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Alias|Wavefront’s Maya received an Academy Award of Merit, the highest level of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ scientific and technical honours. Alias|Wavefront was later acquired by Autodesk.
Five years after its launch, Maya had been used on nearly every film nominated for Best Visual Effects during that period. Recent productions cited in the announcement included The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Spider-Man, Ice Age, Hollow Man and Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.
The award recognised Maya’s contribution to 3D animation, modelling and rendering across film, television, video and games. It was Alias|Wavefront’s first Oscar statuette, although individual staff members had previously received scientific and technical honours for Dynamation, PowerAnimator and other graphics developments.
The Academy’s Board of Governors approved the award on the recommendation of its Scientific and Technical Awards Committee. At the time, only 38 scientific and technical achievements had received this top distinction since 1930.
