The Academy Opens Six New Sci-Tech Investigations Ahead of 2027 Awards

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has launched six scientific and technical investigations for 2026, setting the stage for its next Scientific and Technical Awards ceremony on April 20, 2027.

The announcement covers six areas of filmmaking technology:

• artist-friendly tools for building 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

The Academy makes these investigation areas public so that individuals and companies working on similar technologies can submit achievements for review. Its current Sci-Tech application page says the call for similar technologies runs through September 8 at 5 p.m. PT.

Scientific and Technical Awards Committee co-chairs Darin Grant and Rachel Rose said the selected areas reflect innovation across production, visual effects, animation and sound. The committee will investigate the technologies before recommendations move through the Academy’s awards process and ultimately to the Board of Governors for final approval.

The six categories also show how broad the Academy’s technical focus has become. Some are rooted in digital effects and animation, including water simulation, facial capture and CG-character rigging. Others are directly tied to physical production, such as LED lighting and digitally controlled performer flying systems.

Specialist VFX outlet befores & afters published the full Academy release, while British Cinematographer separately reported the same six investigation areas and the April 2027 ceremony date.

The Academy’s Scientific and Technical Awards have recognized filmmaking innovation since 1931. Unlike the televised Oscars, the Sci-Tech honors are presented at a separate annual event. The Academy says the awards recognize technologies and achievements that make significant and lasting contributions to motion pictures.

The most recent Sci-Tech ceremony took place on April 28, 2026. The Academy had previously announced 15 scientific and technical achievements represented by 27 individual recipients for that event.

For the 2026 investigations announced this week, the next step is the review process. No winners have been selected yet, and inclusion on the investigation list does not mean a technology has already earned an Academy Award.