Christian Bale, left, best supporting actor, Natalie Portman, best actress, second from left, Melissa Leo, best supporting actress, and Colin Firth, bestactor, pose backstage with their Oscars at the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Matt Sayles
Actress Mila Kinus from 'Black Swan' arrives before the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Chris Pizzello
Designer Valentino poses with Oscar co-host Ann Hathaway on the red carpet before the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011, in the Hollywood sectionof Los Angeles.
Photo by Chris Pizzello
Australian actress Jacki Weaver, best supporting actress nominee for her role in "Animal Kingdom," arrives at the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood,California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Lucas Jackson
Actor Mark Ruffalo, right, and wife Sunrise Coigney arrive before the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Matt Sayles
Actress Hailee Steinfeld (2nd R), best supporting actress nominee for her role in "True Grit," and her parents, Cheri and Peter Steinfeld and brother Griffin (R) arrive at the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Lucas Jackson
British comedian Russell Brand and his mother Barbara arrive at the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Lucas Jackson
Actress Scarlett Johansson, right, and a guest arrive before the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Matt Sayles
Actors, from left, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Colin Firth, and director Tim Burton arrive before the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 27,2011, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Matt Sayles
Trent Reznor, nominated for best original score "The Social Network", arrives with his wife singer Mariqueen Maandig at the 83rd Academy Awardsin Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Lucy Nicholson
Actress Cate Blanchett arrives to serve as a presenter at the 83rd annual Academy Award at the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27,2011. Blanchett wears a Givenchy dress and purse.
Photo by /Mario Anzuoni
Actress Nicole Kidman, right, and husband Keith Urban arrive before the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Matt Sayles
Amy Adams, best supporting actress nominee for her role in "The Fighter," and her partner, actor Darren Legallo, arrive at the 83rd Academy Awardsin Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Lucas Jackson
Actress Helen Mirren, right, and husband Taylor Hackford arrive before the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Matt Sayle)
Comedian Steve Martin (L) and producer Brian Grazer embrace each other while arriving at the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar party in West Hollywood, California February 27, 2011.
Photo by Danny Moloshok
Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award recipient, director Francis Ford Coppola, and wife Eleanor arrive at the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California,February 27, 2011.
Photo by Lucas Jackson
"The Social Network" screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and guest arrive at the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Lucas Jackson
Actors Javier Bardem, left, and Penelope Cruz arrive before the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Matt Sayles
Mark Wahlberg, a producer and cast member of "The Fighter," nominated for best picture, arrives with his wife Rhea Durham at the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Mario Anzuoni
British actor Colin Firth, best actor nominee for his role in "The King's Speech," and his wife Livia Giuggioli arrive at the 83rd AcademyAwards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Lucy Nicholson
Honorary Oscar recipient actor Eli Wallach and wife Anne Jackson arrive at the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by LucasJackson
British actress Helena Bonham Carter, best supporting actress nominee for her role in "The King's Speech," and her partner, director TimBurton, arrive at the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Lucas Jackson
Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu (L), director of the Mexican film "Biutiful", and one of the film's stars Spain's Javier Bardem arrive atthe 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Mario Anzuoni
Presenter Kirk Douglas (L) jokes with an Academy escort during the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Melissa Leo accepts the Oscar for best supporting actress for her role in "The Fighter" during the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California,February 27, 2011.
Gary Hershorn
Comedian Martin Short and daughter Katherine arrives at the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar party in West Hollywood, California February 27, 2011.
Photo by DannyMoloshok
Director Lee Unkrich accepts the Oscar for best animated feature film for "Toy Story 3" during the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Actors Danny Huston and Anjelica Huston arrive at the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar party in West Hollywood, California February 27, 2011.
