Weta Digital, Lucasfilm, and PDI DreamWorks are competing with Imagineer Systems, UC Santa Barbara, Anton/Bauer, and Matthews Studio Equipment for the Academy’s 2012 Sci-Tech Awards.
The shortlist consists of Weta’s Tissue: A Physically-Based Character Simulation Framework (developed on Avatar but given new dynamics for facial deformations on The Adventures of Tintin); Lucasfilm’s breakthrough Zviz previs tool (used extensively on the Star Wars: The Clone Wars); PDI DreamWorks’ Light: Lighting Tool; Wavelet Turbulence for Fluid Simulation (University of California, Santa Barbara); Planar Tracking: mocha and Enabling Technology (Imagineer Systems Ltd.); Cine VCLX Portable Power System (Anton/Bauer); Matthews MAX Menace Arm (Matthews Studio Equipment).
The deadline to submit additional entries is Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. PT.
After thorough investigations are conducted on each of the entries, 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 2012 Scientific and Technical Awards will be presented at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills on Feb. 9, 2013.
Claims of prior art or similar technology must be submitted on the Academy’s website at oscars.org/awards/scitech/