Business News
Kodak to Receive Ninth Oscar From Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences
Monday 14. January 2008 - Company Once Again Recognized For Technical Excellence
Eastman Kodak Companys commitment to innovation will once again be recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The company will receive an Oscar statuette for the development of photographic emulsion technologies incorporated into the Kodak VISION2 family of color negative films. Kodak Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Antonio Perez will accept the award on behalf of Kodak scientists at the Scientific and Technical Academy Awards on February 9 in Los Angeles, a portion of which will be broadcast during the Annual Academy Awards telecast on February 24.
This is the ninth Oscar that Kodak has earned for scientific and technical excellence and service to the motion picture industry. Kodaks relationship with the Academy Awards goes back to the first Oscar presentations in 1929. For the past 79 years all the Best Picture winners have been produced on Kodak motion picture film.
This years award recognizes the companys VISION2 film platform, first introduced in 2002, for its “proven record of contributing significant value to the process of making motion pictures.” The VISION2 platform consists of seven camera origination films, which incorporate novel technologies — and 12 U.S. patents to date — enhancing the capability of silver-halide-based image capture. The advancements contribute to the speed and image structure improvements found in these films, resulting in smoother, cleaner images across a wide range of lighting conditions.
“We are proud of our long-standing relationship with the artists in our industry,” said Mary Jane Hellyar, president of Kodaks Film, Photofinishing and Entertainment Group. “This tremendous recognition from the Academy is a testament to our people, their capability, drive and vision, and is also a great example of Kodaks continuing commitment to the film business and our customers.”
According to Gary Einhaus, chief technical officer and vice president, Entertainment Imaging, “The motion picture industry is transitioning to a hybrid workflow– with an increasing number of motion pictures going through a digital post-production process. As with traditional motion picture workflows, great results from a digital post-production workflow starts with great original images. The VISION2 film platform and our recently-launched VISION3, which built upon many of the VISION2 innovations, are the benchmark in the motion picture industry for image capture efficiency. The improvements in the image quality of the high speed VISION2 500T product were so dramatic that it is now the predominant choice of cinematographers. It became Kodaks largest volume color negative motion picture product within 12 months of introduction.”
Numerous Academy Award-nominated films for Best Cinematography have used Kodak VISION2 film including: PANS LABYRINTH; THE BLACK DAHLIA; CHILDREN OF MEN; THE PRESTIGE; MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA; BATMAN BEGINS; BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN; GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK; HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS; THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA; A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT.
“Kodaks technical expertise has always been an important element of our business success,” said Einhaus. “We are fortunate to claim many of the world’s experts in image and material science who continue to help us serve our customers with the highest quality and most efficient solutions across the different workflows.”
“I am very proud of these extraordinary professionals for their hard work, inventiveness and dedication. Their careers at Kodak continue to be distinguished with many industry recognitions and awards. It is an honor to be associated with such a talented and respected team of people.”