano, a talented officer who had roots in public service. 34 min.
Sat., Feb. 9, 5 p.m. The Great American Cowboy (1973)
Kieth Merrill. Focusing on two men competing for the sport’s national championship, Merrill’s film goes behind the scenes at the American Rodeo. 89 min.
Sun., Feb. 10, 5:30 p.m. The Horse with the Flying Tail (1960)
Larry Lansburgh. It’s the story of one horse’s journey to the big time. “Nautical” the golden palomino was born into poverty and put to work at a variety of jobs with no guarantee that he would be treated well. But the horse is a natural-born jumper, and fate finally steps in to give him a chance at competing in what he loves best: soaring over hurdles. 48 min.
The Flight of the Gossamer Condor (1978)
Ben Shedd. Chronicling Paul MacCready’s historic invention, construction, and ultimately successful test of the first human-powered flying machine, Shedd’s film captures the hard work, adventurous spirit, and creative thinking that went into making an impossible dream into a scientific reality. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive. 27 min.
Mon., Feb. 11, 8 p.m. The Panama Deception (1992)
Barbara Trent. The Panama Deception documents the untold story of the December 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama-the events that led us there, the excessive use of military force, the enormity of the death and destruction, and the devastating aftermath. 91 min.
Wed., Feb. 13, 4:30 p.m. Helen Keller in Her Story (1955)
Nancy Hamilton. Hamilton’s film tells the story of the deaf and blind disabled-rights pioneer. Preserved by Academy Film Archive. Special thanks to the American Foundation for the Blind. 53 min.
Number Our Days (1976)
Lynne Littman. Number Our Days goes inside of a community of elderly Eastern European Jews living in Venice, California. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive. 29 min.
Thurs., Feb. 14, 8 p.m. Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt (1989)
(See Sun., Feb. 3)
MoMA is located at 11 West 53rd Street. For ticket information, visit MoMA.org.
For Oscar fans that just can’t seem to win their Oscar ballot pool because of that one craft category, Oscar.com has launched “Behind The Ballot,” a six-part video series that explores how Academy members view and ultimately determine who’ll win Oscars for Production Design, Cinematography, Makeup and Hairstyling, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Costume Design.
Hosted by Entertainment Weekly’s Geoff Boucher, Anthony Breznican and Adam Vary, each episode, shot in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Margaret Herrick Library, features a panel of experts discussing what it takes to be a strong contender in each category. A new video will debut each week for the next five weeks onwww.oscar.com, as well as on the official Oscars app for iPhone, iPad, Android and Kindle Fire devices.
Expert participants include:
Production Design:
Scott Chambliss, “Cowboys & Aliens,” “Star Trek,” “Mission: Impossible III”
Alex McDowell, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Minority Report,” “Fight Club”
Jeannine Oppewall, “Catch Me If You Can,” “Pleasantville,” “L.A. Confidential”
Bo Welch, “Men in Black,” “Batman Returns,” “Edward Scissorhands”
Makeup and Hairstyling:
Cydney Cornell, “The Artist,” “The Aviator,” “American Beauty”
Mike Elizalde, “Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” “Fantastic Four,” “Men in Black”
Beth Miller, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” “The Nutty Professor,” “Dances With Wolves,”
Christien Tinsley, “No Country for Old Men,” “The Passion of the Christ,” “Ocean’s Eleven”
Film Editing:
Mark Goldblatt, “X-Men The Last Stand,” “Armageddon,” “The Terminator”
Virginia Katz, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1,” “Dreamgirls,” “Kinsey”
Lynzee Klingman, “Man on the Moon,” “City of Angels,” “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest”
Pamela Martin, “Hitchcock,” “The Fighter,” “Little Miss Sunshine”
Cinematography:
Daryn Okada, “American Reunion,” “Baby Mama,” “Mean Girls”
Theo van de Sande, “Cruel Intentions,” “Blade,” “Wayne’s World”
Mandy Walker, “Red Riding Hood,” “Australia,” “Shattered Glass”
Costume Design:
Jeffrey Kurland, “Inception,” “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Erin Brockovich”
Isis Mussenden, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” “Shrek 2,” “American Psycho”
Arianne Phillips, “W.E.,” “3:10 to Yuma,” “Walk the Line”
Mary Zophres, “True Grit,” “No Country for Old Men,” “The Big Lebowski”
Sound Editing and Sound Mixing:
Willie D. Burton, “Dreamgirls,” “Panic Room,” “The Shawshank Redemption”
Steve Cantamessa, “Tropic Thunder,” “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” “Ray”
Aaron Glascock, “The Town,” “Good Night, and Good Luck.,” “Ocean’s Eleven”
Mark Mangini, “Warrior,” “The Fifth Element,” “Die Hard with a Vengeance”
Dean Zupancic, “Tangled,” “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Pulp Fiction”
Developed by The Academy and Disney/ABC Television Group’s Digital Media Team, Oscar.com and the official Oscars app provide unparalleled access to the Oscars before, during and after the show. Fans can go behind the scenes with show host Seth MacFarlane and the producers as they prepare for the show, as well as find out more about the nominees, access rare exclusive images from The Academy’s archives, and start filling out their My Picks interactive ballot. Friends can view and share the ballot on Facebook, which will update in real time on Oscar Night®, ensuring that the most competitive Oscars handicappers are instantly aware of their ranking among friends.
