The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will take audiences on a special behind-the-scenes journey into the making of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY during a program hosted by special effects pioneer Douglas Trumbull and actor Tom Hanks, on Wednesday, May 21, at 8 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
Presented by the Academy's Science and Technology Council, "2001 in 2008: A Cinematic Odyssey" will feature never-before-seen images of and an onstage discussion about the technology used in the making of Stanley Kubrick's Academy Award-winning sci-fi epic.
The innovative special effects tools and techniques to be presented in the program include the Slit-Scan machine, the "Sausage Factory" device, the Jupiter machine and the front projection process, all of which were used in the production of the film.
Trumbull was one of four photographic effects supervisors on the set when filming began in December 1965 at MGM British Studios in Borehamwood, England. The film 2001 was Trumbull's first job on a feature film, and working with Kubrick had a profound impact on him and his career.
Trumbull recently aided David D. Larson, who has been researching a book on the film's history, in identifying and contextualizing 2001 film items from the Kubrick Archive in London, including original artwork, memos, call sheets, photographs and other artifacts; highlights of these discoveries will be included in "2001 in 2008."
Oscar winner and Academy governor Tom Hanks was a junior high school student in Oakland, California, when he saw the film for the first time. Many dozens of viewings later, his interests and artistic choices reflect a continuing passion for this influential work. Complementing the presentation will be a display of representative filming equipment as well as actual items used in the film, including a spacesuit and helmets, on loan from several private collections.
Established in 2003 by the Academy's Board of Governors, the Science and Technology Council provides a forum for the exchange of information, promotes cooperation among diverse technological interests within the industry, sponsors publications, fosters educational activities and preserves the history of the science and technology of motion pictures.
Tickets to "2001 in 2008: A Cinematic Odyssey" are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Tickets are available for purchase by mail, at the Academy box office, or online at www.oscars.org. Doors open at 7 p.m. All seating is unreserved.
The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For additional information, visit www.oscars.org or call 310-247-3600.
