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Science and Technology Council

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The ongoing explosion in digital motion picture technology is causing changes more wide sweeping than any the industry has faced since the introduction of sound in 1926. Movie production, post-production and exhibition are all moving – or have already moved – away from the methods and processes which predominated for the past 100 years. While these shifts hold great promise, they also underscore the need to ensure that technology enhances rather than dominates the art form.

In response to these developments, the Science and Technology Council was created by the Academy’s Board of Governors in 2003. The Council’s activities are focused on three main areas:

 

Industry-wide Projects and Collaboration

The Council’s Technology and Research Initiatives Subcommittee serves as a primary forum for problem-solving, discussion and research regarding important technological issues facing the film industry.

Learn More

 

Technology History

The Council’s Technology History Subcommittee seeks to chronicle the development and implementation of motion picture science and technology through the collection of key artifacts, records and information.

Learn more

 

Public Programs and Education

The Council’s Public Programs and Education Subcommittee produces informative and entertaining programs to teach industry professionals and the general public about the ways in which technology serves the art of motion pictures.

Learn More

 

HISTORY OF THE COUNCIL

The Academy has engaged in technical activities since its founding in 1927, primarily through cooperative research projects. At the time, projects included the standardization of screen illumination and film gate apertures, and coordination of release prints to theaters.

In 1929, the Academy formed the Producers-Technicians Joint Committee to oversee such activities as well as to establish a school to teach the theory and technique of sound recording and reproduction. In 1930, the Joint Committee merged with the Association of Motion Picture Producers Technical Bureau, which was performing a similar function.

In 1932, the group reorganized into the Research Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. By 1938, there were 36 technical committees addressing issues in the areas of sound recording and reproduction, projection, lighting, film preservation and cinematography. During World War II, the Research Council conducted a training course for Signal Corps officers, ran schools for Signal Corps and Marine Corps motion picture and still cameramen, and assigned training film projects to the studios.

The activities of the Research Council were transferred back to the Association of Motion Picture Producers in 1947, and the organization was renamed The Motion Picture Research Center, which continued to function at various levels of activity until 1976. From 1989 through 1998, the Technology Council of the Motion Picture-Television Industry operated as an independent entity to develop educational programs, encourage development of new products, and perform independent investigations and new product development through cooperative industry effort.

The Academy established the Science and Technology Council in 2003.

Members of the Science and Technology Council

The Academy’s Science and Technology Council was created by the Academy’s Board of Governors in 2003 in response to the major technological developments taking place in the motion picture industry.

Continuing a longstanding precedent of providing an industry-wide center for motion picture technology history, education, and advancement, the Science and Technology Council reestablished the Academy’s role as advocate for technology in support of the art.

Pictured below are members of the 2023–2024 Science and Technology Council.


2023-2024 Council Members

 

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Bill Baggelaar

Bill Baggelaar

Co-Chair

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Paul Debevec

Paul Debevec

Co-Chair

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Sci tech council members

Linda Borgeson

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Brooke Breton

Brooke Breton

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Sci tech council member

Lois Burwell

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Paul Cameron

Paul Cameron

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Sci tech council member

Teri E. Dorman

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Sci Tech Council Member

Theo Gluck

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Dominic Glynn

Dominic Glynn

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Buzz Hays

Buzz Hays

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Rob Legato

Rob Legato

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Sci Tech Council Member

Colette Mullenhoff

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Sci tech council member

Ujwal Nirgudkar

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Sci tech council member

Helena Packer

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David Pierce

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Arjun Ramamurthy

Arjun Ramamurthy

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Nancy Richardson

Nancy Richardson

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Rachel Rose

Rachel Rose

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Dave Schnuelle

Dave Schnuelle

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Deborah Scott

Deborah Scott

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Tom Sito

Tom Sito

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Sci-Tech Council Member

Garrett Smith

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Sharon Smith Holley

Sharon Smith Holley

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Jeffrey Taylor

Jeffrey Taylor

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Sci tech council member

Amy Vincent

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Marlon West

Marlon West

The ongoing explosion in digital motion picture technology is causing changes more wide sweeping than any the industry has faced since the introduction of sound in 1926. Movie production, post-production and exhibition are all moving – or have already moved – away from the methods and processes which predominated for the past 100 years. While these shifts hold great promise, they also underscore the need to ensure that technology enhances rather than dominates the art form.