On Oscar Sunday, February 24, Oscar.com and the official Oscars app will launch Backstage Pass, giving fans unprecedented access to the show. Sponsored by Samsung, Backstage Pass is designed to be the ultimate complement to the live telecast, giving fans premier access to the most memorable moments of the night through over a dozen exclusive live cameras strategically placed on the Red Carpet and throughout the Dolby Theatre™. Special cameras include the Thank You Cam – offering winners an extended opportunity to thank their supporters; Backstage Cam – capturing sound bites, backstage action, short interviews and behind-the-scenes footage; Control Room Cam – allowing users to watch the show’s director in action; and Press Room Cam – featuring moments of winners interacting with the world’s media moments after leaving the stage. It will also feature real-time highlights from the show itself, which promises many surprises on Hollywood’s biggest night.
Seems that around Oscar time overseas film studios submit their big prestige flicks to vie for the foreign language film award. Often it’s a sprawling historical costume epic, which is the case for Denmark’s entry A ROYAL AFFAIR. There’s elaborate period dress, opulent interiors, and, as the title suggests, a juicy bit of scandal. The majority of AFFAIR takes place in the 18th century during the reign of King Christian VII (Mikkel Folsgaard), particularly his arranged marriage to England’s Caroline Mathilde (Alicia Vikander). Caroline is apprehensive about leaving her home for a foreign land and nuptials with a complete stranger. She hastily learns the language and customs, but no amount of study prepares her for life with the king. He’s a coarse brute that abuses her verbally and physically almost from their first meeting, a spoiled brat who’s humored manipulated by advisors and elected officials. Soon the King is ignoring his new bride completely, preferring to spend nearly every evening at a brothel. But shortly things are shaken up at the dreary castle. Two former members of the King’s inner circle hear that His Majesty is in need of a new court physician. They convince the German-born Doctor Johann Friedrich Struensee (Mads Mikkelesen) to interview for the position (and maybe restore their former status). The King takes an immediate liking to the blunt older man and soon they’re spending many hours together. The Queen doesn’t warm up to the doctor as quickly, but they bond over a love of literature and philosophy (and they’re two strangers in a strange land). After sharing books, they eventually share a bed. They also devise a plan. They’ll unite to persuade the King to end the feudal system and make Denmark a more democratic country. This upsets the ruling classes and the politicians who soon conspire to rid the formerly disinterested ruler of these two unwanted influencers.
Director Nikolaj Arcel has crafted a gorgeous looking drama. The royal court is breath-taking with colorful tapestries and splendid furnishings that dazzle the eye. We can almost feel the crisp, cool air as the principals stroll the meadows outside the castles and mansions. Of course it’s a fine cast of actors that really make this tale come to life. Vikander (recently seen in her first English film ANNA KARENINA) really grabs our sympathies the neglected queen. She’s truly a beautiful bird trapped in a golden, gilded cage. After enduring constant humiliations from her husband, she’s finely able to breathe thanks to the new member of the staff. That, of course, is Mikkelsen (CASINO ROYALE, CLASH OF THE TITANS) who brings a leading man authority to the role of the enlightened physician. He puts up an emotional defensive wall when he meets the queen, but it’s the love of ideas rather than physical attraction that melts away the barriers. The real scene stealer may be Folsgaard as the ultimate “upper class twit of the year” (as the Monty Python troupe would say). He behaves like a clueless buffoon (who fancies himself a fine thespian) and a cruel, abusive beast, but he gains some understanding as an overly sheltered, pampered man-child who just wants an honest friend (and who may be mentally ill). It’s a spirited, energetic performance. A ROYAL AFFAIR is an interesting drama full of lies, deception, and intrigue (fascinating to see how the disgruntled politicians used xenophobia to rile up the poplace..the doctor is “the wicked German”). Seems that scandals were shaping public policies many centuries ago.
