Philip J. Cianci

Read the Introduction 

Read Appendix A: Founding the Society

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The History of THE SOCIETY OF MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION ENGINEERS, in three volumes, traces the founding, expansion, and evolution of the Society from its beginnings in the Northeast United States with a few dozen members, to a global membership of thousands, and its recognition as a leading authority on media systems technical standards.

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Volume I: 1916 -1949 Motion Pictures:

Volume I begins with the founding of SMPE (The Society of Motion Picture Engineers) and the establishment of its guiding principles. It continues with the growth of the Society’s evolving organizational structure and operational procedures, and the creation of Technical Committees to impartially develop voluntary industry standards to ensure interoperability of ­film formats and sound-on-film systems. Initially offering membership primarily to engineers, the extension of eligibility to technicians, the creation of sustaining memberships for industry entities, and the sanctioning of the fi­rst Student Chapter are traced as the Society’s footprint expands to cover North America.

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Volume II: 1950 -1989 Television:

Volume II explores the advent of Television as SMPE becomes SMPTE (The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) and offers membership to television engineers, technicians, and industry entities. The development of standards for innovative technologies – such as videotape recording and electronic newsgathering, and the seminal work of the Digital Video and HDTV Study Groups – are discussed. The activities of SMPTE in motion picture standards development and its participation in the American Standards Association (ASA) and the International Standards Organization (ISO) are also detailed. Highlights include the Society’s global expansion, the appointment of its ­first female Executive Director, and Oscar® and Emmy® technical achievement awards for time code, as well as the iconic SMPTE color bars®.

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Volume III: 1990 -2016 Digital Media:

Volume III examines SMPTE’s metamorphosis as the transition to digital systems and evolution to Information Technology revolutionize every aspect of content production and distribution, and lead to the restructuring of SMPTE’s Engineering Committees to better address standards that facilitate fi­le-based workflows, content archiving, captioning of streamed media, and ultimately the 2020 “Reimagination” of the Society. SMPTE’s role in developing HDTV, Digital Cinema, UHDTV, and 3D imaging standards are reviewed. The Society welcomes its fi­rst female President, establishes international sections, develops virtual courses, and creates scholarships and student ­film festivals to nurture a new generation of creative technologists.​

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