In response to these developments, the Science and Technology Council was created by the Academy’s Board of Governors in 2003. The Council’s activities are focused on three main areas:

 

Industry-wide Projects and Collaboration

The Council’s Technology and Research Initiatives Subcommittee serves as a primary forum for problem-solving, discussion and research regarding important technological issues facing the film industry.

Learn More

 

Technology History

The Council’s Technology History Subcommittee seeks to chronicle the development and implementation of motion picture science and technology through the collection of key artifacts, records and information.

Learn more

 

Public Programs and Education

The Council’s Public Programs and Education Subcommittee produces informative and entertaining programs to teach industry professionals and the general public about the ways in which technology serves the art of motion pictures.

Learn More

 

HISTORY OF THE COUNCIL

The Academy has engaged in technical activities since its founding in 1927, primarily through cooperative research projects. At the time, projects included the standardization of screen illumination and film gate apertures, and coordination of release prints to theaters.

In 1929, the Academy formed the Producers-Technicians Joint Committee to oversee such activities as well as to establish a school to teach the theory and technique of sound recording and reproduction. In 1930, the Joint Committee merged with the Association of Motion Picture Producers Technical Bureau, which was performing a similar function.

In 1932, the group reorganized into the Research Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. By 1938, there were 36 technical committees addressing issues in the areas of sound recording and reproduction, projection, lighting, film preservation and cinematography. During World War II, the Research Council conducted a training course for Signal Corps officers, ran schools for Signal Corps and Marine Corps motion picture and still cameramen, and assigned training film projects to the studios.

The activities of the Research Council were transferred back to the Association of Motion Picture Producers in 1947, and the organization was renamed The Motion Picture Research Center, which continued to function at various levels of activity until 1976. From 1989 through 1998, the Technology Council of the Motion Picture-Television Industry operated as an independent entity to develop educational programs, encourage development of new products, and perform independent investigations and new product development through cooperative industry effort.

The Academy established the Science and Technology Council in 2003.

Members of the Science and Technology Council

The Academy’s Science and Technology Council was created by the Academy’s Board of Governors in 2003 in response to the major technological developments taking place in the motion picture industry.

Continuing a longstanding precedent of providing an industry-wide center for motion picture technology history, education, and advancement, the Science and Technology Council reestablished the Academy’s role as advocate for technology in support of the art.

Pictured below are members of the 2023–2024 Science and Technology Council.


2023-2024 Council Members

 

Image
Bill Baggelaar

Bill Baggelaar

Co-Chair

Image
Paul Debevec

Paul Debevec

Co-Chair

Image
Sci tech council members

Linda Borgeson

Image
Brooke Breton

Brooke Breton

Image
Sci tech council member

Lois Burwell

Image
Paul Cameron

Paul Cameron

Image
Sci tech council member

Teri E. Dorman

Image
Sci Tech Council Member

Theo Gluck

Image
Dominic Glynn

Dominic Glynn

Image
Buzz Hays

Buzz Hays

Image
Rob Legato

Rob Legato

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Sci Tech Council Member

Colette Mullenhoff

Image
Sci tech council member

Ujwal Nirgudkar

Image
Sci tech council member

Helena Packer

Image
david_pierce_headshot_for_sci-tech.jpg

David Pierce

Image
Arjun Ramamurthy

Arjun Ramamurthy

Image
Nancy Richardson

Nancy Richardson

Image
Rachel Rose

Rachel Rose

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Dave Schnuelle

Dave Schnuelle

Image
Deborah Scott

Deborah Scott

Image
Tom Sito

Tom Sito

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Sci-Tech Council Member

Garrett Smith

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Sharon Smith Holley

Sharon Smith Holley

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Jeffrey Taylor

Jeffrey Taylor

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Sci tech council member

Amy Vincent

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Marlon West

Marlon West