CMU School of Drama


Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Shedding Light Behind-the-Scenes

CMU: How many computer scientists get the chance to accept an Academy Award? Drew Olbrich (CS'92) just did. At the February 9th Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences annual Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation, the Carnegie Mellon University alumnus and his colleagues were honored for developing Light — an interactive application for lighting animated film scenes. "When I learned of the award, I was extremely surprised and excited, then a few seconds later, I realized I'd have to wear a tuxedo and speak in front of 500 people," Olbrich laughed.

1 comment:

Brian Alderman said...

I really wish the Science and Tech Oscars got more attention!!! These are the breakthroughs that allow the rest of the film industry to continue working and pushing the boundaries of reality and expectation. The software that Mr. Olbrich developed to light animated scenes was absolutely essential to the success of the entire animated industry. We're seeing these awards shows move away from recognizing the tech awards (i.e. the Tony's presenting design awards during commercial breaks), but that needs to change! These people are doing fascinating work, and an awards show is the perfect (and only) place to recognize these unsung heros (see: Oscars Visual Effects Award).