Did you know about the Emmy Awards, which honor professionals in engineering, science, and technology in the audiovisual field? This year’s winners have been announced, and some names and institutions stand out in their mission to transform the way we watch and produce television. The award honors those who, away from the cameras, create essential tools for the future of the audiovisual industry. In this year’s edition, the winners demonstrate how the science and engineering behind the audiovisual works we watch can be as fascinating as the stories we see on screen.
Legacies that shaped television
One of the names listed among the award’s top winners received an award for his career and historic contribution. Engineer Mark Schubin received the Charles F. Jenkins Lifetime Achievement Award, which celebrates individuals whose work has permanently transformed television. Since 1967, Schubin has been active and involved in virtually every area of ​​the audiovisual production industry, including lighting, sound, editing, and even the global broadcasting of operas from the Metropolitan Opera.
The engineer’s career is marked by his unique ability to explain technical concepts in an accessible way. Schubin is called the “engineer and explainer,” having carved out a niche as a speaker and writer that has made him a reference for all professionals and students in the audiovisual field, especially those who want to understand the technological underpinnings of television.
The Philo T. Farnsworth Corporate Achievement Award went to BBC Research & Development, one of the other names that stood out at the event, which is one of the largest media innovation laboratories in the world. Since 1930, the BBC team has led advances in communication, such as FM radio and high-definition television, and has also made significant contributions to current research on augmented reality, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence.
Innovations that change production methods
This year’s awards ceremony also featured solutions that are already impacting studios and audiovisual productions. LucidLink, for example, was one of the most acclaimed. The platform’s technology enables cloud collaboration without the need for downloads or VPNs. This allows editors and artists to work on the same files in real time, from anywhere in the world, greatly streamlining the editing process.
Another standout award winner at the ceremony is Hush Pro, an artificial intelligence-powered audio device capable of isolating sounds and reducing noise. This tool has proven useful for editing purposes and has already been adopted by post-production teams. This technique has become popular because it saves teams time and ensures sound quality in series and films.
Filming techniques also received a mention at the awards ceremony. One item that made the list was JPEG XS, a nearly lossless, low-latency image compression format. This technology is especially useful for live broadcasts, offering maximum quality even in limited bandwidth conditions.
From mobility to action scenes
The awards also highlighted mobility initiatives within this sector. Among the most impressive is the NACMO series of motion bases, which drew attention for providing realistic movement to scenes on film sets. There’s also Play’n with Fire Hydrogels, developed by Action Factory, which protects stunt doubles from extreme temperatures in fire scenes.
New paths for creativity and safety
The 2025 Emmy Awards in Engineering, Science, and Technology reinforce that television’s audiovisual work isn’t just about great writers and actors. Creating work that makes history requires many people behind the scenes. All technical innovations enable stories to be told with greater impact and safety.
This year’s big winners demonstrate that human creativity, when combined with science, can open up new and innovative paths for the audiovisual industry. Each advancement in these technologies can transform the viewing experience. And, ultimately, it’s the audience who reaps the rewards of this quiet revolution taking place behind the scenes of television.