SMPTE has announced the 35 individuals and organisations who will be honoured at its annual Awards Gala next month.
“This year’s SMPTE honourees have touched every corner of the industry from artificial intelligence to archiving. The strength of SMPTE lies within its members, and the annual awards gala is our chance to celebrate them,” said SMPTE executive director David Grindle.
The organisation is bestowing its Honorary Membership on three individuals. Ioan Allen is recognised for his enduring contributions to audio production and presentation technologies, said SMPTE.
Franz Kraus is acknowledged for advancing the cinematography vision of the ARRI corporation and successfully led the company into the digital age by developing digital film scanners and cameras.
Former Marvel producer Victoria Alonso is being honoured for her contributions as a producer and entertainment industry leader. Alonso relentlessly communicates her story vision to artisans and technicians and is a strong and outspoken champion for under-represented groups in the entertainment industry, said SMPTE.
The David Sarnoff Medal recognises outstanding contributions to the development of new techniques or equipment that have improved the engineering phases of television technology. Imagine Communications’ John Mailhot is being recognised for his role in promoting the adoption of the SMPTE ST 2110 standard for the carriage of media over IP.
Chaitanya Chinchlikar will receive the Education Medal, alongside Whistling Woods International, for his efforts in education in India, incorporating emerging technologies into the curriculum, such as virtual production, cinematic VR, AI, and cloud computing.
The Workflow Systems Medal will be presented to Unreal Engine, in recognition of its contributions to media production and its role in enabling new options for creators.
Dr Jens-Rainer Ohm will receive the Digital Processing Medal in recognition of his leadership in the development of several widely successful MPEG and ITU video compression standards.
The Camera Origination and Imaging Medal will be conferred posthumously on Takashi Nakamura for the development of a practical video system comprising a high-frame-rate camera and video recorder with easy replay.
Karen Cariani will be honoured with the James A Lindner Archival Technology Medal in recognition of her contributions to advancing technology, techniques, workflows, and infrastructure for preserving and providing access to the public broadcasting archives in the United States.
Paul Treleaven will be presented with the Excellence in Standards Award in recognition of his continuous efforts to ensure prompt dissemination of information within SMPTE to partner organisations and the general public.
The Louis F Wolf Jr. Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to Gabriel Casselman of Rochester Institute of Technology.
The Citation for Outstanding Service to the Society will be presented to three individuals: Michael Frank Day, for his long-standing dedication to the betterment of the Society, especially the Australia, New Zealand, and Southern Pacific Islands Section; Chris Lapp, for his role as membership director and creator of the SMPTE Discord channel, enabling collaboration among students and young professionals worldwide; and Wes Simpson, for his many years of service to the SMPTE New York Section, and his assistance in the transition to virtual meetings.
Ten new SMPTE Fellows will also be honoured for attaining an outstanding rank among engineers or executives in media and entertainment through their proficiency and contributions to the motion picture, television, or related industries, said SMPTE. They are Naveed Aslam, Peter Brightwell, Alexander Forsythe, Michel Proulx, Brian Quandt, Pierre-Hughes Routhier, Alexandre Rouxel, Paola Sunna, Stuart C. Young, and Gene J. Zimmerman Jr.
SMPTE’s Awards Gala takes place on Thursday, October 24, at the conclusion of the 2024 SMPTE Media Technology Summit.
