HOLLYWOOD — Beneath the pomp and pageantry of the Academy Awards hides a world of crushing complexity. Every detail of the production — from the precise camera placement to the deployment and construction of moving stage pieces — requires meticulous planning, fastidious engineering and heaps of tech savvy.

Long before the stars hit the red carpet, a group of highly skilled engineers, production designers, producers and the show's director meet to answer a deceptively simple question: "How can we fill the Kodak Theatre with everything necessary to pull this off?"

The 40 million or so viewers at home may think an awards show of this scale is business as usual (especially one entering its 83rd year). As it turns out, an overwhelming number of new stage elements, mechanics, display systems and design concepts are rolled out every year.

To get an idea of scope, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science's head engineer, Tad Scripter, walked Wired.com through some of the logistical and technical wizardry needed to pull off the 83rd annual Oscars telecast, which airs live Sunday at 5 p.m. Pacific on ABC.