Andy Maltz, who led the Academy’s Science and Technology Council for nearly two decades, was recently and quietly let go from the Academy, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. He joined the Academy as managing director of the Council in 2003 and was upped to senior vp of the Council in January 2020.
George Joblove, a former Sony Pictures exec vp of advanced technology and former Council co-chair, has been promoted to the new role of vp, technology and standards. He is handling many of Maltz’ prior responsibilities.
In response, Academy CEO Bill Kramer said in a statement to THR, “The Academy’s commitment to promoting and elevating the scientific and technological aspects of filmmaking is stronger than ever. We just approved the creation of a new Production and Technology Branch and returned our Scientific and Technical Awards to an in-person event earlier this year. As part of this process, we combined the teams that work on the Awards and the Sci-Tech Council to create a unified Science and Technology unit at the Academy. In addition to recognizing and advancing the scientific and technological aspects of moviemaking, this combined team will have more direct linkages to the Academy’s core archival, collections, and preservation work.”
The new Production and Technology Branch was announced last week and encompasses members that were previously classified as members-at-large, working in various technical and production positions.
Patrick Harrison, who was its top official in New York, was also recently let go amid broader changes at the Academy under Kramer and president Janet Yang, who assumed their posts in 2022.
SciTech Council initiatives that Maltz led during his time at the Academy included the study of vital issues surrounding the long-term preservation and archiving of motion pictures materials in the digital age, which led to the publication of reports The Digital Dilemma in 2007 and The Digital Dilemma 2 in 2012. In 2021, the Academy launched its Academy Digital Preservation Forum (ADPF), an online gathering place for exploring these issues.
During Maltz’s term, the Council also developed and launched the Academy Color Encoding System, Emmy-winning technology designed to enable consistent color management across digital production workflows in motion pictures, television and streaming content. In 2018, the Academy and Linux Foundation launched the Academy Software Foundation, initiated by the Council, as a neutral hub for the development of open-source software used in areas of the entertainment industry such as animation, visual effects and sound.
