WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) will honor Christopher Gaeta and Kim Liberi for their contributions to emerging technology in cinema with its Progress Medal.
The Progress Medal, established in 1935, recognizes outstanding technical contributions to the progress of engineering phases of the motion-imaging industries.
The pair, who will be recognized Oct. 19 in the Ray Dolby Ballroom in the Ovation Hollywood (Calif.), were instrumental in various cinema developments. Among their contributions are virtual cinema, volumetric capture and Bullet Time, which was pioneered in “The Matrix,” the first installment in the film trilogy, the society said.
Gaeta, who co-founded ILMxLAB with a charter of disruptive innovation, has collaborated with major industry players to create transformative, subjective experiences.
Liberi led the Star Wars technology strategy and innovations at Lucasfilm. At Epic Games, he helped to transform industries, including film and television, with Unreal Engine, bringing movie-quality visuals to projects such as “The Matrix Awakens: An Unreal Engine 5 Experience.”
"The work of our honorees has impacted countless people,” said SMPTE Executive Director David Grindle. "To be able to recognize them and their impact on the art and science of media is an opportunity to shine a light on folks who often get little recognition."
More information about the summit and gala is available online.
Those interested in reserving a table should contact Anthony Catalono.
