SMPTE is recognising the impact that Netflix has had on the TV industry by awarding an honorary membership to the streamer’s founder Reed Hastings.
Hastings is being given SMPTE’s highest accolade “for his momentous development and continuing leadership of Netflix,” the organisation said. Two other individuals are being recognised this year with honorary memberships: John D. Ross, recognising his career’s work in advancing the state of the art in television engineering, and Richard Edlund, for his work in advancing the art and science of visual effects cinematography.
As the ATSC 3.0 standard is beginning to be rolled out across the U.S., SMPTE will honour Dr. Richard Chernock with the David Sarnoff Medal. This award recognises outstanding contributions to the development of new techniques or equipment that have improved the engineering phases of television technology. Chernock is being feted for his contributions to the development of ATSC 3.0.
The SMPTE Progress Model, which the association calls its most prestigious award and recognises outstanding technical contributions to the motion picture, TV and motion-imaging industries, is being posthumously presented to Natalie Kalmus, the co-founder of the Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation, for her pioneering contribution to motion-picture colour. Kalmus helped develop the Technicolor process and worked on more than 400 films, including The Wizard of Oz.
In addition, Technicolor has renamed its sponsored award this year to the Technicolor—Natalie and Herbert T. Kalmus Medal, which will be presented to Beverly Joanna Wood for her contributions to the creation and development of the Color Contrast Enhancement (CCE) and Adjustable Contrast Enhancement (ACE) motion-picture processes.
The other honourees being feted by SMPTE are:
- Camera Origination and Imaging Medal – Gérard Corbasson
- Excellence in Education Medal – Corey P. Carbonara
- Digital Processing Medal – Katie Cornog
- James A. Linder Archival Technology Medal – James Snyder
- Samuel L. Warner Memorial Medal – Andrew Munro
- Workflow Systems Medal – Bruce Leak
- Journal Award – Julien Le Tanou & Médéric Blestel
- Presidential Proclamation – Leon D. Silverman
- Excellence in Standards Award – John F. Snow
- Citation for Outstanding Service to the Society – Bob Hudelson
- Student Paper Award – Adam C. Burke
- Louis F. Wolf Jr. Memorial Scholarship – Nicholas Hurley
In addition to the above mentioned awards, 18 new SMPTE Fellows will be recognised during the Awards Gala which scheduled for 11th and 12th November during the SMPTE 2020 remote conference.