3 Out of 5 Stars
A ROYAL AFFAIR screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Fontenac Cinemas
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that nine scientific and technical achievements represented by 25 individual award recipients will be honored at its annual Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation at The Beverly Hills Hotel on Saturday, February 9, 2013.
Unlike other Academy Awards to be presented this year, achievements receiving Scientific and Technical Awards need not have been developed and introduced during 2012. Rather, the achievements must demonstrate a proven record of contributing significant value to the process of making motion pictures. Portions of the Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation will be included in the Oscar telecast on Sunday,February 24, 2013.
The Academy Awards for scientific and technical achievements are:
Technical Achievement Award (Academy Certificate)
To J.P. Lewis, Matt Cordner and Nickson Fong for the invention and publication of the Pose Space Deformation technique.
Pose Space Deformation (PSD) introduced the use of novel sparse data interpolation techniques to the task of shape interpolation. The controllability and ease of achieving artistic intent have led to PSD being a foundational technique in the creation of computer–generated characters.
To Lawrence Kesteloot, Drew Olbrich and Daniel Wexler for the creation of the Light system for computer graphics lighting at PDI/DreamWorks.
Virtually unchanged from its original incarnation over 15 years ago, Light is still in continuous use due to its emphasis on interactive responsiveness, final–quality interactive render preview, scalable architecture and powerful user–configurable spreadsheet interface.
To Steve LaVietes, Brian Hall and Jeremy Selan for the creation of the Katana computer graphics scene management and lighting software at Sony Pictures Imageworks.
Katana’s unique design, featuring a deferred evaluation procedural node–graph, provides a highly efficient lighting and rendering workflow. It allows artists to non–destructively edit scenes too complex to fit into computer memory, at scales ranging from a single object up to an entire detailed city.
To Theodore Kim, Nils Thuerey, Markus Gross and Doug James for the invention, publication and dissemination of Wavelet Turbulence software.
This technique allowed for fast, art–directable creation of highly detailed gas simulation, making it easier for the artist to control the appearance these effects in the final image.
To Richard Mall for the design and development of the Matthews Max Menace Arm.
Highly sophisticated and well–engineered, the Max Menace Arm is a safe and adjustable device that allows rapid, precise positioning of lighting fixtures, cameras or accessories. On–set or on location, this compact and highly portable structure is often used where access is limited due to restrictions on attaching equipment to existing surfaces.
Scientific and Engineering Award (Academy Plaque)
To Simon Clutterbuck, James Jacobs and Dr. Richard Dorling for the development of the Tissue Physically–Based Character Simulation Framework.
This framework faithfully and robustly simulates the effects of anatomical structures underlying a character’s skin. The resulting dynamic and secondary motions provide a new level of realism to computer–generated creatures.
To Dr. Philip McLauchlan, Allan Jaenicke, John–Paul Smith and Ross Shain for the creation of the Mocha planar tracking and rotoscoping software at Imagineer Systems Ltd.
Mocha provides robust planar–tracking even when there are no clearly defined points in the image. Its effectiveness, ease of use, and ability to exchange rotoscoping data with other image processing tools have resulted in widespread adoption of the software in the visual effects industry.
To Joe Murtha, William Frederick and Jim Markland of Anton/Bauer, Inc. for the design and creation of the CINE VCLX Portable Power System.
The CINE VCLX provides extended run–times and flexibility, allowing users to power cameras and other supplementary equipment required for production. This high–capacity battery system is also matched to the high–demand, always–on digital cinema cameras.
Academy Award® of Merit (Oscar® Statuette)
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.
Since their first series of motion picture lenses, Cooke Optics has continued to create optical innovations decade after decade. Producing what is commonly referred to as the “Cooke Look,” these lenses have often been the lens of choice for creative cinematographers worldwide.
