Oscar Trophies Shine Thanks To NY Craftsmanship

Every year during the Academy Awards, millions of viewers see Hollywood’s biggest stars hoist the iconic gold statuette. But few people realize the detailed craftsmanship and surprising Hudson Valley connection behind those famous trophies.

The Oscar statuettes begin their journey far from the Dolby Theatre stage. The statues are produced using a process that starts with a bronze casting before they are carefully polished and plated with multiple layers of metal, ultimately giving them their signature golden shine.

This year, that honor went to UAP Productions in the Hudson Valley and Epner Technology in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, according to a recent report from ABC7 in New York.

UAP Productions got the process started with a mold, then a wax copy, ceramic shell and 12 layers of coating. From there, the wax Oscar inside the ceramic shell is melted out and replaced with bronze.

The statues then get sent to Epner Technology for the next steps of the process, which involves several finishing steps, including copper, nickel, and finally gold plating. Each statuette is then polished to create the gleaming finish that audiences recognize during the annual awards ceremony.

But back in 2016, We actually got a first-hand look at the process at the Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry in Rock Tavern, housed in Orange County.
Check out the video.

While the Oscars are synonymous with Hollywood, some of the work behind the scenes has ties to New York. The finishing process for the statuettes takes place at a specialized facility where skilled craftspeople handle the delicate polishing and plating.

As previously reported by Hudson Valley Post, the region also has its own connections to Oscar winners and nominees over the years, highlighting how the Hudson Valley continues to intersect with Hollywood history.

Even with modern technology, the Oscar statuette remains largely handcrafted, with the New York based workshop producing more than 60 of the gold-plated trophies this year.