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VIDEO: Oscar statuettes: From the Hudson Valley to Hollywood

John W. Barry
Poughkeepsie Journal

And the winner is — the mid-Hudson Valley.

Polich Tallix employee Cesar Martinez with an Oscar.

Each time that memorable phrase is uttered during the Academy Awards on Feb. 28, and an Oscar is handed out, Dutchess County and the surrounding region can claim a big slab of Oscar pride.

The iconic Oscar statuettes for this year’s ceremony have been created by the Orange County-based Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry, which has its roots in Beacon. This year marks the first time the statuette will be made in New York.

And a press release from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hints at an ongoing relationship by saying that Polich Tallix’s work for the Oscars is “starting with the 88th Academy Awards.”

Polich Tallix employee Cesar Martinez works on an Oscar.

Beacon resident Adam Demchak, vice president of Polich Tallix, will be in Los Angeles on Feb. 28 to play a pivotal role in the evening’s festivities. Demchak, along with an employee of the company, will be at the official post-Oscars celebration, fastening the nameplates of winners onto the coveted Oscar statuettes.

Academy Award nominations for two films with Hudson Valley links

Polich Tallix also created statuette nameplates for every Oscar nominee. And Demchak and his colleague — Stephanie Minor of Orange County — will be on hand at the Governors Ball, the Academy’s official post-Oscars celebration, with screwdrivers, affixing nameplates for those recognized with their industry’s highest achievement.

“It’s huge,” Demchak said. “To create something that so many people will see and automatically recognize, it allows us to step into a realm that we have not worked in before.”

The creation of the Oscar statuettes in the Hudson Valley is a feather in the cap for a region that already boasts strong ties to the film industry.

Oscar winners Jane Fonda and Ang Lee have worked on films in the Hudson Valley. In 2015 alone, movies starring Andie McDowell, Matthew Broderick and Chloe Sevigny filmed in Dutchess County.

The Woodstock Film Festival on an annual basis attracts filmmakers to the region. And film production each year generates millions of dollars in spending across the region, according to the Hudson Valley Film Commission.

For this year’s Oscars, "Spotlight," featuring Dutchess County resident Liev Schreiber, has been nominated for best picture.

And "What Happened Miss Simone?" has been nominated for best documentary. This movie was filmed partly in the Hudson Valley.

Speaking of the Hudson Valley’s link to the Oscar statuette, Laurent Rejto, director of the Hudson Valley Film Commission, said, “There is an incredible coolness factor about it.”

Polich Tallix started as Tallix Foundry in Beacon. Owner and founder Dick Polich left the company and launched Polich Art Works in Rock Tavern, about 10 miles west of Newburgh in Orange County.

Polich later purchased Tallix Foundry and based the new operation in Rock Tavern. Tallix Foundry had remained in Beacon after Polich’s departure. Polich Tallix’s day-to-day work — the company employs 80 — revolves around casting sculptures in metal.

When located in Beacon, Tallix Foundry was where a $6 million, 24-foot tall sculpture of a horse, inspired by an uncompleted statue designed by Leonardo da Vinci, was crafted.

The company’s relationship with the Oscars dates back to December 2014. That’s when Polich Tallix was contacted by the Academy about creating the statuettes for this year’s ceremony. A site visit followed.

The creation of the statuettes at Polich Tallix began with a cast bronze Oscar from 1929. Digital scans of the 1929 statuette and a modern-era pedestal base were made, then the digital Oscar was 3D-printed, molded and cast in wax.

Each wax statuette was coated in a ceramic shell that was cured and fired at 1,600 degrees. The wax melted away, leaving an empty Oscar-shaped form. The statuettes were hand cast in liquid bronze at more than 1,800 degrees, cooled and sanded.

The figure portion of each Oscar — 57 in total — was electroplated with a permanent layer of reflective 24-karat gold by Epner Technology in Brooklyn. The entire process began with a single prototype and was completed in three months.

The Oscar, according to the Academy, has a height of 13.5 inches, a weight of 8.5 pounds and retains the basic characteristics of its immediate predecessor, which was made in Chicago. The Oscars made in the Hudson Valley were shipped and received on Tuesday.

“We’re absolutely thrilled,” Demchak said.

John W. Barry: jobarry@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4822, Twitter: @JohnBarryPoJo

Tuning In

The 88th Oscars are scheduled for Feb. 28 in Hollywood, California, and will be broadcast live on ABC at 7 p.m. 

On the Web

Visit www.poughkeepsiejournal.com on Thursday afternoon for a video and photographs from the Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry.