Christie has announced that its Principal Product Developer, Mike Perkins, has been awarded the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Award in Scientific and Engineering, along with three other recipients, for his work on the design and development of the Christie E3LH projection system, developed in partnership with Dolby Laboratories. The Academy’s Scientific and Technical Awards honor individuals and companies whose discoveries and innovations have contributed in significant and lasting ways to motion pictures.
The Christie E3LH Dolby Vision Cinema Projection System is the first projector to bring both high dynamic range (HDR) and wide color gamut (WCG) technologies to the viewing audience. The system can be used as a single projector head or dual projector head configuration with a patented relay lens that enables 3D stereoscopic presentations with full brightness and simultaneous imaging to both eyes for an improved viewing experience. The system has been installed in more than 300 commercial and non-commercial cinema screens, including 3D color correction and review rooms in more than 15 countries.
Christie was at the forefront of the conversion from film to digital and continued its tradition with the development of the E3LH, which began in 2012. The projection system was first available in June 2015 for the theatrical release of Tomorrowland. Its underlying technology brought on-screen black levels from the typical 2000:1 to 1,000,000:1, making the black portions of a scene truly black, while RGB pure laser illumination expanded the color gamut beyond the standard DCI color space.
As a principal product developer, Perkins led a team of engineers with expertise in projection systems, light sources, and chip sets, and worked with the team at Brass Roots Technologies, which Christie acquired in 2022. Perkins will be recognized during the official awards ceremony on February 23rd at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California. This award marks the third Academy Award for Christie, having previously received two awards for technical achievements. In 1983, Christie and LaVezzi Machine Works received the award for the development of the first completely sealed, maintenance-free 35 mm projector intermittent film transport device, branded the Christie Ultramittent. Then in 1998, Christie won its second Academy Award for the development of the ELF 1-C Endless Loop Film Transport and storage system.
“This coveted award is a testament to the skilled engineering team at Christie. I’m extremely proud of everyone’s dedication to this important project and thank them for developing this award-winning innovative cinema projection system,” says Koji Naito, the chief executive officer of Christie.
“We’re thrilled that Mike has been recognized for his innovative work that has–and will–continue to shape the cinema industry. With over 25 years at Christie, Mike’s vision and expertise, in collaboration with the cinema team, have led to the development of technology that has truly redefined the moviegoing experience,” says Brian Claypool, the executive vice president of cinema at Christie.
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