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What we’re about

The Oscar® and Emmy® Award-winning Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers® (SMPTE®), a professional membership association, is the worldwide leader in developing and providing motion-imaging standards and education for the communications, technology, media, and entertainment industries. An internationally recognized and accredited organization, SMPTE advances moving-imagery education and engineering across the broadband, broadcast, cinema, and IT disciplines. Since its founding in 1916, SMPTE has published the SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal and developed more than 650 standards, recommended practices, and engineering guidelines. More than 6,000 members — motion-imaging executives, engineers, creative and technology professionals, researchers, scientists, educators, and students— who meet in Sections throughout the world, sustain the Society. Sections are the face of SMPTE to many of our members – a great resource for educational programming, technical expertise, and networking . Currently, SMPTE has 27 local sections worldwide, which host more than 200 meetings, tutorials and workshops each year. The San Francisco Section elects officers that plan local technical programs, tailoring the programming to the interests of the local audience and our available resources.