Even though it’s Southern California, you’ll need to dress warm for one of the BEST Christmas movies ever. In celebration of actor Danny Kaye’s centennial, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will screen the holiday classic WHITE CHRISTMAS (1954) at Oscars Outdoors in Hollywood on Thursday, December 6, and Friday, December 7, at 7 p.m. Special guests include Dena Kaye, Mary Crosby and Monsita Ferrer Botwick, the daughters of Kaye, Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney, respectively.
And get this – Hollywood special effects wizards are predicting a 100 percent chance of snow at the open-air theater on the Academy Hollywood campus, bringing the evening to a dramatic conclusion. December marks the start of the celebration of Danny Kaye’s centennial, a year of festivities across the country spotlighting the legendary entertainer and humanitarian.
Directed by Michael Curtiz with songs by Irving Berlin, WHITE CHRISTMAS tells the story of song-and-dance team Bob Wallace and Phil Davis (Crosby and Kaye), two World War II veterans who team up with sister act Betty and Judy Haynes (Clooney and Vera-Ellen) to raise money for a struggling Vermont inn run by Bob and Phil’s former commanding general. The film earned an Oscar® nomination for the original song “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep,” music and lyrics by Berlin.
Tickets to WHITE CHRISTMAS are $5 for the general public, free for children 10 years and younger, and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Seating is unreserved. Tickets for Friday’s screening are sold out, and tickets for Thursday night are available online at oscars.org/outdoors. Gates open at 6 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring low lawn chairs, blankets and warm clothing. Hot chocolate and holiday treats will be available for sale from some of Los Angeles’s most popular food trucks. Picnic baskets, beer and wine are permitted.
The Academy Hollywood campus is located at 1341 Vine Street in Hollywood (between De Longpre Avenue and Fountain Avenue, and between Vine Street and Ivar Avenue). The campus is accessible via the Metro Red Line train and the Metro Local 210 bus. Free parking is located behind the Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study. Enter from Homewood Avenue off Vine Street, one block north of Fountain Avenue. The lot opens 90 minutes prior to the event and closes 30 minutes afterwards. For additional information, visit oscars.org/outdoorsor call (310) 247-3600.
The Academy’s Science and Technology Council will also present a special screening of WHITE CHRISTMAS on Sunday, December 9, at 1 p.m. at the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael. Hosted by Academy member Rob Hummel, the program will feature a discussion with Academy Award®-winning visual effects supervisor Craig Barron on VistaVision, the widescreen film format that was first used to create this holiday favorite and subsequently used on more than 90 films in the 1950s and beyond. The Smith Rafael Film Center is located at 1118 4th Street. For ticket information, visit cafilm.org.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will celebrate the life and career of filmmaker Stanley Kubrick on Wednesday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. Hosted by Malcolm McDowell, the evening features film clips and personal remembrances by his friends and collaborators, including Paul Mazursky, Ryan O’Neal and Matthew Modine. The salute is presented in association with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), leading off its retrospective screening series “2012: A Kubrick Odyssey,” and in conjunction with its exhibition “Stanley Kubrick.”
Kubrick, a 13-time Academy Award®–nominated director, writer and producer – who also won an Oscar® for Special Visual Effects for “2001: A Space Odyssey” – was one of the world’s most visually innovative, thematically operatic and intellectually challenging filmmakers. His movies, such as “Lolita,” “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb,” “A Clockwork Orange,” “Barry Lyndon,” “The Shining,” “Full Metal Jacket” and “Eyes Wide Shut,” have consistently defied audiences’ expectations and expanded the boundaries of visual storytelling with wit, style, humor and intelligence.
Tickets for “An Academy Salute to Stanley Kubrick” are sold out; however, a standby line will form on the day of the event, and standby numbers will be assigned starting at approximately 5:30 p.m. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Ticketed seating is unreserved. For more information and guest updates, call (310) 247-3600 or visit oscars.org.
The evening also launches the Academy’s satellite exhibition “Stanley Kubrick: The Ultimate Trip” in the Academy’s Grand Lobby Gallery, where it will be on view through March 3, 2013. The installation illuminates Kubrick’s creative process through film posters, photographs, advertising trailers, production design drawings, screenplay drafts, correspondence and other original artifacts.
Exhibition materials are drawn from the collections of the Stanley Kubrick Archive, the Mark E. Blunck Collection and the Academy’s Margaret Herrick Library, in collaboration with the Deutsches Filmmuseum in Frankfurt am Main, and LACMA. Viewing hours for “Stanley Kubrick: The Ultimate Trip” are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on weekends from noon to 6 p.m. Admission is free.