Photo by Danny Moloshok
Shaun Tan (L) and Andrew Ruhemann accept the Oscar for best animated short film for "The Lost Thing" during the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood,California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
British-American screenwriter David Seidler accepts the Oscar for best original screenplay for the film "The King's Speech" during the 83rdAcademy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Director Susanne Bier accepts the Oscar for best foreign film for the Danish film "In A Better World" during the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood,California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
British actor Christian Bale, best supporting actor nominee for his role in "The Fighter", and his wife Sibi Blazic arrive at the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Lucy Nicholson
Richard King accepts the Oscar for sound editing for his work in "Inception" during the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February27, 2011.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Rick Baker (L) and Dave Elsey accept the Oscar for best acheivement in makeup for their work in "The Wolfman" during the 83rd Academy Awardsin Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Colleen Atwood accepts the Oscar for costume design for her work in "Alice in Wonderland" during the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Randy Newman performs the Oscar nominated song "We Belong Together" during the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs accept the Oscar for best documentary feature for 'Inside Job' at the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011, inthe Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Mark J. Terrill
Luke Mattheny accepts the Oscar for Best live action short film for "God of Love" during the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Comedian Billy Crystal speaks during the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Mark J. Terrill
Director Tom Hooper accepts the award for best director during the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Mark J. Terrill
Natalie Portman accepts the Oscar for best performance by an actress in a leading role for 'Black Swan' at the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 27,2011, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Mark J. Terrill
Academy President Tom Sherak (front L-R), actress and host Marisa Tomei and Academy Scientific and Technical Awards Committee Chair Richard Edlund posewith award winners at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awards in Beverly Hills, California February 12, 2011.
Photo by Jason Redmond
In Hollywood's long awards season, even the behind-the-scenes techs have their night.
Nineteen computer engineers, wire-mounted camera developers and other technicians reveled in a rare spotlight Saturday at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' annual ceremony focused on the latter part of its name.
Honorees at what's known as the Sci-Tech Oscars noted the strange feeling of celebrating work that when done right is mostly invisible to movie audiences.
"They don't see what we do," said John Frazier, who helped design the NAC servo winch system that pulls vehicles through the air on wires for blockbuster stunts. "This is what makes 47 years (in the industry) worthwhile."
Actress Marisa Tomei hosted the ceremony, handing out plaques and certificates - but no Oscar statuettes - to winners from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and France. Wearing a white Ferre dress with black band accents, Tomei gave cheek kisses to winners and won praise for her pronunciation of phrases like "interposer layer."
"What you have to say tonight is harder than what we do," joked Cablecam co-developer Alex MacDonald.
Six attendees received certificates for their work on render queue management systems, which allow visual effects houses to efficiently process large amounts of data. This prompted Tomei to create a drinking game for the dinner ceremony guests: "Every time (I say) 'queue,' take a shot," she joked.
David Laur of Pixar wondered optimistically about what would come after Academy recognition.
"It's certainly true that nobody grows up to say 'I want to be a queuing systems engineer," he told the audience. "Now there'll be action figures."
Not that technology doesn't already play a starring role in many films.
Mark Sagar of Weta Digital, honored for his innovations in facial motion capture, said he's now working on Steven Spielberg's "The Adventures of Tintin" and "Rise of the Apes" starring James Franco.
"We're getting to the point where we can make a digital character act almost as well as the human counterpart," he said. "We're able to capture more and more of what they're doing. So we can get their performance across really truthfully."
In attendance was veteran producer Walter Mirisch, who co-hosted the very first Sci-Tech Awards ceremony in 1975 alongside Gregory Peck, as well as Feb. 27 Oscars producers Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer.
Award recipients (L-R) Alan Rogers, Neil Wilson and Rory McGregor arrive at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awards in Beverly Hills, California February 12, 2011.
Photo by Jason Redmond
Award recipients (L-R) Mark Brown, Chris Allen, and Gautham Krishnamurti arrive at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific andTechnical Awards in Beverly Hills, California February 12, 2011.
Photo by Jason Redmond
Actress and host Marisa Tomei arrives at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awards in Beverly Hills, CaliforniaFebruary 12, 2011.
Photo by Jason Redmond
Scientific and Technical Awards Chair Richard Edlund (L) and award recipient Mark Sagar arrive at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 'Scientific and Technical Awards in Beverly Hills, California February 12, 2011.
Photo by Jason Redmond
Award recipient Mark Sagar arrives at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awards in Beverly Hills, California February 12, 2011.
Photo by Jason Redmond
Award recipients Arnauld Lamorlette (L) and Eric Tabellion arrive at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awardsin Beverly Hills, California February 12, 2011.
Photo by Jason Redmond
Award recipients Mark Noel (L) and John Frazier arrive at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awards in BeverlyHills, California February 12, 2011.
Photo by Jason Redmond
Award recipient David Laur arrives at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awards in Beverly Hills, California, February 12, 2011.
Photo by Jason Redmond
Javier Bardem: "Biutiful"
Annette Bening: "The Kids Are All Right"
Christian Bale: "The Fighter"
Amy Adams: "The Fighter"
