Academy to Investigate Six Sci-Tech Categories for 2026 Awards
Committee co-chairs Darin Grant and Rachel Rose cite innovations spanning production, visual effects and sound.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that six distinct scientific and technical investigations have been launched for 2026 in preparation for the Scientific and Technical Awards on Tuesday, April 20, 2027.
These investigations are made public to invite individuals and companies with devices or claims of innovation within these areas to submit achievements for review. The Academy's Scientific and Technical Awards Committee has begun investigations into the following areas:
Areas Under Investigation
Artist-friendly tools for the construction of large-scale water simulations
Audio spectrum segmentation and editing software
Color-accurate LED lighting suitable for on-set photography
Digitally-controlled performer flying systems
Rigging systems for direct manipulation of CG characters
Solvers for markerless facial capture
'We are excited to explore this year's six selected areas for consideration, which reflect the ingenuity of our filmmaking community across production, visual effects, animation and sound. From tools that give artists greater creative control to technologies that enhance on-set precision, safety and performance, our committee looks forward to investigating the innovation, impact and industry adoption of these achievements,' said Scientific and Technical Awards Committee co-chairs Darin Grant and Rachel Rose.
The deadline to submit additional entries is Tuesday, September 8, at 5 p.m. PT.
After thorough investigations in each technology category, the committee will meet to vote on recommendations to the Academy's Board of Governors, which will make the final awards decisions.
The Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation will be held on Tuesday, April 20, 2027.
