Technology History

65mm high speed

A well-worn 1960 Panavision 65mm handheld camera, used by director Stanley Kubrick to shoot his groundbreaking epic “2001: A Space Odyssey,” is just one of the pieces of cinema history currently held in the Science and Technology Study Collection.

In its effort to preserve the history of motion picture science and technology, the Council collaborates with the Academy Museum, Academy departments and various institutions to identify, and occasionally acquire, records and objects associated with individuals and institutions that have made significant scientific and technical contributions to the motion picture industry. The Council’s collections are part of the extensive holdings of – and are administered by – the Academy Museum, the Academy Film Archive, and the Academy’s Margaret Herrick Library.
 
The Council’s long-term goal is to create a comprehensive database that identifies notable motion picture technology artifacts. The Council’s Technology History Subcommittee is actively seeking information about significant artifacts, artifact collections and documentation related to the science and technology of motion pictures. 
 
The Technology History Subcommittee, composed of both Council members and non-Council members with extensive knowledge of the development of motion picture technology, is also responsible for collaborating with the Academy’s Oral History Program, guiding the development of the Technology History Database and exploring various aspects of motion picture technology history.