Two SF State alumni won Oscars at the 78th Annual Academy Awards for their work on the movie “King Kong.”

On Sunday Christopher Boyes, a 1985 cinema graduate and his crew won for Achievement in Sound Mixing and Ethan Van Der Ryn, also a 1985 cinema graduate and his crew won for Achievement in Sound Editing. Both men have previously won Oscars.

This win brings Van Der Ryn’s Oscar count to two for two. His work on “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” won him his first Oscar in 2002.

“It’s a very nerve-racking experience,” he said, looking back on the night. “Basically you’re trying to remember to just breathe.”

Van Der Ryn’s date for the night was his mother. After spending most of his time in New Zealand working on “King Kong,” he said it was important for him to be able to spend quality time with her.

Boyes, who has been nominated eight times, nabbed his fourth Oscar this year. He previously won for his work on “Titanic,” “Pearl Harbor,” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

Amid all the excitement of the night, Boyes remembers “getting a couple of nods and thumbs-up from some big names in the business, from people who don’t necessarily know me but know what work I do.”

Alumni Steven Okazaki, a 1976 cinema graduate was also nominated this year. He produced “The Mushroom Club,” which was nominated for Documentary Short Subject. Corinne Marrinan’s and Eric Simonsom’s documentary “A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin” won the category.